Indomitable Schurter claims consecutive World Title

I'm pretty sure he was being sarcastic - but Nino did make it look easy, some others not so much

I know, thus my chirp.

Anyone with more details as to what exactly happened to my man Marco?

Nino was an animal!

 

Technically supreme, pity Fontana broke his saddle/seat, it looked like he was in the mood to give him a go. And some of the riders did get caught up by the crashes on the first lap I think. But Nino made sure he was in the right position for that not to effect him.

 

As for our SA riders.. ai, Buys started great, but he needs to figure out the technical parts of XC. Not sure if it's SA's obsession with going faster for longer and forgetting the about the technical bits of XC, but phewie, that rock garden has had Buys number.

 

I believe Max Knox was riding with a broken shoulder or something. Lets see what Knox can do in the next few years, he's only just made the decision to cross over from Marathon to XC, and has a great sponsor in Spesialized.

 

As for our ladies.. well now, I really think they need to have a good look at their careers, if they want to compete in the XC then they will have to make a 100% commitment, take that chance and go to Europe, not sure any of them ride in Europe atm. Else if they don't want to do that, then they should just stick with riding locally in the Marathon events.

 

It's simple actually if you ride in Europe and eventually if you do okay your seeding improves, and seeding is everything in XC, no ways that if you start at the back you can challenge, by the time they hit the first bend the lot in front are gone.

 

Any how.. just my thought on the matter.

Buys has done extremely well and is ranked in the top 20 thus he had a good starting point. It will still come together for him. He is currently 25 and has only in the last two years competed consistently in Europe. He however needs to be backed by a European sponsor so that he can stay there during the year like Burry use to.

I agree with your earlier point about the SA rider experience. But there was also another difference at worlds. During practice laps, many of the other teams had their coaches out riding the course with them, talking strategy and talking lines. I don't think I saw the Saffas having that sort of mentorship or guidance. There is talent, but it's not being molded well.

 

And the only way to do that is to throw money at it.

Thus the need for a proper academy, one that can build up a slush fund , one that can find the real hungry and talented riders and develop them for the pride of their nation.

 

Maybe one day the Spur School series will bare fruit.

 

One thing that i have realized is that most of the top mtb riders rode bmx at a young age so their skills were built back then.

SA has some very good juniors and if they get the right opportunities will be great riders in a few years.

Mountain biking is a very hard sport and most kids want the easy life.

 

A big part of developing talent is getting the youngsters involved from a young age, showing them how to ride and train. This needs to be done on an organized basis in groups / clubs / national academies and not only individually i.e. by the parents.

A couple of years ago we had a top young lady mtbker from SA stay with us for a few months, she was doing the entire world cup circuit (at her own expense) and she stayed with us (for no cost) for a few months while she was in Switz…. One day I went with her to practice for one of the swiss XC series races and while we were doing practice laps there was a group of +/- 15 very junior riders (pre-teens boys and girls) all riding around the same track with a coach who was making them stop at each technical section and he would show them how to ride it and then let them practice it (only if they wanted to) before moving onto the next section. These kids were also going to race but on a shorter and different track, but they were still being exposed to the main track and being supervised / coached on it at a young age.

The Swiss have a system and coaches at most of the different mtb clubs who coach the youngsters from a young age. I’m pretty sure it’s the same for most of the European countries.

I asked the young lady from SA if she ever had any coaching before like this in SA and her answer was no, not like these kids were getting and only on an ad hoc level from friends / father.

Just coming to Europe and trying to race here will be a shock, hence you need to stay here for longer, absorb it all and work hard.

I know, thus my chirp.

Aaah... I thought you were chirping him

Goes to show how difficult it can be to interpret the written (typed) word.

That's why emoticons are incredibly important

I don't know how the hell these guys ride these things.

I struggled to walk some of those...but I'm blaming a sore hip and the beer! Hahahahaha! But, ja, it was interesting to watch the practice sessions. Lots of riders were standing and talking about their lines. It seemed there is a definite delineation between those who think too much and those who just ride. For the latter it just seemed to be: have a quick look, point and shoot. There's a saying (I think) "Those who hesitate die". Even amongst the top guys this was evident. Schurter and Fumic were uber-smooth through the tech stuff, Hermida was more hesitant and took the longer, easier lines around. They would get about four or five seconds at a time on him, but the gutsy Spaniard pulled back the gap on the flats. You could identify the better tech riders by their posture through the rocks. The better riders seemed to be more over the centre of their bikes, sucking up the bumps through their arms. The less confident hung their bums far off the back, which would be great for a steep "roll-in", but once a big rock throws the back wheel, it seems a recipe for a faceplant.

Anyone with more details as to what exactly happened to my man Marco?

Yes.. cause he's my man too

first lap rock gardens, if you recall he was right on Nino's wheel, then he made a mistake at the bottom and came off and damaged his seat/saddle after first lap he had to stop at technical zone and have that sorted out, so lost plenty places!!

Buys has done extremely well and is ranked in the top 20 thus he had a good starting point. It will still come together for him. He is currently 25 and has only in the last two years competed consistently in Europe. He however needs to be backed by a European sponsor so that he can stay there during the year like Burry use to.

Yes he has and yes he is.

not sure if you guys saw the interview they had with him regarding the rock gardens.. poor oke, seems it's his nemesis.

Its not about the bike

And the only way to do that is to throw money at it.

Thus the need for a proper academy, one that can build up a slush fund , one that can find the real hungry and talented riders and develop them for the pride of their nation.

KZN Cycling Academy was recently established and is based at Lahee Park in Pinetown . It is being run by Fanie vd Walt (KZN Development Commissioner Cycling) Apparently the first of it's kind in the country. They are renting the old tennis club building. They have cut about 4,5km in total of single track around the park which is open to the public to go and ride at a donation of R10. They rely on donations in either cash or old parts to sustain the development riders. They have a performance testing facility as well as access to the performance testing facility at UKZN if I recall.

These guys barely generate enough income to make ends meet let alone buy equipment for development riders. Talented kids riding 8 year old bikes built up from a box of broken derailleurs and patched tubes.

Sponsors are putting money into individuals who have already shown talent because they are lucky enough to be in a position to be able to afford equipment and trainers that allow them to be at the sharp end of the field. What about the "poor kids" (of all colours before the mother grundies soil their undergarments....) that don't have access to that kind of funding?

THAT'S where some of their money needs to be spent.

Nothing like that High Performance Centre overseas..... but it is a step in the right direction.

Shurter's bike was much more fun oriented on XCE day - it had about a million multi coloured smiley faces on it!

Haha! They used those as markers for the DH guys the week before. (You needed two stickers which equated to two runs to be eligible for qualifying on Friday)

Emily batty's face plant being one of the not so good examples.

Pictures or it never happened...

Saw photo's earlier, but it was not her number 17 going overboard, but 35

Its not about the bike

Big up to the guys from Lesotho, takes courage to race at that level if you have not had the exposure.

All though with the terrain they have at home the rock garden could have been their back garden

Our best SA rider has been tragically killed...or have you forgotten already?

Not a nice remark.

even more amazing is the name in 18thplace!

Miguel Martinez

One of the Lesotho riders took a proper plant coming down the logs in the Amphitheatre. He hardly missed a beat from flying W, smacking the ground, summersault a few times then back on the bike. Tough and pumped.

even more amazing is the name in 18thplace!

 

Miguel Martinez

Just as a matter of interest why is that?

Just as a matter of interest why is that?

I also thought about it long and hard.

He pretty much disappeared off the scene after his Olympic gold.

But I guess if he can get an 18th. at that level after all this time, he must have some pretty good legs left.

KZN Cycling Academy was recently established and is based at Lahee Park in Pinetown . It is being run by Fanie vd Walt (KZN Development Commissioner Cycling) Apparently the first of it's kind in the country. They are renting the old tennis club building. They have cut about 4,5km in total of single track around the park which is open to the public to go and ride at a donation of R10. They rely on donations in either cash or old parts to sustain the development riders. They have a performance testing facility as well as access to the performance testing facility at UKZN if I recall.

 

These guys barely generate enough income to make ends meet let alone buy equipment for development riders. Talented kids riding 8 year old bikes built up from a box of broken derailleurs and patched tubes.

 

Sponsors are putting money into individuals who have already shown talent because they are lucky enough to be in a position to be able to afford equipment and trainers that allow them to be at the sharp end of the field. What about the "poor kids" (of all colours before the mother grundies soil their undergarments....) that don't have access to that kind of funding?

 

THAT'S where some of their money needs to be spent.

 

Nothing like that High Performance Centre overseas..... but it is a step in the right direction.

All you said here brother, I like very much and agree with.

I will say that my biggest gripe is all the "sponsored" riders out there.

I mean why the hell would someone throw money in to someone because they became the first this, or that to finish the Epic.

Put that money in to an up and coming youngster.

I also thought about it long and hard.

He pretty much disappeared off the scene after his Olympic gold.

But I guess if he can get an 18th. at that level after all this time, he must have some pretty good legs left.

I also thought about it long and hard.

He pretty much disappeared off the scene after his Olympic gold.

But I guess if he can get an 18th. at that level after all this time, he must have some pretty good legs left.

HE was at the sharp end of XC in the late 90's with the SUNN Mtb team, won gold in Sydney, moved over to road an had a decent career there. In 2013 he's still racing at the sharp end in his late 30's

All you said here brother, I like very much and agree with.

I will say that my biggest gripe is all the "sponsored" riders out there.

I mean why the hell would someone throw money in to someone because they became the first this, or that to finish the Epic.

Put that money in to an up and coming youngster.

Simple economics. It all boils down to bang for your buck. Put yourself in the sponsors shoes. You are a company that is looking for exposure. You have a few grand to spend on marketing. You market cycling related products. Where are you more likely to spend your money? Reality is that the cash and support is going to go to someone that stands on the podium week in and week out and gets his picture in the media with your logo splashed all over his chest or holding your bottle of energy drink.

The sad thing is that there are other riders out there with just as much natural talent and drive (but no money) to be one of the best but they have no means of ever achieving that goal.

The sponsors need to channel some of their funds into the academies and help develop youngsters (from all backgrounds). That way they will have a larger pool to choose from and ultimately get their brand exposure.

Basically I think they need to split the sponsorship. Sure put your logo onto Phillip Buys' chest because your brand will get exposure but also set aside some money for the academy, because one day, one of their development kids might be stepping into Phillip's shoes, if not giving him a run for his money...!

Are we allowed to dream?

Sauser running a CSA/sponsored academy down in Stellenbosch which will include taking riders to Europe to compete.

Reality

Hoping that Spur series will encourage more youngsters to start riding and that a new star will emerge.