Following the drop of the red flag on the track, the two KTMs
"I didn't expect the start to be so spectacular. Both of them jumped very high, pushing their speed and horsepower to the limit. However, our Lin Shen still has a slight edge! Brother Tianhe is still a bit lacking!"
While Xiao K's popularity might be lower, his commentary skills were undeniable.
Hearing Xiao K's remark, Zhang Mingzhi, seated in the audience, felt a slight easing of his expression. This commentator was quite sensible!
Both vehicles landed simultaneously from the same height. High-altitude landings were the ultimate test of a rider's control. The moment the bikes touched down, as the suspension absorbed the impact, both riders forcefully gripped the handlebars, their legs subtly adjusting. They clamped down on the bikes, and the KTM 500s, which had been violently shaking from the aerial landing, quickly stabilized.
Next, they tackled the second steep slope in the same manner, with no discernible difference. It seemed the real contest would be decided on the corners.
"Lin Shen is actually this good at off-road riding too!"
"Not only is Lin Shen amazing, but Brother Tianhe's skill seems to have improved significantly as well!"
"Yes, I noticed that too. Brother Tianhe this time is so much stronger than before!"
"No, the key point is, the A-country race is starting soon. Why is Lin Shen here playing off-road instead of preparing for it!"
"You don't understand, many MotoGP riders also train on off-road tracks."
...
The bullet comments in the live stream scrolled frantically. In less than ten minutes, over a hundred thousand viewers had tuned in, and the number was still growing exponentially.
This was Xiao K's first time seeing so many people in his live stream. At most, he had only a few thousand viewers before. Was this the power of a top star in China?
What's more, there were occasional English comments in the stream, likely from Lin Yan's foreign fans.
By now, the two riders had reached corner one, a right-hand turn. Lin Yan had started on the right, giving him an advantage in this corner.
When both riders were of similar skill, who occupied the inside line was crucial.
Lin Yan was the first to extend his leg into the turn, locking down the inside line, while Sun Tianhe, due to his position, was a step behind and could only trail Lin Yan.
The off-road track was extremely uneven. Every corner caused the bike to shake violently. This particular track had seen extensive practice from many riders, and the soft dirt was filled with numerous ruts carved by tires, which greatly affected the stability of the bike during corners.
As they navigated the turns, both Lin Yan and Sun Tianhe held tightly to the handlebars to minimize the bike's wobble.
After exiting the corner, they immediately faced another steep slope. With the same jump, Sun Tianhe was now a little behind due to the previous corner, having been outpaced by Lin Yan.
However, the subsequent three consecutive steep slopes did not allow Lin Yan to widen the gap. Sun Tianhe behind him kept pace.
Lin Yan was not surprised by this at all; he had even considered the possibility of losing this race.
This was because the opponent was originally stronger than him in off-road racing. Lin Yan had reviewed his profile, and if his spot hadn't been switched out years ago, Sun Tianhe would have definitely qualified for MXGP.
MXGP was the top-tier event in off-road motorcycle racing, on par with MotoGP and the Isle of Man TT. Currently, it seemed only one person from China participated in this event, though it was recently heard that this person was about to retire.
Given Sun Tianhe's considerable skill, Lin Yan's current advantage was due to two factors: the line taken in the previous corner, and the opponent's age!
Sun Tianhe was thirty-four years old, well past his prime. Despite practicing daily, time was an unstoppable force.
After the three steep slopes, they entered a rocky section. Stones of various sizes paved a track nearly a hundred meters long, the surface uneven and pitted. The sides were also enclosed by fences.
As Lin Yan's bike hit the rocky terrain, it bounced violently. The excessive speed meant that even a slightly higher stone could act as a launch point. Not only did it make the bike jump, but it was also difficult to find a suitable landing spot.
Due to his unfamiliarity with the track, Lin Yan allowed Sun Tianhe to close the gap on this rocky stretch.
Lin Yan was here for the first time, but Sun Tianhe had ridden this track countless times.
Sun Tianhe, at this moment, was also inwardly astonished. A MotoGP rider could perform so well on such an off-road track. More importantly, if he remembered correctly, Lin Shen was only twenty years old. How had he trained to this level?
Even if he had started training from the womb, he couldn't have reached this standard.
"Due to the track conditions, Lin Shen's position has been caught up by Brother Tianhe. It seems unfamiliarity with the track is also greatly affecting Lin Shen!"
Xiao K was very biased towards Lin Yan in his commentary. After all, Lin Yan had helped him, and it was a significant favor. If Lin Shen were to lose, it would undoubtedly affect his reputation. Internet trolls wouldn't care about specialization; they would simply troll for the sake of trolling!
"Who is this Brother Tianhe? I'm new here and completely confused. Brother Tianhe's skill can actually compare to Lin Shen!"
"Before watching Lin Shen, I was also an MXGP fan. The current level of these two can be said to be infinitely close to MXGP."
"What the upstairs guy said is right. The key is that Lin Shen is fine; ever since I started watching him compete, I felt he wasn't a normal person. But what about this Brother Tianhe? I've never heard of him, and he's also this monstrously skilled!"
"I'm an old fan. Brother Tianhe was already on this track two years ago, but back then, Brother Tianhe was only slightly better than other riders, not as strong as he is now!"
...
Besides praising their formidable skills, many of the bullet comments also expressed suspicion about Sun Tianhe's identity. Logically, someone this strong shouldn't be unknown.