Video: Course Preview - EWS La Thuile 2018

49 Comments

29 1

lehott (Jul 19, 2018 at 22:49)

The EWS is like rally racing, going to all these kickazz destinations and UCI DH is like trophy truck circuit racing

14 0

Aikow (Jul 19, 2018 at 14:13)

Proper! Looks like a blast. Sure would like to make it there some day.

richierocket (Jul 19, 2018 at 17:28)

Right! That is nothing short of heaven in my eyes.

11 0

rockabass05 (Jul 19, 2018 at 17:35)

This has Sam written all over it. But then again, so does every EWS track...Excited to see who comes out on top.

jozefk (Jul 20, 2018 at 1:26)

Maes you mean!

Aikow (Jul 20, 2018 at 11:00)

I feel a Rude comeback.

12 1

Clarkeh (Jul 19, 2018 at 21:00)

Steeper than a WCDH track.

nozes (Jul 19, 2018 at 14:29)

"more rocks than a Primal Scream cover band"!

CHRISSYWADDLE (Jul 20, 2018 at 2:20)

Went there last year, it's definitely steep i can vouch for that. I went screaming like a girl off one of the trails through two trees. It is heaven there for sure.

TomsiR FL (Jul 19, 2018 at 14:17)

this race is gona be a good one. rain or shine.

IllestT (Jul 19, 2018 at 23:00)

I'm going to La Thuile in a couple of weeks. Anyone know if these trails will be open and way-marked?

tobb (Jul 20, 2018 at 0:00)

Some sections will be others wont. But if you use trailforks app im sure you could find them because they are not far from the lift

icedpirate (Jul 20, 2018 at 0:02)

When we went last year we had a guide that took us to the Superenduro tracks that had been there a few weeks before, you may need to do something similar.

CHRISSYWADDLE (Jul 20, 2018 at 2:47)

These EWS trails are slightly different to the actual tracks there. There's plenty there and they're long.

mizzter-b (Jul 20, 2018 at 6:15)

Last time I went just after the EWS they were still taped although the starts weren’t easy to spot. They mix in with the regular trails which are very well marked.

IllestT (Jul 20, 2018 at 8:21)

Thanks all. Well excited!

JesusJohn (Jul 20, 2018 at 7:06)

So good , i love riding La Thuile , proper mountain biking , no smooth stuff , hardly any berms and just nice loseness ha ha

beerandbikes (Jul 20, 2018 at 0:31)

I wish there was some "live" coverage available..

bigkev123 (Jul 20, 2018 at 2:02)

This time last week i was riding some of them trails, without a doubt the finest trails i have ever ridden.

Booster73 (Jul 19, 2018 at 14:14)

Steeeeeeeeep!!!

jt-tomack (Jul 20, 2018 at 10:07)

Friendlyfoe, “MOAR to come”... get a life

iknowaghost (Jul 19, 2018 at 14:22)

So good. So steep.

jozefk (Jul 20, 2018 at 1:46)

Go Maes, this is yours mate!

kiksy FL (Jul 20, 2018 at 4:24)

Those stages look minty joy time.

tbell1979 (Jul 20, 2018 at 6:26)

Chris: Hits wall ride
Rick: "Nooope!"

Hahaha! great looking course!!

aljoburr FL (Jul 20, 2018 at 8:26)

LOOKS like a good place to cook your brakes?
No brakes no ride

Jaybirdy (Jul 19, 2018 at 14:50)

Shale!!!!!!!!!

nvranka (Jul 19, 2018 at 15:15)

looks like a great track

shedsidechuck (Jul 19, 2018 at 17:55)

nice stages!

on-the-move (Jul 19, 2018 at 21:32)

The mans got some chat.

eugen-fried (Jul 20, 2018 at 1:46)

Steep stuff! BTW, why wouldn't you follow Cathro steps and upload videos in 60 fps?

odbrider (Jul 20, 2018 at 7:01)

Gnarly..Steep.WOW!

maxx-x FL (Jul 20, 2018 at 0:05)

NoriDori (Jul 20, 2018 at 9:01)

Looks like a nice mean track but the commentator sure talks a LOT!

justwan-naride (Jul 21, 2018 at 14:52)

You're supposed to do that as a commentator, right?

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maxx-x FL (Jul 19, 2018 at 23:35)

been to lathuile last year. i really didnt like it. and i also think they will never have any serious monetary success with the biking. everything there is just really steep, rocky, loose and scary. in the whole area i think there was not one single well shaped turn. i admit there are few people who like to ride stuff like that. but if you only have the chhoice beetween super steep and technical and extrem steep and technical its kind of lame. i think a good mixture of steep, tec, flow and airtime is key to having fun and for a destination to be successfull.
the trails there are all very similar + really hard to find even a bit of flow on.
in my opinion really not worth a visit.
a very good counterexample for natural trails with a big variety and flow is Finale. you can also find steep teccy trails and trailparts there but always mixed up in nicely shaped flowy trails.

16 0

robguide (Jul 19, 2018 at 23:42)

Best not go there again then!
IMHO La Thuile is one of the BEST bike parks for that very reason, it’s tech with great variety. I think the place has remarkable flow considering the nature of the trails.
I think you’ll find that this weekends racers will find plenty of flow

cebe (Jul 20, 2018 at 0:07)

yeah, if u dont like steep&technical, dont go there!
been there for ews race in 2016 and it was perfect!
steep&technical as hell and thats what i like!

and been to ews finale 2016... what i ridden that time, its lame for me...

maxx-x FL (Jul 20, 2018 at 0:07)

maybe.. maybe not. + the level they are riding on is a bit of a different sport to what i am doing.. and still
... martin maes on shitty tracks couple of weeks ago:
youtu.be/VlcXniJgBjM?t=6m20s

maxx-x FL (Jul 20, 2018 at 0:10)

@robguide: maybe.. maybe not. + the level they are riding on is a bit of a different sport to what i am doing.. and still
... martin maes on shitty tracks couple of weeks ago:
youtu.be/VlcXniJgBjM?t=6m20s

jozefk (Jul 20, 2018 at 1:27)

Find another sport mate

Maybe Cross Country is nice for you... nice flat and not technical.. Or go trail riding... apparently Enduro is not your thing...

Becciu (Jul 20, 2018 at 1:27)

Compare La Thuile and the Finale area is like compare apples and oranges (lift assisted park Vs riding area, even if eavily shuttled; alps Vs apennines; relatively new venue Vs. classic and established trail network).
That said, it all comes down to personal tastes; some people really likes the tech and steep you find in places like that; for my personal liking, I'll take Finale over la Thuile 5 out of 7 days of the week; but if forced to ride the same trail over and over for a day, i'll choose low, tech and steep over perfectly sculpted berms, flow and jump without any regret.

maxx-x FL (Jul 20, 2018 at 2:00)

@Becciu: i was just looking for an example of natural trails that are well made and fun..
i think that many trails in la thuile are just not very well built and looked for an example of natural trails (not mashine built) that are better made. but i think you pointed out the main difference: alpine terrain versus non alpine terrain..

maxx-x FL (Jul 20, 2018 at 2:07)

@Trailstunter: yeah maybe you are right. probably i should switch to road biking. i was just doing enduro because i like the clothes better compared to the raodbike kits..
my full enduro outfit makes me feel like a real man

nug12182 (Jul 20, 2018 at 5:43)

@Trailstunter: RIGHT!!!What he is complaining about is what im looking for.Place looks amazing!

samjobson (Jul 20, 2018 at 5:56)

@Trailstunter: Doesn't necessarily have to go full XC, he can switch from enduro to DH! This looks way more gnarly than anything the WCDH has put up this year...

nrpuk (Jul 20, 2018 at 8:35)

La Thuile is awesome trail riding with a steep natural feel. I think it's the best place I've visited on a mountain bike. You can find flow if you've got the skills????

jt-tomack (Jul 19, 2018 at 21:10)

Maybe because I’ve been used to great course previews with excellent commentating;
This one was kinda so not even mediocre

friendlyfoe (Jul 19, 2018 at 22:16)

"kinda so not even mediocre" isn't even English. Someone has been drunk commentating on PB again. Actually loving the commentary in the video.