Sam Hill - was he racing while asleep

[Bomb446]

im a big sam hill fan as well and i think he is one of the most talented riders on technical stuff. all i wanna know is did he give it his all? did he put enough work into it to win or did he just not want to try so much because he doesn't like the track?

Stromlo is a power track, the riders that do best on it are all the bigger riders that have more strength than Sam like Rennie, Peat, Kovarik, Atherton etc. beccause it's so pedally.

 

[jumpers]

Maybe, just maybe he had an off day. What, because his world champ and its a track in australia he is SUPPOSED to win?????

Isnt the best part of sport the fact that favourites cant always win?

 

[ajay]

Jeez fellas... get over it, he got beat. Its not the 1st time, and wont be the last.

 

[R33F]

Jeez fellas... get over it, he got beat. Its not the 1st time, and wont be the last.

100% correct ajay.

He didn't look impressed post race - I would suggest that had something to do with his result as well.

I am sure he will be back.

 

[Graunched]

Because They are both out of a 2 hour drive from the nearest international airport.

Brent

I think it is more the fact that they have poured X amount of millions into a venue that has a 4X, XC and DH all in close proximity.

 

[thecat]

I think it is more the fact that they have poured X amount of millions into a venue that has a 4X, XC and DH all in close proximity.

Both of you are partly right.

but the biggest reason they don't host them at any other venue is that no other venue/club/organisation has been able to put forward a successful bid.

At the moment CORC have been the only club to have the man power, resources and backing to step up to the plate.

 

[morgs]

Both of you are partly right.

but the biggest reason they don't host them at any other venue is that no other venue/club/organisation has been able to put forward a successful bid.

At the moment CORC have been the only club to have the man power, resources and backing to step up to the plate.

That's about it. Not sure about the US (but it's been ages since they hosted an event), but in Europe it's the local government that usually does the organising. Val de Sole and Livigno both were run by the provincial government and lift companies for example.
Just to bid for an event you have to pony up a huge deposit for the UCI for the privelige. So when you say "they" should run an event at Thredbo or Buller or wherever, you've gotta have a "they" to do it, even if those places did meet the other requirements.
Hell, I'd have loved it all to happen out at the old Blue Range course, 6minute plus DH, but it's even too far out of town to be viable.

 

[FR Drew]

As far as I'm aware, the "pedally bit " at the end is a function of the UCI wanting the DH and 4X to finish in the same place.

Had we our druthers, I suspect that the DH track would finish at the fire road at the rear of the 4X hill.

For the record, all of the top riders I spoke to thought that the course was stunning and that we'd done great things with the land available. The bottom bit was the only section to get criticism.

I think it's a bit of a stretch to say Sam hates Stromlo. More a case that it doesn't play to his strengths as much as some other tracks. Where he really shines is on the ultra steep, ultra rough and wet tracks (Schmadling anyone?). Or maybe it's that others think Schmadling sucks?

Stromlo certainly has its tech sections where Sam rips out some stunning lines (his entrance into the rock gardens at the 06 Nationals was magic if you were there to see it in the flesh) but there's enough smooth stuff that the power riders can make up the lost ground.

Please bear in mind that Sam was still within 4.5 sec of the time set by Rennie. It's not like he was going slow...

 

[fastrider_ben]

Sam never does more than that, anywhere. He knows this track, too. So, no I don't think it was that.
I've never seen him ride live, but from videos one thing is clear. He's super fast over rough, steep terrain. Insanely smooth (like Vouilloz was) and no-one can touch him there.
He's not as fast where lots of pedaling is required. Stromlo seems to fit that bill. It's his 'weakness', but some would argue Stromlo isn't a good DH course, too flat, pedally and not technical enough (not my opinio, I don;t know the course).
I'd say that's why he was 11th, and that's why Minaar might well beat him overall (more versatile and all-round rider, I believe).

im one for saying Stromlo isn't a good DH course, although ive never seen it for real so i cant really judge it just didnt look upto par of the european courses.

 

[Wellsey]

I'm sure i'm not the only one who's a bit dazed and confused as to sams canberra effort. did he have a DNF or bad crash? couldn't see his result except for the qualiffying.

You need to stop talking out your arse.

 

[rossi]

I find it interesting that Sam struggles on peddaly tracks, well at least that is the impression I get. He comes from WA where as far as i know there are bugger all hills (no pun intended), so logically shouldn't he be able to crank it the whole way down?

Not many pedally tracks in WA but to get length out of most tracks here they need to be technical which is where i guess Sam gets his cornering ability.

 

[Rider15]

Sure while he may not have liked the track Im 100% certain he didnt just stop trying and thats why he came 11th. He would of been trying to get in the top 5 to make sure he got some decent points allocation as he and Minnaar are very close in points with Minnaar now well out in front after Stromlo.

 

[Neon]

hes still a gun

 

[Air time erik]

They cant hold a WC up buller or thredbo as the track is to long for it to be a world cup track it can only take a certain amount of time to complete was my understanding...thats why that 15min track in whistler isnt a WC track...thats what read somewhere.

 

[my_bike]

why dont they hold a world cup round at thredbo or buller or someplace like that? that would be killer

It's because they are under snow during the winter, as the other hosts are in the north of the world where it is summer now.

 

[bikeguy70]

how short does a downhhill track have to be?

 

[Graunched]

im one for saying Stromlo isn't a good DH course, although ive never seen it for real so i cant really judge it just didnt look upto par of the european courses.

Last time i checked Stromlo was in Australia not Europe. Its not going to look like a European track, ride like a European track or have the elevation of a European track simply because it is not located in Europe. The geography, soil, vegetation etc etc is different to whats in Europe.

Maybe we need to realise that Australian downhill tracks will never be carbon copies of European tracks and just get on with it?

Hey if Sam Hill came 11th then he obviously found it challenging whether it be physical or technical.............

Congrats to CORC for making a DH track of the caliber that it is with the terrain that they had available!

 

[Neon]

three minutes apparently

edit: oh! who just became a senior member!

 

[Lorday]

I find it interesting that Sam struggles on peddaly tracks, well at least that is the impression I get. He comes from WA where as far as i know there are bugger all hills (no pun intended), so logically shouldn't he be able to crank it the whole way down?

Locially he'd would suck in the wet as well, WA gets fark all rain.
Some people can do things others can't, Sam will smash you in the steep mountain decents but would be canned on a fire trail sprint.
Anyway Sam is the man, hope hes got enough luck to take out the season!

 

[dhd]

im one for saying Stromlo isn't a good DH course, although ive never seen it for real so i cant really judge it just didnt look upto par of the european courses.

Only negative criticism I heard from riders was in relation to the pedally bit at the end. You best call the UCI to sort that one out. The rest was given glowing reports..... I guess you'd have a better idea than Gee or Peaty though.....