The first rider on the course at the 2012 World Championships was Brook MacDonald. Look at the background scenery! No wonder he had three cameras strapped to him!
The 2012 World ChampionshipsA�kicked off here at Leogang, Austria today with the official track walk followed by an open practice session. The open practice session meant all categories were allowed on track at once, thisA�causedA�some congestion as riders would catch slower riders in front of them. While the track is certainly steep, fast and wild the riders felt it had been tamed down since the last World Cup held here. Conditions were good for the riders, if anything the dry conditions meant big braking ruts were forming in corners.
Mitch Delfs sending the biggest jump on the course, it is the second of two big jumps on the course and not many riders were attempting both. If you came up short the consequences could be pretty serious as the next photo showsa��a��Sam Blenkinsop came up short on the biggest jump on the course with pretty dire consequences, a large cracking sound was heard as his rear swing arm snapped! He very quickly put his bike into the back of a car and headed to the pits!However, no matter which way you look at the jump it is pretty impressive as Ben Reid shows…If Aaron Gwin is feeling the pressure here in Austria you wouldna��t know it, he was bar humping jumps as he headed down the course.Despite Gwin’s ‘alternate’ jumping style on some of the jumps, when we saw him double this root/rock combo in the first wooded section of the course it proved he is the man to beat. Most riders didn’t even jump off the root preferring to keep low to set up for the drop afterwards. Those who jumped to flat came up half a bike length short, then Gwin came along…He was a clear foot higher and metre longer than anyone else, super smooth and fast.Stevie Smith was looking fast in practice and after last yeara��s disappointment will be keen for a big result this weekend.On the other hand Jared Graves was looking for lines, stopping and scoping out sections as he headed down the track.The Aussie juniors were out in force, hitting multiple runs, on the track today and looking super-fast to boot!David McMillan on his way through one of the wooded sections on the course, the track ducks in and out of the open the whole way down the mountain.Troy Brosnan was looking good, returning from injury and back on the track that caused it! The jump which Troy hurt himself on a few months ago has had another lip added further back up the run in, as riders were coming too fast and going too far with the original set up.Many people are tipping Sam Hill to do well here if it rains but he wasna��t looking too bad in the dry!
Rain fell here after practice and is continuing into the night, it will be interesting to seeA�how muchA�more rain falls before tomorrowa��s practice session. Many riders already have the spikes out in anticipation of what is going to happen! Check back to downhill247.com soon!
