Fast Life

With the UCI DH MTB World Cup season fast approaching, the top riders in both the men's and women's divisions get ready to prove that their off seasons were well spent. The time for talk is over. Riding fast is all that matters now.

With the 2017 season kicking off in Lourdes, France, expectations are running high. But in DH mountain biking, the only certainty is that anything can happen. This means taking nothing for granted.

Fort William, Scotland, has been hosting DH World Cup events since 2002, and always makes for electrifying racing. Leading up to the race, it's key to examine the factors that can make a winning run.

Leogang is host to one of downhill mountain biking's most exciting races. It's a fast course that brings out the best in the competition and always tells a story filled with twists and turns.

The race in Vallnord, Andorra, is unique in that it has never seen the same rider win twice. As the tour moves to stop four, every racer attempts to figure out how not to become a 'one-hit wonder'.

From the juniors to the elites, winning is a matter of capturing an elusive blend of fitness and confidence. It's easier said than done, especially come race day on a World Cup track.