2011 Alpine Bikes Winter Series | Round 3

After the 2011 Alpine Bikes winter series saw a wet round one and a dry round two there was hope of another dry weekend for round three. It didn’t quite work out like that, but it was a great weekend nonetheless.


After the 2010 series was hit by severe conditions (it is winter after all) there was a sense of trepidation over what the weather would bring for 2011. After a slight date re-arrangement round one went ahead with just a little re-shuffling of the paddock on Saturday morning to avoid the lake that had spread itself across the car park overnight. Wet weather gear may have been the kit of choice there but round two was bright and dry which made for a great atmosphere when combined with a well received track. And so to round three where Saturday dawned wet but gradually transformed into a drying track and blue skies...which lasted nearly the whole weekend.


Round three then was the final of the three round series and despite being a bit damp at times seemed to provide all riders with something to enjoy. The trail chosen has in one form or another existed since ’98 but it never seems to get boring as the speed being carried increases, the lines merge, fresh sections are linked into the old and conditions of course all conspire to ensure that the same trail never rides the same way twice.


On this occasion the track was taped wide for variety in the main, opening out a few lines for the brave and those willing to walk the track to spot them. And then, in a few crucial areas, the track was then taped tighter to funnel riders into less well used line but no less fun or flowing. The track we’re talking about here is of course the 39 Steps.


Unfortunately it’s no longer quite the 39 Steps from start to finish for the tail end now runs down drop zone, but linking into the end of Deer Hunter (or Technical Nightmare if you’ve been riding long enough) broke it up from the norm and allowed for speed to be kept high without recourse to motorway like sections. The quarry at the top may have been used for round one too but a different line into it kept things feeling fresh whilst a rebuilt lip on the jump into the tunnel gave riders plenty of airtime to style it up.


The finish then avoided the ski jump which now feels worn out after years of abuse and no maintenance and instead diverted into the gully to its side. Fast, rough and sweeping; fun for riders, great for spectators. It was good to see fewer crashes on the road crossing too this round, a slightly less acute angle meaning riders weren’t carrying as much speed and had an easier turn. The usual short sprint from the road and you were soon across the line to record your time.


With four trucks and coaches on hand for Saturday there was certainly no shortage of transport available for those who wanted to see just how many runs they could squeeze in before the light disappeared totally at the end of the day. Talk was of double figures with an early finish, good in anyone’s book. A couple of quick runs on Sunday morning to blow the hangovers away, fueled by plenty of local ale in one of the many local pubs, and you were set for racing. Just remember to save enough energy for the mile and a half ride you have along to the uplift point for each of your race runs!


Hardtails kicked the racing off with Malcolm Porter taking third, George Muncey second for Cycle Recycle and Richard Acott the win for DMR/Giro. It wasn’t many minutes after they were down the hill that the Juveniles followed. Scott Tupper took third here with a run of 4:09 with Nial Oxley second for Great-rock.co.uk with a 4:02. But taking the win, and by some margin at that, was Ae Bike Shop’s Frazer Mccubbing who posted a rapid 3:46.


In Youth Joe Paterson, another Ae Bike Shop rider, took third on a 3:44, just over a second back from Drew Carters. The win was taken by George Gannicott for BikeSoup/Gravity. George is a rider who has progressed remarkably over the past twelve months and is definitely one to watch in the future.


Juniors is always going to be a fast category, packed with riders all hoping to one day stamp their name on the World Cup circuit. 2010 European Junior champion Sam Flockhart took third for Lapierre with a 3:23 and Mark Scott sat just ahead in second on a 3:20. The win however went to Joe Connell of the Sunn Montgenevre World Cup team with a 3:17 that placed him well inside the top ten overall. No mean feat given the number of Elites in attendance.


This series has seen great attendance from the girls, and this time round there were even enough to call an under 18’s top three. Third and second spot went to two Leader Bike Club riders; Rebecca Kennedy and Erin Magure with the win taken by Charlotte Mallin-Martin. In the over 18’s Masters rider Janine Wolstenholme took third with two Senior riders just ahead; Emma McRobb in second and Rachael Walker on the top step with a time just behind the Elite riders. And with only two Elites that meant that it was Angela Coates in second for Fox Europe with a 4:21 with Bex Reilly taking the win for Uplift Scotland on a 4:17.


In the Veterans Bernard Plaisted took third with podium regular Neil Wilson in second for Glentress Riders with a 3:36. The win was taken by another podium regular, Alastair MacLennan, riding for Nukeproof and crossing the line in 3:34.


Jed Whitfield took third spot in Masters which seems to have become a haunt for many still-more-than-rapid ex-elites recently. Second went to James Hughes with a 3:33, sat between Jed’s 3:37 but just behind the 3:29 of David Tallontire who runs a regular uplift at the venue under the bann of Uplift Scotland.


Seniors saw Jamie Scott take third for CycleLane/Kona on 3:31 with Lewis McLaughlin in second on 3:27. Thomas Pollock was a regular to the podium many years ago in the junior categories and continues to show his skill now by taking the win with a 3:22 for Team CHR.


Experts were the penultimate category of the day and here Dave Duggan saw third spot with a 3:20 for Devinci/Freeborn, second placed Andy Phillips just two tenths up for All Terrain Cycles. Top spot on the podium was taken by Ronan Taylor for Monsterbike Inverness in a time of 3:17 in his first year out of Junior.


Innerleithen always sees a packed Elite category, a combination of rapid locals, great tracks and plenty of riding all coming together to drag them out on their bikes. Perth City Cycles’ Fergus Lamb took third with a 3:11 with Rocky Mountain’s Ruaridh Cunningham in second on a 3:11 and Adam Brayton on the top step for Mythic/Banshee with a 3:11. That’s right, the podium was separated by just half a second, and the top two steps separated by just two hundredths. Tight!


So another winter series over with, thankfully not hit by the same weather that saw so many problems in 2010. Great racing as always, a good atmosphere at each round and a great mix of riders from all over the country and with a wide spread of abilities. Innerleithen really does have an amazing capacity for bringing riders together and creating some great races. Mike pulled out the stops for this series and it showed with riders virtually unanimous in praise for the events.


See you there in 2012! For full series results check out www.alpinebikes.co.uk as they’ll be up there very shortly!

Full results available here.
Check out www.borderline-events.co.uk for more events across the country in 2011.