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Will Rain Cause Chaos at Finals? Pros React to Black Snake Track
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- Will Rain Cause Chaos at Finals? Pros React to Black Snake Track
Editor's Note: The Black Snake has already claimed Max Hartenstern , of Germany, who is out for the rest of the season with a fractured patella. Gracey Hemstreet of Canada announced on Instagram that she will be pulling out of finals, stating: " The priority now is recovery, resetting, and making sure I'm in the best possible place heading into my home race in Whistler." Jackson Goldstone, the defending World Champion, has also been struck by the snake in the finals practice with a pretty chaotic OTB , but was quickly back on the bike.
The course is still one of the most demanding on the calendar, even in the dry, and incoming rain could throw a wrench into the works. Rain has hit the course and is not expected to let up before 10am, which means we could be in for a wet and very wild finals race, with the snake striking those who felt confident in the dry conditions.
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Ski racing has its treacherous Hahnenkamm Downhill in Kitzbühel, Austria; Formula One's Monaco Grand Prix circuit challenges and astounds every skilled driver who navigates it; and mountain biking boasts its iconic and infamously gnarly "Black Snake" downhill track.
Val di Sole's Famed Track Lives Up to the Hype: Fast, Feared, and Furious. However, Riders Say it Could Run Slightly Tamer at World Championships
The steep, sinuous, rock-filled, and body-jarring 1.5-mile course, with 1,770 feet of vertical drop, will once again test the world's bravest downhill bike racers, this time with world championship medals at stake, on Saturday, in Val di Sole, Italy.
After a few days of diligent course inspection, critical training runs, athletes scouring video, and other covert reconnaissance, the guys and girls agree that Black Snake lives up to the hype.
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"Of course, it's a bit scary – some bits are still slippery this morning and there's a lot of big rocks and some drops and yeah, you can get out of control quickly, it's so tough," said Enduro racing legend Richie Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory), who continues to hone his downhill racing skills, after a training run on Thursday.
"There have been some pretty special runs here, and especially being world championships, whoever wins here, it will be pretty wild," adds the 31-year-old veteran rider.
British World Cup leader Jordan Williams says that racing here is no cup of tea: "Black Snake is a proper downhill track which really tests the bike and body, so it's a perfect track for world championships."
And naturally, the fear factor is always looming. Elite and junior riders who can put those demons out of their mind are most likely to thrive. Easier said than done. The unforgiving course also beats up riders physically, and training runs for the big show are certainly no Italian aperitivo.
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U.S. junior Luke Mallen, 18, fifth in junior downhill qualifications on Friday, can attest.
Brian Pinelli
"I jammed my thumb last run before qualifiers, so, in the middle, I was saving it a bit, and had a bunch of mistakes, but, honestly, I can't be mad – it was a great run," said the Utah mountain biker.
"I was here last year and felt so lost, so it's nice coming back and riding a course you've ridden before. I'm just glad to have made it down and excited for finals."
Norwegian Mille Johnset, 25, (Nukeproff Axess Racing) offers perspective from the ladies' side. "It's funny because we were talking with our team manager about being here a couple years ago and it was super gnarly – everyone was struggling to get down the track and I think we still have that in mind. But this year is definitely a little bit nicer, still very hard, but you're not fearing for your life every run.
Brian Pinelli
A Physically and Mentally Exhausting Challenge
Asa Vermette, the 2024 world junior champion, believes he can punch one in among the favorites. It will require overcoming the immense physical challenges of the course.
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"It's full on from top to bottom, and for sure it beats up the body, but if you can stay on your bike, you're not too bad, but it's a pretty brutal track and hard to do that," says the 19-year-old rising star. "And physical endurance is essential. It's long, gnarly, and physically exhausting."
Brian Pinelli
The daunting track in the Val di Sole Bike Park includes steep dirt slopes, massive tree roots, sharp rocks, and numerous natural precipices. Launching at an altitude of roughly 4,430 feet near the Daolasa gondola mid-station, the course snakes (hence the name) and plunges dramatically down to the finish area in town at 2,660 feet.
Besides overcoming the fear factor, what do top riders believe are the ingredients for efficient course navigation and, ultimately, fast times on race day?
Brian Pinelli
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Rude says: "Just staying smooth and carrying my corner speed. If you ride smooth up top, kind of follow your lines, and then can attack at the bottom, I think I'll be pretty good."
Williams opines: "You've got to be pinned – I think keeping it smooth and having a good flow, because it will certainly get a lot rougher on race day."
Germany's Julian Steiner remains somewhat unsure: "That's a good question – I've been looking for that answer for many years, and maybe that's why I'm not up there with the top guys," he says, with a laugh. "You have to ride your pace top to bottom, attacking it, making sure you're not tired and finding the right lines at the right moments, which is not easy."
Kiwi and Swiss Lead Downhill Qualifying
Eighty-five men took to the start for elite downhill qualifying on Friday afternoon, with New Zealand's Lachlan Stevens-Mcnab clocking the fastest time of 3 minutes and 34 seconds. Australian Oliver Davis followed, 0.33 behind, and defending world champion Jackson Goldstone 0.63 back.
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Ryan Pinkerton led the U.S. squad in fourth, 0.86 seconds behind the leading Kiwi.
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It began to drizzle towards the back end of qualifying, but conditions were not significantly affected, and there were no on-course incidents. Light rain is expected to continue into the night.
Francesco Minghetti/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
In women's qualifying, Swiss Lisa Baumann crossed the Black Snake finish first, in four minutes, two seconds, and 59 tenths, nearly three seconds faster than Britain's Harriet Harnden. Four-time defending champion Valentina "Vali" Höll was third, 3.2 seconds back.
Anna Newkirk was the fastest among the U.S. ladies in ninth, but a substantial 6.8 seconds behind the leading Swiss. But qualifying is only qualifying.
Francesco Minghetti/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
A Tad Easier This Time Around?
While the Italian Dolomites course annually presents arguably the toughest test on tour, some riders have noted, thanks to excellent course preparation by hard-working crews and occasional rain earlier in the week, Black Snake is running slightly tamer this time around.
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However, with unpredictable weather in the days ahead, conditions could change quickly, altering the course for men's and women's elite and junior world championship races on Saturday.
"This year they've done an amazing job, kind of smoothing the course out and making it really nice and looking pretty. But the holes are definitely starting to come out – you get one-third down the track and you're holding on for your life with your arms, so yes, it's an iconic venue and iconic track."
"This year they've done an amazing job, kind of smoothing the course out and making it really nice and looking pretty. But the holes are definitely starting to come out – you get one-third down the track and you're holding on for your life with your arms, so yes, it's an iconic venue and iconic track."
Steiner adds: "This is definitely the most packed down Black Snake that I've seen and it's riding a little bit easier with the rain, not exploding. We just have to wait until it ruts in and how much it dries up and we'll go from there."
The Harsh Realities and Inherent Dangers
Crashes, some nasty, have been an unfortunate characteristic of the Black Snake course over the years. Commit one glaring mistake, and it will surely bite you in the ass.
Defending world champion Goldstone crashed out in 2022 on the closing Maledetta Ultima Curva (the cursed final turn). The blind, high-speed entry to the turn is notorious for screwing up fast runs immediately before the finish.
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The Black Snake was unfriendlier to former World Cup winner Matt Walker at the 2024 World Cup. Heavy storms led to an even fiercer battle as the British rider and numerous others suffered violent over-the-bars crashes.
Rescue helicopters and medical teams on standby are a necessary and regular presence in Val di Sole, a critical component of the overall safety infrastructure at major races on Black Snake.
Who Will Seize the Moment and Adorn Rainbows?
Despite all obstacles present: natural, internal, and intangible, the world's fastest and most talented downhill bike racers will be gunning full gas, as much as Black Snake allows on Saturday. For those who can somehow manage to tame the Italian beast, world championship glory awaits.
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Rude succinctly forecasts the upcoming men's race: "There's a lot of talented guys out there; Jackson (Goldstone) won here last year, and Max (Alran) just won the last race, so we'll see. It will be crazy."
Francesco Minghetti/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Great Britain's Williams, playfully asking if he will be looking over his shoulder at the young Vermette, currently runner-up to him in the World Cup standings, is boldly assertive.
Everyone is fast, whether it's Asa or someone else – anyone can win on race day. It doesn't matter who it is; I'll beat them.
Follow Brian on Instagram – @brian.pinelli
This story was originally published by BikeMag on Aug 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add BikeMag as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
