Dust, stones, stress: The World Cup start in Korea will be tougher than expected

New track, new season, old question: who can do it? Korea is not a show track, but a cauldron of dust with surprises. Ex-professional Marcus Klausmann explains why the race will be more brutal than many believe - and which drivers are now in the spotlight.

The track: dry, fast - and treacherous

"Boring?" Anyone who says that has no idea. At first glance, the track in Korea seems unspectacular. In reality, it is a test of wear and tear.

The soil: bone dry.

Dust eats away at the contours. Stones are invisible on the course. Braking waves grow with every descent.

Klausmann's clear words: "This will be more brutal than many people think."

And above all: it will be a material killer. Tyres, rims, suspension - everything at the limit.
Klausmann's forecast is clear: lots of defects. Lots of mistakes. Lots of question marks.

If you want to be fast here, you need more than courage.
You need an eye for lines - centimetre-by-centimetre work instead of just holding on, seeing new lines instead of going where everyone else is going.

The key to victory: seeing before it bangs

In Korea, it's not the bravest who wins.
It's the smartest.

Dust battle and material battle: Marcus Klausmann on the World Cup opener

Klausmann: The opposite is the case. I think this will be one of the toughest stretches ever. It's brutally dry. If the ground "explodes" with just one rider, you can imagine what will happen when 160 professionals race over it. The track will fall apart. Knee-deep braking bumps form and loose stones lurk in the dust everywhere.

BIKE: That sounds like a nightmare for the tyres.

Klausmann: Absolutely. We will see a lot of defects because you can't even see the stones in the deep dust. The chassis will be put under maximum strain. It will be much more brutal and exciting for the drivers than many still believe.

The favourites: Who can handle the dust?

BIKE: Who are your favourites for these conditions?

Klausmann: Difficult. Super difficult. There are the familiar faces: Henri Kiefer, Loïc Bruni and Jackson Goldstone. But the most important question is: What do the promoted Alrans, Max and Till do? What does hardline winner Asa Vermette do when he's on fire? He's great in dry conditions.

BIKE: And the "old guard" like Danny Hart, Troy Brosnan or Bernard Kerr?

Klausmann: Troy Brosnan is the only one of the old guard that I consider to be competitive - together with Aaron Gwin. Troy showed at the Hardline that he's in top form. And Gwin has already had a few races in the run-up where he really surprised everyone. The switch to Frameworks has done him good. He and his team-mate Asa Vermette benefit greatly from each other. The two of them are experts on dry, dusty tracks - a huge advantage for Korea. You mentioned Danny Hart - Danny already had problems last year - I don't see him moving forwards any more. Bernard Kerr had a serious injury to both hands. You never know what's going to stick mentally. He needs time to find his rhythm and trust in his body again. He's not getting any younger either.

BIKE: What is decisive for victory?

Klausmann: A good eye. You mustn't just bluntly bump through the braking bumps. You have to drive five centimetres to the left or right to avoid bumps. Goldstone and the Alran brothers are perfect at this. They are clever on the bike and make lightning-fast decisions. Bruni is of course also a clever dog - he can win anywhere, whether it's mud or dust.

BIKE: Which of the Alrans is faster?

KlausmannMax is the faster one. But let's talk about the top favourites: The power density in the World Cup field is extremely high. You could name ten more names who could win, like Henri Kiefer or Luke Meyer-Smith. You can't forget Amaury Pierron. Or Loris Vergier.

BIKE: Which rider are you particularly looking forward to?

Klausmann: Max Alran.

Technology check: No quick fixes for the wheels

BIKE: On Pinkbike you saw a bike from Reese Wilson with a stem that points backwards. And there are rumours about 32-inch front wheels. What do you think?

Klausmann: Many roads lead to Rome. In the end, only the stopwatch shows what works. The 32-inch issue is more complex than many people realise. We already had it when we changed from 26 to 29 inches: first came the panic, then adventurous constructions, and finally the reverse gear to rebuild everything solidly. And as far as Reece Wilson's bike is concerned: steering behind the axle is quite normal in motocross. It's all about trying things out and checking whether it makes you faster. There's no right and wrong. It has to suit you.

BIKE: So no gold-rush atmosphere like last time?

Klausmann: The big teams like Santa Cruz Syndicate or Specialized have become more cautious. A 32 mm front wheel takes away legroom - many riders already have black stripes on their trousers from the rear wheel. With a 32/29 mullet, it shreds the trousers. In short: In a time when suspension is perfectly adjusted, nobody makes serious changes in trial & error style anymore. The World Cups are too important to try something that doesn't really work.

BIKE: Do you think we'll see the first 32/29 mullet?

Klausmann: Not yet. Testing and development is currently taking place in secret. But the race teams won't do anything until they know that it's better, i.e. faster.

The new generation of women

BIKE: Gracey Hemstreet dominated last year. How do you see her and the competition?

Klausmann: She is impressive, without question. But I find it very difficult to make a prediction for the women. If Gracey Hemstreet manages to become more consistent, the other women will have a hard time. I think she is the strongest rider, even if she is perhaps not yet as stable mentally as Valentina Höll.

BIKE: What do you think of Louise Ferguson? She jumped over 15 metre gaps at the Red Bull Hardline in Wales.

Klausmann: That's a different league. A young generation of women is coming up who are technically superior to the "old ones". They just lack experience and fitness because they are still too young. Nevertheless, the established female riders will have massive problems in the next two years.