UCI World Championships Mont Saint Anne - DH Practice

by Ian Hylands
Sep 1, 2010 at 14:43

Yesterday was the first day of Downhill practice here at Mont Saint Anne. While the course is very similar to last year there have been some significant changes made, from whole new sections to lots of small changes on the old sections, and all of it is very fast.

Photos inside

Steve Peat, practicing on the first day. As last years winner he gets to run the number one plate.
Steve Peat, practicing on the first day. As last years winner he gets to run the number one plate.
Brendan Fairclough, so far the track is dusty, really dusty!
Brendan Fairclough, so far the track is dusty, really dusty!
Markolf Berchtold rips through the course
Markolf Berchtold rips through the course
George Brannigan is a favorite in the Junior Men, this kid is fast...
George Brannigan is a favorite in the Junior Men, this kid is fast...
After last weeks close loss to Gee at Windham, Greg Minnaar is ready to win...
After last weeks close loss to Gee at Windham, Greg Minnaar is ready to win...
Rachel Atherton
Rachel Atherton
The new roller coaster start gate
The new roller coaster start gate
Leigh's nickname was 'booty' back in the day, and now that she's back from retirement and on Team USA once again she's sporting an 'old booty' patch. Go Leigh!
Leigh's nickname was 'booty' back in the day, and now that she's back from retirement and on Team USA once again she's sporting an 'old booty' patch. Go Leigh!
Emmeline Ragot picked up a streamer on the way down...
Emmeline Ragot picked up a streamer on the way down...
With the new rules this year the World Cup courses are all double taped to keep the spectators from interfering with the riders. Miles and miles of tape...
With the new rules this year the World Cup courses are all double taped to keep the spectators from interfering with the riders. Miles and miles of tape...

more photos here
Must Read This Week

53 Comments

  • + 14
flag Bulls-On-Parade (Sep 1, 2010 at 15:56)
 sick pics. sick track. sicker starting gate
  • - 1
flag GabrielDugas (Sep 1, 2010 at 16:58)
 wish this start gate have been there during summer...it add lots of fun for the track! Razz (tough the track was not well maintain during summer)
  • + 2
flag goonrider (Sep 1, 2010 at 19:25)
 kill troy for me will you george?
ur famous now!
  • + 3
flag Waldon83 (Sep 1, 2010 at 19:40)
 So . . . Troy won the Jr title, how is he not the jr 'leader'
  • - 3
flag thedemo7rider (Sep 1, 2010 at 20:29)
 why do they have thier seat up so high when people race
  • + 1
flag Chips2990 (Sep 1, 2010 at 20:30)
 Worlds is completely separate from the World Cup and the WC overall
  • + 2
flag whitetux (Sep 1, 2010 at 23:22)
 they run there seat where it is comfortable for them, it certainly isnt holding the back, its just something it feels weird to not have
  • + 13
flag tomboulter (Sep 2, 2010 at 3:36)
 Just wanted to say team GB are going to dominate
  • + 1
flag eddiethekid (Sep 2, 2010 at 4:14)
 Most certainly
  • + 1
flag IanHylands  (Sep 2, 2010 at 4:23)
 Troy did win and he is the Junior World Champion, actually changed this to say that George is a strong contender here at MSA, but it changed back for some reason. Computer/Internet issues...
  • + 1
flag IanHylands  (Sep 2, 2010 at 4:29)
 and actually not Junior World Champion, but he took the World Cup Overall title at Windham.
[Reply]
  • + 5
flag nagaredama (Sep 1, 2010 at 16:48)
 Troy Bronsan is the Junior DH Leader/Winner not George Brannigan.
  • + 3
flag norcocensored (Sep 1, 2010 at 16:52)
 thats what i thought too right?
  • + 1
flag TeeRex (Sep 1, 2010 at 17:40)
 I think you'll find that Troy Brosnan took the Junior world cup. And yes George Brannigan is fast, but our boy Troy beat him in 5 of the 6 world cup rounds.....
  • + 1
flag norcocensored (Sep 1, 2010 at 19:26)
 yeah dude,give him 2-3 more year (or less) i think he'll be up with the big guns on the box..
  • + 0
flag TeeRex (Sep 1, 2010 at 19:45)
 18th outright last weekend - I reckon he's well on the way to being up there on the box. Maybe even next year?
  • + 1
flag Chips2990 (Sep 1, 2010 at 20:31)
 Worlds is separate from the World Cup and WC overall
  • + 1
flag whitetux (Sep 1, 2010 at 23:26)
 george may have placed best last year out of all the juniors racing this year, but george's best result this year was 25th and he only managed to pull of a result that good once. Troy peaked at the end of the season with an 18th place, and Lewis Buchanan posted a 16th at val di sol and a 14th at windham, so the facts probably are that george will not win, and its mostly a battle between lew and troy
  • + 1
flag IanHylands  (Sep 2, 2010 at 4:25)
 Troy Brosnan is the Junior World Champion, sorry for the confusion. I rewrote all of this before I posted it but for some reason it reverted to an older saved version. It should say "George is a serious contender for the title here at Mont Saint Anne."
  • + 1
flag IanHylands  (Sep 2, 2010 at 4:30)
 And not Junior World Champion yet, he has to win that here, but Troy took the Junior World Cup Overall Title at Windham last weekend.
[Reply]
  • + 4
flag carlmontnative (Sep 1, 2010 at 16:01)
 great idea on the double tape
  • - 2
flag konradkes (Sep 1, 2010 at 16:07)
 its good they have tape this year
  • + 3
flag bunkey (Sep 1, 2010 at 16:32)
 Pain in the f*cking arse for photographers with no media pass... Some sections of ft bill were barely worth watching even for spectators as you were standing so far back...
  • - 1
flag GabrielDugas (Sep 1, 2010 at 16:59)
 most of the track is quite large and open. double tape will not pi a problem for the majority of the track
  • + 10
flag rigodon777 (Sep 1, 2010 at 19:36)
 WHAT? Are you shitting me, the vibe just got killed with this rule, I was gonna be there ringing my bell and brapping my vuvuzela, but If I have to be 10meters away from the rider and be hidden in the bush, what's the goal.. The main thing I liked about biking is that it was the only sport were we can almost be able to touch the rider, but what the hell? Are they gonna check our cooler for any beer, look in our cars for guns and bombs. There's already the rule about the media where they can't post anything until 5hr past the final! This is a shit rule.
  • + 5
flag rigodon777 (Sep 1, 2010 at 19:38)
 /end rant! sorry but this is pissing me off. The section where I was gonna be all week-end is a super tight wooden section, but we are gonna nothing because we are gonna be standing way too ffar back!
  • + 4
flag thom (Sep 1, 2010 at 19:51)
 As a racer, it sucks ass when some drunk moron is hanging wayy over the tape in your line. This was a good rule by the UCI.
  • + 1
flag rigodon777 (Sep 1, 2010 at 19:55)
 Actually, having marshalls and whistlers that know how to do their job is way better than having 2000 miles of tapes to contain a ton of spectator because you know it, gestev did their job right and they advertise everywhere, i'm pretty sure the whole city is gonna be on the mountain this week-end! By the way, I'm a racer too, so I know a thing or two about annoying spectator, I also lost because of one. (PM if you wanna know why)
  • + 2
flag thom (Sep 1, 2010 at 21:06)
 Tape is cheaper than marshalls. A marshalls job is watch the riders on course, not police a world cup crowd.
  • + 3
flag DanB25 (Sep 2, 2010 at 2:59)
 if the tape is placed properly in the first place its pretty hard for a spectator to get in your way unless they cross the tape completely, racing wouldnt be what it is if it werent for people screaming and bashing things all the way down
  • + 1
flag carlmontnative (Sep 2, 2010 at 10:18)
 rigodon777, it looks like its only about 10 feet further back, ur bell will still be heard
  • + 1
flag rigodon777 (Sep 2, 2010 at 10:41)
 10 feet is a lot in wooden section.. but whatever i'll get over it and still yell as loud as I can.
[Reply]
  • + 3
flag ROL-ANDO (Sep 1, 2010 at 16:54)
 well this world will be tigth....... a lot of ungry racer out there ...
[Reply]
  • + 3
flag rouxdh (Sep 1, 2010 at 19:30)
 very nice for a old booty ...iwould take it any time
  • + 1
flag KennyKillsIt (Sep 2, 2010 at 7:11)
 Pull up behind that; no way am I making a pass this view is golden already!
[Reply]
  • + 2
flag konarider112 (Sep 1, 2010 at 19:39)
 I rode that course a week ago. It was the best trail I have ever ridden. Those jumps are pretty damn big.
[Reply]
  • + 3
flag stikmanglaspell (Sep 1, 2010 at 18:18)
 Great job Ian...and I like the Booty image of course!.
  • + 1
flag ebxtreme (Sep 1, 2010 at 23:46)
 I'm sure you do, Stik. Wink
  • + 1
flag IanHylands  (Sep 2, 2010 at 4:25)
 I thought you would....
[Reply]
  • + 4
flag konradkes (Sep 1, 2010 at 16:02)
 nice booty
  • + 2
flag asmodeuss (Sep 2, 2010 at 6:10)
 Indeed!
Don't look that old to me Smile
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag andy9 (Sep 1, 2010 at 15:56)
 Just as dusty as the Canada cup 2 weeks agoSmile its going to be a fast track!!!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag utech (Sep 2, 2010 at 7:11)
 Go Markolf! Always representing Brasil!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag hardtaildh08 (Sep 2, 2010 at 5:57)
 this looks totaly nuts the start ramp is most epic !
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag barros (Sep 2, 2010 at 12:59)
 Good to see Markolf ripping the track. Dále Pau ALemão!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag humbs623 (Sep 2, 2010 at 9:12)
 goooo MARKOLF ! take the win this year man!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag Henriquedepaula (Sep 2, 2010 at 9:25)
 There we go Markolf! kick some butt!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag headstitch (Sep 2, 2010 at 6:19)
 the gate looks awesome..
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag MarioSubsin (Sep 1, 2010 at 15:56)
 nice pics Big Grin
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag samu183 (Sep 1, 2010 at 16:00)
 Very nice pic.!!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag ezael (Sep 1, 2010 at 18:25)
 Solid!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag Ospooh92  (Sep 1, 2010 at 16:38)
 sick
[Reply]
  • + 0
flag balog (Sep 2, 2010 at 5:21)
 Go Markolf!
[Reply]

Post a Comment



You must login to Pinkbike.
Don't have an account? Sign up

Join Pinkbike  Login
Copyright © 2000 - 2012. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.