Riding Dirty - World Champs DH Practice

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The Second Coming: Troy sends the famous high-speed gap that has been the cause of many debates this race. Is it faster to gap or scrub? -Dan Hearn
That's not sun flare at the top of the photo, that's Troy's kit out-powering the sun with a glory reflection. #therealmtbjesus -Sven Martin
If you have the style to wear a full white kit, your bikes deserves some extra mango and coconut love, too. @maddogboris
Again, camera upon camera recording every move the rider makes, especially if it's Rachel Atherton. -Duncan Philpott
Rachel feels beside herself on this particular section of track. -Dan Hearn
Josh lays it over colour matching the advertising and running pedals that change a mindset. -Duncan Philpott
Business as usual for Loic! Will the data recording help to find the win-changing 1/1000th of a second? @maddogboris
A little tape is the only sign of yesterday's trauma for Finn Iles. -Duncan Philpott
Pretty impressive to see Bernard absolutely on fire during his first day of training. He looked better on the Brook gap on his second run than most riders who thought they had it wired. @maddogboris
Golden light for Aaron. If you asked around in the pits, he is on everybodies Top 3 list. @maddogboris
Brage Vestavik is a big unit for a Junior Viking. He's not afraid to crush rocks on his way down the course. @maddogboris
The infamous Sam Hill corner looking a lot tamer now that there is a double-berm. No longer a choice to take an inside line when there is a perfect mid line. It's a pity really as it used to be the final puzzle and test for the riders. -Sven Martin
Gaetan Vige looking primed for a medal, maybe even gold, in Juniors. -Dan Hearn
Greg Minnaar never seems to struggle to manhandle his limousine around tight corners. The extra stability on a track like this outweighs any downsides. -Duncan Philpott
Trackside fun with Matt Delorme and Lars Sternberg! @maddogboris
Joe Breeden soaking up the morning rays. Rapture. -Sven Martin
Lots of proud parents make a special trip to Worlds to watch their kids race. It's no different for Rachel and Gee's Dad. -Sven Martin
For some riders, they seem to be alternating runs squashing and jumping this step down. The general consensus is huck for good luck. Loic pictured with Rupert Chapman in audio. -Duncan Philpott
Early morning Martini for Vital's Duncan Philpott courtesy of the Italian fans. -Sven Martin
Loris Vergier keeping it neat and tidy which might just be what it takes to earn a medal here. -Sven Martin
It's handy having a freezing stream right next to the pits. Most of the riders do the 10-20 minute leg soak. Tracey forces her mechanic, Jamie T, to join her in the suffering. -Sven Martin
Miranda Miller focused and ready for a medal. -Sven Martin
Liam Bethell from New Zealand looking comfortable up top on the steeps of the Black Snake DH track. -Sven Martin
Elites had some time during Junior and Women's practice to do a last-minute check on lines before their training started. Greg and Luca joined at the hip. -Sven Martin
Remi Thirion is always a threat on the toughest of tracks. If he can string together all the sections where he has looked flat-out into one full run, the hotseat may not ever leave his grasp. -Sven Martin
Luca Shaw not afraid to yank when the situation calls for it. -Sven Martin
Wallace giving it his all like it was race day. -Sven Martin
Course carnage. -Sven Martin
Brannigan in the black and white. -Sven Martin
Gwin scrubs the Boom Boom Huck jam section preferring to keep it low and fast. -Sven Martin
Mulally looking much morecomfortable, like his old self. -Sven Martin
Brendog can never resist a big huck. -Sven Martin
An undisclosed fishing cap fanatic has been providing hours of endless entertainment by super-gluing Euro coins to the pit lane floor. -Duncan Philpott
The gnarliness of this track didn't seem to deter the Juniors from wanting to be the first on course. -Duncan Philpott
Elliott Heap lays it down the first straight and his style seems to get lazier by the run. -Duncan Philpott
There were enough eyes on the riders this morning as everyone considers every single root or route. Camila Nogueira from Argentina isn't one of those though. -Duncan Philpott
Day 2 of Magnus Manson looking like a boss every inch of the track. -Duncan Philpott
Matt Walker could fool anyone that he wasn't carrying an injury. -Duncan Philpott
Sun rays for days on track while Tahnee plunges into another steep, dusty chute. -Duncan Philpott
Tracey Hannah is brimming with confidence riding this track. Completely at ease in the dust. -Duncan Philpott
While Ferran Jorba made an impact last week, his fellow countryman and first-year Elite rider, Alex Marin, is just as quick and could pull one out of the bag. 100% guaranteed. -Duncan Philpott
It seems hard to get a shot of Adam Brayton on the ground with the return of Gas to Flat. -Duncan Philpott
Blenki back and riding at full whack. It's insane what these riders are made of considering this guy was coughing up blood after a KO on track last week. -Duncan Philpott
You couldn't pick any line down this hill without it being jammed full of rocks and rowdy as hell. -Duncan Philpott
Brook's at risk of breathing in just as much dust as us media here as he floats down the track. -Duncan Philpott
Another day of Laurie looking lit. Keeping it to his CP Gang buddies' mantra of 'Get Lit Not Fit', although he's probably not fully neglected the latter. -Duncan Philpott
Line choice is limited by taping this year, but there'll still be time to be made here as tired riders hit the final sections of track. -Duncan Philpott
Tracey Hannah seems to love the hardest and steepest track of the year. #nopedaling #justdontbrake @maddogboris
Myriam Nicole, unimpressed by the rocks and just lettin' it go. #onfire @maddogboris
Shane Leslie coming closer to the bottom with still 1/3 of the track to go. @maddogboris
Mayhem Media making e-bikes look fun! #alwaysbeeroclock @maddogboris
Pom Pon shining. -Dan Hearn
Martin Maes dropping into one of the many steep chutes that are becoming increasingly more slippery and full of dust. He took a wallop today, too. -Dan Hearn
Many struggled with the increasingly rougher and more slippery conditions, taking high lines and gaps to avoid being hooked up at all costs. Amaury Pierron rides high in the lower woods. -Dan Hearn
Loic locked up on his full telemetry bike. A track with as many hidden holes and roots as this requires a finely-tuned suspension setup. -Dan Hearn
There was 4x World Champs tonight, too. Caroline Buchanan was one of only a few women to launch the biggest doubles on the 4X track. -Dan Hearn
2015 4X World Champion, Anneke Beerten of The Netherlands (3rd), and new 2016 World Champion, Caroline Buchanan of Australia. -Dan Hearn
A crash in Men's finals, just one corner before the finish, caused a complete switch in order. Mitja Ergaver held on through the rocks to take victory. -Dan Hearn
Meet your new 4X World Champion: Slovenian, Mitja Ergaver. CONGRATS! -Dan Hearn
We have two of Vital’s finest Dan Hearn and Sven Martin here but neither of them managed to snag a Danny Hart Radial pan. Thankfully we have Keith Valentine delivering the goods. Stay tuned as the action keeps coming from Italy! -Phunkt
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When you have a track like Val di Sole, more practice isn't always better. The riders and bikes are beaten down, but so is the course. Like Rachel Atherton says in her audio, it's just another World Champs obstacle to overcome. Go big into more epic DH action from Sven, Duncan, @maddogboris and Dan Hearn with mind-blowing photos and candid audio interviews as the biggest race of the year creeps closer.

Hit up the SRAM pits at 5pm tomorrow in Val di Sole for BoXXer World Champs!

WIN A ROCKSHOX BOXXER & STEVIE SMITH SIGNED JERSEY

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