Some people love it. Some have no stomach for it, but respect its history and prestige. Some see it as a kind of mythological creature. Admittedly, its name alone is terrifying. Every sport has its iconic race. The one that, if won, guarantees eternal sporting glory, even if no Olympic or world championship medal is at stake.
If in skiing this 'primacy' belongs to the Streif in Kitzbühel, in Downhill MTB adrenaline and courage are synonymous with the Blake Snake. Pier Paolo 'Pippo' Marani's creature celebrated its first twenty-five years in 2023, but the charm remains unchanged.
A mixture of love and hate, a challenge to the laws of physics and gravity, the Blake Snake is a must for DH specialists. A 'monster' capable of making the slightest mistake costing a fortune.
The figures (540 metres of difference in altitude over 2400 metres of length, average gradient 22%, maximum 40%) do not do justice to the difficulty of the route. Val di Sole The Hell, Shimano Rocks, Bikeland Jump are names that are already part of the world's DH history.
