Originally posted by RacerX
As for the XC courses not being tough enough, I have to strongly disagree. Some of the UCI courses are as gnarly as stuff I've seen in "freeride" mags (not including the big drops, of course).
Racer,
Nearly every race course as some root infested section, or a nice rock garden, but my point is that there simply isn't enough of it to push the pros to update their equipment. While DH, 4X and FR all push equipment to the edge, pro XC riders are still winning with V-brakes, tubes in their tires, 80mm (or less) of fork travel and hardtail frames. The biggest emphasis in equipment is still light weight.
I've never ridden a World Cup course, but I have ridden and raced on Mt. Snow's NORBA NCS course. It's brutally hard, but mainly because of the 1,200 ft. of climbing per lap. A hardtail is the order of the day, especially if it's wet. The course is the same one used by the UCI the last time they visited Mt. Snow several years ago.
I'm XC all the way, like you, but I'd like to see the limits pushed and some innovation in course design. How about incorporating some of the DH course in the XC descent, for example?