Just a few quick updates from the day. Overcast skies, humidity, but an awesome day overall. The transport is a fleet of vans and trailers, so it is about a 30 minute commute to do a run. Pretty funny how the drivers are working the clutch. It's a mission to get on the freeway up the hill, through some neighborhoods, a massive fancy estate gate, pass sugar cane fields, past the Hawk that chills on the fence post at the top, then a little ride into the start. 8 people per shuttle, it goes good though.
Pit row is also quite spaced out, we elected not to even be in there. After you finish a run, you gotta ride to a bridge to get over the xc course, climb up the stairs, ride down the other side, and the pits are like a quarter mile long and in the opposite direction to the shuttle in some cases. Much better set up under the trees in the parking lot with the other privateers on the way to the shuttle. Our new mechanic Alain Hall is doing awesome, getting broken into the ways of WC racing.
THis course is very rapid and a lot of fun. High speeds amongst the trees, then out in the open, etc. I had a good run, just a few places to still work on. This is only day two, but conditions were perfect. Tracy Hannah set the fastest time, she went big on al the jumps and also raced here last week, so congrats to her. Frenchies following her +3 sec, in the same second- Ragot, Pugin, Jonnier, then Me +3 from them in 5th:) Pom pom 6th, etc. Another day on sunday, but a good start. This track is red clay and hardpacked, bad combo with rain, and it's raining now. Will be like ice. Fingers crossed it dries up for sunday.
Mens quali was pretty exciting. There was good coverage on the jumbotron. I got to see the majority of bryn's run, which was awesome. He came out today with 18th! After all he has been through, that is awesome, more in the tank:) Think he came up a little short on the jump leading into the pedaling bit.
Minnaar and Gwin had a really tight battle, Minnaar won by .008 seconds. Gwin didn't pedal to the line, so there you go, nothing in it. Stevie was right there .8 back, so that was rad to see as well. Super gnarly; Brook McdDonald was cruising into the last hip jump with the finish line in sight, took off funny, landed sideways, high sided, yard-saled, and took a massive digger, just layed there for 10 sec, no concussion though. Next dude down almost hit him, inches away. I saw it happen, and am impressed he is ok.
I haven't been taking photos or anything, just riding. Sorry about the updates. Guess other things I noticed. Brendan Fairclough is on clips, as is pom pom. Marc Beaumont has "Atherton Racing" written all over him as well as their logo of the three guy guy girl icons, which is weird. The new Scott bike is out. Luke Strobel is on Pivot. 90% of people have drop posts on. Richie Rude qualified 45th at his first World Cup, USA Junior ripper. Bunch of top guys even are casing the big table tops. The sprint is very long. Florent Payet broke his collar bone last weekend at the pre race cause of the wind on the big jumps. What else? Ben Reid is out with Pneumonia. Dunno really. That's all I got for now.