Good Month / Bad Month: Women's Freeride, Olympic Singletrack, Recovery, Loss, & Closing Day - October 2019
The 2020 Olympic XC Course
Olympic XC Racing in Tokyo is Going to be True Mountain Biking
Olympic XC Racing in Tokyo is Going to be True Mountain Biking
From the looks of the 2020 Tokyo test event, everyone is in for some proper XC racing next summer. Athletes from many countries traveled to Japan in October to get a first look at the XCO track that will be used for the 2020 Olympic games. Many athletes took tumbles and there were no complaints about a lack of technicality. Historically, many Olympic XC courses have been more of a drag race, requiring a lot of fitness and minimal handling skills.
The venue in Japan looks to be to the advantage for a technical rider. There are steep climbs, rugged rock (boulder) sections, mandatory jumps, and more. Any rider looking to win on fitness alone is going to be sorely let down.
In the trial race, Nino Schurter and Jolanda Neff took the wins, Schurter in a sprint but Neff by over a minute margin. No matter what, ...it will be interesting to see what happens here in less than a year.
Female Freeriders
Red Bull Formation Helps Push the Movement Forward
Red Bull Formation Helps Push the Movement Forward
"It's more than just "women's Rampage." As Katie Holden explained, "Formation is a women’s freeride progression session, and an opportunity to give the girls the tools to learn, grow, and push women’s freeride forward."
At the 2015 Rampage site, Micayla Gatto, Tahnee Seagrave, Vaea Verbeeck, Veronique Sandler, Hannah Bergemann, and Vinny Armstrong created their own lines. Casey Brown, Tara Geiger, Michelle Parker, Rebecca Rusch, and Jill Kintner, along with a host of other industry veterans were also in attendance.
Additionally, Katie Lozancich and Michelle Parker were there shooting photos. Paris Gore, Carson Storch, and Tyler McCaul, all RedBull Ramage veterans on the bike and with the camera, were also there to provide some mentorship.
At the 2015 Rampage site, Micayla Gatto, Tahnee Seagrave, Vaea Verbeeck, Veronique Sandler, Hannah Bergemann, and Vinny Armstrong created their own lines. Casey Brown, Tara Geiger, Michelle Parker, Rebecca Rusch, and Jill Kintner, along with a host of other industry veterans were also in attendance.
Additionally, Katie Lozancich and Michelle Parker were there shooting photos. Paris Gore, Carson Storch, and Tyler McCaul, all RedBull Ramage veterans on the bike and with the camera, were also there to provide some mentorship.
Hannah Bergemann dropping in to her line. Photo: Paris Gore.
There were two days of digging, a day of rest, then two full days of riding. Holden explained that it's not a competition, but a way for athletes to grow. "On a top level, we have three “Pillars of Formation” that are goals for each of the athletes here. The goal is for each of them to progress and develop as a freeride athlete, develop the future of women’s freeride, and refine one’s personal brand and leadership skills."
We're looking forward to seeing how Formation progresses in the years to come!
Healing and Progress
Brook Macdonald is on the Bike
Brook Macdonald is on the Bike
It's been a very rough couple months for the Bulldog after a crash at Mont Sainte Anne left him unable to feel his legs and with broken two vertebrae. After surgery, he left the hospital with screws and rods stabilizing his spine and a long road of recovery ahead of him.
Back home in New Zealand, Macdonald has been working hard with physiotherapy sessions. This past week, he was able to get on the bike for one of the first times since his spinal cord injury.
Back home in New Zealand, Macdonald has been working hard with physiotherapy sessions. This past week, he was able to get on the bike for one of the first times since his spinal cord injury.
 | My first proper ride. This is by far my biggest achievement, I didn’t think I would be able to ride the distance I did but I had a loop set in my mind and I wasn’t going to fail that 13k and sore legs but this is where I build from! Thanks @samblenkinsop for pushing me! |
Losing Friends
Jordie Lunn Passes Away After Crash
Jordie Lunn Passes Away After Crash
There have been several deaths of friends in the mountain bike community in the last month including Jordie Lunn. Jordie was a pillar of the mountain bike community and one of the friendliest and kindest people many of us have ever met.
Jordie's riding was on a level of its own and the only thing bigger than his style on the bike was his positive impact on the sport and every person he encountered. His infectiously positive personality will be forever remembered. Our thoughts are with Jordie's family, friends, and loved ones as well as the family, friends, and loved ones of the other mountain bikers who have passed away this month.
Jordie's riding was on a level of its own and the only thing bigger than his style on the bike was his positive impact on the sport and every person he encountered. His infectiously positive personality will be forever remembered. Our thoughts are with Jordie's family, friends, and loved ones as well as the family, friends, and loved ones of the other mountain bikers who have passed away this month.
Northern Hemisphere Flow Trails
With Winter Closing in, Many Flow Trails and Bike Parks Will be Hibernating Until Spring
With Winter Closing in, Many Flow Trails and Bike Parks Will be Hibernating Until Spring
It's that inevitable time of year when many mountain bikers in the Northern Hemisphere have already or are going to be calling "last lap" until the spring thaw. Numerous bike parks transform back into ski resorts and bike trays on the lift will be replaced with chairs for snow sliders.
For some, the winter is a time to focus on a different skillset - whether on the bike or by partaking in a different sport altogether. For those willing to travel, there are lift access trails in warmer climates and there are still a few hold-out DH worthy spots open all winter long, like Windrock, TN. For other riders, the winter is a time to rest up, heal up, fully rebuild their bikes, and be ready for the first chair come spring.
For some, the winter is a time to focus on a different skillset - whether on the bike or by partaking in a different sport altogether. For those willing to travel, there are lift access trails in warmer climates and there are still a few hold-out DH worthy spots open all winter long, like Windrock, TN. For other riders, the winter is a time to rest up, heal up, fully rebuild their bikes, and be ready for the first chair come spring.
Opening day...it's only a few long months away.
Rampage Proving Grounds Qualifiers
Proving Grounds Riders Narrowly Miss the Top Ten
Proving Grounds Riders Narrowly Miss the Top Ten
The Marzocchi Proving Grounds qualifier event in September acted as a feeder event for Rampage for the first time ever. The five riders who made it into the big event faced a mountain of worries. New contestants had to find room in the already developed zone to dig new lines, and then face off with Rampage incumbents, who were riding familiar lines they had built last year.
The competition was fierce on the day of finals. Despite incredible performances, none of the five made it into the top ten which leaves them undoubtedly disappointed that they're not automatically re-qualified for next year despite having put down world-class runs. Proving Grounds winner Reed Boggs and Joyride winner Emil Johansson would score highest of the qualifiers with 80 and 79 points, respectively, with Boggs ending up in 11th, and Johansson in 12th. Let's be clear, anyone who has a clean run or is even at Rampage is already deserving of a trophy.
The competition was fierce on the day of finals. Despite incredible performances, none of the five made it into the top ten which leaves them undoubtedly disappointed that they're not automatically re-qualified for next year despite having put down world-class runs. Proving Grounds winner Reed Boggs and Joyride winner Emil Johansson would score highest of the qualifiers with 80 and 79 points, respectively, with Boggs ending up in 11th, and Johansson in 12th. Let's be clear, anyone who has a clean run or is even at Rampage is already deserving of a trophy.
Emil Johansson's nose bonk wasn't quite enough to secure a top ten finish.
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Proving ground was "More slopestyle than rampageish", so what? Make a rampage to qualify to rampage?
m.pinkbike.com/news/6-dh-bikes-6-instagrams-from-formation-womens-freeride-progression-sessions.html
This was about the sum of the Pinkbike video coverage. They did a photo epic too, but I think that was it? A lot more was on the riders personal Instagram accounts too iirc?
Shortly: NO
I'm not closely following whether there are currently mountainbike riders who want to stand a chance at winning at the BMX olympics. It would be hard because the BMX field is really strong nowadays. But back in 2008 you had a good few of them who made it to the finals. Jared Graves, Jill Kintner and ACC come to mind. The latter two of which won a medal, Jared unfortunately got caught out in a crash. For the year leading up to the olympics, Jared and Jill quit the 4X competition (which in ways was already comparable to BMX racing) and fully focused on BMX. ACC wasn't racing mtb at the time so maybe she was also focused on BMX, I don't recall. Either way, it goes to show that if you want to do well at the olympics it is going to take your full focus. You can do well if you do well in a different discipline, but it takes a whole lot more to win.
@50percentsure : Downhill is only part of the deal. To maintain momentum over those boulders when you don't have gravity on your side is even more of a challenge and will cost you some serious time if you don't get it right. Ideally they'll work on their trials riding skills.
At an annual world champs race held locally, we figured the average difference among amateurs who trained mostly pure fitness (i.e. road) and those who focused on offroad technical skills at 7 MINUTES.
Never call "last lap".
The Olympic field is typically pretty small due to the strict qualifying rules. There is a maximum of 74 riders (versus 120-140 for a typical World Cup race). Some fantastic Swiss, French, and Italians will have to sit out so that other countries can send their one rider.
I assume that they will pull lapped riders in the Olympics, like in a World Cup and World Champs, so the slower riders should not get in the way very much.