Good-Bye Boring, Hello Bitchin'. Leogang Steps It Up

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More and more often World Cup downhillers at the pointy end of the results were singing the praises of the Leogang, Austria, World Cup downhill venue. Internet lurkers, however, had perpetuated the rumor that downhill racing was eeking out its last breaths as Leogang and other boring bike park tracks leeched life from our once-gonzo activity. Who's right? Who's wrong? Did it matter if Aaron Gwin could win the race with two flat tires while riding his bike backwards? Or if Josh Bryceland could win on 26-inch wheels in the face of everyone else using 27.5?

Gwin is the most winningest racer, male or female, here and also the most recent winner. He's going to be hard to beat but there are enough track changes to level the field...perhaps. Sven Martin

Rider audio interviews with Vali Holl, Aaron Gwin, Amaury Pierron, Troy Brosnan, Brendan Fairclough, Sam Blenkinsop, Eddie Masters, Gee Atherton, Connor Fearon, Marcelo Gutierrez, Myriam Nicole and more.

According to the Vital YouTube channel, the first Leogang Vital RAW video of 2017 was the second-highest-viewed World Cup Vital RAW from that year, sandwiched between Andorra (#1) and Mont-Sainte-Anne (#3). That must mean Leogang was full of epic action or YouTube viewers are really strange. While it's probably the latter, Leogang must have had some kind of attention-grabbing quality, right?

The landing for the first jump is now the entry to the first off-camber corner. Dan Hearn

Not a single tire mark on this new off-camber. We had very heavy rain this evening and we can't wait for practice tomorrow. morning! Troy Audio @maddogboris

It looks like Kade is off the course. Well, he is off last year's course but he is slap-bang in the middle of this year's course. Steep, fresh, off-camber goodness. Sven Martin

Vali Höll getting her prize money for winning the Fort William Vital Whip contest! Stoked! Dan Hearn

Well now, for the 2018 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup DH, Leogang is certainly grabbing our attention. Despite the gorgeous views and the first-class accommodations, Leogang was tired of being Anthony Michael Hall in The Breakfast Club and decided to become Anthony Michael Hall in War Machine. So long bike park (mostly) and hello super-nasty-off-camber-radness-that-may-be-death-in-the-rain Leogang.

The root-stump-sucker-chucker is back and it looks like it will be a legit line option this year. Charlie Hatton not afraid of a big huck. Gee is on the landing for some perspective. Sven Martin

Is that you Sam Hill? Danny plans his route through the final rooty section. Dan Hearn

This new track split will leave riders divided. Slow in fast out or vice versa? Dan Hearn

Phil Atwill, one of the most outspoken critics of the Leogang course, practiced on a hardtail last year as a hoping-to-go-viral protest, yet one of the sickest World Cup DH photos of 2017 (our opinion and some of yours) was Mr. Atwill flirting his knobs with the knuckle of a perfectly manicured, gravel-covered table top creating an orgasmic release of said gravel. How can such a boring track produce such incredible imagery? While the motorway where Phil's fabulous photo was captured is still in tact, we may not have to question such paradoxes any longer as the riders seem satiated with the course changes.

A meal fit for Boris and ex-cons. photos by Sven Martin

Percentage-wise, Sven has more female Insta followers than Gee. #blameEnduro

Loic's Stumpjumper piss-take may be the last time we see riders lash out at Leogang thanks to these new changes. There's the argument that Leogang, with the bike park sections, always made for great racing, which can't be denied. The final results in Austria were always determined by the smallest slivers of temporal measurement. There's the counter-argument, however, that if our World Cup heroes sprinted against the clock down a brick road (which sort of happened in Croatia), the racing would be exciting. True, too.

Caro Gehrig from the EWS circuit having a sniff at DH this weekend after some inspiration from Cecile Ravanel. Her switch to Norco means she finally has a DH bike to ride. Sven Martin

Some of the Kiwi National Junior team, out here en force prepping for World Champs, and life in general, thanks to Subway and Cycling NZ. Craig Pattle on the chaperone and coaching duties and not pictured, Josh Oxam. Sven Martin

Brook, Laurie and Mike in an old section with some new line options! @maddogboris

When you're waiting around the tunnels for certain teams to arrive, some weird ideas pop into your head. Gnarlys Angels (TM) Dan Hearn

Let's hope the Leogang lameness debate is long gone and we can focus on Leogang's finer things like Boris' dream meal offered at one of the local dining establishments; bread, water and a cigarette for mere pocket change. Well that, and some roosty, grassy, foot-out action from a weekend of shredding! Get the inside scoops from Sven, Boris and Dan and stay tuned for another weekend of World Cup DH racing on Vital.

Remi Thirion's crash here last year was proof enough that a chicane was needed after the final fadeaway to slow riders down. Dan Hearn

It took a while to explain Kaos, but in the end he nailed his umbrella motowhip! @maddogboris

I asked Blenki if he is giving a Thumbs up or Thumps down. #glovelessthumbs @maddogboris

Trek ladies about to be surprised by a rather abrupt right hand turn. @Sven Martin

What do you think about the Leogang course changes?

Lead, follow or get out of the way. This section always has traffic during track walk making lines hard to spot. Dan Hearn

Josh Bryceland is here in spirit out in the green, just where he wants to be. Last World Cup DH won on a 26-inch bike. Sven Martin

Not everyone busts out fresh, brand-new tires for training when last week's only have a run or two on them. The big Ft. Bill clean up took most of the day Wednesday. Sven Martin

Reece fresh off a two-day drive. Neck pillow and muscles stretches mandatory. Also the most tanned Scotsman I've ever seen. Sven Martin

In the pits! Rest of world take note: Bio-organic vending machine stocked only with products from small farms and local businesses. Technology done right. But a hot dog from a vending machine is still a hot dog from a vending machine. Sven Martin

In case you forgot we are in Austria. Where ebikes and other weird things are common sight. Sven Martin

Looks like the Canyon Factory Team figured out where the mystery poo in the shower was coming from. See the video below. @maddogboris

Myriam Nicole flirting with the mountains! She is still wearing the leader's jersey and hungry for another win. @maddogboris

Somehow I ended up with such a serious looking Amaury Pierron shot even though he had such fun walking the track. @maddogboris

Do you guys remember when the man-made rock garden was new, kind of weird but also rough? A couple years later, most parts are filled up with mud and theres not much left from the ROCK garden. Connor Fearon contemplates. @maddogboris

Track walk day is also ride day and a chance to stretch the legs after a long couple of days traveling. Dan Hearn

The weather predictions and fresh-cut off-camber sections might mean tire choice becomes crucial for the first time this World Cup season. Dan Hearn

Dean Lucas has been monitored closely and been concussion tested multiple times since his big crash in Fort William. We'll see if he decides to race tomorrow. Dan Hearn

The Vital MTB Fort-Bill-to-Leogang shuttle service was operating at maximum capacity. Dan Hearn

Marcelo with some original artwork from Yasmeen Green. Stoked! Sven Martin

Death gripping your phone is no big deal when you have big-time sponsors like Lifeproof. Especially when you are not winning money in whip off contests. Sven Martin

George Brannigan is stoked to be here with the team in Europe, escaping a chilly NZ. He will not be riding the big bike for a few more weeks though. He will be trackside helping the squad with lines. Sven Martin

Serious Selfie Game when you are double life-size and a storm is brewing. Sven Martin

Kiwis on tour. Cole Lucas and Matt Walker. Sven Martin

The unsung true heroes of the World Cup circuit. The truckies making the dash from Ft. Bill to Leogang to bring the circus to town. Sven Martin

iPhone Eddie on the media game time-lapsing the Pivot pits popping up on Wednesday. sven

Mono knows not to leave his cage until he's given permission. @maddogboris

I wouldn't rely on these guys for directions. When you're as big-time as Boris, total strangers print T-shirts honoring your tattoos and come find you for a photo. Dan Hearn

Leogang is famous for its high speed sections, now with some more steeps thrown in the mix. Brakes will have to be bang-on for the start of practice tomorrow. Dan Hearn