12
Sep
2021

Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

9/12/2021 : sicklines

Snowshoe is hosting the last two Mercedes-Benz UCI World Cup downhill races this week and things kick off Monday.

  • Race #1 will be on Wednesday, September 15th.
  • Race #2 will be on Saturday, September 18th.
  • Watch both races live on Red Bull

The 2021 overall UCI World Cup downhill winner will be crowned at Snowshoe for Elite Men, Women, and Jr-X.

The Course

The course is going to be fast, technical, and assuredly the top racers will be stacked tightly together. The first course for Wednesday’s race follows a similar trail from 2019 but there are some tweaks to it. To get caught up on what you can expect, check out the 2019 Finals video as there are many sections they’ve encompassed on this track.

Recap from the Snowshoe 2019 event

Danny Hart’s 2019 winning run

2021 Start Gate

It seems fitting to have a shot of Loic Bruni in the first shot as the last time he was here he won the 2019 overall title. Amaury Pierron put a lot of pressure on him as he had nothing to lose but Danny Hart’s win here in 2019 allowed Loic to take the overall.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

Just out of the gate there’s a quick section after this small section of wooded trail that has some deep ruts in it from all the races that have taken place here. Finn walks uphill to see what the best line might be through this section.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

The snowshoe crew was busy performing a final cleaning on the course before the racers ride it tomorrow. This area may look smooth from above but trust us, it’s not.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

The road gap is the next feature riders will ride off of before heading back into a wooded area.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

If things get wet in the woods… the roots and rocks will claim many riders. Finn Iles scopes out the best line. The sun will also play a factor as riders dip in and out of wooded areas.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

Since Snowshoe got to host two downhill races due to Ft. William’s cancelation they’ve got another track that will use parts of track 1 but there are some unique features to track #2 like these huge booters down the hill and across the road.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

Track #1 and #2 meet up here and these berms lead to a gap between the trees.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

Danny Hart, the winner from 2019 scopes out the gap between the trees.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

After this gap through the trees, there are a few step downs before heading into upper hareball.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

This rock drop feature that Luca Shaw is standing on requires commitment.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

The spot where you see Luca above sends riders into this fast section with a blind step down over some gnar. A soft berm allows for an inside and outside approach.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

The gap from the side only shows partially how big and hairy it is. After gapping, the landing sends you into a tight corner.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

Steve Peat giving the boys some tips on sending this blind gap.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

You do not want to come up short on this. Ever.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk
, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk
Amaury Pierron, Myriam Nicole, Thibaut Daprela, and the Commencal crew picking out some lines. Momentum is key at this race and anywhere you can maintain speed is a must if you want to be on the podium.

Plenty of rocks and roots from here

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk
, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk
This rockgarden has destroyed many bikes and rims. It will undoubtedly do it again this year.

This section may not look steep, but it is and it will be a tricky spot for riders to get off their brakes.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk
, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk
, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk
Don’t let Danny Hart fool you. He knows the fast way through this final rock garden.

The final feature was getting reworked. It used to look like this… but no longer has the loop.

Expect to see a more traditional finish jump headed down into the final corral.

, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk
, Snowshoe 2021 – Mercedez-Benz UCI World Cup Downhill Track Walk

If you want to see more track pictures, check out the gallery below. Tune in to watch the race live on Red Bull on Wednesday (September 15th) and Saturday (September 18th) at https://www.redbull.com/us-en/events/uci-mountain-bike-world-cup-usa


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