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Aston Hill near Aylesbury is a big part of my riding history. At the age of 11 it was the venue where I first learnt about mountain biking, and for the next two years my Dad and I spent every weekend riding there. A few years later thanks to Ian Warby I became part of the Aston Hill Junior Development team and really got into my racing. However in 2007 the site’s future was unclear and for a number of months it looked like the hill would be shut down for good. But after numerous talks and negotiations the hill was re-opened towards the end of 2008. With a successful race held in March, a new race track was commissioned giving me my first chance to race at the hill since 2006.
Dad and I arrived at about 10am on the Saturday and first went to walk the course. The track was much different to the Aston Hill of old being much looser and not as built up. The track was also quite steep in places meaning the course was just over 1 minute long. The highlight was definitely the bottom section which worked its way through a number of steep turns before chucking you into the finish.
Practice started pretty well with my first run feeling fairly fast considering I didn’t know the course. The track was much faster than it looked and I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. The next run I stopped in a couple of places and looked at the different lines which were starting to form. This helped out a lot as the course was constantly changing. I then did a couple of full runs to try and get up to speed. By the end of the day I was really excited. I felt really good on the course and I was pretty confident and hoping of a podium tomorrow.
Dad and I then went home for the night. This felt very weird but so much more relaxing than having to sleep and cook at the race venue. That evening I really didn’t sleep well, I just couldn’t seem to switch of. As the clock passed 2am I was still awake. As you can imagine I was more than a little bit tired the next morning.
Bucknell wood in Shropshire is a brand new race venue for 2009. Situated just behind Hopton, the hill is Marc Beaumont’s local training ground and therefore came with a lot of anticipation. So with a top 5 series position still up for grabs I was looking forward to the weekend.
Having been to an uplift just a few weeks before I didn’t need to walk the track, so instead gave my Dad and hand with setting up. However we soon found out that we wouldn’t be setting up much as we had forgotten the sides to our easy up. Thankfully the weather was meant to stay overcast and dry; otherwise we would have been in trouble.
As practice began I soon found that the course had changed a fair bit since I had ridden it. For example the fast open section which did require you to follow four turns could now be straight lined over a few stumps. The flatter wooded sections had also been tapped slightly differently making it a little tighter in places. But within a couple of runs I had adapted to the changes and was confident with where I was going.
I felt pretty quick at the top of the course but was struggling with the tighter wooded sections which weren’t half as fast. I just couldn’t seem to get the bike flowing no matter what I tried. The loose bottom section was also pretty tricky as the loose slate did not give you much grip or confidence. However by the end of the day and having had a much closer look at most of the course I was able to find some lines that worked for me which left me feeling much more confident about tomorrow.
For years the Welsh Championships had always been run in conjunction with the Dragon Downhill Series. Doubling up with a round of the series this lead to a bit of a non-event. But with the Dragons going into retirement at the end of 2008, the Welsh Championships were up for grabs as a stand alone event. After a table of bids Welsh Cycling awarded the Championships to MIJ Downhill Events following a very successful Taff Buggy DH Series earlier in the year. Big screens and a big track were rumoured, but would the event live up to expectations?
We arrived at Caersws at about 8am on Saturday morning, surprised as to how many people were already around the finish arena. Having already walked the course at the NPS a couple of weeks earlier, I decided against walking the track. Instead I gave my Dad a bit more of hand with setting up, before heading up for practice.
The track turned out to be a lot more difficult than it looked. The steep top section was definitely the highlight of the track, but it was also the hardest part. The steep turns littered with white roots were difficult to get right at speed, as once you made one mistake you had screwed up the whole section. However by the middle of the day I was confident with this section and loved the challenge of hitting it fast.
After hitting two fast bus stops the course then dropped down under a tunnel and into a loose flat section which was quite slow in places. This was another difficult section and rather awkward to hit fast. There was one multi line 180 degree turn which was particularly difficult as none of the lines seemed to work very well. A small road gap then sent you into a berm before dropping down to a steep rutted section.
The steep section was quite hard to master. The entry was very fast but a flat 90 degree turn made controlling your speed very important. The flat turn then lead to a 5ft log drop with a tree right on the inside. I found that getting round this tree was very important and clipping your bars on it was not a good idea. A trip over the bars was my punishment, and was very painful indeed. The flat corner was also wearing away throughout the day making it very difficult to ride fast. The course then dropped down to the field before a sprint to the line.
Overall I felt pretty good in practice. I had had a number of crashes, but I felt this was because I was pushing the boundaries and seeing how fast I could go. I didn’t think the track really suited me as it was quite slow and more about precision, but overall I thought I had a good chance. I just hoped the rain forecast wouldn’t fall.
Dad and I arrived at Caersws on Friday evening at about 6pm. Normally at this time the pits are a wave of activity as everyone sets up for the weekend. However this weekend was very different, the pits were almost empty. There was no sign on tent, no trade teams; it just didn’t have the buzz of a national.
Once setup I went to walk the course. The track chosen was on the steepest part of the hill and pretty much mimicked the course used for round 2 of this years Caersws Cup. The only addition being a steep set of switch backs used roughly 3 years ago when the Honda team were racing the Nationals. The top step down and first multi line section was now also open to the elements as logging operations continue on the hill. Other than this the course looked dry and hard packed, but very short for a national event.
The next morning I was up bright and early and ready for practice. However the weather had taken a turn for the worse, as black clouds were rolling in and the wind was pretty much blowing a gale. This made the now naked first step-down jump very sketchy indeed but thinking I would have to do it eventually I decided to jump it first run. Trying to keep the bike as low as possible I still got blown sideways and pulled a whip which was not meant to happen. Landing nose first I managed to ride it out, but now knew why so many riders were avoiding it.
As practice progressed I felt like I was getting gradually faster, but not to the speed needed to race. This was getting me down but I was still enjoying the course. I was also having problems through the same section in which I smashed up my wrist earlier in the season. I just couldn’t let my fingers off the brakes. However my last practice run felt pretty quick, so this gave me a bit more confidence going into tomorrow.
The fourth round of the Pearce Cycles Series was held at Hopton in Shropshire, after problems with the uplift couldn’t be resolved at the original venue Kinnerton. The second round also held at Hopton was a complete wash out, and unfortunately the weather looked to do the same again this time.
The track chosen shared only one corner with the track from the second round. The course started with a very slick and technical rooty section which seemed quite awkward and flat in places. The course then entered a fast and flowing open section which worked its way through numerous berms and stump gaps. Back into the woods the course didn’t get any slower with lots of natural jumps and roots before dropping down onto the fire road. Another fast open section then dropped back into the woods and into a gulley, before hitting numerous 4X style jumps including step downs, and a triple jump.
Practice didn’t get off to a good start as some how I managed to forget both pairs of my SixSixOne clip in shoes. Pretty frantically I asked anyone I could think of if they had a spare pair I could borrow. Thankfully I managed to borrow a pair from junior rider Pete Robinson (PS Cycles), for which I was thankful and incredibly relieved. With the shoes now sorted I then went up for my first practice run.
With last week still playing on my mind, I was determined to have fun and not worry too much about tomorrow’s race. With this in mind I sprinted off the start and hit the first corner, not really thinking too much. However before I new what had happened I lost the front end and was on the deck. Brilliant I thought; first run, first corner, and already sampling the soil. My next run was much better. I started to hit more lines and just tried to let the brakes off through the open sections. This made me a lot happier, and did give me the confidence that I could actually ride a bike. I then did a bit of sectioning with the help of Dad, he gave me a couple of ideas and this certainly opened up some new lines. Towards the end of the day I then did a couple of full runs to see where I was at. Having completed these I felt pretty good with the way I was riding, and how I getting on with the dry and dusty course.
The next morning I awoke to the sound of rain hitting the window. The weather looked miserable and the amount of surface water was evidence to how much it had rained. There was no way the course was going to dry up, so unfortunately we were set for another wet day of racing. So I dug out the water proofs and went up for practice.
Although the course had been hard and dry the day before, I was still quite surprised how well it was running. Obviously it was much slower, but it was still running fast. However the rooty top section was now much harder as the roots had become much more exposed. But overall I was feeling good. I was having fun and was looking forward to the race.
The National Champs is considered the UK’s most important race of the year. Held separately to any other race series this is a one off race with the overall results finalised by just one run. For this year’s championships we travelled to Innerleithen in the boarders of Scotland for the first time since the year 2000.
My Dad and I arrived at a wet and windy Innerleithen around lunchtime on Friday afternoon. Despite the weather, the pits were already packed and there were a lot of people walking around. Most conversations focused on the weather, but I wasn’t that fussed to be honest. I’d much rather it start wet and stay wet, as it gives you more time to get used to the conditions. Once setup I headed up the course.
The track chosen was not what I was expecting. The course looked very fast and pedally with not a massive amount of line choice. There weren’t many roots either and only three jumps. To be honest it looked pretty basic until you got to the bottom section. This had been freshly cut and was full of steep switch backs covered in loose rocks. It was certainly the highlight of the track and looked quite challenging. This led to the finish arena via an awkward off camber straight which dropped away in a few places. Overall though I was happy with the course and thought it suited many of my strengths.
Rhyd-y-Felin or Bala as it’s more commonly known is situated just over the Welsh boarder near Oswestry. It’s been made famous by Mountain Bike Films such as “The Tipping Point” and is just round the corner from the home of the Atherton’s. The track however is a race only venue, so when a competition date is announced entries are snapped up quicker than concert tickets. So it was no surprise really that the third round of the Pearce Cycles Summer Series was a complete sell out.
We arrived at Bala on Saturday morning with plenty of time to get setup and walk the course. The track remained virtually the same as in my two previous visits, very fast and fairly rooty and technical in the woods. However the natural stump jump at the top of the course had been given a proper take off and landing making this much easier than in the past. The tight gulley leading into the fire road had also been widened, presumably to produce much more speed. Apart from this the course looked in great shape all be it quite greasy, I therefore decided to give the first hour of practice a miss.
Practice on Saturday felt really weird, for some reason it just didn’t feel like a race weekend. I was really struggling to get up to speed through the more technical sections and this wasn’t helped by the number of riders who insisted on standing on the track, his made practicing different lines almost impossible. My late start, the queue for the uplift and the long trip to the top also wasted a lot of practice time, meaning I only managed 3 runs by 2:45 in the afternoon.
At this point the heavens opened and completely drenched the Welsh hillside. I decided to go up on dry tyres once again, hoping that the rain had just created a river running down the track, rather than a sloppy mud bath. My optimism was not rewarded however, as it was the later conditions to which I was greeted. This meant I spent a large amount of time sliding down the hill unattached to my bike. Pretty fed up with how the day had panned out, I decided to leave practice there, as I felt I wasn’t going to learn anything new in the torrid conditions.
Opened in 2001 by the late Collin McRae, the Fort William Downhill track is synonymous not only in the UK, but all around the World. It’s known for being the most physical track on the Downhill circuit, and a win here is seen as a top result. With the World cup circus moving out 3 weeks before, it was now the turn of the NPS for the third round of the 2009 series.
Having had my Sixth Form prom on the Thursday night, I began my journey to the Scottish Highlands on Friday morning, where I caught a flight from London Luton to Glasgow airport at 6:40am. Here I met my Dad who had driven up on Thursday night. Arriving at the Nevis Range roughly two hours later, it was good to see the weather man had got it spot on as we were met with blue skies and warm temperatures. Once setup I went to walk the track with expert rider Jack Graham. The course looked in great condition and the trail fairies had obviously put in a lot of hard graft after the recent World Cup event. Mainly unchanged from the 2007 World Championships, the track wound its way down its usual route with only the World Cup woods experiencing a face lift. This new section opened up multiple lines and would definitely need to be closely inspected towards the end of Saturday practice.
After dinner Jack and I decided to go and spin our legs and ride some of the World Cup XC course. We planned to be out for 30 minutes or so, but after some exploring (getting lost) this soon turned into a two hour ride. Perhaps not the best preparation for Saturday practice, but the rocky descents were just so much fun. Arriving back at the car pack I gave in to the midges and went to bed.
Apart from a delay of 25 minutes at the beginning of the day, Saturday practice ran very smoothly without a hitch. I tried to pace myself as much as possible and not do too many runs. This is because I know from past experience that it’s very easy to get carried away on this track, ruining you for race runs. This track really is like no other and you have to ride it with that in mind. It is important to find smooth lines and figure out where to push it and where to conserve energy.
On Wednesday evening Dad and I took the short trip to Lotts Woods near Amersham, for the second round of the Summit Evening MTB Series. The format of the race consisted of a 45 minute event, plus one extra lap. Although having not had enough time for a practice lap, I was going into the first lap blind and not knowing what to expect, or how many laps I should be aiming for.
The race started well as I got out near the front and was on the back wheel of the leading rider up the first climb and into the first decent. However this is where I learnt I had a problem with my brakes and they weren’t stopping me effectively. Because of this I had to brake a little earlier into the turns, slowing me down significantly. For the rest of the lap I just seemed to be plagued with problems and bad luck. Reaching down for my water bottle I realised it had gone and that it must have fallen out somewhere on the first decent. I was also constantly coming unclipped which didn’t help with my rhythm or momentum. My gears too were not much better, as I had bent my rear cassette meaning the top gears were jumping round all over the place. I then managed to ride off the track twice, and loose my chain three times. I just couldn’t believe what was happening!
Llangollen in North Wales had to be the most talked about National Venue in years. The forum’s talked of it being harder than the infamous Champéry in Switzerland, and perhaps a step too far for the National Series. It was said that even Elite riders couldn’t get through some sections without crashing, and that if the heavens opened, (which they often do in Wales) the race would have to be cancelled as the track would become too dangerous. So with all this in mind I was a little apprehensive, but incredibly excited to go racing at Round 2 of the Downhill National Points Series.
We arrived at Llangollen at just after 12noon on Friday to a blaze of glorious sunshine and blue skies. The pits were just setting up and everyone seemed pretty relaxed and just happy to be in the sunshine. As soon as we got out the car we decided to head over to the finish and to have a look at the hill. To say I was shocked was an understatement. The hill just seemed vertical, and gave you a similar discomfort in your neck as sitting in the front row of the cinema. Desperate to get up the track, Dad and I setup as quickly as possible so I could go walk the course.
To some up the track in a couple of words it’s Very Difficult. But probably the most appropriate; pretty dam steep! The course gave you no warm up or gentle introduction, as within 4 peddle strokes you were thrown straight of a natural drop and into a steep right hander which pretty much summed up the track. From here on in it looked pretty much like a back wheel skid from start to finish as the course dropped past trees at near vertical angles, with only a few catch berms to save you. It certainly looked like a good mix of natural and manmade features but you could tell the NPS gang had done some serious shovel work to get this track up to scratch. The top section certainly looked the scariest part of the track, but too think you could relax from this point onwards was a big mistake. The much talked about switch backs looked pretty tight and tricky, and the high line afterwards, probably one of the fastest and scariest lines I have ever seen. Towards the bottom of the track it got much rockier, and you could tell just by walking it that your brakes were going to be a little hotter than usual. It just looked like it was going to get faster and faster as the track opened up a bit more with every corner. Then finally you would reach the bottom field and be thankful you were still alive.
To say I was still a little apprehensive wouldn’t have been a lie. On the other hand I couldn’t wait to get my gear on and go ride the track, as I knew this was really going to test my ability. Later in the day I walked the track the again, as I felt I didn’t really take it in the first time around. This didn’t help much however as thinking about the track whilst having dinner, I still didn’t really know where it went. I went to bed buzzing and looking forward to practice.
My first practice run on Saturday morning is a run I will never forget. Riding off the start I felt a little nervous, but I soon discovered there was no time for nerves. The track rode so much steeper than it looked, and boy did you pick up speed. With both brakes locked on, and my weight as far over the back wheel as possible, the bike just didn’t seem to want to stop. Apart from Champéry it felt like no other course I had ever ridden, but this was so much tighter than the legendary Swiss track. I reached the bottom of the course with my heart pounding and my mouth dry, thinking how am I going to race that tomorrow. It certainly felt like a rollercoaster of emotions, but for some strange reason, I couldn’t wait to get back to the top and do it all again.
From here on in this is where the queue’s started to form and the wait to do a run got longer and longer. This was down to two things. The first was that all the uplifts and mini busses travelled to the top of the hill at the same time. This meant that there was roughly 150 riders at the top of the hill all waiting to make there way down the course at any one time. The second was the course itself. The track was certainly taking no prisoners, and the radio chatter consisted of “rider down at marshal point 2, hold the start please” followed by “rider down at marshal point 3, hold the start please” and so on. As you can imagine this led to some lengthy delays as riders were picked up off the floor and catch netting was replaced. Normally this would have bothered me, but the course was just so dam fun I didn’t care how long I had to wait. Half way through practice however I still had no idea how long the course was as I was red flagged at least twice in each and every practice run.
By the end of practice I was convinced that this was the best National course I had ever ridden! Sure I knew it didn’t really suit my strengths, especially as I ride clipped in, but I just loved the challenge of fighting to stay on the bike and keeping away from the trees. I had a few crashes, but so had everyone. I finished practice feeling confident and looking forward to tomorrow’s race.
Having led the series following round two I was really looking forward to the third and final round where I was hoping to win the series overall. The weather had been amazing for the first two rounds, and sure enough the weather man predicted yet another weekend of sun and blue skies. So with everything to play for, I couldn’t wait to get racing.
The track for round three was almost completely different from the two previous rounds. This course was a lot slower and more about being precise and spot on with your line choice, rather than fast and flat out through the turns. The top section was very tight and rocky, where as the middle section contained a lot off of camber turns. The course then opened up and became much faster towards the bottom. On first impression I didn’t really like the course as it looked too start stop for my liking, but I now know not to judge a book by its cover, so I would have a couple of runs before making a final judgement.
Practice didn’t start of too well for me, as for my first three or four runs I just couldn’t seem to get my head round the course. I kept having silly little crash’s and just couldn’t seem to hold my line or my body position through any of the off camber. This was really getting too me and I was beginning to get frustrated and up tight. This wasn’t doing me any favours as becoming uptight was subconsciously locking my knees and elbows meaning I couldn’t work the bike through the course. At this point I decided to have some lunch and have a brake for a bit hoping this would leave me fresh and ready to nail the course in the afternoon.
The break seemed to do the trick as although I still wasn’t riding as quick as I would have liked, I was riding much faster and beginning to sort out my lines. I spent a lot of time looking at different sections and trying different lines to make sure I had each part of the track dialled before moving further down. I also changed my line through the rocky top section a number of times just to make sure I had the right line for me. I finished practice a lot happier than I was at lunch time, and I was pretty confident that after a few hours practice tomorrow morning I could have the course sorted by race runs.
Having picked up a few new lines with Des Betts on our leisurely walk down the course the rest of the evening was a very chilled out affair. The dual slalom race was pretty fun to watch and certainly through up some interesting contests and results. I decided not to take part however in the fear that I might have a crash and worsen my wrist injury picked up at Caersws two weeks ago. Once the dual had finished we just sat back and relaxed under the warm evening sun and marvelled at Tim Webb’s dog Trigger the frisbee catching dog, and laughed at Angela Proctor as she managed to knock over the barbeque. We then all hit the hay ready for tomorrows racing.
Sunday turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year so far and boy didn’t we know it. The track was now really dry and most of the corners were under a thin layer of dust, making it difficult not to wash out in places. The new lines I had picked up yesterday were working really well and they just seemed to help with the flow of the course. I did four practice runs before calling it a day and resting up before race runs. I knew this was definitely one of those tracks that was going to be difficult to race, and one mistake could multiply ruining your run within a few corners.
After a disappointing and painful weekend at Caersws, I wasn’t sure whether my wrist was going to be strong enough to race again in just 6 days. It was still pretty swollen and bruised but I had regained a far amount of movement and I’ve never been a quitter. So decided to grit my teeth and give it a go, what’s the worst that happened.
The second round of the Pearce Cycles summer series was held at Hopton Castle in Shropshire, a classic venue and the first race course I ever went to away from Aston Hill. However the hill has seen significant changes over the years and only a few sections of course from yesteryears are now recognisable.
The course chosen was quite tight and rooty up top before opening up for a fast open middle section. The track then dropped back into the woods through more rooty corners before opening up once again through a series of berms and jumps towards the finish. On inspection of the course it seemed pretty wet and slippy, so I decided to miss the first hour of practice giving the track time to dry out and for lines to start developing. One hour later with my wrist strapped up tight I made my way up for practice.
My first practice run didn’t go too well. I was spending more time thinking about my wrist than I was about my lines, I was being far too cautious. To my defence I was struggling to get a good grip on the handle bars though, as the medical wrist brace supplied by the hospital was too chunky. With this in mind I went to the Extreme Medic’s tent, there Jamie strapped me up with some sports specific self adhesive bandage and sent me on my way to give it another go. This run was much better and although the strapping did feel very tight it was definitely helping my wrist. Now I just had to hit the track quicker.
Throughout the day I couldn’t seem to reach the speed I wanted. Every time I would try and push it or really hit the corners with speed my wrist would start to play up meaning I would have to stop. This was really frustrating but I knew there wasn’t much I could do about it. After 5 runs I decided to stop practicing and too walk the course whilst other riders were still on track. I hoped this would highlight some rougher lines but most importantly give my wrist a good rest.
The first round of the Caersws Cup was held in late March and was my first race Downhill race of 2009. It turned out to be a nightmare for me; I was beaten by the weather and left with an awful start to the season. Since then however I have put together a string of good results and have started too climbed up the British Cycling rankings. I hoped to continue this good form at the second round of the Caersws cup.
Dad and I arrived at Caersws just after 8am. This gave us plenty of time to setup and then to have a good look at the track. With logging operations finally underway the organisers had no choice but to use the steep national track for the second round of the series, this wasn’t a problem though as in my opinion it is the best track on the hill. The actual track hadn’t changed from last year, but one section was now open to the elements after the first batch of logging.
The majority of Saturday practice was pretty awful, as the uplift queue’s seemed to go on as far as the eye could see. It got so bad that it took me over 1 hour 30 minutes to complete one run of the sub 2 minute track. After two runs of waiting I like many other riders decided to walk up the fire road for the next three runs. This was quite frustrating when you have paid for an uplift, but the push was only 25 minutes and it sure beat waiting in line. Throughout practice I felt really comfortable with the course; I felt fast and the bike felt great, I was just having so much fun attacking the steep turns on the dry and dusty track. The beautiful British weather did try to spoil the fun on a number of occasions as the sky opened up with a few heavy showers. This didn’t seem to affect the course too much though, and even when it did it made it even more fun! I finished practice really confident about tomorrow’s race. I knew I was riding some good lines and that if I could hold it all together I could be on for a top result.
Out of my gear I went straight up the track to take another look at the course and see whether I could spot any new lines. I didn’t return with much but I had spotted a couple of lines to stay out of the braking bumps which were now like large steps in places. The organisers were also doing a bit of track maintenance and modification to one of the steep shoots. This was because a lot of people were not making the turn and making a new track down the side of the bank. Whether the shoot needed the changes I wasn’t so sure, but I guess it did make it safer. I then made my way down the course to get some food, before getting an early night.
The next morning we were met with grey skies, but thankfully this soon burnt away and revealed bright sunshine. Practice was awesome, the course had really dried out over night and it seemed to running even quicker. With this in mind I really began to push it, and I felt like I was really riding fast. I think this was down to the fact I was just having so much fun. I couldn’t wait for the race.
I had been looking forward to the first round of the NPS for a while, this would be the first time this year I would be up against all the top riders throughout the UK and Ireland. After a last minute change of venue the first round of the series was held at Ae Forest in Scotland. I haven't had the best of luck at this track over the past few years breaking my wrist in 2007 and getting disqualified in 2008, so I firmly believed this venue owed me a good result.
Dad and I began our trip to Scotland on Friday morning giving us plenty of time to setup our pit and have a good walk of the course. The track looked much better than usual as the organisers had introduced a new bottom section and a big flat corner towards the end of the track which certainly gave the course more variety. Last years top section had also packed down leaving an unrecognisable fast and rocky descent with lots of line choice. What was surprising however was that neither the coffin jump nor the large step down towards the bottom of the track had been included, for me both of these jumps are signature sections at Ae Forest and to race without them was going to be weird. With the course walked and our pit setup we then had some dinner and a few hours to relax before getting an early night.
After a slight delay Saturdays practice began with blue skies and a real excited buzz at the top of the course. My first practice run didn’t go too plan as I soon realised I had too much pressure in my tyres and that I hadn’t set up my new Leatt neck brace correctly. However after a quick adjustment to the Leatt brace and some softer tyres, my second run felt great as I began to get to grips with the course. It was weird as although Ae forest is one of the oldest courses in the UK, the new sections and the sunny weather really did make the course feel fresh.
Having won the first round of the Taff Buggy downhill series back in March, I decided that I might as well race the remaining two rounds in the hope of winning the overall series. The first round was blessed with glorious sunshine and a fairly dry track; I just hoped this would continue for round two.
We arrived at the venue at around 8am, the pits was already beginning to fill up with competitors but enough time for me to do my usual walk of the track. The course for this round was much faster and not as technical as round one, which I thought would suit my riding style much better. There was also a lot more jumps and drops in this track with the highlight being a large step down on the top section. This landed you straight into a bowl berm which spat you out with so much speed. The course then dropped down through lots of fast rocky turns and shoots before leading out to the bottom field and down into the finish. However on my way down the course I was stopped just before the final section by a police officer. He explained that they had found a body near the bottom of the course so practice would be delayed by half an hour or so. Pretty freaky as I’m sure you will agree.
I started practice pretty slowly as I got to grips with the course, and began to work out where my breaking zones were and what were the fastest lines. It soon became clear though that there were not too many lines and that this race was going to be won by the rider who could keep their fingers of the brakes for longest. After a couple of runs I began to get much more confident with the course as I hit the turns with more conviction and speed. This was helped by doing some runs with elite rider Richard Thomas and expert rider Leon Rosser who both looked pretty quick through the course. Chasing these riders made me push it so much more and let me know how fast the track could be ridden. By the end of the day the track was running so fast that you had to squash the majority of the jumps and really concentrate on your braking zones as otherwise you would soon be off the track. I was feeling good though, and so much more confident than I was at this time during the first round.
That night Dad and I were once again hosted by Des and Kate Betts. This was a good laugh and it definitely makes a difference having a comfy bed for the night. I woke up the next morning feeling fresh, and really excited about getting back on the hill.
The Pearce Cycles Summer Series is considered by many as the best organised and most enjoyable race series throughout the UK. This is a sentiment with which I totally agree I feel that the series is designed with just the rider in mind. So with that in mind I couldn’t wait for the first Round of the series at Bringewood.
Dad and I left for Shropshire at 6am giving us plenty of time to setup and walk the course before practice began at 10am. The track chosen looked pretty awesome and really fast. It didn’t seem too technical, instead it looked like this race was going to be won by the rider who could keep there hands of the brakes for longest. The course was all original apart from the addition of a new open section full of roots and stumps, and a new double after the old step down to bomb hole jump.
As the course was still a little wet and greasy from the overnight rain I went up for my first practice run on cut down wet screams. This turned out to be the wrong decision as I hadn’t realised how hard the course was underneath the wet top layer. This meant I couldn’t get any grip in the corners making it feel like an ice rink. For my second practice run I switched to High Rollers and immediately felt the difference. Then for the next couple of runs I took my time, stopping at numerous sections of the course making sure I had my lines dialled. This did the trick as I felt so much faster by the end of the day. The trickiest section was defiantly the new open section half way down the course, as getting every line perfect was very difficult.
With about an hour and a half left of practice, I decided to call it a day as I was now starting to feel tiredness creeping into my riding. I decided to make the most of my early exit from practice and walk the course whilst riders were still practicing the track. This helped me out, and gave me a few more ideas and lines to try out in tomorrows practice session. I was also able to find a new line which would help me out with a corner I was finding particularly hard throughout the day.
That evening I did have a minor accident which I was really thankful didn’t cause me an injury. Whilst playing on little Ben Harvey’s bike I managed to go over the handle bars as I peddled backwards slightly which on his bike causes the back wheel to lock up. This was quite embarrassing to say the least, and I gave up with this bike after that.
With no downhill race this weekend, I took the opportunity to race 4X at the recently revamped Royal Leamington Spa course. The new RLS 4X team headed up by DH rider Billy Cheetham had worked hard to tidy and freshen up the course, this was their first race.
As I looked at the revamped track for the first time, I was really quite surprised. The course looked really fast, and in a much better condition than my last visit. The first berm had also been covered in tarmac giving the riders so much more speed into the second straight. I really couldn’t get over it; the RLS 4X team had really done a great job. I then got kitted up a ready for practice.
For the first couple of practice run’s it did feel a bit weird being on such a tiny bike, as my new M6 is massive in comparison. But within a few practice runs I felt comfortable on the bike and how I was going to tackle each jump. And with the course getting faster and faster throughout the day, I was really looking forward to racing.
As always I did have a few issues with my gate starts, and with so many seasoned 4X riders attending the event in preparation for next weeks 4X National this wasn’t going to help my chances. But with a few more gates under my belt, I did start to feel a little more comfortable towards the end of practice. And anyway at least I would have someone to chase!
After a 30 minute break the Moto’s began. In my first Moto I got a pretty decent start as I found myself leading down the first straight and into the first turn. From here on in I made sure too cover my tracks and ride defensively giving the other riders no chance of over taking. I crossed the line taking the win by a few bike lengths.
In my second Moto I was up against three riders who I know race the NPS 4X series. This was going to be tough. Out of the gate I surprised my self with a pretty good start leaving me neck a neck with two other riders. After a fair amount of contact down the first straight I managed to break free and dive into the first turn taking the lead. I maintained this lead down the second straight until the second placed rider tried to jump up my inside hitting my back in the process. I thought I was going down but miraculously I managed to ride out of it leaving me in the lead and giving me two wins out of two. Not bad I thought.
In Moto three I got a pretty bad start coming last out of the gate. However powering down the outside of the first straight I managed to cut in front of the second and third placed riders on the inside of the first berm. I then chased the leading rider but to no avail as I crossed the line in second.
In my final Moto I got out of the gate in second position and maintained this right up until the final flat corner. Then as I was riding round the flat corner, the third placed rider got up my inside taking second position. However as I knew I had the extra momentum I sprinted hard into the final straight. Unfortunately when doing this I pulled out of my left pedal loosing me my momentum and flow. This meant I had to settle for third place.
The last time I visited Taff Buggy was back in 2006 as part of the old Dragon Downhill Series. I remembered it being quite a simple track, but it was flat out from top to bottom and really put a smile on your face. So when I heard that a new organisation called MIJ events had taken it upon themselves to run a British Cycling affiliated series at Taff, I jumped at the chance to go back and race.
Dad and I were one of the first to arrive at the venue at just after 7.30am. I immediately went to walk the track whilst my Dad took the opportunity to have an hours sleep. The course was a lot different to the track I had raced three years ago. The top section was now much steeper as the track wound its way down a number of rocky shoots and corners which were littered with line choice. The middle of the course was much flatter but was very fast and rocky. The bottom of the course lead out of the woods off a step down and through a number of grass turns before dropping down steeply into the finish. Overall I liked the look of the course and thought it was my kind of track.
I started practice pretty slowly and for the first few run’s, I couldn’t seem to get the course flowing. But as the track slowly started to dry out a lot more lines began to form, I felt more comfortable and started to pick up speed. I also took the time to stop and look at a number of sections as the fastest line’s seemed to change throughout the day. After lunch I did some runs with expert rider Jack Graham, as we both tried different lines to see which option was quicker. This helped out a lot. The strong wind which hadn’t retreated throughout the day was also beginning to calm. By the end of the day I felt really good about the course and the way I was riding. I just needed to pick up a bit more speed tomorrow morning and I would be ready to race.
That evening we stayed with Des & Kate Betts, thanks guys I got really good nights sleep unlike week before with the only exception being a few interruptions from Kate’s cat Doris who liked to jump on me and put her cold nose in my face. The next morning I felt really fresh and couldn’t wait to get back on the hill.
The weather was beautiful and boiling hot, and with no sign of any wind the course became much faster. However the top section of the track was now much rougher than the day before as lots of rocks were soon uncovered. Because of this I changed a couple of my lines slightly, choosing smoother lines into the turns. After four practice runs I felt confident about the race and of a good result.
So my first DH race of the year had finally arrived. This was the moment I had been training for throughout the winter, and I couldn’t wait to get back racing. The race was the first round of the Caersws Cup in Powys just over the Welsh border, a venue I have become very familiar with over the years.
We packed the car and did the shopping on Friday night, leaving us ready to head off bright and early at 5am on Saturday morning. On arrival at the venue we soon discovered how wet and boggy the parking field was, as our car very quickly sank. So with our parking space pretty much decided for us, we set up the easy-up and the rest of camp before I headed up the course. Considering the conditions down at the pits, the course looked pretty dry with only a couple of greasy corners and puddles to speak of. Most of the course was a mixture of old tracks but some of it had been tapped differently giving the riders a greater choice of lines, or in some cases whole different sections. There was also a new straight just after the old step up, which lead into a small log drop before joining up to the old course. Overall I liked the look of the course and was excited to get on my bike and get up the hill.
My first practice run went pretty well, as I took a conservative run down the hill checking out my lines and the track conditions. I jumped everything clean and liked the layout of the course, I immediately had high hopes for the weekend ahead. However my second practice run turned out to be a lot different. As I dropped down from the main fire road and over the rock garden, I was met by what felt like hundreds of riders. This was a trend that continued throughout the weekend, and was definitely the section which caused the most problems to the riders. However after a long period watching other riders and checking out the lines, I spotted a great line and nailed the section. It involved hopping between two trees before landing onto some roots and into a shoot, causing you to miss out the corner completely.
For the rest of practice I continued to ride well, but I did feel like I was riding too much within my comfort zone. I was also becoming increasingly frustrated with the fact I was having the most stupid crashes. But after two full runs at the end of the day I started to feel more confident with the way I was riding, and that I was beginning to reach race pace.
After practice had finished I went to walk the course with Des and Kate Bets. This was great because I managed to spot a few new lines. However on the way back to the pits the heavens opened and it hammered it down! The course we walked up looked completely different now, it was drenched.
With only a few weeks until the start of the new Downhill season I headed to Thetford Forest to continue my winter training and my winter XC racing programme.
After an early start Dad and I arrived at Thetford with around 2 hours until the start of my race. So we took the opportunity to walk the first part of the course and check out the conditions. The track looked bone dry, but to my dismay there did seem to be an awful lot of fire road sections, rather than tight twisting single track in which I thrive. However with other riders commenting on how fast and fun the course was, I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt.
After a good warm up I then prepared my drink bottles and energy bars, before making my way down to the start. As usual the race at Thetford was sold out weeks before the event which meant the start was very packed. However it did make a difference to feel a warm breeze on your skin, rather than the rain and gale force winds we had been used to recently. After a few minutes we were then given our 1 minute before the claxon started the race.
From the second row on the grid, I got a pretty good start as I managed to pass a couple of riders in the first 10 metres. Chasing down the leading guys, I then got past two more riders just a few metres before we entered the woods for the first time. For the rest of the lap I tried to keep a good pace and stay with the leaders for as long as possible. This worked well and left me in a good position going into lap 2.
With the snow causing havoc across the whole of the UK, the second round of the Gorrick, Saddle Skedaddle Spring XC Series had to be postponed and re-scheduled a week later. This was disappointing as a snow race would have been great fun, but the track constructed at Tunnel Hill was definitely worth the wait.
We arrived at the venue roughly three hours prior to the start of my race, this gave me a good opportunity to have a practice lap and spot some fast lines. The track was fairly similar to the course I had raced before, but with the addition of a couple of freshly cut descents and a few sharp climbs, to keep the riders on their toes. This resulted in a great track but gave you no chance of a rest bite! There were also many different lines which gave you the opportunity to cut a number of corners which rewarded the riders who had practiced the course. I then got some food inside me, did my warm up and headed up to the start line.
The front of the grid was packed with about 20 riders jostling for a position on the front line. Added to this was the pressure of almost 100 riders breathing down your neck from behind. This was going to be a manic start! As the claxon sounded I managed to stay out of trouble and get out in front leading the riders down the first fire road. I managed to hold this position right up until the first wooded section. However this section was only very short which meant I was passed by quite a few riders as we left the cover of the tree’s and sprinted up the second fire road. The rest of the first lap was very congested as I stayed within a large pack of riders. This made the space for overtaking very limited and meant you really had to take your chances. I finished the first lap at the front of the pack of riders as I managed to overtake four riders on some fast corners just before the start finish line.
With the weekends XC racing postponed, I had chance to play practice in the adverse conditions.
I've ridden in the snow at Aston Hill in the past, but the shear amount on this occasion proved really challenging.
The Road Jump Was Sketchey In The Snow.
I had a great time in the snow but look forward to the summer and a warm dusty race.
Whyte Winter Series, Two Hours Solo - Round 3
Having missed the last round due to a bout of food poisoning, I was quite looking forward to the third round of the Whyte Winter Series. However this race would be held at Woodbridge near Ipswich where a brand new course had been designed, I had my fingers crossed for a good race, and some sunny sky’s.
Dad and I arrived at the venue to driving wind and rain, and freezing temperatures. Yet again we were told that it had been warm and sunny the day before, which really made you sick to the stomach. We decided to take a walk around a short part of the course to asses the conditions and make the decision what tyres would do the job. I decided to go with the wet tyres as the track looked very soft and I believed with 600 riders it would churn up in no time at all. We then took the sensible option of retreating back to the car.
After a good warm up I lined up at the front of the warm up pen, pumped up and ready to race. Unfortunately I was unaware that the Top 10 ranked riders from the first two rounds were called to the front as they had been gridded already. Due to my absence from round 2, I wasn’t seeded and would start on the third row.
After a short delay the klaxon sounded and I raced off in pursuit of the leaders. The first 1000m was a soaking wet fire road straight into the wind. This was really tough and using another rider for shelter or as a slip stream was impossible due to the amount of spray. As I entered the woods for the first time I was surprised to see how much the track had churned and how quickly. I knew line choice was going to be the key to this race. About half way round the lap riders were given the option of riding through two very high and steep bomb hole’s or riding right round the edge of them. I went straight for the bomb holes, and although they were really sketchy I managed to overtake roughly 30 riders according to a spectator. For the rest of the lap I had a blast over taking lots of riders and getting the bike drifting.
At the beginning of the second lap I got a little bit two confident and lost it on a flat corner, losing the front wheel and getting sent over the bars. Luckily I wasn’t hurt and I got back up to speed within a few minutes. This lap was a lot tougher than the first. The rain had stopped which made the mud sticky and energy zapping. The organisers had also chosen to take out the bomb holes as they were deemed unsafe due to a number of crashes. This was so frustrating as it removed a prime opportunity where I could over take a huge amount of riders. However going into the third lap I was still feeling good.
The third lap was one of the toughest I had ever completed. It soon became clear that it was quicker to run certain sections as riders overtook sprinting next to their bike. It didn’t even look like the same track anymore. However the adverse conditions did work in my favour as I dug in deep and really pushed on right to the finish over taking many riders in the process. Crossing the line I was pleased to find out that I was 7th in my category, Junior and 28th out of 169 riders in the senior category.
So although I was cold and wet for the majority of the race, I really did have a good time. The organisers had done a really good job with the track and I would be happy to come and race here again. I’m now looking forward to my next XC race as I continue my preparation for the new Downhill season.
Thanks to my sponsors listed below for their support, I really appreciate it:
Milton Keynes Schools Sports Partnership |
adidas eyewear |
Trixter X-Bike |
Maxxis Tyres |
661 Protection |
Simon Williams, Personal Trainer |
David Lloyd Leisure in Milton Keynes
Bike Tape |
Sunline Components |
Utopia Signs |
SIS Sports Nutrition |
Intense Cycles |
Pendle Bike Racks
On Sunday afternoon I competed in my first cross country race of the New Year, Round 1 of the Gorrick Saddle Skedaddle, Spring XC Series at Yateley Heath Wood. I had only been to this venue once before and absolutely loved the track, I therefore hoped for a good result but more importantly a good days racing and an indication of my fitness with three months until the new season.
With my race not starting until 1pm, I took the opportunity to get to the venue a few hours early so I could have a practice lap. The course was not what I had expected and the conditions were really awful. The track was nowhere near as imaginative and fun as the course on the other side of the same woods, and the sticky mud made every pedal stroke a mission. By the end of my practice lap I felt pretty tired and wasn’t really looking forward to the race.
By the time my race came round the conditions had become so slow that the organisers had made the decision to reduce each lap by roughly seven minutes. This was due to the large numbers of riders that were pulling out of the earlier races as they felt unable to complete the race. Every rider who crossed the line didn’t have to say anything; you could tell by their facial expression that they were exhausted. This was going to be a tough race.
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