Track Walk & Tech Randoms: Vallnord DH World Cup 2022
Track Walk
![We re back in Andorra after a few seasons away.]()
![The top of the track has more fast berm and jumps whilst the bottom becomes a litte steeper and technical in places.]()
![The top turns looked immaculate today... I d hazzard a guess they won t look so fresh this time tomorrow.]()
![There s not a whole lot of tech up there.]()
![A fast chicane towards the middle of the track.]()
![One of the more technical parts of the course.]()
![The lower half ot the track heads into the trees and is genrally a bit steeper.]()
![Dodge those trees.]()
![Stumps and a few ant hills are littered everywhere.]()
![The track is so fresh that a few loose boulders are still wandering around.]()
![Wide open speed will have this track looking a whole lot different tomorrow.]()
![There s a few steep chutes thrown in there for good measure.]()
![The final section of track is some fresh cut turns out in the open.]()
![Amaury Pierron heads up for a look at the new track here in Andorra.]()
![Can Matt Walker add to that win tall this season]()
![The top section of the course is all about big berms.]()
![After a gondola shuttle and another chair lift we reach the top of the track.]()
![It s one hell of a view from the top of the track at 2400 meters.]()
![Loris Vergier will be looking for that top spot this weekend.]()
![It s a pretty amazing setting for a bike race.]()
![There s some sizeable features up there.]()
![Connor Fearon looking down one of the many high speed straights on track.]()
![Who remembers Troy s glorious win here back in 2018]()
![Clean. Real Clean. So far.]()
![Kudos to the course builders. This is probably one of the most immaculately shaped tracks the World Cup has ever seen.]()
![Will the turns get hammered and turn into dusty motocross ruts by the end of the week In this heat they probably will.]()
![There is a landing and it already extremely loose and dusty.]()
![A karate chop from Luca Shaw would hurt so much right now. For you and him.]()
![Dakotah Norton foot model. Get a grip get Terrex. Or something.]()
![It s not all bike park sorry haters.]()
![The last slopes down to the finish area are mighty steep.]()
![What better than an almost fully enclosed bridge to lead riders to the finish area infront of the roaring crowd Said the course builders apparently.]()
![A rare shot of Daprella in media mode.]()
![Principality vibes.]()
![Top of the track minimalism.]()
![Brook and Ele talking top of the course options with coach Olly Morrison.]()
![A surprise spectator visit from Commencal s grand master of mountain bikes Brett Rheeder.]()
![Surely this is a track that will suit Vali H ll and her airborn skills very well.]()
![Massive senders to nowhere infront of the mountains are a theme.]()
![Trummer Ariki-Pene and Dickson looking to do some damage here for team Mondraker.]()
![Casey Brown. She s here too and FYI is a legend. No riding just watching the show.]()
![Laurie Greenland is out for redemption after a wasted campaign out in Switzerland last week.]()
![Greg Minnaar will probably podium here or possibly win.]()
![Two wins out of four for Camille Balanche this season. Will the fresh Andorran offering suit her]()
![Pinker squad representing.]()
![Gracey Hemstreet is running away with the junior womens overall but she can t sleep on Phoebe Gale.]()
![There are more than a few extremely difficult steps out there.]()
![Don t like big jumps or high speeds Look to the heavens for help.]()
![The finish area. Who will be number 1 here on Saturday]()
Tech Randoms
![Shiny Saracens.]()
![Dean Lucas has some great details on his Gambler.]()
![First of all he prefers the feel of the alloy frame.]()
![He runs a Saint brake hose which his mechanic Marshy says is better at dealing with heat.]()
![Marshy has modifiied the shifter to restrict it to a single shift.]()
![A small little mud flap to keep debris out of the linkage.]()
![An STFU Bike to keep things extra quiet.]()
![They ve been experimenting with lead in the bottom bracket too.]()
![The lead pellets that go in the BB shell.]()
![A bearing tool in the Pivot pits.]()
![Some prototype Vee tires in the Intense pits.]()
![A detail shot of the linkage on Aaron Gwin s Intense]()
![The idler on Gwin s Intense.]()
![The Gamux downhill bike really stands out in the World Cup pits.]()
![photo]()
![A bench full of bits in the Atherton pits.]()
![Gwin going the Linear route this weekend.]()
![High settings engaged in the Intense pits.]()
![More brake prep. They ll come in handy tomorrow.]()
![Tomorrow will be a big day for brake pads as tires hit the dirt for the first time on this highway of a track.]()
![Wheel builds and fine tuning in the Scott pits.]()
![Will Bruni be back to fighting form on this fresh track]()
![Vero Widmann s Saracen back to original shine after Lenzerheide.]()
![Skateboard wheels are proven to be a superior upgrade on any tool case.]()
![Myriam Nicole s rig nearly ready to fire again.]()
![The boys at SR have quite the view out the pits.]()
![The Pinkbike Team is running Continental tires and Santa Cruz reserve wheels as a combo.]()
![Pinkbike s Aimi Kenyon s bike ready to go.]()
![A closer look at the Ohlins gold on the PB sled.]()
![A look down at the main pits in the distance. Yes there s now a secondary pit space due to where the track is.]()
![Neat detail on Sam s bike.]()
![The legend Darren Burns has returned to the paddock.]()
![A Norco team s worth of Boxxers being drop off at Sram for some love.]()
![a pair of 40s being freshly serviced ready for another week of abuse.]()
![Bits and bobs ready to be reinstalled at the Fox pits.]()
![The machining on the IFR prototype swingarm is a thing of beauty.]()
![Angel Suarez could be a solid non-wildcard bet for this race. Already well onto a top time last week he knows this Andorran dirt better than most.]()
![A fresh rig for the Goat but we can t show it yet.]()
![Laurie Greenland usually rides a medium V10 but to cope with the high speed and roughness he will run a large here in Andorra.]()
![Greenland will use the Buzzworks to bring the reach to just an 8mm difference from his usual size medium frame.]()
![The improvised idler system for the Summum seems to have served the team well.]()
![David Trummer is running a 450g weight gaffer taped to the bottom of his downtube which he says helps keep the bike more stable on the roughest sections.]()
![Shimano goods awaiting application to Ele Farina s bike.]()
![The man the monster AP.]()
![Commencal Muc-off really knocked it out of the park set-up wise with these helmet drying stands.]()
![The fan drying system underneath.]()
![Daprella s mechanic Loic preps the rig for a big day in the dirt tomorrow.]()
![The Commencal minus rear wheel and mudguard has an interesting looking split linkage.]()
![A close look at the exposed Supreme linkage.]()
We're back in Andorra after a few seasons away.
The top of the track has more fast berm and jumps while the bottom becomes a litte steeper and technical in places.
The top turns looked immaculate today... I'd hazzard a guess they won't look so fresh this time tomorrow.
There's not a whole lot of tech up there.
A fast chicane towards the middle of the track.
One of the more technical parts of the course.
The lower half of the track heads into the trees and is generally a bit steeper.
Dodge those trees.
Stumps and a few ant hills are littered everywhere.
The track is so fresh that a few loose boulders are still wandering around.
Wide open speed will have this track looking a whole lot different tomorrow.
There's a few steep chutes thrown in there for good measure.
The final section of track is some fresh cut turns out in the open.
Amaury Pierron heads up for a look at the new track here in Andorra.
Can Matt Walker add to that win tally this season?
The top section of the course is all about big berms.
After a gondola, shuttle and another chair lift we reach the top of the track.
It's one hell of a view from the top of the track at 2400 meters.
Loris Vergier will be looking for that top spot this weekend.
It's a pretty amazing setting for a bike race.
There's some sizeable features up there.
Connor Fearon looking down one of the many high speed straights on track.
Who remembers Troy's glorious win here back in 2018?
Clean. Real Clean. So far.
Kudos to the course builders. This is probably one of the most immaculately shaped tracks the World Cup has ever seen.
Will the turns get hammered and turn into dusty motocross ruts by the end of the week? In this heat, they probably will.
There is a landing and it already extremely loose and dusty.
A karate chop from Luca Shaw would hurt so much right now. For you and him.
Dakotah Norton, foot model. Get a grip, get Terrex. Or something.
It's not all bike park, sorry haters.
The last slopes down to the finish area are mighty steep.
What better than an almost fully enclosed bridge to lead riders to the finish area infront of the roaring crowd? Said the course builders apparently.
A rare shot of Daprella in media mode.
Principality vibes.
Top of the track minimalism.
Brook Macdonald and Eleonora Farina talking top of the course options with coach Olly Morrison.
A surprise spectator visit from Commencal's grand master of mountain bikes, Brett Rheeder.
Surely this is a track that will suit Vali Holl and her airborne skills very well.
Massive senders to nowhere infront of the mountains are a theme.
Trummer, Ariki-Pene and Dickson looking to do some damage here for team Mondraker.
Casey Brown. She's here too and FYI is a legend. No riding, just watching the show.
Laurie Greenland is out for redemption after a wasted campaign out in Switzerland last week.
Greg Minnaar will probably podium here or possibly win.
Two wins out of four for Camille Balanche this season. Will the fresh Andorran offering suit her?
Pinker squad representing.
Gracey Hemstreet is running away with the junior women's overall, but she can't sleep on Phoebe Gale.
There are more than a few extremely difficult steps out there.
Don't like big jumps or high speeds? Look to the heavens for help.
The finish area. Who will be number 1 here on Saturday?
Tech Randoms
Shiny Saracens.
Dean Lucas has some great details on his Gambler.
First of all he prefers the feel of the alloy frame.
He runs a Saint brake hose which his mechanic Marshy says is better at dealing with heat.
Marshy has modifiied the shifter to restrict it to a single shift.
A small little mud flap to keep debris out of the linkage.
An STFU Bike to keep things extra quiet.
They've been experimenting with lead in the bottom bracket too.
The lead "pellets" that go in the BB shell.
A bearing tool in the Pivot pits.
Some prototype Vee tires in the Intense pits.
A detail shot of the linkage on Aaron Gwin's Intense
The idler on Gwin's Intense.
The Gamux downhill bike really stands out in the World Cup pits.
A bench full of bits in the Atherton pits.
Gwin going the linear route this weekend.
High settings engaged in the Intense pits.
More brake prep. They'll come in handy tomorrow.
Tomorrow will be a big day for brake pads as tires hit the dirt for the first time on this highway of a track.
Wheel builds and fine tuning in the Scott pits.
Will Bruni be back to fighting form on this fresh track?
Vero Widmann's Saracen back to original shine after Lenzerheide.
Skateboard wheels are proven to be a superior upgrade on any tool case.
Myriam Nicole's rig nearly ready to fire again.
The boys at SR Suntour have quite the view out the pits.
The Pinkbike Team is running Continental tires and Santa Cruz Reserve wheels as a combo.
Pinkbike's Aimi Kenyon's bike ready to go.
A closer look at the Ohlins gold on the PB sled.
A look down at the main pits in the distance. Yes, there's now a secondary pit space due to where the track is.
Neat detail on Sam's bike.
The legend, Darren Burns, has returned to the paddock.
A Norco team's worth of Boxxers being dropped off at SRAM for some love.
A Fox 40 being freshly serviced ready for another week of abuse.
Bits and bobs ready to be reinstalled at the Fox pits.
The machining on the IFR prototype swingarm is a thing of beauty.
Angel Suarez could be a solid 'non-wildcard' bet for this race. Already well onto a top time last week, he knows this Andorran dirt better than most.
A fresh rig for the Goat, but we can't show it yet.
Laurie Greenland usually rides a medium V10, but to cope with the high speed and roughness he will run a large here in Andorra.
Greenland will use the Buzzworks to bring the reach to just an 8mm difference from his usual size medium frame.
The improvised idler system for the Summum seems to have served the team well.
David Trummer is running a 450g weight gaffer taped to the bottom of his downtube which he says helps keep the bike more stable on the roughest sections.
Shimano goods awaiting application to Ele Farina's bike.
The man, the monster, AP.
Commencal Muc-off really knocked it out of the park set-up wise with these helmet drying stands.
The fan drying system underneath.
Thibaut Daprella's mechanic, Loic, preps the rig for a big day in the dirt tomorrow.
The Commencal minus rear wheel and mudguard has an interesting looking split linkage.
A close look at the exposed Supreme linkage.
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AMAZING...
"So then we have this sick north shore / urban DH section at the end" - The course builder, probably
UCI/vallnord race organizers: STFU and ride it, ho.
He's no slouch, and the e-bike went faster than the downhill bike by some good margin!
The weight in the bikes makes it less jarring for the rider, and the weight down low maintain the maneuverability.
I'm just spitting facts, not something out of my mind!