Val Di Sole War Stories | Vital's B Practice Podcast

The Inside Line Podcast - Vital MTB

After plenty of drama and mild discontent surrounding the first three races of the season, it was nice to have a good old-fashioned downhill race in Val di Sole. No one complained about the track being too straight or too easy. There were plenty of fresh sections and line choices. And the racing was as competitive as ever. Our main man Dak was back for his second race of the season, and his weekend was nothing short of a battle. We discuss how Dak’s feeling at this stage of his recovery, as well as Jackson’s ‘bouncy’ riding style, Reece Wilson’s 6D windshield goggles, Team Points, what to do with the Junior categories, Dak’s experience going from Shimano XTR/Saint brakes to SRAM Maven’s, and more. Plus, the usual race recaps. Thanks for tuning in, enjoy!
0:05 - Bring back 4X Racing
5:48 - Content and Media Landscape
10:05 - Where’s the culture??
14:53 - After party tales
19:56 - B Practice does Whistler
22:29 - Dak is filming a Vital RAW
24:26 - Dak’s war stories from VDS
31:07 - Dak’s approach after getting two races under his belt
38:33 - Balancing recovery with giving 100%
43:02 - Dak’s pre-ride warm-up routine
51:43 - Dak’s experience going from XTR/Saint to Maven brakes
1:02:32 - VDS Track Talk
1:03:48 - Jackson’s ‘bouncy’ style = speed
1:10:20 - Dak compares his style and setup to Jackson’s
1:13:27 - USD forks: so hot right now
1:15:13 - Track changes, but similar times?
1:17:33 - No more complaining about straight, easy tracks after VDS
1:19:42 - Reece Wilson’s 6D windshield goggles
1:22:22 - Sam Gale’s bloody crash
1:24:21 - DH is dangerous, period
1:26:25 - Team Points discussion
1:31:34 - How Team Points will affect junior selection in the future
1:33:30 - No juniors 2026 discussion
1:48:28 - Maxxis Make or Brake Section
1:51:40 - No chains 2026 - chainless racing only
1:54:03 - Junior Women’s Race Recap
1:55:43 - Junior Men’s Race Recap
1:58:16 - Elite Women’s Race Recap
2:09:26 - Elite Men’s Race Recap
2:18:07 - Burgtec Labour of Love Award
2:19:44 - La Thuile next week - thoughts?
2:22:58 - Vital Fantasy tips