Video: Brendog's Vallnord Course Preview POV

Jul 12, 2018
by SCOTT Velosolutions  

Drop in with Brendan Fairclough and get an UNCUT GoPro course preview from Timed Training at the Vallnord Andorra World Cup.

Brendan Fairclough Photo Credit - Sven Martin

MENTIONS: @SCOTT-Sports


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73 Comments
  • 96 0
 You know what they say about the camera never doing justice to have steep terrain actually is. That looked crazy steep on that run from the video. Can't imagine how steep is actually is.
  • 21 0
 There's tracks that look like fun to ride but are scary to race...this one looks scary to even ride!!
  • 15 0
 i have riden over 70 Bikeparks incuding Vallnord this is the steepest Course i have seen. close to not ridable for a hobby biker like me
  • 17 0
 Yeah I'm just trying to decide if I would die faster here or at Val Di Sole..
  • 7 0
 @juicebanger: That's a tough one. VdS gets super-techy quickly and is consistently steep. Vallnord looks like you could get part of the way down and then "good luck, buddy!" as it progressively gets steeper until it gets beyond steep.

Needless to say...MAD PROPS to those that can make sense of either track.
  • 3 7
flag RedBurn (Jul 12, 2018 at 11:03) (Below Threshold)
 Maybe fun to ride for WC level riders but for 90% of the riders , this track is boring AF because unridable Big Grin Big Grin #reality
  • 11 0
 that was super terrifying. i dont know how they hold it together on that super steep, super rutted bottom section. i kept thinking to myself "this is what it looks like right before i crash", but he held it together. and will be going a ton faster Saturday
  • 4 0
 Man that DIRT looks awesome though. Steep for sure and the drop after drop is gonna get someone in trouble. Even WC racers at speed can get overwhelmed. But that DIRT!
  • 5 0
 @trails801: grip is amazing right now, but the mountain dries up very quickly.
My guess is the bottom will stay super grippy, but the sections before entering the woods are going to be dry and loose.

The track had time to rest because it's been closed since Vallnord Bike Park opening.
However, we had some very heavy rain in the past couple of weeks.
It really destroyed the mountain.
Sketchy.
  • 5 2
 Proof positive that despite spending lots of time and money on doing downhill bikes, I've never actually ridden a downhill bike (or track for that matter). It's also humbling to consider the vast majority (all?) of the chicks riding that track would absolutely embarrass me...thankfully, I am still a world class fart master, so at least I have that going for...Where's my cabbage & corn beef?
  • 3 0
 I went there last year and rented a bike and survived a few laps (minus the huge doubles). I think on my own bike I could have "ridden" the track. Racing would be another story. I'd say I'm a not especially talented "expert weekend-warrior"
  • 5 0
 @tttyyler: I never jumped that big one either, and I've been down this track too many times to count.
It's still very sketchy when you get back on it first time of the season.
The good news is when the track gets beat up, it doesn't get more destroyed because it's rock underneath.

Bad news is this track needs to be ridden with respect. Otherwise, it will bite you quickly.
I had a few nasty crashes in there.
  • 3 0
 Is Brendog riding an insane track or fighting Chuck Norris, pretty much sounds the same.
  • 2 0
 What a track!
  • 30 0
 Wow, that's a proper downhill track with lot of variety. Those steep sections in the woods look particularly challenging. Whatever the weather, it's gonna be a hot race! Smile
  • 24 0
 I'd love to see Brendog get on the podium, maybe him Neko, and Brook would be my favorite podium of all time.
  • 14 1
 If you close your eyes and listen to this it sounds like an old man riding a skittish horse
  • 9 0
 geez those off camber sections are gnarly.
  • 5 1
 4 minutes + on a training run. That is a long track and a lot of elevation loss. I like that he peeked down the hill to make sure no one was on the big gap jump.

In 1080p that was epic!!!
  • 8 2
 what a wknd this is going to be - this on saturday, FIFA final on sunday. going to be awesome. BTW, this course is badass.
  • 5 4
 How can you watch guys risking their lives, barrelling down the sides of mountains like this in the WCDH, and then still enjoy watching the plethora of drudgery, fake shite, and pansies rolling around pretending to be hurt that is the Soccer World Cup?
  • 2 0
 @excavator666: pretending to be hurt is part of the game. go drunk, you're home
  • 4 0
 @excavator666: this bashing of FIFA WC on PB needs to stop. Those guys have ultra-high levels of fitness and the game is super technical. It's also a team sport, so super different from DH racing. Stop the hate. Go Croatia!

Also, in Europe it is called football.
  • 2 0
 @yxbix: CRO AY SHA!
CRO AY SHA!
CRO AY SHA!
  • 6 0
 Gee's Preview
www.redbull.com/ca-en/vallnord-2018-dh-world-cup-course-preview
  • 2 0
 That was a good one! Gee's doing a top job riding and talking!
  • 1 0
 @Milko3D: Definitely, I thought it was great.
  • 3 0
 As I did read in past pb bike checks before, Brendan use to run pretty high pressures on his fork ,and by the buzzing tires in the video I can only think the arm and hand pain after a run hehe
  • 5 0
 Kudos to Brendan's mechanic. That's one quiet bike.
  • 5 0
 misleading title that footage was cut .
  • 4 1
 Wow!! looks so steep. He looks in control and out of control at the same time lol And all that without forks!!! respect!!!
  • 3 0
 Without forks?
  • 2 0
 @mtbikeaddict: the after run pic of his bike......
  • 4 0
 Piece of piss! Hold my beer....... dies at the 1st corner ⛰️ ⚰️
  • 2 0
 I'm still only 1/3 of the way down the course as you read this comment. Respect to all racers.
  • 4 0
 For a "normal" rider, going under 6 minutes is hard.
You have to start pushing.

Watching those guys when you ride this track often is crazy.
They don't obey to the same gravity laws than the rest of us.
  • 3 0
 The bottom third of this course looks totally bonkers.
  • 2 0
 DUDE! That track is INSANE! I think this may be my new favorite track to watch!

Brendog killed it~ (as he always does)
  • 2 0
 HO-LY SH**
Also, somebody get this man a chest cam—I would love to see his steering and how much his arms are bouncing
  • 1 0
 How does Brendog sit down with balls that big, the speed to steepness is unreal
  • 1 0
 by ek.....deathgrips on full throttle. My bikes would have dropped to bits before the first corner. Mint footage...cheers
  • 2 0
 I wonder if anyone will send the road gap at 3:36?
  • 4 0
 I know Greg Minnaar was talking about it last year, but it's pretty far and you land in a very steep and gnarly section.
It's also near the end. You are burning inside everywhere.

I think it's too much work and risk for no real gain.
Check it out from another angle on a video I made a few years ago youtu.be/lbMYczmw7ok?t=463

Would look sick though.
  • 3 0
 oh my god thats steep!
  • 1 0
 Fairclough struggling to breathe sounds like me after a series of table tops and one double. Seriously steep!
  • 1 0
 Super steep, fast and long at the same time! My arms got tired only watching it...
  • 2 1
 Now that’s a trail I would really like to ride!!
  • 1 1
 just me or does he sound a little under the weather? sniffles and clearing his throat. hope he's good to go this weekend!
  • 1 0
 Ohhh lord jesus it's a fire!
  • 2 0
 Aint nobody got time for that!
  • 1 0
 Track just keeps going and going, it's going to be an awesome race
  • 1 0
 this would be absolutely terrifying in the rain...
  • 1 0
 Ho ly shit...just how brutal was that!
  • 1 0
 A couple of laps and I would be ruined!
  • 2 0
 best track of the year?
  • 1 0
 Nuttyyyy!! A few more trees need padding I think.
  • 1 0
 Exhausted from just watching that. Gonna be a mean race.
  • 1 2
 We need Claudio to dub in commentary so we don't have to listen to 4 minutes of heavy breathing.
  • 1 0
 www.redbull.com/us-en/vallnord-2018-dh-world-cup-course-preview
  • 1 0
 sick ride
  • 1 0
 Best.POV.Ever. Smile
  • 1 0
 Just WoW
  • 1 0
 Goooo Brendan!!!
  • 2 4
 I reckon that’s rideable on a trail bike... That looks proper gnarly so many big compressions
  • 3 0
 contradictory statements?
  • 2 0
 @mkul7r4: maybe he's comparing the top half to the bottom half? truly an enigma
  • 2 0
 @ryanandrewrogers: or truly an enema?
  • 1 0
 @jtayabji: or Trudy the panda
  • 3 6
 Yep, looks like a bike park.
  • 3 0
 I guess you haven't try to ride the track. Let's talk again once you've done it. Vallnord wants to be a mix of everything, new and old school. 2 open sections with big berms and jumps, but the rest is not shaped like a bike park. Bike park type sections probably take 30 seconds. You just can't see it on camera.
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