How Tough Are XC World Cup Courses?

How Tough Are XC World Cup Courses? | What The Pros Think!

Рет қаралды 61,792

Күн бұрын

How hard is XC racing? Cross Country racing used to be viewed as the roadie's version of mountain biking, but in 2024 the WOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series course design has been gnarly! Rich Payne takes a look at the Val di Sole track in Italy and asks the pros what they think.
⏱ Timestamps ⏱
00:00 - Riders Opinion
02:13 - Rich Rides The Track
05:21 - Oli Beckingsale (Commentator and former Olympian/ XC Pro)
07:39 - Watching the racers
09:19 - Where was the race won and lost?
11:28 - XC courses now have 4X tracks on them?
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Is Val di Sole the gnarliest XC track on the World Cup circuit? What other XC content would you like to see?
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Пікірлер: 103

@ttambm8639 Ай бұрын

MORE FREAKING XC ON THIS CHANNEL!

@markush7001 Ай бұрын

@@ttambm8639 first gmbn video I’ve watched in years. XC has been ignored quite a bit.

@irfuel 28 күн бұрын

People sometimes tend to forget MTB is more than "steezy"/"gnarly" trail riding in baggy pants and pushing your bike uphill, or using a lift.

@chrisbrown2273 17 күн бұрын

@@markush7001That’s because the channel has struggled to find ex pro XC riders who are able to present on videos.

@ShadLife Ай бұрын

This is what XC racing should be like. It's mountain biking! I used to call XC racing "Road Racing on Dirt" because that's basically what it was. This is a lot more like it! Skills required as well as endurance. A road racer can't simply get into a mountain bike race and easily win it now without developing some off-roading skills. It's super cool to see this. And if some racers don't like it they can do road or gravel racing...😉

@markdunne818 Ай бұрын

Exactly. There's nothing stopping a rider from dismounting for features they're uncomfortable with, you know just like any mountain biker would while progressively improving confidence and skill.

@MFR03 Ай бұрын

pidcock is still superior 😅 but xco is cool ✌️

@keirfarnum6811 Ай бұрын

I raced XC in Alaska during the early 90s and it was anything but “road racing on dirt”. We did have some races on gravel roads, but even those were brutal because of the washboard. But most of our races had plenty of technical singletrack.

@irfuel 28 күн бұрын

If you remove the technical part from MTB racing you get gravel racing.

@miyui9269 26 күн бұрын

vanderpoel and pidcock easily smokes these xc rider. they are pro road cyclist btw, currently in tour de france rn😅

@stujm8376 Ай бұрын

I’m getting more and more into xc as I get older, I absolutely love it too. I get out and ride xc trails as often as I can and it really shows in my fitness levels. Let’s see more xc.

@kennywallace1 Ай бұрын

I used to race in the Scottish XC series, which had some knarley descents for the days of 26” wheels, longs stems, short hardtail frames, high bottom brackets and fixed seat posts. The challenge with descending wash’t really the tech, it was competitively pacing and recovering from the climbs enough to be able to mentally focus on the features in the decents. Acute oxygen debt affecting brain function was the biggest hurdle to overcome. As much as the descents could be super steep, rutted, rooty and rocky they never really had drop-offs or jumps. I understand the need for shorter tracks crammed with big technical features are an attempt to make XC a spectator sport, which it wasn’t in my day. More spectators = more sponsors = more money…

@peterswanson2090 Ай бұрын

I don't think its just about spectators - its actually rewarding riders with technical skills and also reflects the moderns bikes which are so much more capable. These are not outrageous features - technical sure, but we aren't talking double gap jumps here or 20 foot drops. Like you I remember doing XC series in the north of England in the 90s - back then I would ride my hard tail in both XC and downhill - before downhills got too epic. Bit different now for sure, but so much better too in many ways. What I would love to see is a 3 race event where you have to do it all on one bike, same tyres - XC, downhill, and short gravel (50kms) event - that would be an interesting test to see what configuration would be best!

@kennywallace1 Ай бұрын

@@peterswanson2090 Yes, bikes are more capable than they've ever been and the tracks look incredible and enjoyable to ride. But, we can't escape the fact the sport is a business first and foremost..Without spectators, sponsors and bike sales it wouldn't exist. Someone has to pay for it all...

@irfuel 28 күн бұрын

The thing is, the places you were really struggling on your 26" bike with narrow bars and super steep headtube angles, today any low budget 29" would just steamroll over it. The courses have evolved with the bike tech. And non-technical offroad riding also has a different name today. It's called "gravel".

@kennywallace1 28 күн бұрын

@@irfuel I went from a 26" 170mm Sworks Enduro to a 29" 140mm 1st Gen SC Hightower in 2017. The difference in speed and stability while descending was truly staggering.

@Jack-zi6tl Ай бұрын

Really nice video would love to see more of this for the xc race course breakdowns.

@rustychain9518 Ай бұрын

More of this please!

@JeppeSvendsenOfficial Ай бұрын

Awesome course review! I would love to see a lot more XC content like this 👏🏻

@tiagolage5642 Ай бұрын

Amazing content! Several details explained! Keep going, please!

@adas7614 Ай бұрын

Thanks for the XC content. ❤

@gmbn Ай бұрын

Our pleasure! Keep your eyes out, more will definitely be coming 🔥

@richardpayne5176 Ай бұрын

My pleasure, more incoming👊

@timbershadow1 Ай бұрын

Awesome edit!! Love the detailed shots!! The face in the rut was hilarious! Nice work Team!!

@gmbn Ай бұрын

Thanks for your feedback, it means a lot! 🤘

@richardpayne5176 Ай бұрын

Cheers dude glad you like it

@derronjames7194 Ай бұрын

Awesome review of the course and the race. Love more of this please.

@ChampionGaming Ай бұрын

Exciting times, I might start watching XC races from now on :D

@gmbn Ай бұрын

Is Val di Sole the gnarliest XC track on the World Cup circuit? What other XC content would you like to see?

@bitumen83 Ай бұрын

This year Crans Montana in Swiss looks more challenging IMO 😬

@alexpeartree2019 Ай бұрын

How the pro's choose eyeware. Tinted, clear, no glasses etc.

@lloydjarm Ай бұрын

Like others have said, the Swiss stop seemed more extreme. In fact, too much IMO. This one is good amount for me :)

@royvandijk7119 Ай бұрын

Crans-Montana also was something special, really gnarly

@padyakeroUK Ай бұрын

XC of today... endurance, skills and more technical tracks 👍 love to see more of this!

@lenmarais Ай бұрын

Amazing video Rich!! Looking forward to more of THIS!! Maybe more lycra next time?! 😉

@dannyk3718 Ай бұрын

Man XC is a different event from 20 years ago ..Obviously as mountain bike tech and design evolves so does the intensity and difficulty of the courses in all event styles . I cant wait to see how insane the sport will be in the next 20 years

@joemendozaCAN 23 күн бұрын

Nice presentation about XC race. Can you do XC Pro bike check too? Thanks.

@awheelman Ай бұрын

Awesome video.

@phoenixinthetrees1446 Ай бұрын

Great insight and one of the best videos I've seen on GMBN. 6:11 Now someone teach Oli and Rich the difference between less and fewer!

@alexpeartree2019 Ай бұрын

Pro level pedantry there, chapeau!

@richardpayne5176 Ай бұрын

Thanks mate glad you liked it, it seems like less people were strugglin at Val di Sole than Crans but fewer people could ride the A lines there 😆

@phoenixinthetrees1446 Ай бұрын

@@richardpayne5176 Ha! 50% right - I'll take it.

@phoenixinthetrees1446 Ай бұрын

@@alexpeartree2019 Thank you. That's amateur level, really, but I'll take the backhanded compliment! 😄

@ivostarmans1199 Ай бұрын

Crans Montana was epic. The drops without the wood.

@richardcaro3368 Ай бұрын

Great video

@johnhausmann2391 22 күн бұрын

Great, XC is almost to the point where It's really interesting. Throw in more technical down and rock ledges up, and I'll be watching.

@vrwgq3q 21 күн бұрын

I love that UCI XC is becoming more 'trail' oriented - what is interesting is that I'd say a 29'er of yore (2017-2020) w/ that 65-67 HTA and 'starting' to lengthen' (i.e. 460MM+ reaches) on a 130/140 is basically what the latest of XC bikes are (albeit the latest in AXS and SIDs) I'd reckon that a 2020 Stumpjumper S-Works would be a weapon on this track.

@richardmiddleton7770 Ай бұрын

Season ending or even career ending is how tough they are now!!! At least in DH you can wear full face, neck brace, body and knee armour!

@gmbn Ай бұрын

We might start seeing more protection being used in XC as well!

@richardpayne5176 Ай бұрын

Remeber they dont have to ride the scary/tough lines there are options around

@TheTrailRabbit Ай бұрын

These courses are far too dangerous for XC

@esavirtanen6418 Ай бұрын

I like that it's getting a bit more technical but I'd rather have them not have to walk their bike. For me they could dial it back just a bit with the tech, but it's good to have some of it so the rider with good technical ability stand out instead of just being a pure endurance event.

@ff2e Ай бұрын

If pros have to walk features it's definitely too much

@irfuel 28 күн бұрын

It all depends on the weather conditions

@BROUAN 24 күн бұрын

Yes! More XC ! And XCM

@JeffMTBinVA Ай бұрын

Rich, I wanted to see you hit that wooden drop on your XC bike man. Funny that next came Crans Montana with "oh you think that was hard, watch this". I hope you guys do these for the other events but make the videos longer. Better yet, do it for Enduro events. They need some exposure.

@richardpayne5176 Ай бұрын

I know dude that Crans course looked sick, gutted to not film on that one but i also think the weather plaed a huge difference, had Val di Sole been wet then ☠☠☠

@JeffMTBinVA Ай бұрын

@@richardpayne5176 Definitely the rain played a huge part. Especially in that man made rock garden and wooden stump section.

@irfuel 28 күн бұрын

Enduro is just boring to watch. In XC you see people going head to head. A lot more exciting than looking at a stopwatch and wondering if the delta will be red or green.

@patf1628 Ай бұрын

How about on XC tires? Syerra are trail tires. Throw on something with only a hint of tread and try the course in the wet. The people that say XC riders don't have skills aren't paying attention. The current world cup level courses are tough!

@anthonycox9635 19 күн бұрын

Crans Montana is a tougher course! More XC content please!

@tomaszwelerowicz1367 22 күн бұрын

Nice CANYON - but tire logo not aligned with rim logo :) :) :)

@Nojikuzus Ай бұрын

Crans-Montana!

@rozaniahmad 26 күн бұрын

lihatlah betapa olahraga ini berkembang, luarbiasa!

@MrHowie681 Ай бұрын

awesome vid, i always thought xc was easy lol guess not

@MarcoMüller-y8l 28 күн бұрын

Can u hear the XC-Fork screaming for more travel in the rockgarden? 😂

@MaQuGo119 26 күн бұрын

Type 2 fun is best type of fun

@Cous1nJack Ай бұрын

I suspect must riders would think the downs were like enduro and the ups like riding dh in reverse.

@mareckik Ай бұрын

You need edit this video after Crans Montana 😂

@richardpayne5176 Ай бұрын

Ah man tell me about it, i shot this vid then saw the Crans course and was like "hold my beer i need to ride this" Just means next year i'll have to shoot a vid on that course for ya'll

@hurriedlemon8146 Ай бұрын

How many laps did they do?

@JeffMTBinVA Ай бұрын

@hurriedlemon8146 Ай бұрын

@@JeffMTBinVA Thanks!

@erich8258 Ай бұрын

"Pro's"? Surely someone at GMBN should have spotted (and fixed) that one.

@xavierhulbert5849 Ай бұрын

This style of XC makes me wonder what the difference between XC and Enduro is anymore. I couldn’t imagine hitting any of that on an XC bike, let alone in a race setting.

@bartek.igielski Ай бұрын

clearly you've never been on any enduro trail

@ff2e Ай бұрын

Most xc trails are no where near this though. I race xc and this is basically downhill for me lol

@irfuel 28 күн бұрын

That's why it's "world cup" XC, and not "local MTB club" XC.

@devincook3278 Ай бұрын

...and then there was Crans Montana.

@robertpaulsen5114 28 күн бұрын

DUDE... That looks more like a DH loop than an XC track.

@dovesnbowties 25 күн бұрын

this is what xc is.

@KP-ol3tc Ай бұрын

Should I ride smooth in the downhill section? 😂

@richardpayne5176 Ай бұрын

Apparently so....easier said thean done lol

@KP-ol3tc Ай бұрын

@@richardpayne5176 Those roots though 😳

@TheTrailRabbit Ай бұрын

Why is UCI trying to make XC more like enduro?

@ecopennylife Ай бұрын

I'll let the pros ride it 😂

@Yoda-em5mt Ай бұрын

Until xc is up and down a downhill track i still think its tame this is why i ride moto single track and call it hard xc i dont think it will ever become a thing as people nowadays are soft sorry i,m an ex pro xco xcm racer been riding mtb for just over 40 years yeah i,m old like tomac ha ha. Lets get Gee Atherton and Danny Mac designing tracks then it will be gnarly .

@irfuel 28 күн бұрын

Yeah grandpa, time to go to bed .... You wouldn't even make it to the top of the first climb.

@user-jk8wn5rl8x 26 күн бұрын

I raced in Colorado for years, the xc races always pissed me off because they had no technical sections, just jeep roads and fire access roads , stupid crap, just gives the 140 lb road bikers with no bike skills an advantage

@lwittrock1 Ай бұрын

It's blurring the lines between Enduro and XC which I think is a mistake. Call me a purist but XC racing was, and I think should still be, more about your fitness and strength an athlete competing all out as fast as possible. i still race XC and have been for a long time, so not happy to see it going this way. And yes, it still required mtb skills and I can take on the most technical drops, rock gardens, jumps, etc. however to me that not XC! Now I'd rather watch an enduro race over XC.

@gmbn Ай бұрын

That's an interesting point, although this type XC racing is done in a loop making it easier to watch in person. With this new level of riding it could bring a lot more people into the sport 🤔

@lwittrock1 Ай бұрын

@@gmbn I get that, but as a XC racer I'm not interested in getting a new bike or modifying my current bike just to ride more like an enduro bike. I've raced Enduro and Downhill and I'm very happy to keep all three of these disciplines very separate. It's just my opinion/view.

@ff2e Ай бұрын

Agreed. That course is absolutely brutal for xc.

@irfuel 28 күн бұрын

If you just want to pedal hard on off-road, do a gravel race.

@dtheopha Ай бұрын

What the pros think for 2 mins then another 10 of this non-pro riding around. not really what was advertised

@TheProjectX3 Ай бұрын

Yeah it's cool but it makes XCO a race-only sport and XC bikes a race-only machine. If pros have to push up a hill or barely make it down, what to do for casuals? It's not building passion anymore because riding as a casual on your local xc course does not feel like what you see in pro sport.

@JernejBu Ай бұрын

It would make sense if people didn't recreationally ride enduro and other stuff. And XC race bikes are taking geometry cues from downhill oriented ones as well, just made much lighter.

@irfuel 28 күн бұрын

Because your average trail center has the same tracks as World Cup DH?