[rockyuphill]

Interesting bit of trail update info on the Windham website. The course has 50 wooden bridges including this new 108' long bridge that crosses the DH course. If it rains for this race, this will separate the brave from the timid as well as the ones with a tire sponsor that has really grippy rubber. Even with railings this will intimidate a few riders.

 

[miss rides a lot]

I assume they're putting on chicken wire or something for traction if it does rain? Looks fairly wide. Easy for me to talk - I won't be racing on it

 

[ewarnerusa]

What to the Euro racers think of this sort of "trail" feature? Do they do this stuff over there? Seems freeridish rather than XC race terrain.

 

[rockyuphill]

There's some wood features at Mont Sainte Anne, but not very big or very high. These are examples of the biggest, and they have a hardware cloth or asphalt shingles on the wood. They've had some similar bridges at some European races (Schladming), and at Bromont as well.

 

[Circlip]

Looks like a good opportunity for passing.

 

[rockyuphill]

Looks like a good opportunity for passing.

You mean by nudging someone over the edge?

 

[miss rides a lot]

You mean by nudging someone over the edge?

I heard rubbin's racin'

 

[rockyuphill]

Or in bike racing... sharpen up those pointy elbows.

 

[RideFaster]

I raced on that bridge last year. It is actually on a downhill and you get some speed coming into it. Only marginally scary.

 

[eric]

Shouldn't be too much of an issue. The Houffalize XCO had a pretty slippery wooden bridge with a 90 turn in it and that didn't give too much trouble.

In all honesty most bikeparks in Europe have similar woodwork - I'm sure most riders will have seen this kind of stuff before.

 

[rockyuphill]

The weather forecast for Windham is rain/showers through Thursday and then sunny Friday and the weekend.

The course profile looks a lot like the Bromont WC course. Climb, descend, repeat.

 

[rob_co2]

Thats quite a lot a lot of elevation change over 5k

 

[whybotherme]

i think the course is pretty similar to last year's national (?). if that is the case it was a good course! the climbing isn't quite a brutal as that one section in VT... that thing hurt!

 

[rockyuphill]

Thats quite a lot a lot of elevation change over 5k

Most WC courses average 180m of elevation gain per lap. Heck, it might even be in the UCI course development guidelines.

Here's the course profile from the 2009 Bromont WC race.

 

[RideFaster]

i think the course is pretty similar to last year's national (?). if that is the case it was a good course! the climbing isn't quite a brutal as that one section in VT... that thing hurt!

Agreed. The climb is broken up every now and then with some nice, but short descents.

 

[LMN]

Thats quite a lot a lot of elevation change over 5k

It is actually pretty easy climbing. I imagine many of the top riders will never take it out of their big ring (some will only have a big ring).

 

[LMN]

Just did 3-laps of the course. It is has been changed a bit from what it was. A good course though.

The climb is interesting, it is quite staired. A large number of downhills and flats on the climb. The descent is fast and open, lots of rocks. Lap times will be fast if it is dry (which it wasn't today), I would say 15-16 minute laps for the guys.

Right now the course is really wet, the descents are slick and super fun.

 

[rockyuphill]

It looks like a warm forecast for Saturday. 20C by 11AM and 27C by 2PM. Friday is 20C and dry so the mud will be drying up by race time on Saturday. That might leave it peanut butter sticky.

I'm just happy I only have to be awake at 8:15AM on Saturday and not 2:15AM

 

[whybotherme]

man i wish we were there too!

good luck to C-pen! i got my $1 on her!

 

[RideFaster]

Course was muddy this morning, but tacky now. I got passed by Julian Absalon, he said hi in english, it was cool.

A few tricky parts on the downhill, but they're not too bad.