Truthteller007

We've had outside dollars before. We've had Eurosport before. We've had BBC before. We had Jeep. Ford. Mercedes. Mtn Dew. JBL. Mad catz. Honda. Chevy. Swatch. We had Peaty on £250k per annum in the year 2000. Does no one remember this? What has fundamentally changed? Shorter courses? Social media? Bigger viewership - even based on WBDs figures at their industry leaders summit this is very much up for debate. WBDs whole strategy is not to grow the sport. It is to grow viewership. Let's clear that one up. That's more than a point of semantics. Sport is an entire system that goes all the way down to grassroots DH races. WBD do not see growing this system as their responsibility. This will affect the sport in the long run, as NZ Rugby discovered when they channeled all their energy and cash into the ABs and neglected grassroots. Thankfully, they spotted their folly quickly enough to change tack. Grassroots funding is AB funding for the future. Enabling talent from diverse backgrounds opportunities to compete in sport increases the levels of competition. Closing it off, does not. It is already a sport with large barriers to entry, and this takes it further into the sphere of monied talent being the sole beneficiary. Such is life. As to Ed's comments, what exactly are you saying Ed? That WBD will drive their own sponsorship opportunities to pass on in prize money? That somehow they will increase their revenue and pass that on? Or that they simply should be paying more as it? Explain to me how you see this working in practice. WBD want the rights to the Tour, and owning DH, XC and EDR is one of the steps they need to take to get there. There is rightly an incentive to do a good job in terms of increased viewership, but it is a means to an end, rather than an intrinsic desire to see downhill, and the whole sporting system grow.

@BermSkid72: Greg Minnaarr spent a whole year not qualifying before he cracked it.

Farewell Reece and Loris.

I did my first DH race on a £300 Raleigh from Halfords, with a £55 Diamondback full-face helmet. When I raced my first British national I did it on a £600 2nd hand bike. It's only expensive if we keep pursuing the narrative that you need all this stuff. Run what you brung, get out and have fun.

Overheard someone in the burger que saying one of the og organisers was no longer involved and that it had made a difference to the event quality. Trials were mad and class though monsooooooon like conditions.

@slow-af-rider: He doesn't but i'll still bet you 50 euros he's on Santa Cruz.

Jackson & Sandler to Santa Cruz. Hart to Cube (everyone knows). Vergier Trek (everyone knows). Katy Winton. Nt sure but she deserves a ride. Panic forecasting to define some brands in 2021 and beyond, others more conservative seeking sustainable growth. No idea if this is affecting budgets or if it's a more pragmatic viewpoint regarding the newfound breadth of consumer segments who don't care about athletes. Good athletes rock and are such an asset to brands.

Vergier to Trek. Wilson was going to be off Trek, to help fund Vergiers move. Wilson then wins worlds, triggers an automatic two-year contract extension and Trek now paying mega bucks for a stacked team.

This.

Saudi Arabia. Great to see mtb getting involved in the whitewashing of a nation. Even some in La Liga are pushing back against this. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/20/sports/soccer/spain-soccer-saudi-arabia.html