chrisb12 wrote:
The commentators actually said the course was made more technical than last year, adding in some extra tight corners.
The number of DNF was bad enough last year when it was dry, was a huge number. Ppl still over estimate their own abilities and crash on dry technical courses. More corners =more crashes, strong capable riders often get slowed or tangled in the mayhem.
Your point may well apply more generally (although I'd argue only really amongst the AG-ranks, seeing as crashes in WTS races are relatively rare), however in this particular race all of the crashes bar the JB one were happening on the same corner as the athletes descended down into the underpass and straight into a tight left-hander.
This part of the course was exactly the same as last year and it was clearly an issue with the track surface; the added technical sections were the coned-off turnarounds further around the lap.
Also your points about the strong capable riders getting slowed or tangled in the mayhem seems completely irrelevant seeing as Duffy and JB both crashed when they were at the front on their own...