Not sure how I didn’t see this sooner, but the UCI had released a video a month ago showcasing the entire XCO course to be used for the World Champs next week.
Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6DN0dmxiu4
It doesn’t look like a World Cup course, that’s for sure. They always add the crazy man-made features with giant fake rock formations, logs, whatever they can to make a seemingly “easy” course more difficult. The crazy rock formation trend makes little sense to me I must admit. When I was standing next to the huge rock drop in Snowshoe a few years back, I thought for sure there would be some carnage. No way they could ride down this seemingly random mix of giant sharp boulders. Not all at once in a group for sure. So what happened? Everyone rode down just fine. Someone did crash on it during practice, I forget who, Maja Wloszczowska? Doesn’t matter.
Watch the video, and see what you think. Maybe with the course tape in place, the banners along the side, fans crowding around, it will all feel very World Champy…
