As the pits are spread out all over creation and this course is a bit of a monster, we thought we would do a bit of a practice piece to see how the racers are getting along. It's full on and practice is wrapped up but now that it's over the rain has started. It' will be a different beast tomorrow. There will be eight crushing laps for the men and seven for the women. It's going to be a wild one!
Catharine Pendrel choosing lanes in the final practice.
The Specialized squad burning a few laps.
Nino took it easy today, just checking things out before the showdown tomorrow.
Marco Fontana leads a group through the rough stuff.
Emily Batty on her final practice lap. Putting down the power on a course that is likely to be much different tomorrow if we get the rain that's in the forecast for tonight.
Quinton Hermans is another cross racer who has taken to XC World Cup this season.
Mani Fumic has been looking solid on course, hopefully he moves up in the rankings.
Maxime Marotte headed into the rock spine at race pace.
Loic took a lap with girlfriend Malene Degn before DH finals today.
Jolanda Neff could do well on home soil. Last time she raced here she was foiled.
Suspension services are plenty for the boys at FOX.
Emily Batty and Mechanic Matt Opperman ready for the weekend.
Eva Lechner takes to the rock spine like a duck to water.
Carlos Co
Evie Richards will be looking to take it to the front of the pack this weekend.
Linda Indergand on the roots of the back side of the second loop.
Just an old fellow cutting grass the old-fashioned way.
Pauline gets ready to take to the course.
The party started early this morning in the pits.
Cannodale train in the open fresh stuff.
Nino Schurter burns a race pace lap on day one of practice.
The dark horse form CX. Mathieu van der Poel had a rough time with the altitude in Andorra. Can he come out here and give Nino another run for his money?
Helen Grobert making quick work of Heidi's Hell.
Yana Belomoina is in top form and will be on the hunt for that third win.
Thanks, came down here to ask who the rider was in baggies and rainbow stripes. Loic Bruni may also need a shirt like that if he plans to check out the XC track more often (and so does T-Mo of course), just to impress .
@jclnv: In competition yes, but if you are a world champ in anything then you can wear what you like in your own time I would say I'd go full rainbow but that may have other connotations
Is it just me or does this track look better to ride than the DH? I feel like the WC downhill tracks are getting pretty boring, same venues, most seem to just focus on wide open areas, not a lot of technical trail.