The 2019 Season Preview | UCI DH MTB World Cup Maribor

good afternoon everyone welcome to Maribor in Slovenia and welcome to the opening mercedes-benz you see I'd downhill World Cup of 2019 the world's fastest riders are once again ready to take it to the very limit to the very edge of control and sometimes actually quite away beyond it the race is already bare you itsgotime here in Slovenia let's get into it [Music] [Music] [Music] not this time I'm coming for you I'm here to win in Athens my year bring it on [Music] so this is what's coming up in the next 45 minutes or look back at last season's dramatic action [Music] we jump on the merry-go-round and look at all the team changes in the offseason I will also get the wheels in motion how will the new size regulations affect the racing and all in the company of a host of amazing guests from the downhill scene so thanks for joining everyone tani Seagrave how are you you survived that Craig how are you downhill race of all time actually on the bubble for four qualified at the moment so he's a little bit stressed Eric Laurie who many of you will know my co-host on the World Cups and junior world champion is no less you in a little bit but let's have a look at the calendar this is where the World Cup stops are this year so we start tomorrow Maribor Slovenia it's gonna be a wet one a couple of classic stops after that Lache in France makes a return to the world I think after an absence of 17 years another couple of stops we know before we end up at the brand new venue snowshoe in the USA and also we want your social media questions this afternoon please send them in via the chat function on Red Bull TV or via ads red Corp I've got some great guest is so pleased at fire your questions over and we'll do our best to get them to them the actual is already ongoing behind us here as you can see we've already had all application this afternoon the men's is ongoing the women's is as we speak and property here behind me tiny see great place in qualifying I talked to about that in a minute Rachel after turn first time out on her own brand of bike second place a few moments ago in her qualifying run already see the wet on the bottom and of course there but it was Australian Tracy Hanna that took the win that she's three to one from qualifying from the women well how was it Tony a bit of a rough ride down it would a rain or did you escape it I it did start raining when I was in the gate so for sure I was a bit nervous but I think I kind of liked it so yeah it made me push a little bit harder kind of let the bike do the work towards the end because I didn't want to didn't want to throw it all the way so yeah happy with that just four seconds a minute I guess you've got plenty left for tomorrow and we don't really know what the conditions are going to be like tomorrow do we that's another a big point in question really if the rain comes down how is the track Greg I know you've fix had a qualifier we'd probably rather forget but I'm just hoping you know someone crash so he's a pretty you need to be about 15 riders when it gets down to about ten Rob it's the first time I've actually said on the bubble so it's quite nerve-wracking you know I kind of wish that extended at eight again this year they're qualified but you know maybe it's just a rain game I think it's gonna dry up and then I've got time for once I'm down for it start raining be pulling all that experience mate he was the last winner here back in 2010 no pressure and it's yours go Kade first-ever elite World Cup qualifier for you feel any different to the junior ones really no I had a bit of crash ideal well as you look what happen to be your leg in the winter you you still get an over broken ankle or leg did you yeah we were tell you how we did it but he wasn't messing about on bikes then now but you've you know you've recovered you only got back on the downhill bike well earlier this week so I guess yeah yeah absolutely awesome right yeah there you are in action map no that's Rhys old excuse me oh I've reached his shoulders all right for tomorrow did he survive that no no so they're still coming down Greg still nervously looking on to tomorrow don't you with the it's gonna be difficult for everyone now I mean literally these riders first time you've seen the track in the wet was that quite it couldn't have timed it better or worse now you look at it yeah I guess riders had to change their lines for qualifying since I've been practicing in the dry and now it was all slippery where you're still riding all the same lines or it's too late to change lines so we're just on the main line that the problem is is you you in the woods the woods and really get affected by the rain and as soon as you came out it would be like a bike fall corner which is hard back and then just hell of a grease and then you drop back into the woods so young really unpredictable corners so like leading up to the big double really sketchy and so trying to estimate or guesstimate where the track is dry or where this rain has got it pretty tough and you know you are in a very unusual position this year after being injured last season that you're not a protected rider you're not guaranteed a place in tomorrow's final so I guess that rain came in down just before your run there was pretty horrific for you because it is a lot more unpredictable right once it gets out completely I mean the first guy went down in the second corner so that big grass open right-hander was Joyce tricky and I thought I played it pretty good I rode quite safe and I was quite secure I knew I didn't want to push it and crash and then I'm a pretty simple core now we're down so it's one of those things you know you trying to back off and ride smart but then you lose a bit of concentration and can happen remember the last time you're here back in 2010 I do I did it was horrible conditions just sloppy but I think it's quite a lot different you know the tracks being ridden so much now it's so hard back yep the rain is gonna make it really tricky yeah no it's not really sinking in the rain yeah super hard pack isn't it just doesn't let anything that doesn't sink in it you can't get any ties do just a chain did you hang on this have a look at this so here is Greg back in the day looking on a BMX look at the sky they start making bikes to feared yeah look at that thing she's rusk up you're so tight back then you know now he's fleshed out and made a real man back yeah how old are you then Kade back in 2009 you would know I remember watching him right so were you know into it I don't know just just start going down then so wasn't my intern man no good old dogs might want it taani did you have to change stars before you'll run today or not you just stuck with the drys magic Mary so I'm probably would admit was to carry on raining anyway I mean you got a little bit of practice tomorrow I guess so you can you can have another guy you feeling coming into this season confident pretty strong yeah I was so nervous she just never know where to place yourself and I hadn't really done any fast downhill riding so yeah I was super nervous at the top but kind of proved to myself that I still have it so yeah it's good to know that I'm a lot stronger than I was so I'm speaking of Rachel actually earlier in the week about you and saying you know you really like you said you said there you haven't really gone that fast this year I mean not nervous about that British national you're a little bit behind and she said you've gone Washita and he said absolute respect for you she said she's a racer he's a lot like me and she's in a corner she'll pull out the best and you know we know you we've seen you do that many I know how fast like a ride so I just wait until I have to yeah that's right save it for tomorrow all to play for so while the calendar has had some small changes to Ryder roster had a major shake-up this winter here's some big some of the big team use from the offseason as is tradition the downhill offseason has been full of big-name team changes and here are the ones that you need to know about Aaron Gwin joins intense factory racing the five-time overall title winner has moved to one of the most iconic brands in the pits given that both hail from California it seems to be the perfect fit win will be joined by former teammate from his time at YT meeting moolah Lee and the Australian Jack Moyer it's pretty cool to be on the same team as Aaron just awesome to see what how he goes about everything and his training and approach to the race and he's always happy to help out as well so that's pretty cool meanwhile the Appleton's have launched their own bike company the first family of downhill have decided that after having ridden for just about every big brand this time that they stuck their own name on their race bikes me and my family have got a lot of experience and we've done a lot of racing so we know what the bike needs to be and we know what the bike needs to do so you know so far it's feeling good it's still a working process but it's feeling fast and you know I'm enjoying doing that arguably the most exciting lineup in the pit this year belongs to the new-look Trek Factory Racing squad Kate Edwards is now joined by Rhys Wilson Charlie Harrison and Ethan shan-dro for one of the fastest collections the sport has seen for a long time you know the new team that we've got I think the average age is 20 and a half a lot of diversity between all of our personalities and riding styles and it certainly is interesting we're always laughing and making jokes and messing with each other it's been pretty scary hi where we've all we've all bonded from like the first 24 hours it was it was a little bit disturbing how quick we all go on and finally Matt Simmons is back once again on the newly rebranded Cannondale team one of the most iconic race teams of the nineties is back with a brand new prototype machine and it'll be interesting to see how they get on this weekend we're doing some crazy stuff and we we all do it for you know going fast on Trek we are here to test stuff on the highest level of the sport and well that's UCI World Cup isn't it well Katie you are part of that new trick Factory Racing team there what's it been like for you the transition to that teaming and a new bike to ride yes you find you know consuming or is it like everything's thickening you're glad to be on this new titties you know really a big factory ride for yes everyone's pretty nice don't feel too pressured and again on with the new bike alright I guess you haven't had that much time on it though we know where did you hurt your ankle was it on is after after he selling backflip over a 45 foot double but then broke is but on a swing in a playground did you really what do you think about Rachel this year coming into 2019 with a new bike is that going to be an advance for you because go get used to it or especially in the situation season where they can adapt that bite and change it so quickly do you think you know she's gonna be even faster I mean they've got so much experience they've ridden as they say pretty much every brand out there so they know what they want and you can never underestimate Rachel she knows how to ride a bike and she can ride one fast so she's always a big threat yeah it is pretty much as simple as that and to you Greg you know I was down in your pit earlier in this week and a lot of the lucra and that was saying it's nice this year because you haven't been caught up and all this you know two seven nine set up this new wheel sighs you still on the same bike you were last year is that a big advantage for you coming in one less thing to worry about would have like two thoughts over doesn't seem it applies is it's not my kid I think you think you're all about 55th at the moment so you should be alright it's been really good you know we were last year we spent a lot of time trying to set this bike up but now we only have four on production by production links and we can focus on just getting the bike fast and which we did in tasting and I think that a great pre-season tasting and yeah I think we've done what we need to do coming into the season what sort of testing what really takes up your time when you're testing a downhill bike for a while because I guess it's quite hard to really replicate your World Cup track isn't it it is and especially in February you know this one of the World Cup tracks open it's a lot of snow around so mainly just suspension tires few bits and bobs but those are the key things suspension and tires and and now that we've got a bike that you know we've decided on a linkage to use and going back and forth from a hair shaft to a coil shock and stuff like that that was the fun at uni we did okay on another note do you have your own down the racing series now in South Africa start taking some focus away from racing or is that no problem at all yeah we'd be running the series for about 15 years now so it started way back my parents at the bike shop and we just felt as a you know we have a bike shop in the family that we need support gravity racing so we started a series or sponsored the series from probably 15 16 years ago and now we're doing juror and downhill and the whole lot I know you've been away a sunnier climes I've seen some of your videos did you spend the winter in North Wales Tania did you get away and go testing somewhere else I managed to go to Crankworx but it's just so hard to get your bike set up exactly right on it World Cups it's just a different ballgame as soon as you get it's just your mindsets different you can I can't I know I can't get into that mine turn to my music and I'm thinking right that you know earlier this week you made kind of a breakthrough you were really happy that you might have found what you were looking for bikes are wise yeah it was a bit late but as you saw at the National a couple weeks ago I was well off the pains and it felt weird because I was pushing so hard I'm really trying but I just felt like my bike wasn't able to planning come with me so that's why I was here at the I excessive the week and yeah I just finally nailed it and I was like this feels like my bike it's not a BM to me anymore okay okay right yeah I mean you know often it's I think people think of specific things when you're trying to staff a bar but very often it's like a feel isn't it you just want everything to feel right Greg's been struggling with it too daily although I think it's fair so really damn good for HS is he qualified that we know we need to find keep an eye on this okay let's have some social media questions that we've had in to you Greg I think take your mind off the rather tricky situation behind us how do you approach practice in the knowledge that weather might totally change the track job alternate alternate line choices in mind if the rain does come down for sure you always trying to see it look for a line especially where it's rutile rocky that the rocks and roots are facing the right direction and that you can kind of push off and get a bit of grip that's probably the main thing you're looking at besides that it's kind of hard because yesterday you know I was just waiting you know expecting it to rain harder today and and even you know last night again well maybe we need to just step it up and and practice hard this this morning so I have a good qualifying then it ran just before the quality so it was kind of tricky but you know was same for everyone and we you know we changed we did we did a tire change I went a little bit more aggressive front tire and just for a bit of security down and follow a bit secure down the bottom and just ended up spelling sir it happens yeah it does it certainly does I mean there's another one for you which track cater last you this knocks your last tonica's you ain't done everything yet what truck you most looking forward to this year probably Monson and I love a good challenge and I felt like every year it just kind of I'm always as scared of it as I was the first time I went there so I love that that feeling for sure yeah it's a good wide open track and it Kade one for you i'm dora for me I think it's a steep yeah breaks off okay another quick question so you're on a 29 inch wheels Gregg front and back is that been the single biggest switch in the sport over recent years do you think yeah I think so I mean it's it's definitely made the bus progress a lot more you know it's it's not necessarily the size of the wheels but trying to get those big wheels to fit in the downa bike you've got to stretch the back out so I think wheelbase has been more significant than then will change I mean did you really you know for the first time I've heard you say you got a 29 inch bike in it well clean look at my picture ooh from 2010 it might well be the first bite if you take that same back and stretch it out to try and fit 29 inch wheels and and rode with a smaller wheel it's gonna fit you good anyway so I think make it small though the wheelbase has grown a lot more than just the tire change talk about a little bit more well we've talked about some of the teams here this weekend I think it's time I introduced our own team cloudy of course many of you know but also joining on Red Bull TV all summer are Rick and Bri thanks Rob this year I'll be resuming my position down here in the hot seat and in the pits reporting back on all the chaos as it arrives and around me I think this year I'm really looking forward to seeing haitani and rich or how that battle develops and also how fully fair are and deals with a problem like our marie-pierre on I'm nice and comfortable here but one person who may be slightly more exposed to the elements is Bri well Rick Scott here's a luxurious position at the finish line I'll be the one trekking up the top of the mountain to bring you all the news and updates before the riders drop in the French dominated last season and I'm looking forward to seeing who will win this crucial first stop to have the confidence for the rest of the season the riders are excited and I'm excited for the first World Cup stop here at this legendary venue well a few cheers behind us Greg Moore nervously lurking on I think someone else might have qualified we will we were really try and keep an eye on that right let's have another social media question Greg for you you're one of the most successful races in history the most successful World Cup racer of all time have to say we also one of the oldest here is not going to you there is that in the balance of things does the extra experience out ye aging experience and will forget about this you know miss massive a day you value I've felt the aging experience yet but maybe the the extra experiences maybe over the plate of it because you you you to cautious about things I think sometimes you need just switch off and just rail stuff from the mud you know and and maybe that's been Maidan for every time there's a wet qualifier I just kind of play it safe and instead of having a full unguarded obviously when the finals are be different but maybe I need to just wipe some of that experience out of it and just start afresh yeah I was yeah yeah I've been here I haven't raised all of them but I've been tall with no veneer before Tonia you Kade right I mean I think we can talk about the track its sections and it's pretty short it's not sure when you walk it actually but the speed you're going down when you're riding it either it's pretty physical probably one of the most physical ones is it rolling so there's so much pumping yeah so your legs are on fire I've only got a little leg so I want my arms a lot yeah yeah and I guess you're enjoying it Kade plenty of hits down there for you then it is I know when I walked here I couldn't help but see all these you know huge compressions you got a hit yeah it's pretty Salvage my uncle is actually the melter holder I was quite scared because I felt nice well your hopes in this first year in elite and stay alive that's always good yeah just take it as it comes I don't have any expectations yeah just see how I get on there fast you can go ahead exactly you're actually in 58 at the moment I've just been told I've never had to take yeah I need that to me that's my that's my tip but that's my department so well we're gonna wrap things up for this first half now thank you all for joining me it's been an absolute pleasure Greg you can go and sway over there in probably not in public we will be back after a sure right I'll leave you now with some more thoughts from the races as we continue this build-up to this 2019 season I'm Laura green London 22 years old and I ride for the MS Monde Rekha team definitely having the most fun on my bike have had in in a long time and to have that mindset of just going for the win now is it's exciting Rachel Afton and 31 years old and I ride for Atherton bikes the tracking man was incredible you know really natural really beautiful place really nice dirt lots of roots and its really got everything a big gnarly rock garden in the middle so I'd say it's the perfect racetrack for a mountain bike my name is anne-marie Piero I'm 23 and I ride for comments as I know I just try to to be more focused on what I do the fan is the same I want to go fast as fast as I can so yeah I just like to stay on the wagon mónica harassed Nick 25 the wall and I'm very happy with the first race here in Slovenia because they watch me all fear all family and friends fans will be more pressure Troy Rosen Canyon factory rising 25 my first ever World Cup was 2010 here in Marable so I have been looking forward to this track a lot tracy henna 30 years old polygon you are team friendly won three World Cups in my life and I would just love to win a world can't like that's always ago and I just want to stand on the top give me the top step it's definitely the goal I'm Rick Bruni I'm 24 years old and I'm running for team specialized gravity the World Cup overall I've never been able to do insanely well my best result was second in 15 as we'll see but for sure the overall is making me it's an icy grave 23 years old and I ride for FMD racing I know that if I'm riding my best my best can be the best so as long as I focus on just trying to get to my best and improve it every race then I'll be happy with that you can pop it you're in 60th all right Greg's in 60th now you're alright as long as no one else beats you Oh God welcome back everyone well we've managed to keep Greg here as well and tarney Greg is now in 60th place if anyone else comes down and beats if he's probably just gonna leave anyway so yeah Aaron Gwin joins us and Tracy Hanna as well how are you Tracy LRU Aaron all right and Simon of course Sorry Sorry from the UCI we've got Simon Burnie in the middle as well so yeah Greg's on the bubble air and that was your qualifying run man was pretty good it was yeah I mean the weather changed last second so you kind of for me I was just trying to avoid the big one like the big crash or the big mistake it could just kind of have a steady boy when you practice in the dry and then race like this it happens every year but it's I haven't ridden but since France last year at the World Cup so steep learning curve you got to make it happen it's wrong I would have been a Californian sometimes hey despite a lack of mud rather just kind of go for it you should run here yeah we saw a few but stayed off the ground that's good did you change tires for this one I won before that when that rain come down or not okay yeah I kind of messed up my ship coming out of that corner and so was a bit more effort but no we're running those kindda Hellcat tires and they've been do they've been perfect for this weekend I think we kind of yeah we had the perfect tire for the conditions for sure well I've got some breaking news sorry to interrupt but I don't know even out Italia might but I don't think you're I think I'm out you're out might yeah sorry oh yeah that that's a bummer might it is ricin and you'll be back for the next one right although I've got no option it's fart William next in all William yeah your door right there might normally so keep your spirits high anyway for at least the next 20 minutes what a show absolutely guide for you yeah so where am I gonna go with sorry Aaron Aaron you've got a new new team this year new bike has not been theirs I've been alive for I mean we've seen you come out and win on a new bike in the past Lord especially on the YT it can't be done we do it again the first sure yeah hope so I mean it's I would like it to be dry here this week and I was feeling really good yesterday and this morning in practice that bike that new intense bike works so good especially I just been excited we came here a little bit early last week and it's the first kind of real proper rough track that bike just works so good when the track gets rough so yeah man it's been a lot of work with the whole team and all the sponsors that came together to put this new program together but we're here now all the boys are in for tomorrow and everybody's safe so I'm real happy as a rider and a team owner right now it's a kind of a proud moment yeah that's right I'm not going on but it always seems to work for you trice fastest qualifier you are actually officially leading the World Cup at the moment I must feel all right obviously had a good run down there ya know I had a really good run I was pretty wedding ceremony at the finish to get the Jersey yeah because now we got my legs over at the pit and they're like character you got to get to the finish and I was like what here is your qualifying run what are you doing wheel sizes this year cuz it Smit gone he's gone mix doesn't need 29 and 27 27 hit my ass on the tire as it is yeah but this track choice what's it like is it amazing it is it's such a good time and I just found out over the week like you just have to you know go faster and faster and just please bent and harder and harder and yeah yeah I mean it's gonna be super sick tomorrow because I'm kind of excited for it to be a bit wild and it's gonna I mean it was pretty wild in the dry and now we've got a whole new scenario and a whole nother race tomorrow so I'm looking forward to it yeah let's hope the weather holds out release place fare in the final so it's great to see some new venues in there this year you see I've been a hard at work snowshoers is brand new Lachey of course we've been to in the past but so a good mix I think this year's World Cup calendar of some classic tracks and natural tracks I mean we've got a bit of everything in there Lea gang as well yeah you know and it took a long time to figure it all out we were waiting for new contracts with you know various partners and the Red Bull TV guys needed a new agreement once we got that in place then we could go you know we could find the calendar and I think for this year and next year we've got some really exciting new venues you know it makes you it's all change again we go back to lozenge we got a laser in Portugal like you said this year's snowshoe so yeah it's good it's a good mix yeah it's been really good louse report to go across like that's a lot of a preseason test to do racing now so this year or not in Portugal yeah well it's a big change this year one thing that go away won't go away in recent times is the wheel size to bite after forever being with 26 inch wheels we then saw a few years ago with the change to 27 and a half and diameter and then more recently to 29 inch it's always a bit of a debacle with teams trying to keep up and now this always revolving and evolving story has taken yet another turn so the new rule is the two wheels on the bike don't have to be the same size it came with the request of the teams so I think some of the manufacturers that work with the teams were interested in developing new technologies especially with enduro coming in and I think they feel that some of the bikes where the alternate wheel sizes could be an advantage for that big wheel and then I still get the agility on the back and I like to get over the back of the bike a lot and I am the tallest rider I run my seat really long we were struggling a little bit with that with the 29 a book we seem to have found a good place with the 27 5 in the rear just the wheel size really it doesn't really matter if it's going to make you rode faster and obviously most guys bikes don't really work properly I guess so they try and make it work with the 29er on the front so they have to do it that way so so if it's 29 all around then you know it's a good machine so go buy that bike [Music] damn has always been the the testing ground for new equipment and new technology so I think it's something but you know if they embrace it we'll see it if they're not bothered then they're quite happy on two wheels the same size and it'll stay as is I might be I couldn't actually keep the 27.5 wheel on the back even though we have the 29 on the front but it's actually really good like you have the good grip of the front like it's kind of a mix and the thing that was really important for me was keeping the bike fun and dynamic and just quick you know personally I don't think wheel size really matters with downhill you've got a whole week to get the maximum amount of speed out of the track and I think if you throw down the perfect run your perfect run on either wheel size you'll probably arrive at the finish line at the same time at the end of the day if you're the fastest guy on the trail you're gonna win the race regardless of what [Music] tres was there any temptation for you to try the bigger bigger front wheel that's a negative I'm Abby like I said before I really struggle to get like I'm quite an aggressive rider and I like to be over the back of the bike like when it's really steep here I mean my pants have got tire marks on it already so if I went to 29 it'll be a bit of a struggle right yeah so just it was an easy decision for you yeah Tommy did you did you think about trying that big a front wheel now you know if you just make a decision stuck to it I think I'm pretty comfortable in a minute with the bike and I think it's a good size for my size so it would I think it would just mess with my head if I was to try and go bigger when I've actually found the bike that works pretty well yeah yeah exactly it's nicely you can make that decision stick to it so I'm wondering where did that rule change come from and where would come that rule was in place in the first place well I think traditionally cycling a bike in the UCI history has always had two two wheels the same you know it may be 20 30 years ago there was some time trial bikes on the road that had big wheels small wheels and I think they tried to move away from that and I think the rule just embrace their recycling discipline and it didn't really look specifically at mountain bike and I think a couple of years ago team started asking or manufacturers started asking if it was possible to look at that rule and it's just taken a couple of years to kind of see how many if it's gonna be embraced and if it's going to work and then for us to make that rule change last year but it you know it came at the request of the teams and manufacturers and you know it's been it's been a good challenge to really push a rule that's so established that the you know a bike has got two wheels the same size changed no you know it wasn't honestly but you know we kind of kept eating away at em and you know you got it done so yes because it's you know I think it's only a good thing now you know it opens up to the smaller riders as well the 29 because it is a lot of it is about that big back wheel hitting you up the backside I know you're on 29 front and back is it something you've thought about playing with or not yeah I mean we've thought about it I've got a Taser at home and a bike that has a split wheel size on it and I thought it was gonna feel kind of funky but when I got on it it felt super normal straight so I think I mean motocross has done it for a long time and it seems like there's pros and cons for me I'm really comfortable on the twenty nine front and rear but I there's so many variables there with what what types of trails you ride what you're rotting style is what your height this yeah there's so many things I don't I don't think there's the perfect answer for everyone I think everybody's got to find what works for them have you decided what frame size your ride in yet this is the big gossip on the Internet at the moment probably speaking to Jeff though you can seamlessly move between large and extra mile yeah we've been gone back between the large and extra-large for months now so I can be straight up to speed and a run on either bike yeah yeah I was riding a large a lot last week at the national here and I was like okay the large is working great like I'm done switching we're good and then two practice runs from the end I was like I'm gonna jump on the XL for one more run just to cross it out of my mind and forget about it and I got on and I was like man it's it's good like it's really good in some spots so it's um yeah I've been going back and forth I think for the World Cup so I'll end up on the extra-large a lot it just gives me a little bit more room to move in the cockpit it is a little bit harder to keep the weight on the front wheels so I lose the front end a little bit more on the big bike but I think the benefits make up for it for the most part so I might go back and forth a little bit but this weekend we're good on the XL want me slowing you down anyway water sounds it Greg I suppose over here we might be looking at wheel sizes you might be after today you're gonna have 26 inch wheel bike in fine with him it might help me it might help me know I think it's we made our man's up what two years ago now and it's been good for us I mean being so tall it definitely makes a difference for us lorises maybe not as tall as me but feels comfortable on the 29 so fun in Rio yeah good okay well he won't like this let's have a look at the standings from that qualifier we've just had here this afternoon in round one it's not actually finished yet Mark Wallace though who is looking likely to be the fastest qualifier Aaron just 1.8 back not bad to have a good run down there then we saw you make a few mistakes at the bottom so you got some time time in and I guess to make up but uh male he's good in the mud he did man throw it down I think I think he's had a couple pretty good runs in the mud and the guys were practicing with them up near his house a few weeks ago and said he was riding really good in similar conditions so yeah wasn't really too much of a surprise for me I think yeah like I said I was just trying to avoid the big mistake get down get decent points and kind of keep building for tomorrow the track was I don't know if I've ever written a track that was so kind of hit or miss like you'd hit a couple corners and it felt just like practice and you'd you'd kind of kick yourself to go faster and the very next turn would be out in the open and be super slippery so it was it was really hard to kind of figure out the game plan you're constantly adjusting but yeah happy to get down and not have any crashes and just kind of be ready for tomorrow it might almost be a lot well it can only be really easier for everyone tomorrow because you know you're very practice and they're dry and now it's got where where would it fastest qualifier Tracy at Hannah over there where do you think this one are we won or lost tomorrow I think pretty much Erin summed it up in the sense a you have to ride smart and you can't really hesitate too much because you're still gonna lose quite a lot of speed I mean wet or dry it's like the track that has a lot of rhythm and you need to keep your flow from top to bottom and I think whether it's wet or dry you kind of need to not be hesitating but not overdoing it in any section so yeah okay cool well there's been lots of debate and talking points here today already but two people that we haven't heard much from yet are the World Cup winners from last year here they are it was insane years and just bored of it and might be about it so just saying [Music] yeah 20:18 it's nice to look back on it and think about all the the kind of the wins and winning the World Championships at the end of the year was probably for me the icing on the cake the winter was pretty hard because you know you have the time to to think about everything so my mentality didn't change so much I just try to be more focused on what I do stay on my back but the fun is the same I want to go first as fast as I can I've done the first British race which went incredibly well I think I'd beat Tana by about six seconds so you know that was really confidence giving it meant that all those months of developing the new bike had paid off and it was up to speed already what know I might be to be back in the beat and soon back in the bag for trace so yeah I might be you know it's been a long rough season and I just can't wait to get out on the race track awesome fine so they're also of a competitor is Rachel to you I mean you've really been ding dong and over the last couple of seasons and you won three races last year and the year before I mean I could say you're pretty unlucky not to take an over an overall well cup tight we're yeah we've spoken about it a lot it's quite funny because I've never actually got a hold of the number one plate so I've run the most races in the past two years so it has been it's been annoying but I kind of like it it's a chase and I love a chase but Rachel for sure I looked up to Rachel when I was younger and like she was my absolute hero and it's just it's really weird for me to come in the same environment and be there and and fine for the top spot it's hard to some ways hard to accept accept that yourself you've looked at it for so long yeah and yeah it's just she's so competitive like and this she is where she is because of how how competitive she is credibly determinant she yeah she is and she's a great competitor and I have a lot of respect for but as she said before you know that you can't be she can't be friends with her competitors and not me so so I don't know it's a great it's a great fight and I love the fight I so and I have a lot of respect for that respect is very apparent between your next shot it doesn't really surprise me that you're not best friend you know I mean you're out there far apart I think it might enjoy it because I'm so for like Chafee I love it like I love fight just messing around and and you know I get on with all the boys and I'm just I just like being there in the moment and it and I think I'm just maybe a bit too full on some yeah yeah yeah and racer and beater as well of course choice would you make of what do you make of of Rachel as a competitor yeah I mean she's been really hard to beat in my career so we've been more age against her a long time ago so yeah yeah we're similar age so battling her has gone from like battling like her and tiny dude hey good one good run today mate have good luck yeah you do know it's kind of like the competitive side between us is died off and we're just like oh well it's pretty scary but we'll see at the bottom yeah it's not - I don't get too much anxiety walking pasta pizza you know we're pretty good friends leave some of the rice and beyond now and again yeah I mean at the beginning were very competitive I I can remember a moment when I raised here I think she's like I was walking the track no it was Schladming it was the World Cup I went inside me and then the next weekend we came here and in walking she said oh I see you've been practicing Schladming that's why you won so there's a bit of psychological warfare younger is the psychological side it's funny to think of that now yeah I mean I couldn't be bothered with that stuff me I just ride so well it's all it's all right a minute yeah I mean yeah we're getting some truth out of a mirror would you like on my cabin and repair on that I mean three in a row last year and of course France is well last year winning five of seven World Cups certainly you know back on back on top one night for sure yeah they've been going really fast man it's it's been crazy I think every year Gregg would know better than anybody like there's always the next guy coming up and going fast and working hard and and sometimes they kind of almost come in like groups they sort of all push each other and they're racing at the Nationals and all that stuff we've got a pretty good young group and back home in the States right now they're all going real fast so yeah I mean it keeps it exciting for sure and those guys are riding really well and working hard and it's keeps the racing fun man and it's you got to kind of figure out a way to raise your game every year to stay with it yeah I mean we saw a man on screen there really get on a roll last year you what did you make it out I mean it does happen done it we do see riders get on a bounce like that rarely carry and it was impressive watching last year had so much confidence and he just carried that through you know even after a long break and it was really impressive to watch yeah and he was 25th today do think we're gonna see more of the same from him this year was the pressure now on him cuz you've been in that position Greg you know and you as well of course Aaron with the target on your back this year for the first time it's on peril fish you're only it's not an easy position to be in I mean you come to the sport he's had a great season last year you won a whole bunch of race in the row you have this long offseason break and now it all kicks off again and it's hard to maintain that confidence over the six months everything's reset and here we are today and in the mud and rain and hard condition and you know it's 25th for him wouldn't have been acceptable last year and I don't know that's right do you see him as being one of your biggest competitors this year yeah for sure I mean he's got great speed and it seems like he's doing a lot of things right I think it seems like it every year there's always I feel like 10 or 12 guys that you're kind of waiting to see which one sort of stands above the rest it seems like there's always a couple that end up kind of popping out as new guys but yeah I mean in his position it is different to go from being kind of the one chasing as Tony said to being the one that when you win a lot you kind of set a bar at a certain level and you know a second a third place is not as exciting as it used to be in the fans start questioning you know if you're not on the podium it's like whoa the trains coming off the track yeah when you start a top ten is phenomenal at a World Cup so it's it's a van there's a lot of different you got to deal with a lot of stuff for me I like it I like just being at the top and like bring the pressure let's go but it's it is difficult there's challenges that surprise me along the way for sure well we're having a bit of a Greg Minnaar rush this afternoon you know you're only there you only need one more win to equal this man overall as well what I mean you know 21 World Cup wins is incredible but I guess you'd be hoping to get that this year yeah I mean jeez I would have liked to have won it you know like we've been gone we both had rough years last year so we weren't really able to go at it and I think I've been one went off for years now every time I get one he gets another one and we just kind of keep doing the thing so it's been fun man you'll follow me into not qualifying for one that might be bad as well yeah sure absolutely so here are those won't over a World Cup standings I think they're going to appear for us okay well anyway we've spoken they're not going to appear we've spoken a lot about the yes they are there you go 21 to 20 Steve peat 17 wins to that man Nico Valle yo the great Nico who you know 16 with Sam Hill actually there's another man that's one Aaron in marble no he did he did he win here in LA he's always been really fearsome Erebus I wouldn't surprise me that no that's right one year he crashed didn't even still got up and finished fifth if I remember just at the end of that straight after the rock garden well anyway we spoken plenty about last year's winners as for this year you can gaze it into your crystal ball with our new medal predictor game on Red Bull comm prizes are these new amazing bluetooth headphones and jabber so get on there and see if you can beat me in Claudio I so look at my predictions I've gone for a bit of a swerve fold up MacDonald I got Dave going well actually in the early season put you in 2nd now Aaron didn't I head of our you got a good today I'm sorry to tri-c anti-tarnish sorry would you go for as your top three men and women put me on you put me on the spot I even looked at the miss company I know yeah God Tracy who would you who would you go for men or women women first could you can just do two men if you want so we just let you do the men I hope I think more than anything I hope that Mike Wallace wins because I don't know yeah I got a soft spot for him so and then oh I don't know I hope you know one of the Aussie boys just whips it out and comes in a nice second place major corner fear and or someone yeah and it'd be nice let you say it see mark where mom wouldn't if he can put it yeah I mean if he was feeling comfortable in these conditions and Georgia the boys say he's riding well it's gonna be pretty wide tomorrow yeah and then I know the oddly guys I mean to place they're on their bike they're pretty fast Tony are you gonna go for no idea what everyone's been up to but I feel like Luke will give it a good guy I felt like dry conditions Troy's look pretty on it seeing him at the ixs as well that was pretty cool but I feel like Louie can always step it up when you really need to so Greg I suppose you are at least neutral now in this conversation yeah it's up three well you know Mike Wallace has been quick all week and you know it didn't surprise me that he won today but no he was you know okay when the rain came down I thought might change things but in the dry he was flying so when he put it together in the in the rain I think he's gonna be a contender tomorrow for sure I mean you got Aaron yeah I mean Aaron's always gonna be up there there's looook yeah Loras of course Loras whenever this oh man can put yourself in first we've won you've won nearly every five years I hope to win for sure always it's gonna be interesting tomorrow because I think the weather's not done I think the track is already quite a bit worse than when we wrote it a few hours ago so I think it's really gonna be one of those races where there there could be some upsets you know I think maybe some crashes some different things so I'm I'm hoping I can be consistent and be up there but outside of that man I really don't know okay well I hope you're at home feeling a little more committed please go to Red Bull comm and make those predictions we've talked about the meta predictable there's one more game out there you need to know about well if we bring you the best of action here in Slovenia you can also join in at home with our first ever digital mountain bike competition bike unchain to virtual world series over the course of seven events bike unchained 2 will be given away 7 pole frame set download the app for your chance to win and finally make sure you don't miss out an even more bike action check out the bike channel on Red Bull TV download the app for free and enjoy the best live events films and show sign up to download your favorite content and watch it offline anywhere anytime and it's not just about the bikes here and redbull there's plenty of other great sport on this platform this weekend here's Mike bye guys how you doing Mike chin here in Argentina for round five of the World Rally Championship I hope you're having a blast in mera Paul for round one of the UCI but it's not just two wheels on Red Bull TV this weekend plenty of four-wheeled action as well join me tonight 10 o'clock local time for all of today's best highlights don't miss it you like a beer car driving done you drifted seeing a big apology on your social media everyone in travel air this afternoon let's wrap it up from while we're still ahead thanks all very much for joining me it's been an absolute pleasure so you get qualified great but you know joking aside you're gonna be back in Fort William sure might don't worry about it it's just one of those in it and I look forced to see a new race tomorrow Tracy fastest qualifier you see we're going to be head-to-head too much gonna be good hey looking forward to it well thanks to all I guess thanks to you for watching that home be joined be sure to join us tomorrow here live on Red Bull TV for the 2019 mercedes-benz UCI downhill World Cup opener it is going to be a fight I'll leave you with pictures of the lead and riders heading into race day we'll see you tomorrow 12:30 Central European side goodbye till then you [Music]

Channel: Red Bull Bike

Views: 72,534

Keywords: red bull, red bull bike, red bull bike videos, bike, bike videos, action sports, extreme sports, UCI, Red Bull UCI, UCI MTB, UCI MTB DH, UCI mountain Bike Downhill, Downhill Bike, aaron gwin, Preview, dh, fort william, leogang, tahnee seagrave, mtb, loic bruni, downhill, downhill mountain biking, mountain bike, specialized, gmbn, greg minnaar, mountain biking, downhill mtb, uci dh, bike life, 50 to 01, UCI downhill, UCI 2019, UCI World Cup, Downhill World Cup, stoked, stoke

Id: k98Td08apfM

Length: 53min 27sec (3207 seconds)

Published: Sun Apr 28 2019