Practise Day at Downhill National Champs Sweden – It went off!

DOWNHILL IS AWESOME

After a long long time we are back racing downhill and it is carnage. Isaberg have outdone themselves with this track, its a proper track. This is a proper race. Big Crashes, big highs, crazy lows. Ma Downhill is awesome.

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Yo, what’s happening everyone? So, we’re just going to like chop together a quick sort of highlights of practice video. We’re going to be jumping between me here and me earlier today before I was like all battered and also then after I was all battered. But the day started pretty good. First off, we’re going to show you just like the first run, the lift up, the chatter, and just how the track looks at the start of the day. And when I tell you that this track doesn’t look anything like that by the end of the day, I ain’t kidding. Totally different. Uh my experience of the day in a nutshell, I would say you kind of it’s like a bell curveish where you go you come in and the track’s really rough and a bit scary and then you build up build up build up and you get to a really good pace and you’re like, “Yeah, this is the pace I want to hold.” And then some point in the afternoon the track just sort of went off that cliff of like predictability and you’re trying to hold this really high speed in there or you know high relative speed and then uh all of a sudden lines stop working. So first off we’ll start with that first run anyway and get that out the way. Have a look at that then we’ll jump back on in a minute. [Applause] Hi everyone, I’m Ollie Barton and today we are at the Swedish Downhill National Championships. Welcome back to the channel. All righty, we’re on our way up. Oh, that’s case that bad. Try and remember everything from track walk, but we’re just going to put in a couple of cruisers first. Fine lines. Nothing too crazy. We’re recording this weekend with Hampus. My boy’s not racing. is here for coaching and helping the team and helping this old man get down this hill. [Music] There wasn’t enough hampers at the last race, but we got plenty of him this weekend. Mate, yeah, I just had to do a few little setup things. Yeah. Yes. Good. Yes. Um, but just uh had to put some new pads in the front. I think when Aren’t you having a different charger? Yeah, that’s what happened. My charger died and then the first ride after the charger died, the shock blew up on the first run. Come on, man. I wouldn’t follow too close. Yes. Yes. Ready? as ready as I’ll be now. Yeah, let’s get [Applause] it. Well, that’s really dusty straight away. What heat? Yeah, it Yeah. Yeah. Ollie looking good. Really? Yeah. The two runs I was trying the high line all the way. Yeah. Uh low to high that it goes so fast going going down. Yeah. The left hand at the bottom is so loose and not not super. Okay. All right. But Heat. Heat. Once we got to the crowd where everyone was, I definitely tensed up a little bit. But you were turning in between the trees. You can go from Yeah, that I that’s what I looked at in practice and uh but I just wanted to try that was like the one that I thought for me that’s probably where I want to start on like as we on the lower bear. Yeah. But but if you go like the rock we are jumping on is Yeah. Was it much quicker? Yeah. Yeah. We’re going like on the little edge. Yeah. So you can like just pop off to the high line. Not even top off. You can hear. Oh, okay. Okay. And we’re back. Okay. So that was the first run, right? Pretty steady. I’m going to show you next like my favorite run or my best run pre- lunch. I think it was the last one actually before lunch. And I felt like it was really dialed. But I thought that the track was in really good condition at that point. Felt solid. Really worked out my lines. Um I’ve actually changed my final line in the final woods since then, but felt in a really good place. Um so yeah, let’s uh let’s check that one out. Heat. Heat. Nice job. Heat. Heat. Okay, after lunch. Now, this is where the day gets a bit dicey. Uh, I think like the fatigue was setting in, but it’s a different type of fatigue when it’s downhill, right? Because you’re not like you’re not like enduro tired where you’ve just been like pedaling out for 40 km or you you’ve done loads of climbing or or your legs are dying or whatever, but you’ve done all these runs and each run you’re in full focus mode. So, all of a sudden you’re just not quite, you know, you’re not quite there. Um, and I felt that, but I also felt like I was at a like found my pace was good. That first run after lunch wasn’t great. It was just a bit steady. Then I got a nice run in and I was really happy with that. And then uh then the mistake started creeping. You all right? Yeah. Then went back up. Then there was a rain shower so I waited a bit longer. got back out a crash in the lower section. Got back up and be like, “Oh, go and sort that out. Go and get that.” And then bang, crash again. There a lot of things on this track that I’m not sure if I’m enjoying All right. I’ve been having a pretty rough time of it just now. A lot of crashes. We got to nail the other sections. Yeah, boy. So frustrated with myself. So, uh, some lovely words of advice from my my wife there. Keeping it basic, keeping it simple, and just telling me to pull my head out my ass. And, uh, then went and got the line right and went and sat in the gate. So, this is the run we’re going to show you now. It’s the last run of the day. It was 4:45. Lift closes at 5. Sat up there. Just had two big crashes one after the other and was like, “Right, let’s get this race run vibes.” Like, we got to dial it back a couple of% cuz the track’s so unpredictable, but just stick a solid rund down. And that is what we’re going to leave you with. And I had some like words after that, so you can listen to them as well. But that is it for future Ollie. We’ll hand you back to past Ollie now. Good luck everyone that’s racing tomorrow. Let’s hope that this rain doesn’t set in all night, eh? Because uh that would be carnage and I think the day will just be about hoping that everyone gets through it without getting injured, right? But it’s downhill SM tomorrow. Pretty excited. Enjoy this run and enjoy past Ollie chat and face. All right, lady. Let’s get through this. Come on. Have fun, lads. and stand up. Get back. Yes. Heat. Heat. Send it. Woo! I believe Heat. Heat. Well done. So yeah, that’s a pretty mad day. Like felt really good up till lunch. Came back out, had a slow one straight after lunch and then managed to pick up the pace after that and then just started crashing and having runs. And then two of the biggest crashes I’ve had in I don’t even know how long. Not going to lie, they hurt. The left arm is not super happy. Um, but managed to like get back up there, clean it up in like one run starting from the hill and then got back up to the top and put in a solid run top to bottom. But there was a moment there I’m just thinking, what the have you got yourself in for? Like this is a proper downhill track. It might not be massively long, but it is rowdy as and the tracks change so much. Hello, girl. Hey. Hey. Uh, but got to get back, clean up the bike. She’s got a bunch of new scratches and dents. Um, hey. Uh, get the bike cleaned up. get the body cleaned up a bit and regroup. Like that was tough. I really was not sure what I’m doing getting back into downhill. But downhill generally is so much fun. I’ve really enjoyed the day, but those couple of crashes, they hurt a bit. I’m not sure if it’s mostly the ego or not. But we’ll get cleaned up, get prepared for tomorrow, and get back out here. and like feels weird saying it on camera, but I I’ve come here to win. Like I want that gold medal and uh that’s the motivation to get back up and go again. So, we’ll give it get prepared as we can and get out there and go for it, you know? Good luck to everyone that’s racing tomorrow. We’ll try and knock this up really quick and get it out. Jesus, let’s hope that rain doesn’t come, eh? Peace out.