First impressions of K-Capital Course

[Richie]

Anyone? I stayed at home to watch the Ireland/Wales match... Doh!


My only question is how muddy is it?

[Liam]

Put it this way, there was a rush on in cycle super store for Mud tyres.


Some sections were very slippy.

[Scrivo]

It's savage man. Very savage indeed. Would be tough in the dry, the mud just makes is harder. Wish I stayed at home, all those crashes did nothing for the confidence. I got a nod of respect from TEAM GBR for my line on the rock face though :D

[paddyobrien]

yep .. quite savage alright. I'm now scared of doing masters!


On the plus side i broke a tree after flying over the bars at one point. Admittedly it was a rotten tree stump .. but now its totally f***ed!

[Scrivo]

Nice on Paddy. They way I was riding today, i could have impaled myself on it tomorrow...

[Richie]

This ain't very encouraging lads - is this the same course as last year?

[Scrivo]

More or less. Don't get us wrong, it's DEADLY which makes it really good fun to get around clean

[paddyobrien]

i didn't ride it last year but its definitely differetn in parts and some parts the same. Where i was marshalling last year has changed a bit, the really steep rocky drop with the chicken run is gone, but the bit shortly afterwards with a steep muddy bit is still there. I saw ollie and an IMBRC fella falling there. i tried walking it and fell too so i'll just go for it tomorrow and see what happens!

[ryan]

The couse was great. I wish it was a bit drier in places but it is about 85% bone dry, 15% schlomp... Watch those fast wet corners after a dry section. It is technical though - I was chatting to some of the british cycling lads and they looked a bit scared :)


The course is similar to last years but no ST after 150m. A 90m vertical climb (latter race) so pace should not be too mental at the start.


Bit funny for me - my first XC race of the season in Ireland has the competition of one of the big UK races. Great to see guys like Oli from the UK over. Amazing - any sports riders, get your ass out and watch the Elites take on the techy sections - should be great :)


Lets hope it stays dry overnight... I know my second lap was drier/easier then the first as it had dried out a bit.

[ryan]

lol, just read Paddys bit about the muddy drop Oli fell on... I fell on it first lap too (that is where I got the cut on my leg). Second lap was fine though.

[shane]

sure at the resivor i almost ploughed right into the bristsh teams bikes as they had left them smack bang in the middle of the trail after the 1st drop and oli's was first to go if i hadn't of slowed

[diamondG]

amazing course, the singletrack is class!

there is the climb at the start, which is painful especially with the wind today, and some very mucky sections, but overall its class, best trails in Ireland if you ask me!

[Conor]

Hmmm... First impresion was "Oh my god, the mud, the wind, this is gonna be a WORLD of hurt." Second impresions, great track, keeps you on your toes throughout. 2 unbplesant climbs, one right from the off, the next after the first singletrack descent. 3 laps might be doable!

[paddyobrien]

here shane you better keep the head down and not be giving out as your racing sports tomorrow so severe abuse will be dealt out to you ;-)


At the same time, whooping and cheering and heaps of praise will greet all the other MAD sports entrants. Go on ya MAD things .. can't wait to be screaming and taking the photos.

[shane]

you just wait mr o brien i will make you suffer everytime you come around by that start finish area


now wheres my hatchet

[paddyobrien]

as long as you're passing me a bottle while swinging the hatchet ...

[shane]

bottle ok


oh and my poisin so ya go even slower

[Cormac]

Conor, this will be a world of pain. It is a really nice course. No time to relax, if you not climbing, your in some twisty singletrack or else on some really sliddery decesnt. Ahh two hours of vomit inducing fun.....

[ollietrex]

Its class, 100% class... I had to walk some bits which I will attempt to ride again tomorrow or just run at full pace. Its a bit muddy but nothing compared to Djouce last year so should be grand. My face may not tell a happy story when I am on my second or third lap but really I will be loving every second of it...

[Fergal]

ah, it's class, really gonna enjoy it, even more if weather holds-up


the majority of it is first-rate singletrack, the climbing is challenging yes, but there's not a lot of it.

The Rock is ok - we did a bit of experimenting (Steve sacrificing his body for the club) and the straight-down lines are pretty tricky but Steve nailed one of them really nicely on his 2nd - the Brits were wowed! - they were scratching their heads - they must have thought it was the EPIC Blast they had arrived at!!


Steve's first go at the stright-down line was really impressive - huge endo to avoid ramming some guy on a really nice bike - very considerate Steve!


The switchback route down is ok, light on the brakes, you can cut the corners once or twice to avoid traffic - I'm thinking it's gonna be a very busy descent tomorrow!!


Schlomp - heavy in places, but overall not a lot of it, - best to hit the schlomp at speed and get thru it asap, try to keep momentum the whole time


the techy climb to the bombhole is really nice - stay high and left,

the muddy descent before the reservoir bit can be tricky - STAY OFF the brakes going down it, I braked on it the first time and slid down most of it on my arse - as did some others, - brake WHEN YOU ARE AT THE BOTTOM and you'll be good, again, off the brakes when you are near to dropping down onto the concrete base (this just after the descent mentioned), pedal-off the concrete base to get speed for the sudden short step-up...


stay light and pop the front wheel over the trickier roots on the tight singletrack corners, - expect the bike to slide a little in some sections - this is normal!

careful of your hips/shoulders with the odd tree sloping a little onto the singletrack


.......and you'll all be grand!!!!!!!!!!!

Especially you, Richie Close, print off this page and stick it to your handlebars!


best of luck the lot of ye!!


Fergal

[Fergal]

oh yeah - sorry for forgetting the med kit stuff for ya Steve - hopefully your elbow is ok - I'm doing you the Stone Roses/Ian Brown compilation now....


Barry - I have your evil metal CD done - you're going straight to hell if you listen to all of it :-)


http://www.adpulp.com/satan.jpg

[Barrydanzig]

Fergal, in the words of AC\DC:


hell ain't a bad place to be!


the course sounds deadly, i really liked kilruddery last year, was dead after it but it was well worth it! looking forward to going down and cheering ye feckers on from the sidelines and beatin' ye with bottles as ye fly by!!