Photo Story: Track Walk - Snowshoe World Cup DH Finals 2019
It's been nearly fifteen years since the global MTB race circuit has descended on Snowshoe, West Virginia, for a race of this caliber. Sure, they have held some US regional and national rounds over the recent years, but not since the glory days of the NORBA series back in the early 2000s has a full contingent of global talent descended on these slopes. Add to that the fact that the United States has been absent from the World Cup calendar since 2015 and you can feel there's something special in the air here this weekend.
A brand new track greets racers this weekend thanks to the dynamic duo of Sean Leader and Neko Mulally, two men who have been hugely impactful over the past few years in putting US downhill racing back on the map. Neko had quite a bit of say as to where the track should be routed down the mountain, and it was Sean who worked his magic both in a digger and by hand to be sure the track took shape to its true potential.
The result is a race course very much true to its old school Snowshoe roots but at the same time very in line with where DH racing has evolved over the past decade. The top features some big jumps, a few of which have the seasoned top DH riders looking twice. A few perfectly sculpted berms to keep the speeds up, while in between are the rocks and roots Snowshoe is known for.
Any fans of past tracks here will be happy to know the infamous West Virginia Wild Zone is alive and well, and perhaps even gnarlier thanks to a few modifications. The bottom of the track is a nightmare of a rock garden that seems to go on forever and ever with multiple lines in some spots and absolutely no obvious good line in others. While past races here have been known for being mud baths, the forecast this week is for nothing but sunshine, a welcome first for international racing at Snowshoe.
A fresh new track and venue are the perfect stage for the battles that will take place of the weekend as both the men's and women's titles are indeed too close to call. Amaury Pierron will be hungrier than ever after Loic Bruni stole the show last week at World Champs, but you can be sure Bruni is feeling just as motivated to take home the rare double title of WC and World Champ. For the women, it is between Tracey Hannah and Marine Cabirou, but with Tahnee Seagrave and newly crowned World Champ Myriam Nicole back in the mix things are not so simple. Both those riders are dangerously fast and if they take a win or mix things up by taking valuable points from between Cabirou and Hannah they could play the spoiler this weekend.
Lots of unknowns and lots of enthusiasm surround this event, and it is surely going to be one heck of a show during the World Cup's return to American soil.
No time to rest or reflect on World Champs as teams hit the road or headed to the airport to make their way south.
All American neighbourhood mailbox, flag, truck combo.
It feels like a step back in time here in some ways
Good times melting away into the undergrowth.
The forest of West Virginia is thick and deep and much of the route is a radio quiet zone so GPS won't save you here.
The WC circus finale returns to the country that invented the sport
The Frenchies plus Bruce Klein of the Commencal / 100% team are ready to go here on American soil.
Cappuccino Steve makes an appearance once again.
Dougie Fresh giving Shaw's V10 a polish at the Syndicate pit.
Dan the man looking to do damage to the field at the final stop after many podiums and no win for 2019.
This is America, look what I'm whippin' up.
All the mechanics were getting their riders' suspension serviced straight away today. After the rough track in MSA and the endless rock gardens here in West Virginia nothing is left to chance.
Suspension setting crib notes. Set to self destruct after 5 minutes in this West Virginia humidity
Lots of World Champs colors will be flowing about this weekend as riders are aboard their bikes from MSA.
Snowshoe will be Vali Holl's last World Cup as a junior.
Greg Minnaar is one of the select few currently racing along with Mick Hannah who has raced here before at a NORBA in the early 2000s.
Luca Shaw stoked after a solid 10th at Worlds, no doubt will want to put an even bigger one on the board on US soil.
Brakes getting prepped after the beatings of Mont Saint Anne last weekend
Bikes of Worlds going back together in an only half-populated pit at this stage.
It's not just the bikes feeling it after World Champs. There are some bruised and battered bodies out there too. Reece Wilson gets a little TLC after a big crash in Mont-Sainte-Anne last weekend.
Snowshoe is bone dry right now. A welcome relief for anyone who has ever raced the mud baths here over the years.
Seasonal change in the air as fall is fast approaching.
Shorter days and cooler nights are upon us and the leaves are already bringing to change. A not so subtle reminder that the season is about to come to an end.
There's no hiding once you depart here. Riders will leave the start gate straight into a big double and then an even bigger road gap.
Neko Mullay, Jack Moir and John Hall in the start hut. Neko helped good friend, Sean Leader, put this fresh iteration of the Snowshoe course together.
A nicely sculpted roller and hip kick off the adjusted Snowshoe DH course.
Kade Edwards and Reece Wilson inspect the first jump out of the start gate.
Not small. Connor Fearon and Jackson Frew give a little scale to the big road gap up top
Besides a few big jumps the top of the track is pretty mellow, holding your speed will be key up here.
As fresh as it gets in the first section of woods. It will be interesting to see this corner evolve and for the ruts and roots to come out during tomorrow's training
The dirt conditions look perfect at the moment.
There are some big jumps and gaps up top that riders will have to tick off in the first few runs tomorrow.
This is a massive jump but in the wise words of Kade Edwards it's fine "as long as you clear the rock on the landing"
A massive rock to rock transfer in the upper section.
It'll be interesting to see how riders tackle this rock drop, there's the option to gap the rock completely and land straight out in the open.
Trek's Grant Sides picked up a new wardrobe to blend in with the environment this weekend
Riders in the distance looking down yet another section of rocks and roots
Natural flow before the rocks really kick in.
Rims and tires could be in for a rough ride here in Snowshoe.
Riders are going to be hauling through here over a highway of roots
Over one of the two rocks, in between, or around on the roots. Multiple line choices through many sections will keep everyone on their toes.
So many roots and rocks. Thankfully these are supposed to stay dry all week as the forecast calls from nothing but sunshine.
As always this is way steeper than it looks. The lower woods on the Snowshoe track certainly live up to West Virginia's slogan of "Wild and Wonderful."
There's plenty of line choice for riders to scope out tomorrow and get up to speed on.
The infamous Snowshoe rock garden that has been in play in this track from the very beginning
This track may well be more to the liking of Martin Maes.
Anyone who has raced here in the past will recognize this section, but they will have never seen it taped so wide and so raw.
A beautifully shaped berm before things get super technical.
AG surveys the trackwalkers who in the most part, have never laid eyes, or tires, on this course.
A steep chute and a clever little bench cut to slow riders and force them to change direction. Lots subtle little trails building details are evident on this track.
A thick canopy of green covers much of the track and when the sun shines it brings with it lots of tricky shadows.
Deep, ferny WV forest.
It may not be the rust belt, but there's still a ton of cool history oxidizing in the forest.
With the patchy light on some of the faster parts of the track these orange highlights on the wheel-breaking rocks are a must
Roots, rocks, and more rocks make up a massive amount of the track.
There's no shortage of rocks on the bottom half of the course.
Connor Fearon stops to take in the line options before things get steep on the bottom half.
The final section of track will be a leg and lung burner as riders pump and pedal their way towards the finish line.
The finish of the first World Cup race on US soil since 2015.
The venue and pits are at the top of the hill this weekend with not a whole lot surrounding the finish area in the bottom of the woods.
It's good to be back racing World Cup downhill in the States.
A fair assessment of what riders think of the track and what fans think about the World Cup returning to America.
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@davetrumpore have I mentioned how I hate Evil Knievel stunt jumps on race courses? This ain't Excitebike and there is no Reset button on the console when a chain snaps on entry.
Hopefully Killington and/or another hill up north will take up the challenge and put together a proper WC track soon.
Beautiful track ! Neko and Sean you have created an awesome track !!!
Cant wait for the riders to hit the track !
Now thanks guys for the slide show, it's really cool. I love all those pics around the tracks, it makes us feel the atmosphere a little.
You're welcome.
@jorgeposada @fruitsd79: Now if I had guessed we'd be talking about guns and nazis (implicitely mentioned) within 12 posts from mine I may not have raised the question. This goes way beyond passion now. Calm down, we're only talking about bikes. OK you've "invented" DH and possibly everything we have on earth. Do you feel better?
Whatever the nationality we should have a thought for those guys who (have been) sacrificed an realize they deserve way more respect than being used on debate of who invented dh racing.
Just in case you believe I’m just anti-us, let’s talk about the other case mentioned in the thread. Why do you think the French (I am french) helped the US against the UK? Because we like freedom fries? Simple: it was reducing the British empire.
So I don’t know if I am theone to give lessons of history, but you certainly need some and especially the underlying background reasons.
Every other place I've raced or ridden, the terrain is uniform and you can sort of adapt to the terrain style. But at the Shoe, it's just random at all times.
Anybody disappointed in the No Rain forecast besides me?
Ft Bill: 1853 ft down, 9240 ft long - 20.05% grade
Leogang 1551 ft down, 7441 ft long - 20.84% grade
Vallnord: 2103 ft down, 8236 ft long - 25.53% grade
Les Gets 1804 ft down, 6547 ft long - 27.55% grade
Val Di Sole: 1797 ft down, 7022 ft long - 25.59% grade
Lenzerheide: 1319 ft down, 5702 ft long - 23.13% grade
Mont Saint Anne: 1982 ft down, 8923 ft long - 22.21% grade
Snowshoe: 1500-ish ft down, 6600-ish ft long (haven't seen official stats; these are estimated from Trailforks) - 22.73% grade
Compared to the other tracks this year, seems like Snowshoe is pretty much right in the middle.
Mostly, I think the takeaway is that people who are saying that Snowshoe doesn't have enough vert to work with are wrong - while it's not a ton of vert, it's comparable both in vert and length to a bunch of other WC tracks, and really, it's more about how the track uses that vert and what the terrain looks like.
It won't be a Snowshoe race without a "gust" to keep tech support honest
Great photos though, thanks!
@davetrumpore and @mitochris... Of course, West Virginia is one of the most sparsely populated states in the country with not too much in the way of industry any more. With that in mind, it's a surprise there is even a resort there until you consider that some of us are willing to pay to drive out to the middle of nowhere to relax, snowboard, ride dh, generally have a good time, AND GET AWAY FROM THE NEGATIVES OF URBAN AND SUB-URBAN AREAS. Not having a Walmart anywhere near is a plus. Snowshoe just needs a bigger general store which is a half mile from the center of the village.
Still janky, rocky, and rooty. Snowshoe "still" isn't for dirt roadies.
The general store is such a small thing. I usually bring a big cooler since just about every room has a small kitchen so all meals are made there. Cuts down on expenses as well.
And yes, it is a bit of cash isn't it. And it seems the taxes on the rooms have shot through the roof over the last couple of years.
Too bad we won't get to see you there. :-(
Every condo on the mountain has a kitchenette. I've always been able to save more money staying there and eating than any other race we've gone to.
I signed up to volunteer today but can't make it. Maybe someone can take my spot if you're looking to save money (probably too late) with free camping at Silvercreek & free shuttle the whole weekend.
That's the cheapest resort to stay at...and if there were a grocery store up top, there'd be less trails.
Oh well, I am going to hit a local trail for a few hours, then come home and watch the live stream. Working on planning a weekend out at Davis to ride Plantation really soon.
I'm open to questions, obviously i am at Snowshoe.
It isn't like they are camping and cooking over a fire. They prepare, buy food, and then likely don't leave for the week/weekend.
This weekend def won't be an issue, though. Hell, my wife is packing puffy coat because she will be cold standing outside in 50s-60.
Quite cowardly of you
There are only a few photogs following the UCI circus but the few of you do a great job keeping us in the know.
Looks rad though. Can't wait to watch it without VPN
That said, you're dead on about punctures. I've had weekends where I've flatted multiple times per day and my fastest ain't **** compared to these guys.
I'm going to try not to miss the live coverage.
Still waiting for some video of worlds. Anyone have a link?
Downhill really is the neglected stepchild of the bike industry.
So sick
I used Freevpn.me, but there are lot of options out there. Look at www.pinkbike.com/news/final-results-mont-sainte-anne-xc-world-champs-2019.html and search vpn to see what some others have used.