Come All Ye Faithful - Lourdes World Cup DH 2017
It's back! The wick of the World Cup season just got lit and it's all going off here in the French foothills at last. First practice began slow, sticky and slippery in between and finished with a balls to the wall timed training session, under summer sun, on just about perfect dirt. The Lourdes course looks set to produce the goods all over again mixing the spectacularly gnarly with do-or-die gaps and full throttle racing all the way. A familiar course in the great majority of sections to the great majority of riders, most were looking breathtakingly quick and comfortable from the very beginning and to behold it was a thing of beauty. This evening Gee and Rachel Atherton sit on top of the pile, setting the standard for the weekend at 2:57 and 3:34; times the rest of the pack will now have to chase as a minimum.
![Danny Hart and Marc Beaumont in the line-up for the ghost train ride up. Of course the scariest part should be on the way down probably not to the likes of them though.]()
![Look out for the number 2 ranked junior going into the season Germany s Max Hartenstern the new signing to ride alongside Walker and Williamson.]()
![Charlie Harrison stretching out and finding some inner peace before everything gets fast and furious.]()
![Not expecting big things from Laurie Greenland this year Wrong. You should expect big things of Laurie Greenland this year.]()
![Rolling out of the funicular and ready for what riders found to be a tacky and pretty grippy race track.]()
![The eagle eyed of you will have noticed a fresh Session this weekend. Trek are keeping tight lipped for the moment.]()
![Rachel framed by the mountains as she drops into another practice lap.]()
![Thankfully the snow that fell towards the top of the track yesterday didn t hang around.]()
![Pom Pon is fit and healthy after a 2016 season plagued with a collarbone injury.]()
![Vaea Verbeek muscles through the big rock garden at the top of the track.]()
![Snow s out for the summer...]()
![Sik Mik s no joey he came here for a fight.]()
![The champ already pushing hard in turn one of run one.]()
![Ah the first taste of WC dirt after a long off season.]()
![Flo Payet was a man on a mission steering his XXL Mondraker through some outrageous lines on the hillside.]()
![PanshotFriday with Rachel Atherton and a French sunrise.]()
![Giant s new signing Eliot Jackson was going hard from the off but took a gnarly spill just before the wall section.]()
![Yep that s exactly what the section s like... If they chucked horrible boulders and tree branches down the tracks at the olympics to make it much gnarlier.]()
![Brooke Macdonald staying low and flying through the woods up top.]()
![The track is changing every run lines are getting cut in rocks and roots exposed and its becoming drier all the time... But for how long]()
![Shaw riding his especially large steed down the mountain with the same kind of venom we saw from his last season.]()
![Aaron Gwinn took a bunch of slow cruising runs through the day while scoping out lines. And it wasn t until the very end that he turned things up a notch.]()
![Some quick laps today out of Aussie thunder Deanos Machinos Lucas.]()
![Morgane Charr smashes some cold and slick rocks as the sun begins to rise on the valley below.]()
![Marcelo Gutierrez drops into The Wall.]()
![Fresh colorways for the MS Mondraker boys Markus rails a berm in one of the new fresh cut sections.]()
![If practice is anything to go buy the other juniors will have their work cut out for them if they want to catch Finn Iles this weekend.]()
![Polygon UR s Alex Fayolle was already in full attack mode this afternoon and would no doubt love a big result her in France.]()
![Tahnee Seagrave is super motivated this year and wants nothing more than to end Rachel Atherton s unbeaten streak.]()
![Greg Williamson had a stellar 2016 and is looking to build on that success as we kick of the new season.]()
![Gaetan Vige is on a new team this year and has also bumped up to Elite s after two stand out years in the junior ranks.]()
![Brendan Fairclough death gripping through the new fresh cut section.]()
![Cube s young gun Harternstern getting amongst it his first time on the Lourdes rock.]()
![If the last four races of 2016 are anything to go buy Danny Hart is the man to beat right now.]()
![The last push to the start hut.]()
![Perfect conditions on track right now.]()
![Connor Fearon may not have put down the quickest lap of the day but he definitely won practice in more than a few sections riding like an absolute animal.]()
![Remi Thirion in his familiar attack position.]()
![Brayton with the eye of the tiger somewhere behind those iridium lenses.]()
![Loic floating through the late morning light.]()
![American junior Nik Nestoroff holding it wide open out of the fastest berm on the track.]()
![The wall section seems a little tamer this year mainly down to the drier conditions but there are also fewer rocks and some additional steps have been cut in.]()
![Mark Wallace leans his new Canyon through one of the fast berms half way down the track.]()
![Gwin looked calm composed and calculated taking time to scope and survey lines.]()
![After a wild ride through the wall section riders have a beautiful looking catch berm to scoop them up. Noel Niederberger putting his side knobs to good use.]()
![Greenland on top of the World about to drop the wall .]()
![George Brannigan brought his usual rowdiness to the hillside.]()
![Veronika Widmann out putting her new Patrol set-up through its paces.]()
![Loic Bruni was looking fast and comfortable all day.]()
![Someone on the rise is Intense s Charlie Harrison who really turned it on at the end of last year.]()
![Elliott Heap has stepped up to elites this year it s always intriguing to see how the once top juniors get on with the big boys.]()
![Greg s been looking as smooth as ever aboard the big wheels this weekend although suffered a set back in timed training with some rear tire trouble.]()
![Looking on form Bernard Kerr would come second in times training today.]()
![Rachel made her intentions clear once again. 9 seconds up in timed training.]()
![Gee Atherton was looking steady all day and would take the top time in the afternoon s timed session.]()
![Rachel and Gee interacting live with find at the end of the day. It s amazing the level of technology these days that allows everyone to be plugged into he race no matter where they live.]()
![Remi Thirion cools down after a long day of smashing out runs]()
![Fly by wire]()
![Loic now has this nifty device first seen on the back end in Rotorua mounted to his Ohlins fork.]()
![Schwalbes new Addix compound just got put through the motions of a full WC day on the hill at the mercy of the best riders in the world for the first time. Early reports are coming in on the grippy...]()
![There s a superstition that if you prepare for rain and it won t rain.]()
![The Intense Factory Racing mechanics on the fast track to success here in Lourdes... It s a simple theory drink holy water wash bikes in holy water everything with the holy water.]()
![Big Wheels ready to smash some rocks on Lourdes.]()
![Lourdes has always treated Aaron Gwinn well and he is loving the track and all the new changes.]()
![John Hall knuckles down to some qualie-day prep at the Mob pits.]()
![It ll take more than a miracle to save anyone now... judgement day is tomorrow.]()
MENTIONS: @natedh9 / @davetrumpore / @rossbellphoto
Danny Hart and Marc Beaumont in the line-up for the ghost train ride up. Of course, the scariest part should be on the way down, probably not to the likes of them though.
Look out for the number 2 ranked junior going into the season, Germany's Max Hartenstern, the new signing to ride alongside Walker and Williamson.
Charlie Harrison stretching out and finding some inner peace before everything gets fast and furious.
Not expecting big things from Laurie Greenland this year? Wrong. You should expect big things of Laurie Greenland this year. Silver at Worlds followed by a whole winter of nothing but shredding in NZ...
Rolling out of the funicular and ready for what riders found to be a tacky and pretty grippy race track.
The eagle-eyed of you will have noticed a fresh Session this weekend. Trek are keeping tight-lipped for the moment.
Rachel framed by the mountains as she drops into another practice lap.
Thankfully the snow that fell towards the top of the track yesterday didn't hang around.
Pom Pon is fit and healthy after a 2016 season plagued with a collarbone injury.
Vaea Verbeeck muscles through the big rock garden at the top of the track.
Snow's out for the summer...
Sik Mik's no joey, he came here for a fight.
The champ already pushing hard in turn one of run one.
Ah the first taste of WC dirt after a long off-season.
Flo Payet was a man on a mission, steering his XXL Mondraker through some outrageous lines on the hillside.
#PanshotFriday with Rachel Atherton and a French sunrise.
Giant's new signing, Eliot Jackson, was going hard from the off, but took a gnarly spill just before the wall section.
Yep, that's exactly what the section's like... If they chucked horrible boulders and tree branches down the tracks at the Olympics to make it much gnarlier.
Brook Macdonald staying low and flying through the woods up top.
The track is changing every run, lines are getting cut in, rocks and roots exposed, and it's becoming drier all the time... But for how long?
Shaw riding his especially large steed down the mountain with the same kind of venom we saw from his last season.
Aaron Gwin took a bunch of slow cruising runs through the day while scoping out lines. And it wasn't until the very end that he turned things up a notch.
Some quick laps today out of Aussie thunder, Deanos Machinos Lucas.
Morgane Charre smashes some cold and slick rocks as the sun begins to rise on the valley below.
Marcelo Gutierrez drops into The Wall.
Fresh colorways for the MS Mondraker boys, Markus rails a berm in one of the new fresh cut sections.
If practice is anything to go by, the other juniors will have their work cut out for them if they want to catch Finn Iles this weekend.
Polygon UR's, Alex Fayolle, was already in full attack mode this afternoon and would no doubt love a big result here in France.
Tahnee Seagrave is super motivated this year and wants nothing more than to end Rachel Atherton's unbeaten streak.
Greg Williamson had a stellar 2016 and is looking to build on that success as we kick off the new season.
Gaetan Vige is on a new team this year and has also bumped up to Elites after two standout years in the junior ranks.
Brendan Fairclough death gripping through the new fresh cut section.
Cube's young gun, Harternstern, getting amongst it, his first time on the Lourdes rock.
If the last four races of 2016 are anything to go by, Danny Hart is the man to beat right now.
The last push to the start hut.
Perfect conditions on track right now.
Connor Fearon may not have put down the quickest lap of the day, but he definitely 'won' practice in more than a few sections, riding like an absolute animal
Remi Thirion in his familiar attack position.
Brayton with the eye of the tiger, somewhere behind those iridium lenses.
Loic floating through the late morning light.
American junior, Nik Nestoroff, holding it wide open out of the fastest berm on the track.
'The wall' section seems a little tamer this year mainly down to the drier conditions, but there are also fewer rocks and some additional steps have been cut in.
Mark Wallace leans his new Canyon through one of the fast berms half way down the track.
Gwin looked calm, composed and calculated, taking time to scope and survey lines.
After a wild ride through 'the wall' section riders have a beautiful looking catch berm to scoop them up. Noel Niederberger putting his side knobs to good use.
Greenland on top of the World, about to drop 'the wall'.
George Brannigan brought his usual rowdiness to the hillside.
Veronika Widmann out putting her new Patrol set-up through its paces.
Loic Bruni was looking fast and comfortable all day.
Someone on the rise is Intense's Charlie Harrison who really turned it on at the end of last year.
Elliott Heap has stepped up to elites this year, it's always intriguing to see how the once top juniors get on with the big boys.
Greg's been looking as smooth as ever aboard the big wheels this weekend although suffered a setback in timed training with some rear tire trouble.
Looking on form, Bernard Kerr would come second in times training today.
Rachel made her intentions clear once again. 9 seconds up in timed training.
Gee Atherton was looking steady all day and would take the top time in the afternoon's timed session.
Rachel and Gee interacting live with find at the end of the day. It's amazing the level of technology these days that allows everyone to be plugged into the race no matter where they live.
Remi Thirion cools down after a long day of smashing out runs
Fly by wire
Loic now has this nifty device, first seen on the back end in Rotorua, mounted to his Ohlins fork.
Schwalbe's new Addix compound just got put through the motions of a full WC day on the hill at the mercy of the best riders in the world for the first time. Early reports are coming in on the grippy...
There's a superstition that if you prepare for rain, and it won't rain.
The Intense Factory Racing mechanics on the fast track to success here in Lourdes... It's a simple theory; drink holy water, wash bikes in holy water, everything with the holy water.
Big wheels ready to smash some rocks on Lourdes.
Lourdes has always treated Aaron Gwin well and he is loving the track and all the new changes.
John Hall knuckles down to some qualie-day prep at the Mob pits.
It'll take more than a miracle to save anyone now... judgement day is tomorrow.
MENTIONS: @natedh9 / @davetrumpore / @rossbellphoto
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... he was going bloody fast though
Man even Danny Harts shot of the front wheel and and Flo Payet make 27.5" look small, 29" does look right, just saying, woulda been interesting if Trek had run 29"front and 27.5" rear just for kicks and giggles! This could also be the solution for likes of the smaller riders keep the benefits of the rear end of 27.5" and benefits of 29" at the front for roll over and grip! I'm calling it now, remember years ago theyre was a company called Carver bikes, its not new, just not ready for DH till now maybe!
Lets Rock n Roll...