TRACK WALK - Snowshoe World Cup Downhill - Mountain Biking Pictures

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The last race of the 2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup season is upon us and it lands in the forested reaches of Snowshoe, West Virginia. A long-time staple of the #USDH scene hosting NORBA Nationals and DHSE races, Snowshoe is known for its remote nature, slippery dirt and tree-infested, rock-filled terrain. With the wake of World Championships barely settling, Sven, Boris and Dan head to the woods for our last track walk of the WC season.

Missy Giove is still out here charging as hard as ever, building trails and sending large jumps. What a legend. -Sven Martin

Loic Bruni and his mechanic, Jack Roure, discussing each section of the track @maddogboris

Aaron Gwin will keep it easy and is looking forward to a healthy offseason. @maddogboris

Rough and wild out here. Welcome to West Virginia. -Sven Martin

Marine Cabirou with her eye on the win this weekend. -Sven Martin

Full-time job for Chris Killmurry: line, mental and strength, and fitness coach. Not to mention his best talent, egg poacher. #poachwars. -Sven Martin

Greg Minnaar would like to move up some positions and take home another crystal trophy to add to his large collection. -Sven Martin

Tracey Hannah with one more race to go to sew up the overall DH title. It's looking good for her (she must finish in the top six to secure the title) but anything can still happen. -Sven Martin

The lip is actually way back on the right, before the rock, making this unique feature a tad technical and optically confusing. -Sven Martin

A few bits of sculpted bike park mixed in to carry speed and add some flow for the riders. -Sven Martin

So many ways to do one thing. Peaty weighs the pre-hop to squash to drop versus the full huck over the rock. -Sven Martin

The track snakes through a really cool forest with heaps of features both natural and enhanced. -Sven Martin

Wide and grassy, just like Les Gets, but, only for one corner. -Sven Martin

Luca Shaw and Peaty get interviewed for Wyn TV. -Sven Martin

Last big drop to the finish line. -Sven Martin

Insane clown posse. Fresh off a Walmart shopping excursion, Laurie Greenland and Ben Vergnaud assimilate into the local culture. -Sven Martin

There are some flatter bits where you will have to carry speed. Gee Atherton in audio. -Sven Martin

The season is slowly setting on World Cup DH racing this year. -Sven Martin

When in Rome. Matteo Iniguez. -Sven Martin

Lars Sternberg from Transition made the drive from the west coast to Mont Saint-Anne and now to Snowshoe, WV. Good to see the USA companies come support their riders and teams. -Sven Martin

The Syndicate family eyeing up the take-off of the rather large step down near the top of the course. -Sven Martin

Greg Minnaar with the number 6 plate has everything to gain with a strong performance here. -Sven Martin

Troy Brosnan and his mechanic, Aaron Prelttari, enjoying their last track walk of the 2019 season. @maddogboris

The most exciting feature for the free racers is the first kicker on the course. Expect some flat spins and backflips here. -Sven Martin

West Virginia Hard Line. -Sven Martin

Oh deer. -Sven Martin

Snowshoe sits right on the iconic Route 66. Where riders come to get their kicks. -Sven Martin

We are super excited to have a World Cup round back in the USA after being absent for a few years. -Sven Martin

Snowshoe has a rich DH history. Used during the early NORBA hay days and more recently as a National Champs venue, it is most certainly World Cup worthy. -Sven Martin

Oh, the irony. -Sven Martin

Team GT Factory Racing. @maddogboris

Yeeehaa! @maddogboris

All eyes on Amaury Pierron and Loic Bruni. @maddogboris

Pretty epic start house views! @maddogboris

Bernard Kerr leading the Pivot Factory Racing crew at track walk. @maddogboris

We were pleasantly surprised by the track here in Snowshoe, so many different and new jumps, obstacles, and sections. The riders will have to work out a lot of stuff in training. @maddogboris

Final preparation before training. @maddogboris

There is no shortage of rocks in Snowshoe. @maddogboris

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Joe Breeden checking out a few of the rock features on the track. @maddogboris

It's all about proper timing. @maddogboris

America Team Pivot Factory Racing style! @maddogboris

The track builders made the best out of the available elevation. Some riders would have liked to seen fewer corners on the flatter parts of the track. @maddogboris

Kye A'Hern is stoked to get the chance to ride his new World Champ jersey, at least for one race. @maddogboris

Finn Iles is two steps away from finishing his last track walk of 2019. @maddogboris

Serious business at Santa Cruz Syndicate. @maddogboris

Similar to Andorra, the pits are at the top of the track and you have to take the lift to get back. @maddogboris

Tahnee Seagrave said that she hasn't been scared of a jump for a long time...until she came to Snowshoe. @maddogboris

That´s a proper hip-jump/road gap! @maddogboris

Mechanics going down. Thanks for the effort Kurt McDonald and sorry that you ate some dirt. @maddogboris

Is this the steepest kicker we have ever seen on a World Cup track? Brendan in audio. @maddogboris

This gully is actually a pretty gnarly section. Wait for Vital RAW. @maddogboris

American Anna Newkirk lives in Switzerland but it still feels a bit like home in America. @maddogboris

Kade Edwards can't wait to hit the hip jump at the start of the track. Hopefully, the rain overnight hasn't done much damage. @maddogboris

Matt Walker dropping off his fork for a service at FOX. @maddogboris

Trek Factory rider, Charlie Harrison, enjoys the calm before the storm. @maddogboris

Is this the rock-to-rock double from Brandon Semenuk's video? @maddogboris

Lift views on the steepest part of the track. @maddogboris

Squid Headquarters for the next week. -Dan Hearn

With a silver medal under her belt at Worlds, Mille Johnset is ready to give the season a proper send-off. -Dan Hearn

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I think Scotty Mears might double-check those settings. -Dan Hearn

Loic's mechanic, Jack, makes a point of track walking. Not just to make sure he knows the terrain he is setting the bike up for but also to discuss lines and generally support Loic in ways few others could. -Dan Hearn

Neko Mulally's business partner from Windrock is the track builder here. It's the first time he's seen this track taped and is stoked with the outcome. -Dan Hearn

Several flat sections are used as connections between the gnarly parts of the track. It could be that we see some strong pedallers making up time on these bits. -Dan Hearn

This track has a lot of variety, starting with an almost vertical jump and some fresh, wide, grassy turns right out the start. -Dan Hearn

God only knows what hellish section these guys have just seen. -Dan Hearn

Marshy rode his Honda Goldwing from MSA to here with just a few stops on the way for a tire and exhaust. -Dan Hearn

Marine Cabirou has made her mark this season. There's still a chance for her to take the overall if she were to win and Tracey Hannah finished seventh or lower. -Dan Hearn

Now the two-time Junior World Champion, Vali Höll is sure to be firing on all cylinders to go out with a bang at her last junior race. -Dan Hearn

In Transition's home country, it's rad to have Lars here to support the crew. -Dan Hearn

It's a home race for some squids too. -Dan Hearn

If only we had the time to Photoshop the General Lee car into here. -Dan Hearn

Isolated Snowshoe calls for a road trip. It's a shame Mad Dog AKA the king of car naps didn't get to see much on the way. -Dan Hearn

Snowshoe Mountain is a properly isolated resort. Miles of windy roads surround it, with no cell service except a tight radius in the town and few shops at which to resupply. -Dan Hearn

They sure know how to make a berm here. -Dan Hearn

Wildlife here seems friendly enough! -Dan Hearn

There's no shortage of rocky gnar here. -Dan Hearn

Plenty of rocks to pinball between. This one might not suit those on flat pedals! -Dan Hearn

Mmm... I'm building it - McMechanics (TM). -Dan Hearn