Megavalanche pics

grumsta

Start of the one of the qualifier heats

Tricky section on the qualifier course

Bit lower down on the qualifier course

Just after the climb on the qualifier course

Top of Pic Blanc

Fun on the snow

Obligatory bikes on balcony shot

Few more here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/18244158@N00/

Really enjoyed it though I didn't do too well - came 134th out of around 200 in my qualifier. Was doing quite well until about mid-way down when the arm pump started to kick in really badly and I had a couple of offs and got passed by loads of people.

Was then in the Affinity 1 but still managed to get clattered on the snow near the top. Had another nasty off and did the rest pretty carefully, ended up in 414th or something in the Affinity, but I was just glad to finish really in the end.

Didn't find the technical level too bad, apart from a few difficult sections which took me a bit to get my head around, but it was more the physical and mental challenge of constantly rough, steep, loose trails, sometimes narrow with reasonable drops to the side. Trying to go flat out for an hour or two on this kind of trail was really hard for me.

I would def do it again, think some slightly longer forks than my Pikes would be ideal, though my Pitch handled it all fine really.

chuckd

Wow nice pics mate, looks like you had a great time.

lawman

nice

im hoping to do the mega next year when i leave college and start my gap year how does the riding compare to stuff in the uk???? ive done all the biggies, snowdon, nevis, hellvelyn etc, so is it any tougher on the body????? im pretty fit so im not to worried about pedalling and im pretty able technically, just abit concerned about arm pump. how much of an issue is it????

cee

that looks superb.....

well done for giving it a go...i guess the first time is more about the experience than actually winning ( :shock: ) the thing.....so very well done!

The pics looks great....glad the weather looked favourable.....

same again on how does it compare to the big tracks here in the UK...technically...i.e. compared to the Fort Bill DH track....

obviously you say the length is a major factor......

cgarossi

Good job for having a go and finishing! Thanks for sharing

Hercule Q

looks like alot of fun, defo gonna do it when i upgrade my bike. how much does it cost to go and enter

grumsta

I've not done the Fort William downhill so can't compare to that. If you have done Dollywaggon Pike on Helvellyn I would say the hardest bits on the Mega are not really harder than some of that - but like I said it's the relentless steepness and exposure of some of it that was the issue for me. Altitude makes it harder work as well.

There were a few very steep, loose switchbacks which I can't really compare to anything I have ridden in the uk and found it hard to get my head around.

I found the arm pump pretty bad but then I am quite heavy so have to break quite hard. I also think maybe I did too much in the day before the qualifier.

Getting to grips with the snow might be an issue also.

I reckon if you are reasonably fit and technically able you will be fine. Dual Ply tyres are a must though I reckon.

nwmlarge

looks like a hell of a ride out!

nwmlarge

looks like a hell of a ride out!

CycloRos

wow! that looks fantastic! well done for finishing it in one piece.

lawman

sounds like i might be alright then

how much body armour did you wear and is it mandatory???? i have full face and some goggles and rarely feel the need for anything else

OtherSide

Looks great that mate! The most important thing is that you had fun tbh, but I don't think your place was that bad considering you'd never done it before .

grumsta

Think it says full face helmet and elbow pads are mandatory - I managed to borrow a 661 pressure suit thingy and had some knee pads anyway.

It's pretty good value really - think it was about 85 euros for a weeks lift pass and entry to the Sprint DH Race (which I didn't do), the Qualifier and the Mega. Though they did cock up my entry slightly and I ended up paying for two days lift pass, but never mind.

lawman

yer the value is great tbh. i looked a going to whistler but it was 200quid for a week pass :shock:

as for the elbow pads do you think this would do. it kinda covers everything without bein to much http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=30723

welshkev

looks awsome, i'd love to do it one day. i was all set to go for it this year until we found out that the missus was pregnant and my priorities changed.

ah well always next year

great pics, thanks for sharing

.blitz

Mountains. Bikes. That's what it's all about.

GHill

Awesome. Thanks for posting.

XxxBFGxxX

sweet as mate. as said above cheers for posting.

realy would like to do this my self once i upgrade to a 140 travel bike. as i dont think my 120 would cope with it.

delcol

nice piccys. and well done at the end of the day you finished and completed the course, from the sounds of it you had an awesome time and enjoyed it thats what its all about, enjoying yourself and having fun...

how many people didn't finish it....

JonEdwards

There's nothing especially technical on it, nor are there any monster stunts. There's some tightish hairpins, but at the end of the day, they're just corners the same as any other and with a bit of confidence can be treated as such. If you can ride snowdon, dolly wagon pike etc, it's no worse than that.

The snow requires a different skill set, commonly known as "balls to the wall". Basically you can either mince it at walking pace and fall off, or you can pin it feet up, off the brakes, and at least you'll be a lot further down the hill when you crash. Big tip - don't, what ever you do, let go of the bike. It will stop. You won't!.

The biggest challenges are the altitude and the sheer length of it. The altitude really does f'k with your mind, almost more than your body - arguably the most dangerous bit on the mian race is the long rocky (ace) singletrack after the snow, which is still quite high up, and it's very easy to make a silly error because you can't think straight. I've done a fair bit of alpine riding and can't remember the last time I had armpump, but I had a bloody good dose of it last week! The final sections through the woods are steep and fast and sooo much fun, but gods its hard to hang on after pinning it for an hour plus.

Full body armour is pretty desirable IMO.You will end up sliding down the snow on your arse/face/both at some point, and the rocks poking through do sting. Likewise your bike clouting you. I had a few big offs, including getting nudged off a 10' drop in my qualifier and overall was very glad to be wearing the full works.

120mm bike is fine - a mate did it on a 75mm Yeti 4x bike and came 150th in the main race, despite crashing hard enough to rip his front wheel out. I had a lot of fun the day I rode my Cotic BFe. BIG tyres and slack angles are what's needed.

It is very definitely *proper* mountain biking. It's also a pretty insane thing going head to head with 400 other riders into the first corner with the eurotrash music going and the helicopter thundering overhead. Recommended!

grumsta

Here was my snow technique

yearofthegoat

Hats off to you mate, never done anything remotely that steep (on a bike anyway). Looks like a real rush.