Video: A Slalom Duel - Pinkbike Academy Season 3 EP 6

Nov 23, 2022
by Pinkbike Originals  

PINKBIKE ACADEMY


10 Riders. 1 Pro Contract.



Episode 6: A Slalom Duel

The contestant pool is thinning. Tensions run high. With a head-to-head dual slalom for the ages on Big White's own slalom course, we will see who has the speed and the cornering ability to stay in the house, and who is sent packing. Hold on tight and don't touch those brakes.

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The rest of the season will drop weekly on Tuesdays at 10am PST.

Pinkbike Academy Season 3 is available for FREE on Outside Watch or the Pinkbike YouTube channel.



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Huge thanks to the brands who made this show possible!
Orbea, Shimano, Fox Racing, Maxxis, Outside, Garmin, Big White, Stans, Insta360, MRP, Funn, Ride Concepts, SDG, North Shore Racks, ODI, Rimpact, and Squirt.


Posted In:
Videos Pinkbike Academy Sponsored Fox Clothing Orbea Outside Shimano Cam Mccaul Christina Chappetta Katie Burrell


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122 Comments
  • 130 0
 The weakness of the shorter episodes was really highlighted with one, the ratio of riding to non-riding is way off. It feels like we are watching a summary of the episode.
  • 45 1
 This season would probably be a lot more fun if Outside® didn't get their grubby little hands on it and push for 22-23min episodes that they could package up and sell to a network.

Mandatory "Outside® sucks!" comment. Let's enjoy PB while we have it good, and before it gets the CyclingTips/BETA treatment. I already pay for Trailforks, and had PB not been sold to Outside®, I would have paid a subscription to them too.
  • 9 7
 @corposello: I think my main quip with this season is that it really looks like there was a benefit for having Outside funding the show, having more funding for the production of the show and enabling more opportunities for the contestants to shine seems to be happening. But I want to actually see what's being discussed happening haha

PB is still a good time though, the other content that (I'm assuming) is being supported by Outside (PB Racing Academy, the new Back to Basics episode, field reviews) are all great. I'd just love to see that being translated to this series too, PB academy is really a cool idea.
  • 10 1
 Agreed, they are cutting out WAY too much content. They are now making it fit the 22-23 min TV airtime mode of programming. I have also noticed that PB academy is /was on the outdoor tv channels this last summer. Id love to see (the rest of the footage) not just what some exec producer THINKS is the content. I keep feeling like I got jipped and got a great message with no happy ending as promiced.
  • 9 2
 @evanlitt: Feel like a lot of these shows start with a good formula and then, as they get more popular, the creators throw "more" at it - fancier edits and shots and graphics, more writers for more scripted manufactured "suspense," more mainstream reality TV tropes, etc., forgetting what the original fans really dug about the series to begin with. Seems like fan input probably doesn't even enter the equation.

Drive to Survive comes to mind. As a long-time F1 fan, I actually enjoyed the first two seasons, but after the series and F1 blew up during COVID, NF did the same thing - you could see the slide start in season 3 and season 4 was just unwatchable trash. Luckily I think a lot of drivers are opting out of it, so hopefully Latifi is the only driver who participated in season 5 and DTS goes the way of his career.
  • 15 1
 @evanlitt: I feel like the only thing the Outside budget did was rent that big house.
  • 11 1
 Couldn't agree more, the deliberation started 12 minutes in!
  • 25 2
 PB Academy S1 average 230K views/video S2 average 140K views/video, S3 average 70K views/video says a lot
  • 9 1
 @cantbikegood: Imagine all of the autoplay numbers contributing towards the S3 view count...
  • 3 1
 And half of the episode was "deliberations."
  • 3 12
flag islandforlife (Nov 23, 2022 at 8:30) (Below Threshold)
 @Steve101j: Big house and probably big contracts for Cam McCaul and WhatsHerFace...
  • 5 12
flag Steve101j (Nov 23, 2022 at 8:56) (Below Threshold)
 @islandforlife: ahahahaha WhatsHerFace.
  • 103 2
 Man those judge deliberations are so damn contrived... just painful to watch...
  • 23 2
 Embarrassing for sure !
  • 12 2
 the worst
  • 9 9
 Gully just looks embarrassed.
  • 1 1
 @Ricolaburle: …
  • 75 2
 last episode it was hilarious/depressing to hear the judges say 'Timo is not very outgoing...'

What???!!?

He's FINNISH !!!

For goodness' sake he's incredibly outgoing by Finnish standards. Finnish joke by Finns on Finns:

Two men meet by accident in Helsinki.
'I haven't seen you for 20 years!'
'that's right...let's go and have a drink!'
They sit in silence over their beers, for 45 mins...
Suddenly one says:
'Well, how has it been....'
The other says:
'Are we here to drink...or talk....'
  • 19 0
 Glad someone other than other Finn noticed it Big Grin
  • 10 0
 He actually seems very outgoing and has a lot of flair in his riding style. Is it cause he is Finnish or cause his English isn't perfect that he gets criticized on personality?
  • 53 10
 The only thing that matters in racing, regardless the discipline, is winning. Not how many instagram followers one might have, or how personable or subdued one might be. Winning. Period. The person who crosses the finish line first. End of story. Everything else is simply scripted for the sake of manufacturing faux content in order to sell a story.
  • 10 3
 I don't get it. But I also installed AutoplayStopper so I'd have to click to watch and I don't want to. So I'll never know I guess.
  • 40 0
 This is the big disconnect - what is the criteria they are actually judging people on? This show USED to be about getting someone a shot at racing in the EWS. It's no longer that...and I think its the missing piece of all of this. This is now about giving someone a pro contract not a racing contract. Feel like they are making up the criteria as they go but the challenges make you think its about being fast.
  • 17 1
 In the past this was true, but for many teams now there is just as much emphasis on your socials as your ability to ride. The ultimate goal of a team is to sell bikes for the manufacturer, period. A manufacturer will sometimes pump millions into a team and they want a return on investment. In the past that meant winning, but now having great socials that get huge number of eyeballs on riders, their bikes, parts and kit also equates to sales. I'm not making this up. On a recent podcast Bernard Kerr straight out spelled out the importance of a new riders social media presence. Not having one, or being prepared to cultivate one is a deal breaker.
  • 8 3
 @IMeasureStuff: I'm not saying social media is irrelevant. But if some social media star consistently gets their ass handed to them and can't get anywhere near the top of the field, or even top 20, they won't last long, social media empire or not. Now if you're a 'brand ambassador' with a huge media following and just release non-competitive slick videos like many athletes do today, that's another story. But if you compete and your results don't support your click count, all you are is a back marker with a million followers, and that won't keep you on any team for long.
  • 17 1
 Yep, it's a shame they are trying to force Tarmo to dance for them.
  • 4 1
 @sucker-punch: I agree, there are plenty of people that will get a ride on a team because they are fast. You are not going find a YouTuber who does not have the speed in a team. But looking at what characteristics team managers and company PRs now want, they want the complete package, speed and socials, it's the new Holy Grail.

Case in point, look at any Red Bull sponsored bike rider, arguably the best paid, supported and promoted athletes in our sport. They all embody speed, skill and media presence (both traditional media and social).
  • 9 0
 The only thing that matters in racing is racing. I can agree with that. But the only thing that matters in sponsorship is selling bikes. If you sell bikes because you’re Loic Bruni and you’re fast as hell and win races, then there you go. But there are dozens of other riders out there who will never touch Bruni, and yet they’re sponsored. Why? Because somehow they sell bikes. So in the sponsorship game, it’s not just about winning.
  • 15 0
 @tremeer023: Even if Tarmo gets eliminated in the next couple of rounds, I'd wager this will still open doors for him and add a new (monetary) trajectory to his cycling career.
  • 3 1
 @TheR: Sponsored, yes. But not necessarily racing. There is a completely new industry around sponsored riders who never actually race. Yet still move product. They're just not racers.
  • 5 0
 @pmhobson: that could be even better deal for him.
  • 5 0
 @pmhobson: yes hopefully. He's clearly the best rider here and deserves a career in the sport for his riding ability alone.
  • 8 0
 @TheR: very well put. Racing can be part of the equation, but unless you are getting the top results (and the coverage that goes with that) it can't be the only thing you bring to the table for it to make sense for a brand.
  • 1 0
 Then how did Emmet not win last year then because he dominated the show.
  • 25 4
 Really pleased that this automatically started playing when I opened Pinkbike this morning! How else would I know that something I care nothing about has a new episode??
  • 16 0
 Even better that there's a setting in profile that is supposed to turn autoplay off, but these videos don't respect it.

Listen, PB Editors, i get you guys worked hard on this, i really do. but no piece of content is going to engage with 100% of an audience, and all autoplaying it does for those people is alienate them (and likely even for a good chunk of people that are actually interested.)
  • 35 15
 StinkBike Academy a show that needs to vanish asap
  • 13 3
 It's trying so hard to be reality tv that it makes it worse. I haven't watched since "bmx background"
  • 7 2
 They always say you have the option to switch off. This series has become so lame, I'm not going to bother switching on any more.
  • 1 0
 Go ride your EEB, Bluto.
  • 14 0
 The race for second place continues. Double elimination every time please. 2x the cuts in half the autoplay. Give the Win to the Fin!
  • 13 1
 I thought this season was supposed to be not just about racing… but it seems to be all about the racing. I don’t think the personalities are coming through like they have in past seasons.
  • 23 0
 Don’t have time to see personalities come through with these short episodes
  • 27 17
 Pinkbike Academy, dearest Pinkbike Academy, ohhhhh PINKBIKEY ACADEMY. I thought you would do better. I hoped you would do better. I quite expected you to do better. But here we are... here I am... disappointed again. There is absolute zero represenation for nudist slalom riding in this so called "video". In the words of my late grandfather, "the full moon does swoon". But there will be no swooning for me today. Again, me and my brethren have not been featured and are backed into a corner of clothing and accessories. We nudist riders CRAVE to be seen and heard and felt. Yet we are not. That is all I can muster today. #IamnotwearingclothingandIamloathing #staynudepb @100percent
  • 5 1
 I am disappointed as well and I stand with you @100percent
  • 9 0
 This is some quality content right here. This guy’s almost got me convinced to join the cause.
  • 10 1
 In my opinion this show would do better with a format where there's something like 4 to 5 bike challenges, 2 physical challenges and like 3 social media challenges and they're all scored by points. No one gets kicked and whoever has most points at end wins.

Kicking someone for being "consistently middle of the pack" is kind of ridiculous.
  • 12 0
 Thinking Brittany will be probably be cast as a superhero in a Marvel movie if Pinkbike doesn't pan out
  • 1 0
 she looks like she could beat the Hulk right? Just wish they showed a bit more MTBing and much less mincing about other nonesense
  • 10 0
 This is a bit dull. I can't really tell if they are good riders or not. Maybe next year make it hardcore DH riding and the winner gets a seat on PB DH team...
  • 13 1
 am I the only who thinks katie burrell extremely not funny?
  • 11 2
 Impressed that Mia came out of Thunder Bay... That's probably, maybe definitely, the least bike-friendly city I have ever had the displeasure of riding through.
  • 1 0
 T-Bay Bangers 4 Lyfe.
  • 12 2
 "This isn't a sprint, it's a marathon."
- They proceed to eliminate a rider after one challenge. Ha!
  • 10 4
 We all gotta keep in mind that they are looking for this time is a "BRAND AMBASSADOR" not a racer to fill a team spot. A brand ambassador is a well rounded rider that has presence both ON THE BIKE and OFF THE BIKE! That is what Orbea is looking for this time. Tarmo is a great rider who shows flare and style, but is typical Finnish personality that is somewhat subdued, yet with a huge kind humble attitude. MIA is a great rider, has good personality but is a little gruff on the edges and therefore may not be the best fit for an ambassador spot. The hast half of the challenges will separate out the riders and bring out their personalities alot more. Front half was performance based, pressure handling and head space (seeing hwat they've got as far as grit and determination under pressure) , second half is "personality and present-ability" as in being a brand spokesperson and social spotlight.
  • 8 2
 so why they having races and eliminating people raced on results? They should have sticked to the old format imo.
  • 7 1
 Deliberation: blah, blah, blah
Elimination: blah, blah , blah

This season has an alpha but is lacking a villain, an underdog …..
  • 4 1
 Bring back Cody!
  • 5 1
 The hosts have dropped sufficient clues that they are not going to give it to the best and most talented rider on their show... If it goes down like that then that's going to reflect badly on their sponsor. The whole premise is regressive. Just hold an academy and give the winner a cool prize but don't make the criteria some artistic interpretive nonsense.
  • 7 1
 What's the point of them all living in that fancy house if there isn't romance and rage? Aside from that, this season isn't great.
  • 10 2
 Autoplay sucks!!!
  • 5 0
 It was always lightweight self-regarding piffle, so if you don’t like it don’t watch it. It’s not like there’s a test tomorrow.
  • 5 0
 Unpopular opinion but I've been really enjoying this! Yes I wish there was more riding and less elimination drama but overall been enjoying a beer and PBA episode each week!
  • 8 2
 The people want more Brody Van Unen! I want to buy what he rides!
  • 2 0
 Max wins. Girl won last year, so it’s gonna be a guy this year. They’ve hinted what they’re looking for, no one else seems to have it. He offers diversity to a brand that’s not currently (much) in the free-ride world.
  • 5 2
 Bets on seeing do any freeriding this season? Haha. I have a feeling Tarmo could out-huck and out race him in any case.
  • 3 2
 sad because this is for a race-team hookup. That max dude can send a big drop . cool. So can hundreds of others. Tarmo is levels above Max and could probably send some bangers too....given the opportunity.
  • 4 1
 @nevertoofast: But it isn't for a race team hook up? Have you watched it all? Gully flat out said that they have a great race team currently and may not have a spot for someone there. They keep saying they are looking for an all around athlete (brand ambassador) and not a racer. This will not be the EWS contract like years of the past. Its just a pro contract, which could mean YouTube videos for free riding, like Remi and Yoanne are currently doing (of which Max was part of the Tour De Gnar).
  • 4 0
 For such short episodes in these days of binge watching, it would be nice to see 2 episodes released each week.
  • 8 2
 Or just data dump the whole series on us so we can move on and not have to deal with auto play on the home page
  • 3 2
 Want to read the comments but dread the autoplay... Yes, these short episodes leave a lot to be desired. Really lacked any drama this time round and the eliminations were predictable. although in Amanda's case, wtf took them so long. This show really has gone down the tubes, after promising so much in the promos. Just give the deal to Tarmo and be done with it :-)
  • 5 2
 Throw your bikes in the trash and grab a skateboard. Way cooler and then you don't have to associate with this utter lameness. Wtf even is the point of this series?
  • 5 1
 Money.
  • 1 2
 True, I took up longboarding this spring and it’s a blast.
  • 3 1
 I am done watching this lame series.

PB Academy season 1&2 were good.
I tried to give season 3 a chance. Such a lame show.

Not worth my time.

PB needs to start listing to their viewers.
  • 2 1
 It felt like they were trying to pretend that the dual slalom course wasn't super imbalanced between sides. Yeah, the combined times are what matters, but it doesn't make sense to say "one side might be faster, we haven't checked" when the course is a U shape. Obviously the inside line is going to be faster.
  • 1 0
 20 min episode with 10 min of elimination and random stuff? That leaves nothing for the riding and the meaningful content, we don’t get to connect with the riders anymore. Please bring back what season 1 was all about!
  • 3 0
 Where's Brian Lopes? Pinkbike needs more Pros.
  • 1 0
 ahh.. he would be great indeed..!!!
  • 4 2
 On this episode of Keeping Up With the Pinkbikeashians…
  • 1 0
 The show is fine. The storyline isn’t well served by the short run time, though.
  • 2 1
 frig off with the auto play already. We get it, Outside wants more more more money.
  • 22 25
 I have a theory that all the people hating on this show watch too much to TV and ride to little. I'm 100% engrossed in this, I wish the episodes were longer of course I want more action on the bike. I'd be down to watch mealtimes, training/coaching sessions, and stuff around the house. Tarmo is sick, I want to have a 40 and ride with Max, I wish Brittany had her kid in the house with the crew too! Orbea wants to see who is a good ambassador? Brittany's kiddo would be the best judge of that ever. Literally this is the only "show" I watch.
  • 25 2
 Nah man. Don't watch TV. Like most people, I watch this on break at my office when I can't be riding anyway. I counted roughly 3 minutes and 51 seconds of new riding in this 22:34 episode... which is 17% of the episode. I'd suggest that is a key reason for the "hating."

Adding a kid to make this good?? Why stop there? If we're going to jump the shark, why not also give them a chimpanzee on a unicycle to race, make them get married at the end, have a karaoke competition, make them live in the wild, and add a bake-off?
  • 5 0
 What do you find engrossing? (genuine question, not being snarky)

Your comment lists off several of the big things that pinkers are complaining about - want longer episodes, want to see more riding, want to see more of the personalities/lifestyle off the bike too.
  • 9 1
 That is a weird theory
  • 5 4
 previous seasons were WAY better.... this is worse than survivor.
  • 12 0
 @MuddyBrit: spending office time watching pb academy is better than working
  • 4 1
 @Chippps: I don't think it would be jumping the shark to have her child in the house, but the other stuff is a bit much and yes, I get you were being sarcastic. I didn't say add the kid to make it good, but whoever wins will have kids that are fans or there will be kids at events that need to relate to the brand ambassador. I saw Hans Rey as a kid I had posters and magazines of him up in my room. I mowed yards to buy a GT. My dad got a GT when he started racing with me, and surprise my little brother did too. Also lets say Brittany wins how does she balance her sponsored life with her home life? If my wife sees she is a great mom and athlete my wife would want to support her, guess who is looking at Orbea for a next bike that normally wouldn't be? It has to do with the presentation of why the child is there, there is a good way to do it and a bad one.
  • 16 1
 @MuddyBrit: It's the escapism aspect that good entertainment should have. I ride ever day, but usually a road bike to get in miles, or the BMX at a skatepark. I'll take a trip to the pump track an hour away and be the only person riding over the age of 15. When I do get out in the woods its flat, muddy, spiders everywhere, rutted up by 4 wheelers or trucks, I have to wear Orange because it's hunting season. I'm probably riding for an hour by myself while the wife watches the baby, then we switch. Dude this show is at an awesome location, they are riding in a group of similar aged riders, and have "celebrity" Coaches that would never even fly over where I live. I can cram an episode into lunch time and it's all good. I don't need an hour episode to break up over a 2 days. I could go for more episodes, or a behind the scenes thing maybe.
  • 1 2
 Could not be further from the truth.

This bullshit show (or rather, what it has steadily become) is exactly why I don't watch TV.
  • 1 0
 @xi11um: are you saying you have a bmx background?
  • 1 0
 Try watching “The Boys”.
  • 5 4
 All of my emotional capital is being spent on the World Cup.
  • 5 5
 I'm 100% sure dual slalom is fun to ride/race but it's absolutely boring AF to watch—at least on video/stream/TV/whatever
  • 1 0
 Dual IS fun to race! Especially at a club level where you know everyone you go bar-to-bar with, and then you're more likely to have consolation rounds and everyone gets to race for kicks over and over.

And if you go old school by just putting poles/flags on a nice grassy slope, it's fantastic - the berms build themselves. You can cut the grass off with a shovel if you have to.

Goddamit, I now need to find a place for my club to have one.
  • 1 0
 @iamamodel: Nobody I know wants to ride DS. I only see those people at races.
  • 4 2
 boring-ass slalom course
  • 3 0
 The whole season has been relatively boring. Nothing to do with scripting drama but the personalities of the contestants are just extremely dry.
  • 1 0
 We are jaded by Strait Acres courses. Hope Kyle is recovered enough by the Sea Otter in April. I have a strong feeling he will.
  • 3 1
 Such a terrible episode.
  • 1 0
 Later Mark Wallace’s sister
  • 2 1
 Eric has a rivalry with Tarmo, just like I have with Nino.
  • 2 2
 Bunnyhop contest would have been more fun
  • 5 5
 #timmywasrobbed
  • 11 1
 I don't care if Tarmo will win this season or not. I know he will get a contract whether with Orbea or with a different brand Because he's a race machine!
  • 2 5
 I love when Ares share the Spain flag in his number plate.... jajajajaja XD
  • 2 4
 Oh no! She puts a black tape on the spain flag! That is why she says in the presentation that she is from Andorra... when she is of Spanish nationality... All with a lot of sense... XD
  • 1 0
 @payoladas: She's a refugee, actually.
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