DROPPING IN! Action from the Andorra World Cup

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<b>All eyes were on Brendog today as practice opened up. He was catching top 10 riders on track even with flat tires. Back on flat pedals, he's got the stoke and that goes a long way.</b> -Lee Trumpore
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<b>Brendan was obviously loving the track and was back to his old self, getting creative with lines and keeping it loose, could it finally be his weekend?</b> -Joe Bowman
<b>"These tracks are boring when you ride them slow, so just give it beans." Danny Hart getting all Scandi as he whips his bike into this tight left turn.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>It isn't all just steep and gnarly at Andorra. The first 1:30 is super fast and loose, making this one of the best all round tracks in a long time.</b> -Joe Bowman
<b>Joe Smith has been mentioned a lot amongst the media folk. Back on flats and thundering down the track, he's been turning heads with wild lines and high speed. </b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Joe Smith and the CRC team turn on the #trainofpain</b> -Joe Bowman
<b>Tracks like this made Sam Hill a legend, and Hill made tracks like this legendary. Team mate Joe Smith in the audio. #onthehunt</b> -Lee Trumpore
<b>Even Ben Reids 27.5-inch wheels can't always roll over the holes left in Mick Hannah's wake.</b> -Lee Trumpore
<b>How to get an ab work out on track: Lean back and try and pan down the length of a bridge leaning forward at the speed someone rides over you. The math side of me loves the different shapes created from panning through the cris-crossed woodwork. Rider ID'd as Thibaut Ruffin after some sneaky detective work.</b> -Duncan Philpott
<b>Antonio Ferreiro placed second here to Greg Minnaar at the test event, only .10 behind the current World Champ. Not only is he fast, but he oozes style. Exhibit A.</b> -Sven Martin
<b>If you look carefully beyond the wild style of Antonio Ferreiro you can see the threatening clouds that loomed over practice today. With evening rain common, it will be interesting to see how long the track will continue to dry out.</b> -Duncan Philpott
<b>Spotted: Silverback gorilla demonstrating resourcefulness while scaling a tree for photo gold.</b> -Duncan Philpott
<b>It's good to see Bryn Atkinson and Jill Kintner healthy and ripping together again. Shredders4Life.</b> -Sven Martin
<b>Threading the needle, Thirion remains smooth and stylish with the odd manic huck thrown in for good measure. Interestingly, he's opted for the main line here with the potential for a big rock huck left of frame.</b> -Duncan Philpott
<b>Sometimes a certain rider just creeps into Vital slideshows multiple times. It's not planned, but it just happens. Antonio Ferreiro and his Evil Vengence team mates in a train.</b> -Sven Martin
<b>Red Bulldog</b> -Sven Martin
<b>Myriam Nicole is looking fast early on, but she has also had a few crashes with all the excitement of the steep track. Keeping it together throughout the entire weekend will be key here.</b> -Sven Martin
<b>Quentin Chanudet of France whips it out in the only open section of the track.</b> -Sven Martin
<b>Johannes Fischbach in the middle section of the track. From here it starts to get REAL steep. The 4X rider has been posting some legit DH results this year, too.</b> -Sven Martin
<b>BFFs. Brendan and Needles. Andrew putting money in Brendan's pocket by running the signature Brendog pedals. We heard Needles even paid retail for them.</b> -Sven Martin
<b>Brendan hopes to go at least 40 spots better than his plate shows so he can race those wheels you see in the background at World Champs in South Africa...</b> -Sven Martin
<b>Loic Bruni smashing up the dry shale berms. You can see the inside option for this turn in the background. Line options abound here.</b> -Sven Martin
<b>David Vasquez in audio - Peaty is showing good form, carrying over last weekend where he was ahead of Gee at the split before sliding out on one of the last turns at the British National Champs.</b> -Sven Martin
<b>David Vasquez in audio - Greg Minnaar look comfortable out here, unfazed by the steepness. He knows his lines and is ramping up the speed quickly.</b> -Sven Martin
<b>Bryceland and Peat aren't playing follow the leader with 4 different line options in this section. Helmet cam footage will play an integral role in learning the course this weekend.</b> -Lee Trumpore
<b>The bottom of this track resembles a jungle which just happens to be full of predators.</b> -Duncan Philpott
<b>Morgan Charre roosts her way through ankle deep ruts. Flat pedals for medals?</b> -Lee Trumpore
<b>The XC race today resembled GXC...or real mountain biking for a change. Jolanda Neff of Giant threads the needle.</b> -Sven Martin
<b>Focused and poised, Manon Carpenter's riding today has been nothing but solid.</b> -Duncan Philpott
<b>Brook was scarce on thet track today. Fears of a shoulder injury meant he's taking it easy in practice.</b> -Duncan Philpott
<b>Danny Hart in audio - Most of the B practice riders I spoke to today described themselves as guinea pigs, taking the greasy top layer off the steep gnarly sections of the track. This caused a bit of lap traffic with less-competent riders crawling down the track at a snail's pace.</b> -Duncan Philpott
<b>Sam Blenkinsop has gone back to flat pedals this weekend, too. And it looks like the gloves have come off again...but not just because we're no longer in France.</b> -Lee Trumpore
<b>'Cuz it's 187 on a mutha f'ing tree! Every rider was skimming it.</b> -Duncan Philpott
<b>Chilean National Champ, Quintana Acuna, geting about as much style as was possible from the flat gap jump. More pencils than a junior high math class.</b> -Duncan Philpott
<b>Team trains were a common sight today with no rider having real previous experience of this track in these conditions. Gee's got a lot of work to do to maintain his winning streak.</b> -Duncan Philpott
<b>Jack Reading's one of those guys that's due a good result, provided he can hold it together. With a handful of solid qualifying results, he just needs to knit it all together on a race run.</b> -Duncan Philpott
<b>Mick Hannah on his prototype Polygon DH bike that you may have seen for a moment earlier. He's in full destruction mode with the aggressive track.</b> -Lee Trumpore
<b>When it isn't steep and rooty, the track turns sharp and pointy. The line through all of it is a fine one, even with 27.5-inch wheels like Pugin is running.</b> -Lee Trumpore
<b>Mitch Delfs celebrated his birthday with a Vengeance Tour of the Andorran hillside.</b> -Lee Trumpore
<b>Rachel Atherton has been simply unbeatable this season. Has 5 weeks been enough time for her rivals to bridge the gap to the top step of the podium? We'll find out soon enough!</b> -Lee Trumpore
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Flat pedals for medals? Riders who had switched to clips for the previous World Cup rounds are back on flat pedals and the atmosphere in Andorra is electric. All eyes were on Brendan Fairclough, Joe Smith and Sam Hill as practice on the new, steep track began today. It seems most riders are ecstatic with line options and aggressive terrain of the Andorra DH course. Your eyes will bleed thanks to Sven Martin, Duncan Philpott, Joe Bowman and Lee Trumpore as you get digitally roosted.
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