FIGHT OR FLIGHT - Val di Sole World Cup Track Walk

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​It all comes down to the final race of the 2017 UCI World Cup Downhill season in Val di Sole, Italy. A rider-favorite course that is steep, rough and unrelenting will decide who takes the season overall title. Greg Minnaar and Aaron Gwin are separated by just 33 points while Troy Brosnan sits in the sniper position just a few more points behind them. The women have an equally intense battle ahead with Myriam Nicole ahead of Tracey Hannah by 110 points and Tahnee Seagrave just slightly further behind. It's Myriam's overall to lose, with the women on the prowl, so strategy is key. Every position counts in both qualifying and finals and no one will rest unless the mountain makes them this weekend. 

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FIGHT OR FLIGHT - Val di Sole World Cup Track Walk
By sspomer
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It's all about ending the weekend with this plate, not starting it. Nothing else matters. A narrow points margin between Greg (in audio) and Gwin means it's going to come down to the wire. But then again, hasn't it all year? #nailbiter -Sven Martin
Gwin is always strong at Val Di Sole, pushing his equipment to limit. Pile on the potential for the overall win and he will need to be both mentally and physically perfect all weekend, finessing the line between destruction and victory. -Sven Martin
While everbody talkes about the battle between Greg Minnaar and Aaron Gwin, you can't forget Troy Brosnan. He is relaxed, playing his game and theoretically he can still win the overall! @maddogboris
Danny Hart enjoying a stroll in the morning sun. -Dan Hearn
Fresh dirt on a World Cup track... Stuff dreams are made of! -Dan Hearn
Rupert Chapman over the moon with loam that can be found on most parts of the track. #loamwig -Sven Martin
The Bike of the Day - Loic Bruni's brand new Lava Specialized Demo. What a beauty! @maddogboris
Eye of the beholder of the #1 plate. Finn Iles owns it in the Junior class no matter what result this weekend. -Sven Martin
You think that looks rough? Wait to see how the track looks like after a full day of training. Most rocks and roots are still covered in dirt. Myriam Nicole in audio. @maddogboris
One of Markus Pekoll's favorite tracks to end his long and fruitful World Cup career on. Well done, Markus! -Sven Martin
Today I set up my pits and then shot track walk. Busy day with all the jet lag. -Sven Martin
Still smiling even though Brook is struggling with a bit of Whistler jet lag. @maddogboris
Italians are known to be a little more laid back than the rest of Europe. But the organizers here are far ahead of schedule with an awesomely prepped track, finish area and the start hut ready to go with timing already hooked up. -Sven Martin
4X, XC and DH - it's all going off for this World Cup final (and 4X World Champs). The infamous Sam Hill corner has been taped tighter and the berm looks too good not to use, but I'm sure there will still be some takers for The Inside Line (not the podcast). -Sven Martin
Wyn Masters and Wyn TV, Italian style. -Sven Martin
Eddie Masters leads Claudio down the Black Snake this time for the course preview. -Dan Hearn
Not the best start for Vaea Verbeeck who's bike was lost by the airline in Chicago. Luckily a few favors meant she is still able to ride tomorrow on borrowed parts. -Dan Hearn
A few more trees cut down on the edges of the woods, giving the track a slightly more open feel. While it may be better for TV, I worry the tracks won't hold up as well in the long-term from the elements. -Sven Martin
Multi-line options on most parts of the track. Here you can stay right and go around the rock or go inside over the rock. Or like Boris in the background go ass-over-tit down the main line. -Sven Martin
Awesome work done on this track ahead of the race. There are a few free-cut sections and rock-and-shovel work to take care some of the worst bomb holes. -Sven Martin
Sir Steve Peat out for support and valuable line advice. -Sven Martin
Cut spikes or semi-muds is what most will be starting on tomorrow, even if it's bone dry. The track is just that rad. -Sven Martin
Stack height changes happening here for sure. Minnaar going up. Last year they came here from Andorra so not too many changes were made, but coming from a generally much flatter MSA or Whistler bar heights will be raised. -Sven Martin
The boom-boom-huck-jam gap jump that a few were sending last year has become rather sanitized this year. Less consequence and less knuckle. But maybe also less reason to do it this year as there is no real speed-generating downside. -Sven Martin
Lots of little chats and rumors floating around VDS today. Are Eddie, George and Laurie looking for a house on Fernhill Queenstown or putting together a new dream team of their own? -Sven Martin
Moustache power for Blenki. -Sven Martin
Will two become one this weekend. Or perhaps drop back to three? @maddogboris
The "Black Snake" is probably one of the best tracks this season. They put a lot of work into the track and as a result, every rider is stoked about it! @maddogboris
Another cheesy photo of Boris! World Cup life is occasionally less stressful. -Dan Hearn
Feeling fresh after their successful Whistler trip, Marcelo and Eliot check out the course changes and prepare for the onslaught in practice. -Dan Hearn
Emilie Siegenthaler had one of her best season so far. Will she end the World Cup season with another podium? @maddogboris
Kade contemplates man-made rock berms. @maddogboris
Typical Val di Sole track walk picture. But where have all the flip flops gone? @maddogboris
In 2008 Gee won World Champs on this track because Sam Hill crashed on this corner. Gee probably making sure that it doesn't happen to him. @maddogboris
The first few corners have been reshaped and smoothed out. It won't take long for rocks to emerge though, just like last year! -Dan Hearn
The journeys to some World Cups can be pretty tedious. This one made more interesting with a scenic detour over the Stelvio Pass at sunset. -Dan Hearn
Reshaped exits mean re-thought entries. Lucky there won't be any missing these rocks now... -Dan Hearn
A lot of new sections, old changed sections and at least one old, untouched section. @maddogboris
Rock rake on Black Snake. -Dan Hearn
Track maintenance was heavy this year, with plenty of completely new sections. The mastermind behind the Black Snake, Pippo Marani, hard at work here as the first few riders walk the track. -Dan Hearn
"SRAM or Shimano, I'm not fussy." This rock eats derailleurs for breakfast. Mmm, crunchy. Stay tuned for the bike abuse all weekend! -Dan Hearn
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​Sven Martin, @maddogboris and Dan Hearn deliver.

Related:
UCI Mountain Bike World Cup
Downhill
Val di Sole, Italy
5 comments

View replies to: FIGHT OR FLIGHT - Val di Sole World Cup Track Walk

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onenerdykid*
6 years ago
Having walked this track last year at World Champs, these changes look super sick. The course last year was getting so blown out that you could hide a washing machine in some of the holes that we developing. Adding rocks to that steep/tight corner section and the creation of that rock berm look to be nice anti-washing machine prevention measures. So stoked for this track, I tip my hat to Pippo and his crew. Well done
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Mudmandh
6 years ago
the high quality of the photos is really impressive. track looks very hard
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Gemmaflybeta
6 years ago
Awesome photos and interviews. I'm with ya, Sven, stop cutting down the trees! While generally against sanitizing tracks, I'm ok with watering down the boom-boom-huck-jam gap jump. World champs was brutal last year (so brutal is took some of the fun out of it), must've been 15 people who went down there and a couple knocked out cold.
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