Update: Thibaut Daprela Injured with a Broken Nose & Tongue Laceration After Crash at the French Cup

 go rewatch that TdF incident. it wasn't so much cardboard, as it was a f*cking armbar/clothesline. lol

 Was it a Pole?

 @mi-bike: what if a pole rides a Pole and get's hit by a pole?

 @mi-bike: no, the sign did not break

 @reo-driver: I like to pretend Pole is a Spanish brand, which changes the pronunciation to Polé! And now they're a party brand - a Spanish Transition if you will... good times!

 @reo-driver: Levy will break all three. Don't worry

 @shredddr: Polé in el Bosque?

 what happened to Amaury?

 @GumptionZA: Crashed and had chest or stomach pain, and was airlifted off the mountain.

 @Ploutre: Goddamnit. Two years in a row missed? I doubt he comes back for Les Gets if he needed to be airlifted, even if he can come back later in the season. I feel bad for the guy.

 @PTyliszczak: He should be back soon-ish, the info shared in a French forum didn't seem to make it too bad, but they still decided to get him out of the mountain to get checked out. Hopefully both can recover fully and safely, and not have any concussion symptoms!

The 100% Commencal team is now down 2 riders (Pompom didn't ride yesterday afternoon and the team left the race early)

 @PTyliszczak: we live in France so we have health care and rescue no questions asked. If he crashed on the side of the mountain with difficult access, the chopper will be called to have him lifted within minutes. Even a no-one like me got airlifted when i did my shoulder at a random alpin ski resort few years back and not even during a race when rescue teams are ready to get in action. Between the crash, me calling "911" and being lifted there was maybe 30min.

 @Ploutre: maybe they shouldn't have ditched Remii like they did, they still would have one fast rider.

 I love these baseless apples/speedboats comparisons. If there's a referee to dupe to gain an advantage, professional sportspeople will do it. You can't win a bike race by pretending to be hit by a tree.

 @onemanarmy my sarcasm meter detects sarcasm.

@BenPea may want to re-calibrate. #whysoSrs

 @blowmyfuse: I think you're holding that sarcasm detector the wrong way around.

 @BenPea: Could be. The business end is opposite the batteries?

 @blowmyfuse: No idea, mine is powered by a hamster in a wheel and the cable means I can't use it outside the house.

 @BenPea: extension cord my friend.

 We've noticed this on the local scene as well and were discussing just yesterday as we spectated a DH race. It's very strange. Not sure if more people are getting injured or if we just got used to no one getting injured over the last year.

 Riders are getting too fast for their own good I would say

 @UtahBrent: I would think the second option. On the WC circuit (DH and EN) rare are the top pilots that don't sustain a serious injury during the season and that has been like that for few seasons now. DH is always faster with bigger jump rather than more technical and tight so crashes are way more serious as track speed increase.

 the pandemic really made a lot of people think - given we're all going to die a prolonged suffocating death life's too short not to go big gotta go big

 Either the pandemic or maybe mullet bikes? Just scientifically saying...

 Deprela is an animal when he races. Look at his speed in the last WC. He needs to tone it down a bit in order to survive...

 Interesting question.. I think also with someone like Gee, who was at the sharp end of racing but now is mid-pack but does the incredible edits - it's obvious even with the level of skill and planning that the consequences are huge. Must be hard to drop down a level (still amazing) but stay relevant in the current 2 minute edit world, or maybe when you can do that stuff you would always do it even if it was just in the woods with your mates??

As for racing 100% it's got much much faster, very athletic riders who come through development programmes, amazing bikes that work perfectly, stupidly high speed tracks (Les Gets looks bonkers to me).. I'm not sure safety is keeping up with the pace of change and I hope it's not an awful racing accident that changes this.

Do top level race organisers / racers need to look at the MotoGP world and try and bring some relevant to MTB safety improvements in - or does the MTB culture state that Helmet & knee pads is good enough - I'm curious what the majority think?

 @blowmyfuse:

Yep, I stood at WC circuits and the current track design is heavily biased towards high speed big jumps race tracks rather than the old school steep, twisty and mire technical slower courses. Big tv friendly open motorways like downhill ski racing.

Nowadays you need to be stupendously fit and crazy strong and have to supress your sense of self preservation for those 3-4 minutes of finals/qualifying whereas 10 years ago a good amount of talent, tactical line choices and clever bike setup was enough for winning or podium places.

Older top guys don't like risking their their health/bones and heads to finish 7th instead of 11th so movie edits or enduro are way safer and more lucrative

 Maybe some of the riders never stopped training, and the crashes are the riders trying to make up that fitness and are making mistakes because they didn’t keep the training regiment during the downtime.

 @abueno: I guess you have to follow them on IG to check it. Short answer : Thibaut and Amaury did NOT stop training.

 @Wheeeliemann: amen ! I live nearby La Bresse and the first WC track or the old French cup track compared to the WC raced recently have nothing in common in terms of style. But if you want to make money out of the sport by targeting people that know nothing about Mtb, massive jumps and speed are an easy sell.

 @Wheeeliemann: Sorry but as someone who has stood at DH tracks for the last 20 years literally nothing has changed in terms of risk. In some cases the tracks are almost unchanged, with only minor increases in the size of holes or drops on track. As the sport has matured riders find themselves at the limit more as more and more people can ride at the limit. I guess there are less people drinking the night before before throwing down a solid 7/10 run for the win now...

 @Kmccann137: Are you saying that the mullets are too fast for riders skills?

 @blowmyfuse: I’m sorry but much of what you’ve written directly conflicts with what wc pros say

 @Jvisscher: no my theory is there is some inherent instability that doesnt work as well on a bicycle vs moto.

 @blowmyfuse:

Yep Track-side at WC Finals & World Champs - lucky me eh??

I think there is some statistical evidence on average speeds, on tracks that have not changed a lot over the years (Fort William / Maribor?) that speeds are up a few % points across the board. Roots and Rain might be a good place to start cos yeah a lot of this stuff is anecdotal evidence (especially yours - haha)

No one is doubting what you say on the fitness levels of those guys, people are still modelling themselves on Voulliez now (TD possibly) but progress is progress. If you watch multiple sports and dont wear rose tinted glasses the new breed always get faster and always push the bikes to the limit, I'm not sure knarly old dudes accept that very well.

small increase in speed plus trees, rocks and roots = a small increase in what was already dangerous. I for one love DH and the mordern riders are a brilliant example of sportsmanship, dedication, bravery and skill - all for not much money. I want to see them push the limits as its incredible but I want them to be as safe as possible (yes I know the risks but there are ways to mitigate like we all do just on a steady trail ride)

 @blowmyfuse: Yea, what @nvranka said. Regarding fitness and training; the old world cup pros say the new generation is way fitter and training way more dialed/high level. And that's obviously clear. I can assure you Rennie and Palmer we not doing intervals on their road bikes and eating a prescribed diet. haha. Not to take anything away from the previous generation. All fantastic athletes that trained a lot. But training/fitness/prep is on another level these days.

 @Kmccann137: for sure it is less stable. I just put a 27.5 on the back of my specialized enduro. Most fun change I could have made. Less stable. More lively, poppy, flickable, more fun in the corners. I can see your point. Smaller gyroscopes are less stable. I rode it back to back with my full 29er DH bike for 3 days this weekend. I can get lazy and use the weight of the big bike’s spinning wheels to push against and with the smaller wheel spinning back there I dont have that crutch to lean against. I have to physically drive the bike before I leave the ground and not make as much mid-air corrections etc.

 @btjenki: he's got some of that right, Rennie had some kind of static bike power output record that was higher than Olympic track Athletes. And as for Peaty never taking a day off, could be true, I invited him to play golf a few years ago and he was keen, never did get back to me so nothing to do with me been a no-one, just never has a day off. Feel better now, cheers @blowmyfuse (hope he see the funny side and does not go all Waki on-me)

 @jemscott: "I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to fu****' amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?"

And again, context.

@btjenki please tell me how it is that you can assure me that Rennie & Palmer weren't doing intervals. I know factually that they were, not anecdotally. Spoke with Rennie on occasion for other reasons & yes, he had a power output record. And Palmer spent his first season recovering every week from the beating his body took the week's racing before and came in year two fit as a mother! You can't win Big Bear World Cup coasting. It was a power course.

Training methods today are different for ALL athletes, but the athletes of past generations were all on the same playing field and busting their butts in the background doing their best to get ahead of each other. Science improved sure, but all riders had access to the science of the day & that holds true now.

Bikes are more stable at speed than way back and therefore safer so the "higher average speed" is a moot point. Luca hurt his back on a set of whoops. Brook was injured on a drop off. Harrison broke his arm in a slow speed woods section (slow relative to the rest of the mountain). Loic didn't break his heel at 40mph versus 35mph in the past, etc.

It 100% does a disservice to DH racers of the past thinking that they all behaved like a 40 year old Rob Warner. The videos, the stories of debauchery...they're mostly the post race parties. That's it. The same that was true in the 90's is true now. You cannot make a World Cup final without being one of 60 of the most elite athletes in the world.

 @blowmyfuse:

I don’t think anyone dissed old school pros, ever!

The point was just open for discussion is DH getting more dangerous, I have absolutely no idea but the AP update makes interesting reading.

Finally I wish there was not 3000 miles
of ocean between us, what fun we would have over an Ale

 @jemscott: I can rabble rouse with the best of them! All the names in my family on both parents sides come from the British Isles.

 @browner: IMPO, What has changed is the technology of the bikes and their ability to traverse the terrain at higher velocities. Given that the human body can only sustain so much abuse before major trauma occurs the bikes of today make it much easier to surpass that breaking point than those of yester years.

 @blowmyfuse: Dont know how to do that icon but cheers to that :-)

 @jemscott: When you say you want DH riders to be as safe as possible, do you think they should remove all the rocks, roots and trees from the courses? How safe can you make it before it loses it's appeal? The riders know the risks and would still be doing it even if there was no money involved, just look at the sacrifices some privateers make to race.

 @commental: no your missing the point, MotoGP is faster than ever but there are less serious accidents due to the safety improvements to things like run off areas, impact absorbing barriers, helmet technology, spine protectors and suit air bags. A lot of these changes have been driven by the riders, I’m sure Rossi has been a factor in improving rider safety. So of course you can’t compare directly the 2 sports but most of the top riders don’t have the keyboard warrior / I’m cool by association approach to racing. They want to win races and titles and to do that before anything you gotta stay healthy. This may exist but the top riders should be consulted on stuff like track safety, pretty sure Minnaar had Leogang redesign the last jump as he said it was dangerous (it was and it took out one of the top French guys) I love the fast wc tracks but the riders should have input on the design, riders like Bruni, Troy, Miriam Nicole and GM who clearly have an intellect to match there talent know what works on a track more than a redbull tv exec or some clown from the UCI. Sometimes feels like people have to get seriously hurt or worse just to validate the macho extreme sport culture the some people like to buy into.

 @jemscott: the sport is dangerous for pros and amateurs. It's dangerous, period. My worst crashes have not been when racing, rather just out for some fun. The DH pros learn the track and can ride every feature thanks to lots of runs. They also need to learn how to dial it back a bit sometimes.

 @headshot: 100%, That's exactly what went through my mind when I saw him come down at Leogang. I wonder if the lack of racing has had an effect though...Perhaps not being that use to fighting off the red mist ? People just racing for the day because who knows if tomorrow's race will even happen?!

 @jemscott: I could argue that you're missing the point. Pressure suits have been around for years, but racers choose not to wear them. Not many racers wear neck braces. Both undoubtedly improve safety. At Val d'Isere several years ago Minnaar had panty liners stuck to his elbows as the French authorities stipulated elbow pads must be worn and he said it said pads on the box they came in.
If you wanted to create run off zones you'd have to remove all trees (including stumps) and rocks, so we'd end up racing through meadows. Yes, badly built features can be altered, but generally the inherent danger of the sport is what gives it it's appeal to racers and spectators alike. When a racer smashes through a rock garden or takes a sketchy line at visibly higher speeds than his competitors he's running a higher risk of sustaining worse injuries when it goes wrong. But just look at how much more excited the commentators and spectators are when it happens.
If racers feel something is too dangerous they can let the UCI know through their representative (currently Minnaar), but if anything they want courses to become more, not less challenging, as demonstrated by the changes made at Leogang, where the old course was seen as too much of a bike park track.

 @commental: " At Val d'Isere several years ago Minnaar had panty liners stuck to his elbows "
Sorry, what?

More big crash pads on those bothersome trees you might smash your face into would be a good place to start.

 @BenPea: nope. Crash pads on trees, removing things you can hit or padding things you can hit from my perspective as an insurance provider simply opens you up to MORE liability, more expense and more potential for being sued.

DH & Enduro are barely insurable activities. When you begin to assign responsibility to venues on a massive scale like that, you eliminate ANY protection the venue can have. Why? Because the responsibility to protect the rider from themselves and their choices is impossible. Pad a tree. Kit your head on a rock instead. Require a catch net. Someone flips over it. Mandate a stump be removed. Someone shatters their spine on a boulder.

The ONLY way for DH & Enduro to have bike park access & race capabilities is to assign virtually all responsibility of risk to the rider. That is free will. You choose your path, your lifestyle, your speed on course. You live with your consequences.

Mandates like spine protectors...even full face helmets, they can shift that liability and responsibility to the venue/organizer. The more you put in place, the more you open the venue & organizer up to unforseeable lawsuits or costs to buffer against them.


We could just go ride water slides all day instead

 @BenPea: I've just been trying to find the video, I can't believe it was 9 years ago. I'm pretty sure it was Val d'Isere, definitely a French race anyway. I can remember Greg being interviewed and he was laughing and showing the interviewer panty pads stuck to his elbows and back as it was compulsory for riders to wear padding in those areas. He was laughing and saying "Well, it said pads on the box". I don't know if the commissaires picked it up or if he actually raced with them on. My point was, he didn't want to be constrained by protective pads.

 @BenPea: Ha, found it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFQT3vr1Ask
@ 1.39

 ridemonkey.bikemag.com/media/joseph-ducreux-f*cks-around-and-finds-out.3401/full

 @commental:
All good points but that’s not what I said, have an open mind to safely and learn from others mistakes, at no point did I say run off areas in DH or anything like that but just be open and learn so the sport can grow, If you want blood watch UFC. Minaar definitely asked for the last jump at leogang to be changed. There’s a video about somewhere where Josh Bryceland describes how he felt, post accident in the start but up at Fort Bill. Top man and top honesty from an amazing pro that most on here wish was still racing,

 @jemscott: I know Minnaar asked for that jump to be altered. I also know he doesn't want some of the safety constraints put on him by some race federations ( as shown in the video link I posted above). Maybe I read too much into your mention of Moto GP. For me the Isle of Man TT has always borne more resemblance in the Moto world, there are elements of danger that can't be removed without something fundamental being lost. Of course I don't want to see blood, but risk plays a big part in the sport and that's why I find riders like Thibaut and Amoury so breath taking to watch. However safe you try to make DH, there will always be racers willing to push it to and sometimes beyond the limit.

 @blowmyfuse: I'm not sure I'm with you. Thing is, there are crash pads on some trees at World Cups, etc., but not everywhere there should be. I would never have thought of looking at this through the prism of litigation. Playing devil's advocate, could they be optional but recommended, i.e., "nice to have, just in case", if the riders promised not to sue? In fact, isn't that the case already, with venues just not being able to do the work as thoroughly as they could for one reason or another?

 @commental: good work lad

 @commental: There is a lot to be said for poorly sculpted jumps. Steve Wentz of VitalMTB broke his back on one out west that people started calling out day one and went unchanged.
If it's a man made kicker, I'm fine with riders having input on that risk factor.

There's gnarly and there is garbage. Heck...that Evil Kneivel huck at the end of Leogang was pretty much garbage but stayed unchanged so who knows.

 @blowmyfuse: I came across Thirion's crash on that recently. Horrific.

 @commental: Yeah valid points and the TT is amazing, however 200+ deaths.. The TT generates a big income for the IoM so they let it continue but all the big sponsors and factory teams have walked away now, I think?? Maybe I'm just out of touch, I want DH as it is now with the speed, the tracks the intensity of the racing but not ending up like the IoM TT which does attract some (small % i know), who go for the carnage, I know it wont but hopefully you get my point - I think fatherhood changes you although ultimately I have always been more cautious than some. Grand conversation, thanks for your points of view and knowledge :-)

 @jemscott: It's always interesting to see different points of view, it's mainly why I come to the comments. Cheers dude, happy trails.