Regardless of what Ben says at the end of this about accepting change. When Ronan got sideways I heard Warner screaming in my head Then I came back to a blander reality
Hot tub Ben for the win!! Looking forward to your insightful commentary next season. You consistently keep things super fresh and exciting, never boring or dull.
I enjoyed DH more when there were more privateers. It creates a separate story line apart from they usual top 5. Who can forget the Denim Destroyer? I believe a lot of fans were following him and hoping he did well aside from their favorite pro. Wyn's Privateer of the race award was another bonus. They're turning DH into F1.
Nothing about Gracey in this is a shame to not report as she absolutely destroyed the track and got on her first podium and first time in finals this year!
I like the scrapping of protected status for finals, but everything else I absolutely hate. Fewer teams, fewer riders, more expensive, restricting numbers, restricting privateers, cancelled Fort William, poor broadcasting quality. WBD will be the death of downhill and probably a couple other disciplines too. I'm not having the blinkered positivity view I'm afraid. Too many baffling changes for the worse.
@@waldojpg hopefully the new venues have the chance to prove themselves as capable of hosting a full race weekend. Admittedly the tracks will take less abuse from reduced numbers but it remains to be seen if they’ll suffer from the problems we’ve seen at some races over the last couple of years with weather causing all sorts of disruptions and cancellations
Ben, what a season of videos you gave us to make the DH world cup so enjoyable. Top class. The best change for 2025, put Rob Warner and yourself in charge of the live broadcast commentary
This year has been almost impossible to keep up with due to the changes of broadcast rights. The proposed ‘25 rule changes make that effort untenable. Much like British Super Bike and MotoGP before it, I won’t be back and, much as when I stopped following those the benefit will be the same for me: Watch less; Ride more.
A lot of us appreciate your effort in trying to put a positive spin on the changes, but I always routed for the underdog at these WC races and seeing UCI/WBD take that away and replace it with big pocket factory teams. Personally, I'll be switching 95% of my attention away from the UCI WC and watch the "Regional and Continental Races. I may be the only one with this opinion, but from reading many comments, I think there'll be many others who will turn their attention away.
Thanks Ben for all the analysis. I'm trying to be open minded about these changes but I keep thinking of all these riders and teams that are going to be forced out of world cup and wonder if they will be out of a job or teams just shut down. If they step back to national/regional series I can see that maybe being a positive for them to be in a more competitive series and possibly more lucrative podiums. Check out Finn Iles video on the low payout for UCI podiums.
No doubt corporate have got hold of it and demand more advertising and profit.. it'll destroy the sport just like it destroyed Moto GP, WSBK and British SBK.. used to watch them religiously along with DH.. hardly watch DH any more and haven't watched any other motor sport for years.
Great points on the possible positive outcomes coming from the rule changes. New rule proposition here: shorts reqd in the company hottub! Just kidding, let em ride!!!
Why does Gracey Hemstreet get such minimal coverage, if ever? This time, she's on the bloody podium - not even mentioned? WtH? Is she really unpleasant? I've ridden alongside her, sure didn't seem to be. Lol. Of course she isn't. So what gives? Too Canadian? Too polite? What's up?? PS amazing to watch your success this season, #graceyhemstreet, and mega congrats on holding the hot seat for a long minute and eventually winning 2nd at MSA! In World Cup Downhill Elite!! Whoot whoot! Represent, Canada. What! 💪🏻👊🏻🏆🌟
Been a great season. Love seeing these videos with Cathro. No semis and no protected status is great but making things harder for privateers is horrible. Having more races is nice but I hope that it isn't just more Europe. It would be great to see more of the world in the World Cup. With more races will they actually make the prize money worth winning? I guess we'll see.
Shouldnt be mentioned, as the track was much faster for the juniors. Its not just the slippyness, shit rolls worse when it gets mucky until it gets really liquid again. And it never got really liquid.
Thank you Ben for the insights this season! And the view on next, will it give me double the riders in finals, more rounds, more prize money for the riders, nope, but I think the continental series will give a lot of riders a regular shot at the podium and prize money, then the buzz of someone killing it coming through to World Cups. World Cup prize money - in most sports it comes from TV money, sponsorship and some from local venues, but won't happen over night. Sad about the smaller teams being pushed out but the increased number of rounds (that we all want). Fewer riders :( but that should bring hosting costs down and open up World Cups to new (or old) locations. I need to see some light in this as they've got me, my subs, love it too much to not watch it, and can only see the racing closer.
So the series leaves RedBull for Discovery and now all of a sudden there's not enough money in the pot, so will be less teams etc next season and making it harder and more expensive for privateers, doesn't sound great for the future, these athletes are already undervalued when you look at the prize money compared to say motorcross with Monster sponsors
This is the first year for a looong time where I would get bored and reach for my phone or iPad during a live DH Worldcup. The broadcast is just not good enough to hold my attention! On every rider they use several seconds to watch them waiting and leaving the start gate.. Why?? Nothing happens in there. I am gonna cancel my discovery+ subscription and really think hard if I ever need to enter it again-
I'd love to see a general funded (uci maybe) privateer team as a addition to the set "bigger" teams. The team gets drawn each year out of the best privateer riders of the continental series. Therfor riders can choose if they want to try and fight thier way into a team that is allowed partizipation in worldcups or if they try to reach the top 10 in the continental series on their own to get a spot in the privateer-wc-team. This team should provide acomodations for riders and acses to mechanics. Also riders in this team should be allowed to have ther own Sponsors for the season.
It has always been a “rich kid sport”. I show up to races and nowadays the juniors are riding nicer bikes with better components then the elite pros in California. It is insanely far from being an equitable sport. So I feel for the few privateers that dont have daddy’s money, but from my experience a bulk of them do, especially in XC. A race-able bike is minimum 5k. My parents would have laughed at me for a bike that costs that much.
The coverage needs to change asap the casters with all due respect are trash compared to rob warner no emotion. Not so speak about not being able to watch it cuz I won’t be paying 7 euros or so per month for 1 race every 6 weeks or so.
While we talk about change, lets consider this, Sven Martin mentioned on Moving the Needle, that under the current proposed changes, Lachie Stevens McNab would'nt have been able to race this year.. Let that just sink in.. Union isnt a professional team, it operates as a non-profit charity organisation. Lachie had injury all last year so he didnt have enough points accrued.. And yet look what happened.. Same with Luke Wayman with Wyn's privateer project.. Ronan wouldnt have been able to race in his first year.. Nor Cammi Balanche.. Nor Nina Hoffman.. I'm pretty sure that even Asa Vermette wouldnt have been able to ride either.. Ludicrous! ... No non-elite or non professional teams means less chances for breakout racers. Making it harder for privateers means less breakout racers to be picked up by bigger teams to then become legends in the making.. I get that they want to make coverage more indepth & its harder to do that for 60 riders. But just show the top 30, they dont have to cut it to 30.. If WBD was to help fund continental races as a B-group competition to raise points for WC races then it wouldnt be so bad. But the way theyre doing it is guaranteed to result in not much left at an elite level after theyve sucked out all they can.. WBD are no different to a private equity firm that has bought out state assets purely to asset strip them, cut maintenance, raise the prices, & then have the state buy the asset back after it has fallen into disrepair from profitable neglect. Elite level WC DH is going to be the same in a few years time.. Hopefully Monster Pro Downhill & IXS can both grow & offer an alternative. But World Cup Downhill is on a limited time if they cut off the flow of new riders & new teams without also offering a B-Group competition to ramp on from..
Thank you Ben for trying to be positive and put an optimistic spin on the changes the UCI are imposing on our sport. I guess this year has been so bad, so impossible to watch, so ineptly managed that next year has a chance to be better. Hmm, not if you are an up-and-coming rider trying to break into elite downhill though. Nah, if the television/streaming coverage remains as woeful as it has been this season, the fans won't be happy. the riders won't be happy. Only a few big bike manufacturers might be happy. But then, with nobody watching, even the manufacturers might be unhappy if they cannot sell their bikes. Only the UCI will walk away happy, having successfully completely ruined our sport. Good on UCI.
I live in Switzerland so I haven’t seen one full race coverage yet it will cost me an extra 60 Swiss francs a month to get English commentary so all I get is the highlights on TH-cam which sux ass bring back red bull tv
So to the new upcoming UCI ruleset: suck up the shit and support your local races ! This from a guy who loved WC races and lives in friggin` UCI land. Slowly and surely this isn`t worth it any more.
I was the marshal in next to Ronan drift and MY GOD he whose 90 from where he needed to go. Such control it's unconscionable for mere mortals
Were you the guy takin a nap on screen. 😅😂😂
Regardless of what Ben says at the end of this about accepting change. When Ronan got sideways I heard Warner screaming in my head Then I came back to a blander reality
I got to see Ronan ride near where I live, he's an absolute ripper on the bike, a real eye opener
Gracey Hemstreet definitely deserves a mention for an awesome run that got her into second place!
typical PB, think about the tub, forget about a rider :)
The table she did on the hip was epic!
Agree with this 1000%
I dont want no weekend without an Ben Cathro certified Analysis Video
Hot tub Ben for the win!! Looking forward to your insightful commentary next season. You consistently keep things super fresh and exciting, never boring or dull.
I enjoyed DH more when there were more privateers. It creates a separate story line apart from they usual top 5. Who can forget the Denim Destroyer? I believe a lot of fans were following him and hoping he did well aside from their favorite pro. Wyn's Privateer of the race award was another bonus.
They're turning DH into F1.
Not even a mention of Gracey!? Amazing result and that style over the hip 👌
Gracey definitely deserves a shout out for her best result of the season in 2nd place!
Nothing about Gracey in this is a shame to not report as she absolutely destroyed the track and got on her first podium and first time in finals this year!
Thanks dude and pinkbike. Hope your back next year.
Tahnee’s save was incredible! As the race went on those slabs looked leathal but Lachie was absolutely flying through that section! What a race! 🔥
Save of the day, definitely!
You could have mentioned Gracey Hemstreet
Ben Cathro, simply amazing. thanks for amazing content!
Thank you UCI! You won the battle DHMTB is no longer a thing... no go mess with road again
Discovery killed dh!
I like the scrapping of protected status for finals, but everything else I absolutely hate. Fewer teams, fewer riders, more expensive, restricting numbers, restricting privateers, cancelled Fort William, poor broadcasting quality. WBD will be the death of downhill and probably a couple other disciplines too. I'm not having the blinkered positivity view I'm afraid. Too many baffling changes for the worse.
It’s weird that Italy has two races and Bill has been dropped, roughly a fifth of the current top 100 elite men’s field coming from the UK
@@caseyrimdinger3220whats a bill
@@caseyrimdinger3220riders have been complaining about the track for a while + the venues apply at the uci to host, not the other way round
WBD combined with your attitude, is destroying downhill racing…🙄
@@waldojpg hopefully the new venues have the chance to prove themselves as capable of hosting a full race weekend. Admittedly the tracks will take less abuse from reduced numbers but it remains to be seen if they’ll suffer from the problems we’ve seen at some races over the last couple of years with weather causing all sorts of disruptions and cancellations
That scandi flick from Ronan Dunne was the highlight of my
Lets not ever forget Stevie Smiths winning run down Mont St Anne. Absolutely incredible!
You may not see this. Thank you for walking us through the races it made watching the races on Sunday more special. So don’t change that part 😂
Awesome as always Ben
Ben, what a season of videos you gave us to make the DH world cup so enjoyable. Top class. The best change for 2025, put Rob Warner and yourself in charge of the live broadcast commentary
Yeah Gracey deserved some comment in here! C’mon man 😉
Well, on the bright side, freeride is still alive and going even stronger. That's nice :)
The crowd literally bursting through the fences at 8:14 is the spirit of DH
Gracey Hemstreet 2nd, first Canadian elite women's DH podium in how long? Probably since Miranda Miller World Champs Cairns 2017?
I’m well impressed over that DJi (?) microphone’s ability to isolate Cathro’s voice in that bubble bath.
This year has been almost impossible to keep up with due to the changes of broadcast rights. The proposed ‘25 rule changes make that effort untenable. Much like British Super Bike and MotoGP before it, I won’t be back and, much as when I stopped following those the benefit will be the same for me: Watch less; Ride more.
All brands are leave because WB is make a joke of the coverage.
A lot of us appreciate your effort in trying to put a positive spin on the changes, but I always routed for the underdog at these WC races and seeing UCI/WBD take that away and replace it with big pocket factory teams. Personally, I'll be switching 95% of my attention away from the UCI WC and watch the "Regional and Continental Races. I may be the only one with this opinion, but from reading many comments, I think there'll be many others who will turn their attention away.
Thanks Ben for all the analysis. I'm trying to be open minded about these changes but I keep thinking of all these riders and teams that are going to be forced out of world cup and wonder if they will be out of a job or teams just shut down. If they step back to national/regional series I can see that maybe being a positive for them to be in a more competitive series and possibly more lucrative podiums. Check out Finn Iles video on the low payout for UCI podiums.
nice way to spend a sunday night watching this ❤
Yes sir Pinkbike had the Sunday watching sorted
Man neither the highlights nor this video mention Gracey taking second place! Thats a great result and certainly deserves a little coverage.
Thanks my man! You da best. Let's hope for good changes for next year. ❤
The most impressive part of this video is how Ben managed to record his voice without being drowned out by the jacuzzi!!!!
Don't ever change Ben!
No doubt corporate have got hold of it and demand more advertising and profit.. it'll destroy the sport just like it destroyed Moto GP, WSBK and British SBK.. used to watch them religiously along with DH.. hardly watch DH any more and haven't watched any other motor sport for years.
Great points on the possible positive outcomes coming from the rule changes. New rule proposition here: shorts reqd in the company hottub! Just kidding, let em ride!!!
Beautiful conclusion Ben!
Why does Gracey Hemstreet get such minimal coverage, if ever? This time, she's on the bloody podium - not even mentioned? WtH? Is she really unpleasant? I've ridden alongside her, sure didn't seem to be. Lol. Of course she isn't. So what gives? Too Canadian? Too polite? What's up?? PS amazing to watch your success this season, #graceyhemstreet, and mega congrats on holding the hot seat for a long minute and eventually winning 2nd at MSA! In World Cup Downhill Elite!! Whoot whoot! Represent, Canada. What! 💪🏻👊🏻🏆🌟
Gracey in 2nd
Cathro rocking a sci-fi fantasy cap 🛹
Better coverage than the official whoop uci etc, thank you
Been a great season. Love seeing these videos with Cathro. No semis and no protected status is great but making things harder for privateers is horrible. Having more races is nice but I hope that it isn't just more Europe. It would be great to see more of the world in the World Cup. With more races will they actually make the prize money worth winning? I guess we'll see.
So nice overview and edit :)
When television gets hold of sport, it's always a balls up.
Feels like the last "normal" season.
Time to focus on the regional races. Bring back the NORBA big races!
Somehow, I thought you were in the classroom in hot tub with chalkboard behind you 😂
Long may it continue indeed!!! 🎉🎉
Good points well made.
Not mentionning in a race recap video that junior winner Max alran was faster than elite winner troy is crazy.
Shouldnt be mentioned, as the track was much faster for the juniors. Its not just the slippyness, shit rolls worse when it gets mucky until it gets really liquid again. And it never got really liquid.
It’s good that it’s changing in the way that will have to make people work and become world class at the lower level before coming to world cups
Thank you Ben for the insights this season! And the view on next, will it give me double the riders in finals, more rounds, more prize money for the riders, nope, but I think the continental series will give a lot of riders a regular shot at the podium and prize money, then the buzz of someone killing it coming through to World Cups. World Cup prize money - in most sports it comes from TV money, sponsorship and some from local venues, but won't happen over night. Sad about the smaller teams being pushed out but the increased number of rounds (that we all want). Fewer riders :( but that should bring hosting costs down and open up World Cups to new (or old) locations.
I need to see some light in this as they've got me, my subs, love it too much to not watch it, and can only see the racing closer.
So the series leaves RedBull for Discovery and now all of a sudden there's not enough money in the pot, so will be less teams etc next season and making it harder and more expensive for privateers, doesn't sound great for the future, these athletes are already undervalued when you look at the prize money compared to say motorcross with Monster sponsors
GRACEY
This is the first year for a looong time where I would get bored and reach for my phone or iPad during a live DH Worldcup. The broadcast is just not good enough to hold my attention! On every rider they use several seconds to watch them waiting and leaving the start gate.. Why?? Nothing happens in there. I am gonna cancel my discovery+ subscription and really think hard if I ever need to enter it again-
OMG... Ben don't ever change!! 😂😂😂
Ow wait... That's what you said...
Nice!!!
😂! Best recap ever!
dig these rule changes as a spectator
I'd love to see a general funded (uci maybe) privateer team as a addition to the set "bigger" teams. The team gets drawn each year out of the best privateer riders of the continental series. Therfor riders can choose if they want to try and fight thier way into a team that is allowed partizipation in worldcups or if they try to reach the top 10 in the continental series on their own to get a spot in the privateer-wc-team. This team should provide acomodations for riders and acses to mechanics. Also riders in this team should be allowed to have ther own Sponsors for the season.
So excited to see national races getting bigger. World cups are just insane for people to be privateering.
Greg Minnaar will forever be the GOAT.
Come on @bencathro you must agree losing fort bill is a travesty!
Never change Ben
Quite pathetic there was no mention of Gracey’s first elite podium. Especially being Canadian!!
This is impressive af 3:54
I swear u can see his bars flexing? Or maybe just optical illusion cuz of how they’re rolled
Ben I‘m just going through a potential breakup after a 5-year-relationship and your epilogue on change was right what I needed. Thank you!
That ending 😂
Can you pls make a video on what’s going on next year
It has always been a “rich kid sport”. I show up to races and nowadays the juniors are riding nicer bikes with better components then the elite pros in California. It is insanely far from being an equitable sport. So I feel for the few privateers that dont have daddy’s money, but from my experience a bulk of them do, especially in XC. A race-able bike is minimum 5k. My parents would have laughed at me for a bike that costs that much.
Pay these winners more prize money! 💰
The coverage needs to change asap the casters with all due respect are trash compared to rob warner no emotion. Not so speak about not being able to watch it cuz I won’t be paying 7 euros or so per month for 1 race every 6 weeks or so.
Yup I wat h highlights when I can find them... Def needs to be more accessible
What is WBD?
troy is the new top G
the fans at 8:16
Will there even be a 2025 WC series?
While we talk about change, lets consider this, Sven Martin mentioned on Moving the Needle, that under the current proposed changes, Lachie Stevens McNab would'nt have been able to race this year.. Let that just sink in.. Union isnt a professional team, it operates as a non-profit charity organisation. Lachie had injury all last year so he didnt have enough points accrued.. And yet look what happened.. Same with Luke Wayman with Wyn's privateer project.. Ronan wouldnt have been able to race in his first year.. Nor Cammi Balanche.. Nor Nina Hoffman.. I'm pretty sure that even Asa Vermette wouldnt have been able to ride either.. Ludicrous! ... No non-elite or non professional teams means less chances for breakout racers. Making it harder for privateers means less breakout racers to be picked up by bigger teams to then become legends in the making..
I get that they want to make coverage more indepth & its harder to do that for 60 riders. But just show the top 30, they dont have to cut it to 30.. If WBD was to help fund continental races as a B-group competition to raise points for WC races then it wouldnt be so bad. But the way theyre doing it is guaranteed to result in not much left at an elite level after theyve sucked out all they can.. WBD are no different to a private equity firm that has bought out state assets purely to asset strip them, cut maintenance, raise the prices, & then have the state buy the asset back after it has fallen into disrepair from profitable neglect. Elite level WC DH is going to be the same in a few years time.. Hopefully Monster Pro Downhill & IXS can both grow & offer an alternative. But World Cup Downhill is on a limited time if they cut off the flow of new riders & new teams without also offering a B-Group competition to ramp on from..
Benfucius speak the truth. All hail Benfucius
Thank you Ben for trying to be positive and put an optimistic spin on the changes the UCI are imposing on our sport. I guess this year has been so bad, so impossible to watch, so ineptly managed that next year has a chance to be better. Hmm, not if you are an up-and-coming rider trying to break into elite downhill though. Nah, if the television/streaming coverage remains as woeful as it has been this season, the fans won't be happy. the riders won't be happy. Only a few big bike manufacturers might be happy. But then, with nobody watching, even the manufacturers might be unhappy if they cannot sell their bikes. Only the UCI will walk away happy, having successfully completely ruined our sport. Good on UCI.
I have no way to watch World Cup dh. Next year won’t change anything for me.
Don't ever change Ben lol
7:26 WTF 😳
I only watch Cathros updates. All the rest are just boating!
They are Nascaring it.....
Ben .... nevermind.😂🤪
Did P.Diddy set u up to do this video in the tub?
Can't wait for red bull to make their own race series and all the wc jump ship from this shit. Plus we can finally get some good commentary back
I live in Switzerland so I haven’t seen one full race coverage yet it will cost me an extra 60 Swiss francs a month to get English commentary so all I get is the highlights on TH-cam which sux ass bring back red bull tv
Why is he wearing budgie smugglers in the tub?!?
Beginning of the end of World class DH riding... so sad
Our lord and savior who rose from the tub...
So to the new upcoming UCI ruleset: suck up the shit and support your local races ! This from a guy who loved WC races and lives in friggin` UCI land. Slowly and surely this isn`t worth it any more.
Niel
World Cup is dead. Long live World Cup.
Some elite highlights would’ve been nice from uci. How to destroy a sport. Uci can tackle it🫵🙄