Video: EWS Whistler 2019 Course Preview

37 Comments

28 0

CF519 (Aug 9, 2019 at 0:17)

"Let's go for 6 or 7 debriefs".

What better way to wrap up a day of getting paid to ride the best trails in the best place on the best bikes at the best time of year?!

The definition of livin' the dream

lalientoxc (Aug 9, 2019 at 10:48)

Literally

18 0

gunners1 (Aug 8, 2019 at 23:44)

"The need to ride really really averagely"..Whistler style. Bout sums it up

11 0

BobbytheBiker27 (Aug 8, 2019 at 23:59)

11km for a race stage is absolutely mental, best of luck to all the racers having to do that.

mrtoodles FL (Aug 10, 2019 at 1:04)

I reckon they should do the Garbo DH course as a stage one year.

rewob (Aug 9, 2019 at 10:41)

I raced the Challenger Enduro 2 years ago. We went top of the world to the bridge at 1:57. It took me just under 13 minutes. I CAN NOT imagine going full gas all the way to the bottom. I've never really experienced my suspension just giving up from overheating but it absolutely did on just half of what these guys are racing, at much slower speeds.

www.pinkbike.com/video/453221

rewob (Aug 9, 2019 at 10:46)

Holy shit. 2016 wasn't 2 years ago : (

wolftwenty1 FL (Aug 9, 2019 at 15:13)

Pinned bro, nice work ????????

wolftwenty1 FL (Aug 9, 2019 at 15:13)

That was supposed to be the horns emoji not questions marks.

rewob (Aug 10, 2019 at 22:08)

@MikeyMT: question marks are their own form of approval in the right context.

ridingloam (Aug 9, 2019 at 10:55)

Long stages are awesome. The CNES traditionally has 13-18 minute stages and it's a part of the draw. In many regards the EWS course in Whistler is not that hard from an "enduro" perspective as so much of it is up-lift, rather than climbing. So the riders will have plenty of energy for the long sustained and challenging downhills. Some might even say that the Crankworx Whistler event is more of a multi-DH-bikepark course. I ran into a few of the EWS women the other day, and they were noting that the stages are super physical, but the overall day is not anywhere near as hard as its used to be given the amount of uplift, so they can ride an 11km stage with pretty high energy levels. But they still have to be strategic. DH racing is all about 3 minutes and no mistakes. Enduro is all about 30 minutes and minimizing errors and going full gas strategically.

blankty (Aug 9, 2019 at 11:42)

Having rode the challenger course last week, except for golden boner/roam in the loam, it is still quite a course. The no joke into delayed fuse is going to be a long and rough ride, with the bomb holes forming. Line of control, which was still wet is going to be a tough stage, especially with the forecast rain. A lot of time is going to be lost on that one run. Will be an interesting race for sure.

SlipperyWhenDry (Aug 9, 2019 at 13:45)

I personally miss the days of Crankzilla in 2014. Don't get me wrong, the course was absolutely mental that year (in a good way), but this is the World Series after all. Isn't it supposed to be nuts and challenging? Everyone I spoke to after the event that year stated that it was super challenging but also super rewarding.

rjmogul (Aug 9, 2019 at 0:40)

'lets go for 6 or 7 debriefs' haha. I'm volunteering on course for Protect Our Winters Canada pumped to watch!

pedrosalas7 (Aug 9, 2019 at 10:02)

Having ridden top of the world top to bottom (not full pull obviously and mostly on tech trails) I can say that having to do it at race pace without stopping is insane, takes a different kind of person to do that.

EthanIsAFish FL (Aug 9, 2019 at 11:08)

After doing it at race pace last year, I can conclude that is was a physical and emotional rollercoaster.
"Yes! I am out of the open rock section. Oh wait, that means i'm only about a quarter of the way in..."

gnarterrorist (Aug 9, 2019 at 4:12)

Great presentation. Liking the single track gnar. My body fell apart just watching it LOL.

Now if they add the Finnish traditional hidden skinny not cut properly small tree trunk hidden by over growth just on the side of the trail - to catch the unsuspecting front wheel - perfect

Still healing up after my front wheel rapid de-acceleration. Bruised but not battered. Time to go out and do some hill climbs.

GOrtho (Aug 9, 2019 at 9:45)

Same voice tonality, same clothes, same accent. Did EWS clone Ric? Crazy technology in mountainbiking nowadays.

ssteve (Aug 9, 2019 at 10:25)

Amazing how dry the park is these days. I mean, back in the early days of the park (early days were earlier, I mean the days where "bike park style" trails became a la mode) it still got a little wet once in a while, and the roots actually were slippery for a day or two. Now it's consistently a dustbowl. Good business plan tho.. change with the times (and climate).

wolftwenty1 FL (Aug 9, 2019 at 11:09)

This has been one of the best in years. Conditions have been all time. Rain basically stopped last week and its been 30 degrees since...shit dries quick. Carnkworks will soon be over and then we get the place to ourselves again.

boxxerace (Aug 9, 2019 at 12:04)

Rain is coming in tomorrow. Cloudy today.

ugez (Aug 9, 2019 at 15:12)

I feel you Rick! I always feel that need too. "To ride really really averagely!". haha

Mfro (Aug 9, 2019 at 15:54)

Anyone else think Ric was meant to say “Here we are, Top of the Morning....”?

nobrain FL (Aug 9, 2019 at 4:06)

I want to go back in whistler .....

Sycip69er (Aug 9, 2019 at 15:15)

That looks so good! Stoked to see a little punchy climbing thrown in the stages. Can't be all DH to be enduro!

smunky (Aug 9, 2019 at 21:17)

Anyone got any tips on where to watch stage 1 from? A few of us want to hike up and watch, just not sure where.

bok-CZ FL (Aug 9, 2019 at 9:57)

Same here

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thenotoriousmic (Aug 9, 2019 at 8:38)

Am I the only one who doesn’t see the point in a 11km race track? I get that it’s an endurance event but it’s selling point is the worlds best going fast and sending it on trail bikes which isn’t going to happen on tracks like that. Surely it’s better for everyone to get a highlight show of the best riders giving it 100% and not backing off and pacing themselves down a 11km descent?

burkerider (Aug 9, 2019 at 9:46)

The best athletes will be giving it 100% all the way down.. The main thing will be preserving the bike/tyres in the alpine section. There are sections where a little respite is possible on that course. The gaps will be less than one would think and will give everyone a reason to take risks for the remainder of the race. I think it's brilliant.

2wheelzgood (Aug 9, 2019 at 10:01)

I doubt many will be "backing off", did you see Dan Athertons Whistler EWS, pinned top to bottom.

thenotoriousmic (Aug 9, 2019 at 10:25) (Below Threshold)

@ZaskarMan: I can’t see anybody going on a massive 50km bike ride and riding 11km stages at full speed regardless of how fit you are. You are going to have to pace yourself. I just think 11km stages and 50km days are a bit much. I know it looks like shredding to us but just imagine how fast they’d be going if they hadn’t been sent on a massive bike ride that they don’t even time before hitting a 11km stage.

Lookinforit FL (Aug 9, 2019 at 11:05)

I think you want the downhill races, they might appeal more to you. There's a pretty big one this weekend too, might have heard of it (it's in Lenzerheide) I recommend checking it out on redbull.tv

thenotoriousmic (Aug 9, 2019 at 11:19) (Below Threshold)

@Lookinforit: I just want the racing to be as exciting as possible. We’ve got the same situation here that killed f1 where the racers drove well within their limit but had to hold back to save tyres and fuel. There’s absolutely no point slogging the riders when your whole fan base want to see how fast these riders can go and what these bikes are capable off. I’m not saying turn it into downhill racing but it would be awesome to see 6x Pierron’s les get run on trail bikes with no uplifts on different tracks.

Lookinforit FL (Aug 9, 2019 at 11:32)

@thenotoriousmic: I don't know man, if you watch pov from endure riders on long stages, it's pretty exciting and gnarly. The crazy stuff is watching them when you can tell they're tired, but they're still riding balls out.
You seem to believe they pussyfoot their way down, but they're racing. Yes they're conserving, but unlike F1, they're constantly on new track, and some of it is even blind. That's exciting in its own right, and if you want shorter tracks then just watch the first 2 minutes of each track. ezpz.
Finally, no one is making you get into enduro. If you watch it, your choice, if you race it, your choice. Criticizing it for being boring is like criticizing the radio for not playing your favourite song. Just play your own damn music man

thenotoriousmic (Aug 9, 2019 at 12:39) (Below Threshold)

@Lookinforit: I haven’t criticised it. I just don’t see the point in a 11km race stage and sending the racers on a massive bike ride that nobody cares that’s only going to make the bits that people are interested in less exciting. It could easily be broken up into two stages. Give the riders a rest in return we get better footage of riders hitting gnarlier lines faster and right across the board as well not just the top guys. And I agree it’s nuts. There’s not a chance I could ride a 11km run in one go the speeds these boys do it at is unreal.

Lookinforit FL (Aug 9, 2019 at 14:56)

@thenotoriousmic: I'll say it one more time: just watch downhill then

thenotoriousmic (Aug 10, 2019 at 2:09)

@Lookinforit: obviously due to the EWS format all the stages are 15 miles apart from each other and 25 mins long so it’s impossible to cover so all we have to watch is World Cup and it’s really entertaining but I’m sure not watching the worlds best pace themselves down a pointless 11km race stage after being needlessly flogged on a pointless 45km bike ride won’t get boring fast. At least we get a crappy 15 minute highlight video that’s all in slow motion to keep us interested.