Qualifying Results: Lousa DH World Cup 2020 - Round 4

 i believe gwin is still one of the fittest riders on the circuit, otherwise he wouldn't be able put time into everybody in the rough sections. he just never was a top sprinter like bruni always has been, remember his (bruni's) first won world champs in cairns, where he won it on the flat finish sprint.
i'm personally not fan of such massive sprint sections in a DH race, but everyone has the same chance.

 It’s probably the bike. Not all DH suspension designs pedal equally.

 When we are critical of others, we really should be critical of ourselves MKAY?

 @striveCF15: Does anyone know what Loic was doing touching his bars before the sprint yesterday...? Lockout?

 @blanshard16: seems to be a compression lockout for the shock + fork according to him on the latest WynTV.
DH turning into XC

 @blanshard16: It was mentioned during his interview @GwynnTv, but it didn't completely make sense.

Loic said it was "hydraulics for the pedaling", then he went on how it was less pumping in the front, so I assume he indeed was talking about locking out his pneumatic fork. Perhaps it's not cable actuated but hydraulic actuated?

 @Tigergoosebumps: who is being critical? It's an observation. These are pro athletes. I'm pretty sure being observed and discussed comes with the territory. I doubt Gwin reads pink bike comments.

@striveCF15 You may be right about his fitness but I still think he seems to be losing more time than most other riders.

 @blanshard16: Psychological Warfare in Downhill Racing: 101?

 @humoroususername: In the WynTV segment, Gwin said something to the effect of he wasn't tired and can go faster on the sprinting section, he just still hasn't gotten back into the swing of really laying it all out at race pace. He said it's starting to come together, but he just doesn't feel like he's pushing it to the limit like he needs to in order to win.

 Remember Gwin losing quite a chunk of time in Losinj 2018 to Luca on the final pedal section? Watching the race run, also at the first split where he was like 7th fastest before going fastest on the rough sections.

Then he was like 2 seconds up before the final pedal section and ended up with less than 1 second at the finish.
It definitely seems he lacks something in there, but makes up for it most of the time.

 @humoroususername: Wait til there's an article on TRP or Onza.

 He posted on IG he had a slow leak in the rear tire and it was super slow rolling at the pedal section

 @banzonam: yup...Internet cowboys not knowing the facts but stating them as so. Gwin should be podium again if no mechanicals for sure ????

 Age gets us all......we’ll, unless your name is Greg

 He's so out of shape... 1-2 seconds behind first place on WC. It takes time to come back from injuries and get back into shape, find flow, etc. He's hasn't really had many WC races in full health from his 2019 injuries, on the new Intense bike, without rainy mud which admittedly he isn't the greatest in. Considering all that, I think he's actually doing pretty well. Also, while he was injured, the French riders have been coming into their own along with the newer blood. Of course we wouldn't know that with Minaar around, LOL.

 He needs to drink a beer and fuck it up!

 Sounds plausible. On the other hand, Greg went fastest during timed training for the first Lousa race, didn’t he? Maybe he just doesn’t want to cruise.

 If you do a fast training you do have a calibration (are my lines good?) whereas if you throw it you will be pretty much in the dark on where you stand. Then again, if more people are softpedalling down your calibration might be off anyway.

I'm curious what's going to happen, my hunch now is that racers are going to push a hard, but risk-free (as much as possible), pace.

I'm sure I will be wrong, gonna be fun

 It seems that the G.O.A.T. is not cruising at all...

 Well, so much for my theory! Minnaar pinned it!

 @flowisforpussies: agreed!

 @BetterRide: Yep. You don't stay at the top by riding slow. You push it!

 I read this comment in that very deep movie advert voice, hope you OK with that.

 @Uncled:

 Good to see a mountainbiker do well in racing also. He seems surprised and happy about his results lately.

 WE'd have to decipher the math but even if he doesn't win he's got a good chance of taking the overall

 Matt is super good for sure!! But I'd still love to see the GOAT win one more!

 @mybaben: and with win number 23 also take the overall. That would be awesome. Failing that I’d like Loris Vergier to take the overall, he’s so fast this year, and would have been yesterday as well.

 @fjm35: Yes, agreed. Greg to take the overall would be so epic. Loris would be my 2nd pick too. So sorry for him yesterday with the flat. Poor guy.

 @fjm35:
Minnar has won enough, and although vergier equally deserves it, it would be ace to see a shropshire lad put an end to the frenchy’s rule...

 Wondering the same thing.... Gee is SO good. Not sure what's up....

 I think he’s just not fast enough anymore. It’s either that or they have designed themselves a bike that doesn’t work for him

 @CM999: I think it’s a case of all the big crashes and injuries he’s had over the years catching up with him, there’s no question about his biking ability, he’s still fantastic! I just don’t think the desire to push that extra bit is there anymore

 I wonder this too. Just a few years back he was quite quick on the Trek. I wonder if he just hasn't gotten comfortable on the new bike? Continually prototyping means you are always adapting. With world cups being one by tenths or hundreds of seconds, those few extra percent that Gee is missing could easily just come down to not enough acclimatization time.

Also the new suspension design on the frame might not be the best for WC DH? I think the geometry component is easier to adapt to but if the suspension design doesn't carry speed then that's a biggie. Are any other teams on Continental? Could be the tires too. I've been unimpressed with Conti but admit I have not tried all their offerings or compounds. Only ridden their stuff a couple rides back on a SB6 years ago.

 @heatproofgenie: It's possible regarding the suspension design. I believe it's a Weagle right? I'm not sure if anyone on the WC runs a Weagle? They may be better for enduro riding. IDK.

 @mybaben: Pivot comes to mind.

 @kusanagi72: Oh yeah, good call! That's true.

 @mybaben: Devinci, Trek and Giant are also all Weagle designs (however Trek and Giant both managed to find legal loopholes on the patents - they settle with Dave to use his design and shut up about it). Devinci and Trek are fancy single pivots and Giant is multi link virtual pivot point like Pivot.

 @Trudeez: Interesting!

 @jclnv: We'll see he's still very young, and he's put down some crazy fast runs this season.

 @jclnv: remember Bruni used to keep crashing when he first turned elite. Same with Bryceland. They both ended up becoming Champions so I'm sure Finn can too.

 @jclnv: agree with this. I would love to see Finn succeed, honestly. But he doesn’t keep it together. The only split time that matters is the finish line, but he needs to make it there clean.

 I think he's fine. He's still young and Bruni and other young riders have faced similar challenges. He's got the speed and I think with a bit more experience, he's going to be taking podiums in no-time. Excited to see him and the other young riders progress!

 @jclnv: definitely see what you’re saying. That’s essentially what I’m getting at! It’s all the mind because he has the skill already! Objectively from my amateur level downhill experience... He needs to figure how to put all the elements together. When he figures that out he’ll have some impressive results/podiums. Cheers to all these racers! God bless the new elites!

 I think it may be Rachel Atherton...

 @Dropthedebt: It's Vali.

 If you mean a complete lack of podium diversity then you are right. But the over dominance did begin to wear a little thin.

 I think it's just no points on quali so no need to push today. I hope

 didn't lose much time in the last splits she is probably ok

 I think she's great

 Yes! Fast at the beginning of the comp, her confidence and race smarts/fitness are now getting back up to speed after her injury.

Just in time for the final race - go Tahnee!

 yes he is, the current top 20 (outside of the top 10 from last year) is protected if I'm not mistaken

 @chs: doesnt show protected from what I see.

 @chs: ok now i see it. I think I looked at Maribor where he wasnt the 1st race.

 K - i - s - s - i - n - g

 @Dropthedebt: hmmm, looking at the shapes she was throwing during her last winning run, looks more like she's channeling Amaury. Don't know if kissing works for that.

 @BenPea:
They sure are taking it to the Max, Commencal.

 You don't have points for qualifying in the last race

 @purplegorillaz: thank you

 UCI/Red Bull changed it to prevent the title being decided in quali and not in the final runs.

 No qualifying points are awarded in the final round, right?

 There are more points in the final, add in the quali points.

 Shame - would have put Tahnee back in contention......

 I would hope not. They are professional athletes who knew this was the programme long enough ago

 They are on the UCI site

 2 sections will be changed as far as i know

 @murphymarv: Also some taping changes quite regularly

 @murphymarv: See Bernard Kerr's latest youtube for a partial track walk

 Was the no hander on Instagram his race run? Tell me it was???!?!?

 @Robbiek96: I think quali. But still he qualified 11th.

 +59 .... 2 Flats