Part 3 of our series previewing the World Cup series ahead by asking the top ten riders from last year ten questions about the season ahead. You can also read Part 1 and Part 2.
5: Who’s the wildcard going to be this year?
Aaron Gwin: Who knows, there’s a ton of fast dudes out there right now. I’d be stoked to see my teammate Troy Brosnan do well, the kids got skills!
Greg Minnaar: Sam Dale
Gee Atherton: Taylor Vernon
Steve Smith: Its hard to pin point a wild card. There are a lot of riders capable of winning. I think downhills progression has led to a clearer understanding of what it takes to be at the top and we will continue to see new juniors riding at a high level.
Sam Hill: I think cam cole. He’s looking strong this year. Also both my team mates, Joe Smith and Matt Simmonds are on it this year.
Josh Bryceland: Sam Dale, he’s bloody wild and quite a card.
Brook Macdonald: I have a feeling Connor Fearon is going to ride well this year after seeing his results recently!!
Danny Hart: I’m not too sure really, I have been doing a bit of riding with Gianluca Vernassa, he goes really well on his day, just has bad luck with mechanicals and crashing but if he holds it together he can do good.
Mick Hannah: I don’t think there is a wildcard at the moment. A lot of guys are on it. Stevie Smith could be dangerous. Don’t count out Peaty either. He seemed to drop off a bit last year, but that was mostly due to bad luck and a few little injuries
George Brannigan: I would say one of the juniors from last year, maybe Connor Fearon or Loic Bruni. A lot a riders have a bad year or just a year where they learn a lot and some come out on the other side a lot stronger from it.
Rachel Atherton: Oh dear, they scare me! I’m not sure, every wild card in the women’s has had a good result already… id hazard a guess at Luana Oliveria…Brazilian…mental.
Emmeline Ragot: Hum hard to guess, don’t know.
Myriam Nicole: I dont think there will be a wildcard, there is not a huge gap between the top 5, we are all riding good. I see it more with different winner on each races.
Tracey Hannah: That question is impossible to answer…
Emilie Siegenthaler: Caroline Buchanan on short and fast tracks. But my team mate Floriane Pugin will come back after her injury season and take everything apart like a hurricane!!!
6: If you only had one week left to ride your bike, where would you go and and what would you ride?
Aaron Gwin: That’s tough, probably Mammoth Mountain. There’s a good variety of different trails and I just like the atmosphere up there.
Greg Minnaar: V10 for sure….. probably down to the beach for a surf wahahaha. Take me to the “supercross” track in Fenasosa, Spain
Gee Atherton: I’d ride The Yard with my bro.
Steve Smith: I love where I live and I love varity. I would road trip through BC with my truck loaded with the Wilson carbon, Dixon carbon, Leo carbon and both KTMs for some MX and Enduro!
Sam Hill: My Nukeproof Pulse at Schladming
Josh Bryceland: The Moon!
Brook Macdonald: I don’t know where i would go? Somewhere gnarly and send as much stuff as I can. If I had one week left I’m sure I could do something outrageous and scare myself then haha
Danny Hart: Morzine or Whistler with a good group of friends big jumps and loads of fun techy stuff.
Mick Hannah: I’d go straight back to Cairns and ride all the amazing DH, XC and road I could.
George Brannigan: Probably Queenstown, New Zealand, just because its my favourite place to ride.
Rachel Atherton: I’d take my Honda CRF250 to the sand track in Northern Ireland with my boyfriend and ride for 2 days, then id come home and ride the muddy DH tracks around home and the field with the brothers , then id go ride some epic scenic XC in some place exotic with beaches or lakes to swim in and then I’d just die happy.
Emmeline Ragot: I would probably take my dh bike and go ride at the Porte du Soleil.
Myriam Nicole: I would take a plane straight to Whistler, i would stay there for 5 days, that place is awesome! I would ride my Commencal suprême V3, then i would come back home and ride my meta AM on my favourite track around the lake of Salagou!
Tracey Hannah: Hmm, probably Whistler area, Vancouver, Sunshine coast etc The riding up there is awesome and a good place to spend your last days …
Emilie Siegenthaler: I would go to whistler!!!! I never been there, it’s a shame as a World Cup rider… So I think I would ride whatever comes to me. Or try to follow Claire Buchar down A-line in style!
