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Throwback Thursday: UnEarthed Practice Clips from the 2005 Willingen DH World Cup

May 16, 2024
by Ed Spratt  

bigquotesGo inside the Earthed 3 section from Willingen, Germany. This raw footage shows the first DH practice session unfolding as I saw it. There was controversy all round at this new venue, the track had not bedded in, it was very flat in places and was a complete new style of track with Bikepark type features, and man-made rock sections. there were plenty of riders sad about all the peddling and untested track, but loads just got on with it and made the best of it.— Alex Rankin



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Racing and Events Videos DH Racing Throwback Thursday World Cup DH


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45 Comments
  • 44 0
 On behalf of the german downhill community: We're sorry!
  • 1 0
 Was the fourcross track any good?
  • 19 0
 I am so grateful for modern bikes
  • 2 0
 these old ones look so tiny
  • 14 0
 Jared Graves Yeti honking like a goose when bottoming out was amusing, never heard that on the dvd with the great music. More of these please Mr Rankin!
  • 13 0
 bunch of hockey players out there riding springy playground animals. that suspension! woof
  • 8 0
 I know the bikes were smaller but the helmets and body armor really take it to the next level.
  • 8 0
 I can still hear rob warner saying it's "probably one of the worst dh tracks ever".
  • 7 0
 The track is still there and rideable. Not a proper DH track, but was fun. Raced my first DH race there and I was happy that it was just a 2 min track Big Grin
  • 1 1
 I much like it compared to the one of this weekend a priori
  • 1 0
 @PauRexs: Oh come on. You can't be serious. Have you even seen the track walk?
  • 1 0
 @szec: I ve seen pictures manicured resembling some kind of bobsleigh for mountain boards... but that's why I say a priori can't assure I won't lime it but I much like this huge artificial rocks than stunt woods and pump tracks ...
  • 6 0
 This was funny as hell, the ridiculously tiny bikes, the rattling, the honking, the general dorkiness. When I rode downhill in the late 90s, early 2000s I thought I looked cool. I now realize, I most definitely did not…
  • 6 0
 People will say the same about today's videos 20 years from now. Don't fool yourself that you're any cooler now. Wink
  • 2 0
 @dfiler: With age comes wisdom, one would (foolishly?) hope…
  • 7 0
 You know the trail is dialed when the best riders have to pedal like hell in-between every jump
  • 4 0
 Nathan Rennie was such a beast. Biggest take away watching this one. That and getting to watch gee and dan ride together was always so cool.
  • 3 0
 ...and Kovarik - makes the final table look easy
  • 5 0
 Jill looks exactly the same. i wish i could say that about myself 19 years ago.
  • 6 0
 rumor has it their still casing the first jump.
  • 3 0
 the thing I noticed the most was the bike noise! and not the hubs! EVERYTHING was rattling on those bikes! makes them sound like jank but you know the mechanics were putting in just as much time then as they do now.
  • 5 0
 Really cool how much geometries evolved in 10 years... oh.
  • 3 0
 Gee and Dan looking the smoothest on their giants. It was a crap course though, pretty flat.
  • 4 0
 Did anyone clean that first jump in the final?
  • 2 0
 These features and comments from 2005 are the exact same issues faced when the city builds a "DH" trail... somethings never change
  • 2 0
 spinners are the winners or something like that is what roadies say right? dont really think it was working here for the first jump
  • 2 0
 Raced it twice. That first hip jump awful. So was most of the top section. Remember it being so energy sapping. A couple of bits lower down were ok.
  • 3 1
 I could swear that the bikes back in the day at least felt bigger as they look for me today...
  • 1 0
 its crazy how dated they look, it doesnt feel that long ago (to me) that 26" was the only game in town.
  • 3 0
 Watching your heroes on awful bikes on an awful trail
  • 2 0
 Peaty seemed to like the track ('separates the men from the girls') but he did win the race I suppose
  • 1 0
 Yeah, but didn't he just ride around most of the jumps?
  • 2 0
 Everyone looks so uncomfortable on the super short wheelbase and the 680mm bars
  • 3 0
 Little wheels, narrow bars and baggy clothes, them were the days.
  • 2 0
 Love the old school racing style. If it’s scary just gap it!
  • 1 0
 I was at the race with a few mates. Despite the track it was a good time. Redbull party was pretty wild.
  • 2 0
 Absolutely heroic sends on those untested gaps
  • 2 0
 They all looked like they were on verge of disaster constantly lol
  • 2 0
 Was it Nathan Rennie who called it "basically a BMX track"?
  • 1 0
 Future commentating legend @ 7:18
  • 1 0
 Make that 7:12
  • 1 0
 Anything I was thinking the comments have it covered lol
  • 1 0
 Those tiny bikes!
  • 1 1
 more interesting track than Bielsko-Biala motoway track
  • 1 0
 Cathro @1.57







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