Author: Jaime Black

World Cup 4 – Mont St Anne – Practice 1

Round 4 of the UCI World Cup is underway, after some incredible weather wednesday night the trail is slick for the first day of Practice.
Round 4 of the UCI World Cup is underway, after some incredible weather wednesday night the trail was slick for the first day of practice.

A stop on the UCI World Cup since 1991 (more commonly known as the beginning of MTB time), Mont St Anne is a well raced track. The natural track changes dramatically from top to bottom with tight, rocky wooded sections (with fresh ruts) that lead into gnarly steeps and fast open straights. What will the weekend bring?

It's not all bad news though, Thursday afternoon showed promise of a drier weekend. Here Dirt/Norco team rider George Gannicott (IRE) soaks up the sunshine.
It’s not all bad news though, Thursday afternoon showed promise of a drier weekend.
Here Dirt/Norco team rider George Gannicott (IRE) soaking up the sunshine.
Sik Mik was feeling the mud during practice, but went well in timed practice. With plenty of Aussie support for Mik and Tracey, this weekend will be a nailbiter!
Sik Mik was feeling the mud during practice, but went well in timed practice.
With plenty of Aussie support for Mik and Tracey, this weekend will be a nailbiter!
Did we mention the mud?
Did we mention the mud?

 

Rock gardens and punctures aplenty, the woods won't be so quiet when the crowds get there in a couple of days.
Rock gardens and punctures aplenty, the woods won’t be so quiet when the crowds get there in a couple of days.
For now, they’re a thinking space for riders getting their lines together.

 

Inside Info: Connor Fearon – Andorra

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After round 2 at Val di Sole there was a 5 week gap in races. I took this time to head

back to Australia and dig into some training, eat a lot of Chicken Parmigianaa��s and

do heaps of Go Karting. By the time I flew back to Europe for Andorra world cup I

felt I was a lot stronger, fitter and ready to continue the season.

Nobody really knew what to expect of the track in Vallnord. There were rumours of it being steep, long, technical and also physical. After walking the track on the Wednesday it was apparent that the rumours where true. The course was very long, steep, rough, fast and technical. I liked the look of the track except the first section which was very flat and had you sprinting for the first 40 seconds of your run. When the first day of practice rolled around the track was pretty wet from the heavy rain it received leading up to the event. Some sections of track where so slippery you could hardly brake or steer down them.

Qualifying was on Friday and I had been feeling really good on the track. It hadna��t rained at all so the course was drying up and getting almost dusty which I preferred. In my qualifying run everything was working well until about halfway down when my hands where cramped so badly due to arm pump I was reduced to just crawling down the track. I didna��t have this problem in practice because I would stop 2 or 3 times a run. I qualified 63rd which is my worst qualifying result by far in the 3 seasons I have competed in.

On Saturday my mechanic and I worked on changes to help me down the track. We changed the settings on my suspension a lot to try and make it easier for my Hands! I walked the track on Saturday as well and scoped out some smoother lines which might be a little slower but in the long run would make me go faster. On Sunday my practice was good and the track was dry and dusty in sections which made for a really fast course. I knew if as long as I could hold on I could get a good result here.

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The crowd is always loud on a WC race day, but Connor is quietly focused, on the job.

My plan for my runs was to make as much time up at the top of the track before my hands got cramped. This seemed to work pretty well for me. My final run was fast, the track had changed quite a lot since my last practice run so I had to guess what to expect in some sections. I finished in 34th position, which was good considering my qualifying result and I didna��t lose to many points for the overall.

Next race is Mont St Anne which I have done well at in the past. At the moment Ia��m already in Bromont, QuebecA� spending a lot of time on my bike getting prepared to get a great result there in two weeks!

On Trail with Michelle Crisp

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With each race I visit, ita��s clear that the world of Womena��s Downhill is constantly opening up and growing. While the sport is still dominated by men, the womena��s classes are gaining momentum, just as the Australian Mountain biking industry is, and amongst the fresh faces is Michelle Crisp and her Norco Aurum 1.

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Michelle has been riding and competing since 2009, with some impressive results and an undying passion to go faster, bigger and better. Her riding does the talking, after spending two days on the trails with Michelle it was easy to see her calculated approach to attacking the trail – each line is well thought out, planned and absolutely pinned. Some of her most proud results include 5th in the Canadian Open, 15th in the Garbanzo DH and 14th in AirDH at Crankworx 2012.

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Watching Crisp ride, you wouldn’t guess that she has only been back on the bike for a number of months. During her training for the 2012 State Champs, a crash left Michelle with a Grade 5 AC injury, which meant 6 months off the bike. As riders, we all know the frustration and disappointment that injury time represents. Its a wicked double edged sword that has seen the end of racing seasons for amateurs and pros alike – perhaps most notably Sam Hill’s rollercoaster of a 2012 World Cup. Though, just as Sam did, Crisp is back with twice the strength and determination, ready to outdo herself in the rest of the 2013 season, and make a statement with her racing as 2014 approaches.

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“I feel as good as I ever have on the bike. I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym, strengthening myself to bounce back from injury and make sure I have the strength to push harder than the competition, and prove myself on the world stage”

Crisp will be racing the remainder of the 2013 RedAss NSW State Series and Champs, and will kick off 2014 with the National Series.

See more photos from Michelle Crisp’s portfolio.

Keep up with Michelle Crisp and her racing by following her:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/crispdownhill
Instagram: @crispdownhill

Photos by Jaime Black Photography

NSW State Series – Round 2 – Del Rio

Blake Nielsen is back on the gas after a long bout of injury, finding his speed and the podium, just a second behind the top time of 2:00:84 (Graeme Mudd).
Blake Nielsen is back on the gas after a long bout of injury, finding his speed and the podium, just a second behind the top time of 2:00:84 (Graeme Mudd).
The Bilt Bikes team were looking fast all weekend. Brendan Moon claimed 4th in Elite Mens and Ryan O'linn (pictured) took 2nd in U19s.
The Bilt Bikes team were looking fast all weekend. Brendan Moon claimed 4th in Elite Mens and Ryan O’linn (pictured) took 2nd in U19s.
Danielle Beecroft was in form off the back of Val Di Sole a couple of runs on Sunday morning prepared her for the win in Elite Women's.
Danielle Beecroft was in form off the back of Val Di Sole; a couple of runs on Sunday morning prepared her for the win in Elite Women’s.
Rain on race day left the tight, fast, off-camber bottom section slick, the creek was all too inviting and time consuming for some riders.
Rain on race day left the tight, fast, off-camber bottom section slick. The creek was all too inviting and time consuming for some riders.
Line choice was ever important come Sunday, slippery chutes saw riders taking corners early to straight-line the descent.
Line choice was more important than ever come Sunday, slippery chutes saw riders taking corners early, to straight-line their descent.
This was where the action was come Sunday. The transition from grippy, dry dirt to loamy, wet mud, spattered with rocks allowed riders to show off creative lines, and some brilliant saves.
This was where the action was come Sunday. The transition from grippy, dry dirt to loamy, wet mud, spattered with rocks allowed riders to show off creative lines, and some brilliant saves.
Rocky Trail Entertainment put on a brilliant weekend for everyone, riding or not. The atmosphere at Del Rio was great; no waiting for shuttles or unhappy riders. Here, Martin finds his own rhythm on the track.
Rocky Trail Entertainment put on a brilliant weekend for everyone, riding or not. The atmosphere at Del Rio was great; no waiting for shuttles or unhappy riders. The amount of effort the Wisata couple puts in is heroic. Here, Martin finds his own rhythm on the track.
With over 160 riders, it's clear that the MTB industry is picking up in NSW. Maybe over the next few years we will start seeing comparable numbers to SA and VIC races? Only time will tell.
With over 160 riders, it’s clear that the MTB industry is picking up in NSW. Maybe over the next few years we will start seeing comparable numbers to SA and VIC races? Only time will tell.

For more photos and a video debrief from Del Rio, visitA�www.jaimeblack.com.au

The next round of the Red Ass NSW State DH Series is at Ourimbah on August 24/25. Check Rocky Trail Entertainment for more info.

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