Mega 2014

ilovedirt
ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
edited July 2014 in MTB general
The mega is by far one of the coolest mtb races there is - so why is the coverage so piss poor? It happened this weekend just gone, and it's just radio silence! I'm aware that it's only Monday morning, but I'd have thought there would be course checks, day-by-day reports etc as with most of the other races, but there's nothing!
Production Privee Shan

B'Twin Triban 5

Comments

  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Long course makes it hard to film, the carnage won't translate well to TV, it's not got the backing of Red Bull or another sponsor to fund the coverage.

    Take your pick.
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    Well, it's a shame, given the status it seems to hold as "THE mountain bike race to enter".
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    It wouldn't make good tv.
    This year the weather is really bad, it's complete carnage.
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Saw Martyn Brookes's photos on Facebook, looked mental. Top ride by him though.
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    It wouldn't make good tv.
    This year the weather is really bad, it's complete carnage.
    I disagree, that's half the reason I've been hoping there's footage etc.!
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    People riding in cloud? Throw some emulsion on your TV. Done.
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    People slithering around in mud, always fun to watch.
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    yeah, I didn't realise it'd happened until I saw manon carpenters picture.

    I'm sure there was more coverage last year - as in there was more of a build up to it and pics and vids of practice etc.
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    ilovedirt wrote:
    People slithering around in mud, always fun to watch.

    Visibility is really poor, it won't make good tv.
  • pesky_jones
    pesky_jones Posts: 2,890
    The few bits I've seen make better TV than the bits last year! More amusing for non mtbers as well
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    It would be amusing for 5 minutes then it just gets boring watching people fall off bikes.
    If you want to see some real carnage look up the video of this years Llangollen BDS. It was so bad that more than 80 riders chose not to race including a couple elite riders.
  • felix.london
    felix.london Posts: 4,067
    Was meant to race but I decided to blow it out last Monday...very good decision seeing some of the footage online...yuk!

    They screwed themselves really putting it on the same w/e as the 4th round of the EWS - all the big names would've been in Italy as well as magazines, camera guys etc

    ..saying that would've been a good year to get a high ranking finish!
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • felix.london
    felix.london Posts: 4,067
    It would be amusing for 5 minutes then it just gets boring watching people fall off bikes.

    Would make a decent watch, the glacier is always carnage but the top guys* are off that in under a minute anyway and then it'd just be like watching an EWS round but with all the riders riding together

    *see previous post - there were no top guys!
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    Three words. Enduro. World. Series. The mega may be the most insane race but nowadays despite it's relative newness I think the EWS carries more kudos than the Mega and the large majority of pro enduro riders are not going to miss a round of the EWS or risk injury in doing an event that isn't part of their main goal of the season. Think the mega will become more of a niche event like the BC bike race or something like that, with few of the top names competing.
  • felix.london
    felix.london Posts: 4,067
    Nonsense...they were all there last year and I'm sure they would've been there this year if the dates didn't clash. The teams wanna be there & the riders wanna be there.
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    EWS picked their weekends so not to clash with the Mega and then the Mega moved their dates - dumb move on the Mega's part - check Pinkbike feeds and its full of EWS feed from Italy and race reports, you can watch 20 minutes of Richard Cunningham's (Spelling?) smug face on video, which aint a lot for a weekend but there is some ok coverage - Mega was a sideline.

    If the rumours that they moved to a clashing date are true then they screwed the pooch royally.

    I always like watching some coverage of it although a full race run from on board gets tedious and there is just too much distance to get decent off bike footage.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • Hob Nob
    Hob Nob Posts: 200
    Part of the issue I think is the Dirt TV guys went to work for Red Bull for the DH World Cup, so arn't covering this sort of stuff this year.

    I can confirm however, this year was a bit of sh*tfest. The weather was so bad, it was almost funny. Endless rain, freezing cold, snow right down to the town etc.

    It was a bit light on the pro's this year, mainly due to the clash of dates, plus it's normally packed with the DH World Cup riders who are mid way through a Euro stint of the season, but that didn't seem to work either, as there arn't any races for them to fit this inbetween.

    Quali was great, as the weather sorted itself out for that - Managed 4th in my heat, which was cool, put me up the front for Sunday.

    The main race wasn't so much fun though. The bottom half of the track was thick, sticky clay based mud. It was completely unrideable - wheels locked solid within meters - it was absolutely destroyed, bikes & bodies everywhere. I'm not sure it was the year to get a sneaky great result though, it seemed down to a lot of luck. There was people on the front row who ended up in the 200's due to having a bad time in the mud. I started on the second row & had a mechanical and was near the back as I climbed out of Alpe d'Huez, but then overtook over 150 people in the woods down to Oz - there was no telling where people were ending up.
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    Hob Nob wrote:
    Part of the issue I think is the Dirt TV guys went to work for Red Bull for the DH World Cup, so arn't covering this sort of stuff this year.

    .

    because red bull bought the rights and no one else was allowed to film the racing. dirt tv couldn't afford to continue without that revenue
  • felix.london
    felix.london Posts: 4,067
    Hob Nob wrote:
    The main race wasn't so much fun though. The bottom half of the track was thick, sticky clay based mud. It was completely unrideable - wheels locked solid within meters - it was absolutely destroyed, bikes & bodies everywhere. I'm not sure it was the year to get a sneaky great result though, it seemed down to a lot of luck. There was people on the front row who ended up in the 200's due to having a bad time in the mud. I started on the second row & had a mechanical and was near the back as I climbed out of Alpe d'Huez, but then overtook over 150 people in the woods down to Oz - there was no telling where people were ending up.

    sounds like a nightmare...glad I decided to swerve it this year
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • Hob Nob
    Hob Nob Posts: 200
    Ah, it's all riding bikes, so was good fun!

    Plus I got to line up between Eddie Masters & Kerry McGarry (RedBull Rampage Canyon backflip fame) which was pretty mint!
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    Hob Nob wrote:
    Ah, it's all riding bikes, so was good fun!

    Plus I got to line up between Eddie Masters & Kerry McGarry (RedBull Rampage Canyon backflip fame) which was pretty mint!
    That's very cool! haha
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • felix.london
    felix.london Posts: 4,067
    Hob Nob wrote:
    Ah, it's all riding bikes, so was good fun!

    aye - the weather over here has spoilt me, very rare I venture out in the rain and the site of mud makes me run away screaming like a little girl! :lol:
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • CitizenLee
    CitizenLee Posts: 2,227
    Current:
    NukeProof Mega FR 2012
    Cube NuRoad 2018
    Previous:
    2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 8
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    CitizenLee wrote:

    Gets boring though doesn't it.....
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • CitizenLee
    CitizenLee Posts: 2,227
    CitizenLee wrote:

    Gets boring though doesn't it.....

    I didn't actually watch it :oops:
    Current:
    NukeProof Mega FR 2012
    Cube NuRoad 2018
    Previous:
    2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 8