Man Women’s XC is nuts this year. NUTS.
Man, Women’s Downhill has also become sort of nuts.
Ok there are two more events this season. So I think its time for a recap.
Usually, the world championships (which is a one-off event and a separate honor from the world cup season) comes after the world cup season is over. But this year, the world championships event is before the final world cup event.
Also, the final world cup event is in the U.S. this year!
Recap:
First of all, I haven’t really been watching Men’s cross country. I will probably go back and watch some of it, eventually. Especially after how surprised I have been, by the Women’s XC.
XC used to be relatively boring. But, they have really changed up the style of courses and they are much more intersting and fun, nowadays. Also, 2 days before the main “long track” event, is a “short track” event. Which is an exciting little mixup. Not only in terms of conditioning for the riders, But its also a different style of riding. and is an opportunity for more points.
Men’s Downhill recap:
Men’s downhill has been a lot of small upsets this year. Espcially for American riders. Lots of small injuries, which have prevented our best guys from really hanging it out there. But also upsets overall, because French rider Loic Bruni is wasting everyone. He’s won most of the events and when he hasn’t won, he’s placed very high. And for many of the races, at least 2 of the podium spots have been French riders. If it hasn’t been Bruni, its probably been Amaury Pierron (also French). A real banger year, for the French.
Women’s Downhill: Women’s Downhill is in a pretty amazing moment. For a few years, Rachel Atherton has dominated. And many of the girls just couldn’t keep up with her. To the point that in 2016, she won every world cup race. But, the other girls are getting faster. And its now finally at a point where Rachel doesn’t have an easy time. The top 4 riders are Miriam Nicole (France), Tahnee Seagrave (Britain), Tracey Hannah (Australia), and Rachel Atherton (Britain).
However, 3 of the 4 top women, have crashed out this season. With serious injuries, which will keep them from riding until next year. Tracey Hannah is the only one left. However, Tracey was able to beat Rachel, one event before Rachel crashed out. Which was a really big deal for Tracey. She had won world cup events before. But never one at which Rachel also raced (Rachel has crashed out for short periods, in the past).
So now a strange thing is happening. Its happened in the past. Last year, Rachel crashed out for half of the season. And the other women all got better!? And I think we are seeing that again, now that the top 3 are sidelined. Marine Cabirou (France) a very young rider (22) just won the past two events. Beating Tracey Hannah. And a couple of the other girls were not far off and were hanging it out more than usual. And since 3 of the top scoring riders are out, the high positions for the overall world cup, are wide open.
*Rachel Atherton, at 32 years old, is getting fairly old for the sport. There have been rumors about her retirement. Especially with a minor shoulder separation last year, and completely rupturing her Achilles, recently. I think she will race at least one more season, after her Achilles heals.
Women’s XC recap:
A breakout year for the USA. Kate Courtney left the juniors class late last year and joined the Elite class. And she won the world championship event. Coming into this year, she won the first world cup stop. Both the short track and the long track. The first American woman to win a world cup----in 20 years. She also won the second long track and placed 4th in the short track. The third race was her first sign of weakness. It was the highest altitude event of the season and Kate clearly was not condition for altitude. She has continued to place high in the short tracks. But for some reason, her long track performance has suffered ever since. Still in top 10. But often missing the podium. However, with one stop left on the world cup circuit, she’s still 2nd place in overall points. With I think only about 70 points between her and the leader—
----Swedish rider, Yolanda Neff. Who is probably the most badass rider of them all. She’s amazing. Multiple times this season, she has battled back from crashes, mechanical failures, or just some bad starts. She has basically owned 2nd place for most of the season. No wins yet! But in overall points, she is the leader, with one round left.
There are some other stories, too. But I think one of the most amazing has been Swedish rider Jenny Rissveds.
Jenny won Olympic Gold at Rio, in 2016. But, sometime i n 2017, she had a major mental breakdown. 2019 is her first year back to racing. She’s been interviewed a few times, in complete tears. But, very open. She said that (for whatever reason) she lost her will to compete. Did not feel worthy. Did not want to live anymore. Etc. Early in the season, she said that after coming back, she felt like a fraud. That she didn’t belong with these other women. Actually saying that she “isn’t one of them, anymore”.
Well, she kept going. And a few stops ago, she podiumed 4th or 5th place in a long track (XC mountain biking has a 5 spot podium, as far as points are concerned. Though, still a traditional 3 spot podium, for immediate post ride honors and popping champagne). Although just missing the podium, she did well in another long track race. And she kept going. And then she won a short track event. You can literally see her change on screen.
Lenzerheide in Switzerland, is considered one of the most difficult and most prized races of the season. Yolanda Neff is considered the favorite for that crowd and all eyes were on her to win there (she’s never won there before. But is riding better than ever). But, Jenny Rissveds won it. With a fair gap, too. During her tearful, joyful interview; she said that she doesn’t know what to say in English. But in Swedish they have a saying which she translated literally: “The circle is complete”.
Here’s a couple vids to get a taste here:
At Les Gets (pronunciation is kind of like Le Jay) France, Amaury Pierron stole the win from Loic Bruni. This is an interesting course because its not too technical. No major drops, no rock gardens, not particularly rooty. Not so steep. Its just a bunch of turns. With a healthy dose of long shallow turns with no berm. You’re pretty much constantly a small mistake away from hitting a tree or just sliding out because no berm to catch you.
and here is Marine Cabirou’s winning run from Lenzerheide. Which should have been an easy take for Tracey Hannah. Nasty weather that day. A very steep and very rooty course. and with the fog and earlier rain, the roots are wet, which is real dangerous. The dirt conditions were weird, too. Because the rain wasn’t as heavy as it may appear. So some sections were still pretty dry. Going from wet to dry to wet to dry: lots of sudden slide outs, small crashes, and mistakes, that day. Its real tough to get the right tire and also a consistent feel for your body language.
and here is a Go Pro of Vali Holl’s juniors win at Les Gets. She actually beat Tracey Hannah’s time by over a second, even though Vali races in the younger class.
I skipped over the men’s division for a couple of world cup stops. But I’m going back through it and am just finishing up the broadcast for Val Di Sole.
holy moly check out Laurie Greenland’s winning run for the men’s division, at Val Di Sole, Italy.
This course has a bunch of chunky rocks, a fair amount of roots, a couple of stumps, and some steepness near the end. He pretty much skipped atop all that stuff and somehow held it out. Snatching the win from the French riders:
Also check out Marine Cabirou’s other winning run, at the beginning of that video. I think she’s gonna be a real fighter for the overall win, next year.
Red Bull dropped the ball and the 2019 World Championship races are STILL not watchable on their page/app. 1 month later.
So I finally skipped over it and watched the final races of the World Cup season, which was 1 week later. (World Championship/World Cup are separate honors. Championships is a one-off race event. Cup is a season long circuit, with multiple races).
Kate Courtney did it. She won the overall for cross country. First American to win the World Cup overall Women’s title, in 17 years. She’s only 23. If she can find a way to squeeze in more altitude training, she could be unstoppable in the coming years. Altitude races were her only weak spots in the season. *She just said in an interview, that she’s locked in for the 2020 Olympics.
Swedish rider Yolanda Neff was in first place overall, at the start of the final race. Having a series of 2nd place finishes, nearly all season. But there were only like 30 points between them. Yolanda ended up bonking and dropped back after the first couple of laps. Finishing in 11th and taking 2nd overall. She’s also locked in for the Olympics.
Australian Tracy Hannah took the overall title for Women’s Downhill. She had her best season ever. At 31, considered an older rider. completed a lot of milestones this season. Very happy for her. She has one of the best personalities on the mountain.
However, French rider Marine Cabirou also carved out her own show in downhill, taking first place 3 times in a row, for the last 3 races of the season. Including the final race. She’s only 22 years old. Big things ahead of her.
And my fave Women’s Downhill rider, English rider Tahnee Seagrave, had been out for a separated shoulder. However, it must have been a very minor separation, as she only missed I think 2 races (that’s about 2 months recovery time). And came back for the World championship race, taking 2nd! She seemed to take it a bit easier 1 week later, at World Cup finals. but still snagged 4th place.
French rider Myriam Nicole came back after being out all season for a delicate back injury: And won the World Championship event. Being out all season,she of course was not running in the points for the overall positions in world cup. But, she did take second place in the final world cup race. Seems she didn’t lose an ounce of her skills or fitness!
Still gotta watch the men’s stuff.
