Qualifying Start List: Leogang World Cup DH 2021

 Yep. The dozens of us will probably break the whole internet.

 Much as I love Greg, I hate that protected riders get a free pass on qualifying. Every other rider outside the top 10 knows that a crash in qualifying means they don't get to race.

 Why not? If big name riders dont get to the bottom fast enough to qualify then thier loss. Someone else who made it down faster gets a crack

 @AyJayDoubleyou: I'd hate it if I couldn't see the best of the best racing due to a mechanical in qualifying. I don't think that any of the top riders risks too much in qualifying. So it's pretty much only bad luck.

 @AyJayDoubleyou: Well, in a lot of seasons the qualifying points can help you gain a few spots and are only available to the top 10 (I think) qualifiers. So protected riders list allow us to see the top guys put in a real run, rather than a safety run each time...

 @noox: Neither crashes nor mechanicals are bad luck. A crash is a failure of the rider. A mechanical is a failure of the team. And even the top riders ride hard in quali; there are points on the line so it matters.

 @Bobadeebob: Don't agree. But even if you see it always as someone's failure: Failures are much more common and human. But most failures have no or little consequences. Maybe riders mess up switching gears. But maybe only on every 50 bad gear change the chain actually breaks. Same with flat tires. You messed up, hit a rock hard, but maybe you have a flat only every 10th time doing this. One rider goes OTB, just misses a rock and looses 10 seconds. Another one hits the rock and ends up in hospital. It's about probability. Remember Myriam Nicole in Lourdes where her front wheel washed out but there was a tree so she could save it? Your front wheel washes out - you crash. Many times. But sometimes you are lucky.

 north cak!

 WNC putting out some serious talent. Windrock truely is becoming the training ground for champions.

 @BigballmcCall: I've only ridden there once (in January), but I have no doubt in my mind why such good riders come from there. Take the gnarliest track you've ever ridden, cover it in slick peanut butter mud, and then ride it in 35 F when your tires are hard as rocks. You learn quick. And you can do that all winter

 yes but his deal with canyon allows for him to race down hill. Kind of like Martin Maes but expect even more downhill.

 I know his contract is EWS-focused, with some DH "dabbling". However I read in an interview that he said he'd be at Leogang... bit bummed to not see him on this list!

 Couldn't get an entry for this round. Guessing not enough points and GB haven't given him a jersey.

 Pushed back to 2022

 Riders in the top 20 overall ranking are protected. top 10 for women. Protected riders for this first round are based on last years overall. It's basically so the overall isn't affected by a mechanical or something like that in qualifying. They're lumped together because they run the quallies for the top 60 riders in reverse order then all the rest after. Keeping the top riders lumped together time wise reduces the likelyhood that a drastic change in weather will affect the qualifying times and thus points.

 I had better luck on the redbull website. Redbull TV does seem hard to navigate.

www.redbull.com/ca-en/events/uci-mountain-bike-world-cup-austria

 N - riding for their national team (you can do that if you don't have enough points I believe but correct me if I am wrong)
NCh- National Champion

 www.pinkbike.com/news/build-your-dream-world-cup-team-today-with-the-2021-dh-fantasy-league.html

 I thought it had 2020 world champion written all over it