Return of the Holy Roller: Track Walk - Lourdes DH World Cup 2016
So here were are back in Lourdes, that wonderfully weird little holy town in the French Pyrenees. After what seems like the longest of off-seasons, we are at the start of a new year of World Cup. There has been a lot of shuffling about this year, and things are looking quite fresh and exciting. World Champ Loic Bruni is on a new bike this season, as is World Cup Champ Aaron Gwin. The Athertons have switched to Trek, Bulldog, Sam Dale, and Wyn are on GT, and there are a bunch of other changes we noticed as we took our first foray into the pits. We will get more into the details as the weekend unfolds.
The track here at Lourdes is a real gem - one of our favorites from last year, the rock-studded beast snakes down the Pic du Jer in brutal fashion. Aaron Gwin made it down last year in just under three minutes. So, the big question is, will that time come down? If it does, who will take it down? Too early to tell. Get stoked. It's coming.
![The Pic du Jer framed by the one thing Lourdes has in spades. Holy symbols.]()
![They have everything a pilgrim needs here on the side streets of Lourdes.]()
![One of Lourdes famous candlelit processions... such enormous crowds and they happen every day.]()
![Warner topping up the Instagram.]()
![Ready set... course preview]()
![SRAM downsized their rig this year because of the tight pit spaces here at Lourdes. They ve played a good game of Tetris here to make it all fit.]()
![She s shaping up. World Cup numero uno is about to begin and we couldn t be more excited.]()
![Some pits have incredibly easy access to fresh eggs for breakfast if they are crafty.]()
![It s nice to see team dinners in the pits once again.]()
![Fresh Mondraker frames looking for some finishing touches.]()
![The all new Gwinning machine on it s way to completion at the YT mob pit.]()
![Big changes for both these men. Hopefully the next couple of days give us a sense of where they are at before Sunday.]()
![Rocks. Lourdes has just about as many of them as it does rosary beads. And they all want to shred tires.]()
![Fitness fitness. It will be needed to keep speed up on this top traverse section.]()
![The scary death chute with it s horrendous-to-ride flat shelves half way down.]()
![Lourdes track walk.]()
![And there lies the problem with Lourdes... Jagged dragons teeth. Everywhere.]()
![Nathan Hughes shows how a media World Cup lunch break is done.]()
![The Bulldog was looking all smiles today.]()
![Corner number one. It gets wild from here on out.]()
![Ratty and Peaty sizing up the top rock garden.]()
![Greenland striding out in his new Mondraker colours.]()
![Stevie Smith is back and healthy and looking forward to cutting up this track.]()
![New Year new team. FMD racing will be taking to the track on new rigs tomorrow.]()
![This man was on it last year. Will the freeracer be making more improvements this season]()
![Evan Warner was starting off the year with fresh notes in the SRAM pits.]()
![The illusive and highly mysterious number one plate all wrapped in plastic for safe keeping.]()
![Thirion s Commencal V4 after the course preview. That soil looks quite horrifically sticky.]()
![Lourdes World Cup]()
![Pom Pon checking to see who s lean and mean coming out of the long off-season.]()
![The Dread Pirate Rat might be enjoying the body fat test. Pleasure or pain]()
![Greg Minnaar s bike getting the final touches before she takes to the mud and rocks tomorrow.]()
![No caption needed really.]()
![After breaking a bunch of ribs here last year Markus Pekoll will be running protective socks to watch over him on course.]()
![Tom Duncan is now Sam Dale s mechanic for the GT Factory Racing team. He could have a fair bit of work ahead of him on a track this savage with a smasher like Sambo.]()
![Matt Walker and Greg Williamson representing the newly formed green-team the Cube Global Squad on the Two15 downhill bike.]()
![There s nothing better than a bit of a proper French snack whilst watching your favorite activity. Best to stock up on the brie and baguette for Sunday s big show.]()
![One canceled flight. One reroute. Five Countries. Three continents. 60 hours. A bottle of Bordeaux and a Pizza. Dave finally made it. He ll be fine in the morning.]()
![No one is more excited to crack open the first brew of the season than Boris.]()
![George Brannigan is stoked. Are you]()
The track here at Lourdes is a real gem - one of our favorites from last year, the rock-studded beast snakes down the Pic du Jer in brutal fashion. Aaron Gwin made it down last year in just under three minutes. So, the big question is, will that time come down? If it does, who will take it down? Too early to tell. Get stoked. It's coming.
The Pic du Jer framed by the one thing Lourdes has in spades: holy symbols.
They have everything a pilgrim needs here on the side streets.
One of Lourdes' famous candlelit processions... such enormous crowds and they happen every day.
Rob Warner topping up the Instagram.
Ready, set... course preview!
SRAM downsized their rig this year because of the tight pit spaces here at Lourdes. They've played a good game of Tetris here to make it all fit.
She's shaping up. World Cup numero uno is about to begin, and we couldn't be more excited.
Some pits have incredibly easy access to fresh eggs for breakfast if they are crafty.
It's nice to see team dinners in the pits once again.
Fresh Mondraker frames looking for some finishing touches.
The all new Gwinning machine on its way to completion at the YT mob pit.
Big changes for both these men. Hopefully the next couple of days give us a sense of where they are at before Sunday.
Rocks. Lourdes has just about as many of them as it does rosary beads. And they all want to shred tires.
Fitness, fitness. It will be needed to keep speed up on this top traverse section.
The 'scary death chute' with its horrendous-to-ride flat shelves half way down.
And there lies the problem with Lourdes... Jagged dragon's teeth. Everywhere.
Nathan Hughes shows how a media World Cup lunch break is done.
The Bulldog was looking all smiles today.
Corner number one. It gets wild from here on out.
Ratty and Peaty sizing up the top rock garden.
Laurie Greenland striding out in his new Mondraker colours.
Stevie Smith is back and healthy, and looking forward to cutting up this track.
New Year, new team. FMD racing will be taking to the track on new rigs tomorrow.
This man was on it last year. Will the freeracer be making more improvements this season?
Evan Warner was starting off the year with fresh notes in the SRAM pits.
The elusive and highly mysterious number one plate, all wrapped in plastic for safe keeping.
Thirion's Commencal V4 after the course preview. That soil looks quite horrifically sticky.
Pom Pon checking to see who's lean and mean coming out of the long off-season.
The Dread Pirate Rat might be enjoying the body fat test. Pleasure, or pain?
Greg Minnaar's bike getting the final touches before she takes to the mud and rocks tomorrow.
No caption needed really.
After breaking a bunch of ribs here last year, Markus Pekoll will be running protective socks to watch over him on course.
Tom Duncan is now Sam Dale's mechanic for the GT Factory Racing team. He could have a fair bit of work ahead of him on a track this savage with a smasher like Sambo.
Matt Walker and Greg Williamson representing the newly formed green-team, the Cube Global Squad, on the Two15 downhill bike.
There's nothing better than a bit of a proper French snack whilst watching your favorite activity. Best to stock up on the brie and baguette for Sunday's big show.
One canceled flight. One reroute. Five countries. Three continents. 60 hours. A bottle of Bordeaux and a pizza. Dave finally made it. He'll be fine in the morning.
No one is more excited to crack open the first brew of the season than Boris.
George Brannigan is stoked. Are you?
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I shouldn't be joking... I've been mistaken for a girl a few times... lol!
It is awesome and they are accomplishing much more than I am, but I think the majority of the viewers would like to watch 30 (and many more even) of the top mens close battle. It is very exciting almost every time because it comes down to the wire.
World cup DH starts for the year
Racing BMX for first time in 30 years along side my son for his first race
Watch star wars 7 on itunes
My old iron horse sunday is ready for pick up with new formula brakes and raked out front end with new cup reducers ready for whistler later this year.
This too much.....
a flag. Cool, can I through darts at your photo? It's not really a person.
when is the live event...? there better be a live event!