RIDING WITH A WORLD CUP CHAMPIONDEC 16
RIDING WITH A WORLD CUP CHAMPIONDEC 16
Richard Cunningham
Filip Meirhaeghethe World Cup XC Series champion was my rider last week. Filip rode at a heart rate well below his maximum and I must admit that for the entire ride, I was at my maximum V02 level. Filip is friendly and very level-headed. He speaks English fluently in all four languages.
His father owned a motorcycle shop. He raced in trials
For many years. It was an accident that led to his first mountain bike ride. His father asked him to be a friend and he agreed to go along. He rode a mountain bike made by the motorcycle company at the exposition. Filip stated that he loved it so much, he quit riding motorcycles and turned his attention to mountain bikes.
Filip’s skills at handling bikes are amazing. His trials experience
He demonstrated his tight control of the hop and it was obvious
Switchbacks and up the rocky steps of my home trail network. Semi-slicks were his favorite type of semi-slicks. He mentioned that they are used to train on wet, slippery trails in the rainy season, so he can keep his handling skills sharp.
The Specialized rider, when asked about dual suspension, said that he.
Like most European XC racers he is a hardtail addict. However, he found the Specialzed Epic revolutionary when he tried it. He will be using a 10kg version of the Specialzed Epic to campaign on the most difficult courses of the 2003 World Cup circuit.
Filip is fast on his bike but slows down when driving around his Belgian home. He drives a Renault 2-CV two-cylinder engine that can travel 60 miles an hour.
Meirhaeghe says that nobody gets mad at me for being too slow. Everyone loves that car. They wave hello and go about their day.
Filip’s career, attitude, and fitness seem to be on the rise. This season, he will be well-armed and dangerous. It will be fascinating to see how he does on the Epicand how frequently he uses it.
