The Munga is cancelled

[ScottM]

Yep -- support!  This also reminds me of an anecdote detailed in Jill Homer's new book about Tim Hewitt:

Multi-RAAM champion Chris Kostman entered the Iditabike one year and there was much speculation about how badly he was going to crush it.  He was first to drop out... winning the award for hubris that year.

[the tortoise]

Yep -- support!  This also reminds me of an anecdote detailed in Jill Homer's new book about Tim Hewitt:

Multi-RAAM champion Chris Kostman entered the Iditabike one year and there was much speculation about how badly he was going to crush it.  He was first to drop out... winning the award for hubris that year.

Yes only true idiots will try to kill themselves for nothing!

[Wyatt72]

I think regardless of what racing your doing you have to know your abilities and be willing to challenge yourself. Goes without saying. The people that accel are the individuals that know what there limiting abilities are and embrace them rather than fear them. On any given day an elite athlete can be competitive in a different event or format. Being new to any variation in discipline is a limiter but can be overcome with proper perperation and knowledge. At the end of the day the ones that will always succeed are the individuals who embrace there fears and over come them rather than allow them to become limiting factors. The people that do it for the love of it will outlast those that are in it for money because eventually the new where's off and the money isn't what it used to be. Happens in everything we as humans do when we feel compelled to throw money at something. Just my take

[Done]

I've always been skeptical of those who place the significance of money above all else, which is why I've been disgusted with the Munga's pitch. There are so many intrinsically sublime reasons for racing, and none have anything to do with the crude allure of cash.

[Briansong]

I've always been skeptical of those who place the significance of money above all else, which is why I've been disgusted with the Munga's pitch. There are so many intrinsically sublime reasons for racing, and none have anything to do with the crude allure of cash.

Hi Toby,

Just curious, would the format be OK with you if there were no purse?

I spent some time with Alex this year in Banff, prior to the start. I thought him to be a gentleman. I personally see no issues with the $$$. It adds a new perspective to the already different format of most RSA MTB racing. Alex being a gentleman really has no bearing on this, just a comment.

Regards.

[Done]

Just curious, would the format be OK with you if there were no purse.

There are two related things that rub me the wrong away about the race.
1. The hype. Phrases like "the hardest mountain bike race in the world" strike me as over-the-top sensationalism.
2. The money. But not just money. Rather, the way that the purse is promoted. The organizers keep hyping the cash, with statements to the effect that the other bikepacking races are inferior because there's no cash--just "ice cream."

In short, the whole thing just feels like an event designed to exploit the bikepacking genera, and cheapen it through over-commercialization and hype.

But I know that my perspective is probably not in the majority. Judging by the number of people who revel in "reality" television, Bear Grylls, and the other crap that is passed of with an abundance of superlatives, hype, and money, I expect that more people will appreciate the Munga than not.

[Briansong]

There are two related things that rub me the wrong away about the race.
1. The hype. Phrases like "the hardest mountain bike race in the world" strike me as over-the-top sensationalism.
2. The money. But not just money. Rather, the way that the purse is promoted. The organizers keep hyping the cash, with statements to the effect that the other bikepacking races are inferior because there's no cash--just "ice cream."

In short, the whole thing just feels like an event designed to exploit the bikepacking genera, and cheapen it through over-commercialization and hype.

But I know that my perspective is probably not in the majority. Judging by the number of people who revel in "reality" television, Bear Grylls, and the other crap that is passed of with an abundance of superlatives, hype, and money, I expect that more people will appreciate the Munga than not.

Fair enough. I really don't have an opinion on the race. Just would be interesting what type racers show up, once it's a reality. The Schleck Bros, ? Lance Armstrong and Dave Weins? Even more interesting would be the winning genre racer team pedigree.

Steve