A leisurely 40 minute downhill ride
June 14, 2019 9:39 AM Subscribe
Megavalanche 2018 SLYT that is all
That is the most video game like video I've seen that isn't a video game. Like in my mind when they would transition from snow to dirt and dirt to grass, I'd think "STAGE COMPLETE!"
posted by gwint at 10:13 AM on June 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by gwint at 10:13 AM on June 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
"Oh cool, that downhill ski run bike racing on snow looks like fun. Man... I'd try that in a second. Oh, wait... rocks?.. BOULDERS?.. 35 more minutes of... YIKES! No thanks!" But what a run. Thanks.
posted by acroyear at 10:36 AM on June 14, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by acroyear at 10:36 AM on June 14, 2019 [3 favorites]
That hardly looks like a bike he's on, it seems to be literally flying over some of those boulders. A-and where the hell are they anyway? I want a 40 minute downhill run!
posted by chavenet at 10:42 AM on June 14, 2019
posted by chavenet at 10:42 AM on June 14, 2019
L'Alpe D'Huez, famous as a ski resort and epic site of Tour De France stage finishes
posted by OHenryPacey at 10:56 AM on June 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by OHenryPacey at 10:56 AM on June 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
Idunno, that looks kinda dangerous.
I'd love to do it, though. Not in 40 minutes, mind, maybe three hours.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:02 AM on June 14, 2019
I'd love to do it, though. Not in 40 minutes, mind, maybe three hours.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:02 AM on June 14, 2019
Having to slog back up to the top to collect the trophy must be hell though.
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:21 AM on June 14, 2019
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:21 AM on June 14, 2019
I got stuck on hold with a dumb airline today and this was the perfect accompaniment, thank you!
posted by oulipian at 11:30 AM on June 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by oulipian at 11:30 AM on June 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
Last summer I was at Schweitzer Mountain for a company party. One of the things we could do was mountain bike down some trails. On the ski lift up I looked at the switchbacks and they seemed really manageable, so I thought "hey why not" and got a bike.
I made it down one and a half switchbacks before noping out and carrying (!!) my bike back up the mountain. It turns out that when you are going downhill on a dirt path, your brakes don't actually work - they just make you slide. No thank you very much!
posted by grumpybear69 at 11:58 AM on June 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
I made it down one and a half switchbacks before noping out and carrying (!!) my bike back up the mountain. It turns out that when you are going downhill on a dirt path, your brakes don't actually work - they just make you slide. No thank you very much!
posted by grumpybear69 at 11:58 AM on June 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
My eyeballs are dry from fear of blinking.
posted by sjswitzer at 1:08 PM on June 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by sjswitzer at 1:08 PM on June 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
See also Rémy Métailler on this ridiculous urban downhill track through Medellín in the 2018 Medellín Challenge -- about 20 seconds in is where things start to get scary. [previously]
posted by theory at 1:42 PM on June 14, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by theory at 1:42 PM on June 14, 2019 [7 favorites]
It can't be that hard, it's all downhill.
posted by waving at 6:03 PM on June 14, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by waving at 6:03 PM on June 14, 2019 [3 favorites]
THANKS allkindsoftime, that was epic! Seen on widescreen, close up, it was exhilarating, and exhausting just to watch. It made the wilderness hike I came back from today seem pretty puny.
posted by anadem at 9:45 PM on June 14, 2019
posted by anadem at 9:45 PM on June 14, 2019
That was great. I'm not sure what it says about me that in the time it took him to finish the race, all I finished was a Diet Coke and a chocolate chip cookie.
posted by maxwelton at 10:58 PM on June 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by maxwelton at 10:58 PM on June 14, 2019 [2 favorites]
A. fuck, I love this
B. ... I'll get back to you in 39 minutes or so.
posted by philip-random at 11:04 PM on June 14, 2019
B. ... I'll get back to you in 39 minutes or so.
posted by philip-random at 11:04 PM on June 14, 2019
B. ... I'll get back to you in 39 minutes or so.
make that 9.5 hours.
What a ride! I love how seldom he looked back, and some of those level and uphill parts where pedaling became necessary -- from the barely controlled chaos of near free fall to genuinely feeling the muscle pain (sort of).
And rather randomly, the perfect soundtrack ended up being WAR, straight outa LA.
posted by philip-random at 8:44 AM on June 15, 2019
and because I had to know more. From the wiki:
Megavalanche (nicknamed "Mega") is a downhill mountain bike race held annually at the Alpe D'Huez ski resort in the French Alps since 1995.
The Alps event, being the more widely publicized and famous among downhill cycling enthusiasts, starts on the glaciated summit of Pic Blanc in Huez and descends to the valley bottom at Allemond, for a total of over 2,600 vertical meters (8530 feet) and a 20 km (12 miles) distance.
The mass-start race is known for its fast speeds and winding turns over varying terrain, with hundreds of riders descending the mountain at once. Despite the inherent dangers, officials state that injuries are modest, and that the race is less dangerous than it may seem to outsiders. The course is designed to slow the riders down around tight curves and the width of the glacier at the race's start line allows the riders to spread out.[2]
posted by philip-random at 9:10 AM on June 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Megavalanche (nicknamed "Mega") is a downhill mountain bike race held annually at the Alpe D'Huez ski resort in the French Alps since 1995.
The Alps event, being the more widely publicized and famous among downhill cycling enthusiasts, starts on the glaciated summit of Pic Blanc in Huez and descends to the valley bottom at Allemond, for a total of over 2,600 vertical meters (8530 feet) and a 20 km (12 miles) distance.
The mass-start race is known for its fast speeds and winding turns over varying terrain, with hundreds of riders descending the mountain at once. Despite the inherent dangers, officials state that injuries are modest, and that the race is less dangerous than it may seem to outsiders. The course is designed to slow the riders down around tight curves and the width of the glacier at the race's start line allows the riders to spread out.[2]
posted by philip-random at 9:10 AM on June 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
I really enjoyed watching and not riding every inch of that run
posted by spindrifter at 11:05 AM on June 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by spindrifter at 11:05 AM on June 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
How do they DO that? Ride over loose gravel without skidding and turning into human hamburger?!
posted by Transl3y at 1:21 PM on June 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Transl3y at 1:21 PM on June 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
That... wow. I have a bicycle. I ride my bicycle.
I have never, ever had a bike ride like that...
I'm with spindrifter. That was excellent to watch; my stomach curdled at several points.
posted by Savannah at 6:18 PM on June 15, 2019
I have never, ever had a bike ride like that...
I'm with spindrifter. That was excellent to watch; my stomach curdled at several points.
posted by Savannah at 6:18 PM on June 15, 2019
Exhilarating!
posted by DrAstroZoom at 9:42 PM on June 15, 2019
posted by DrAstroZoom at 9:42 PM on June 15, 2019
The rider, Damien Oton, broke his back in, guess what, a cycling accident, about 3 weeks ago. Looks like his spirits are unbowed, though.
posted by louigi at 5:22 PM on June 18, 2019
posted by louigi at 5:22 PM on June 18, 2019
MOUNTAIN OF HELL 2019 | WINNING RUN | FULL RACE X Kilian Bron
This race had a crash and huge pile-up at the first obstacle, the videos are nuts (no serious injuries reported).
posted by peeedro at 9:57 AM on July 2, 2019
This race had a crash and huge pile-up at the first obstacle, the videos are nuts (no serious injuries reported).
posted by peeedro at 9:57 AM on July 2, 2019
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posted by Fizz at 9:42 AM on June 14, 2019 [10 favorites]