British Downhill Series 2016: Dates and Venues Announced

Nov 9, 2015 at 7:31

by Pinkbike Staff

British Cycling’s National Downhill Mountain Bike Series - the BDS - won by Manon Carpenter and Joe Smith in 2015, will kick off on the 2nd of April at Ae Forest, in Scotland, and will conclude in September at Llangollen, Wales. In between, the series will visit Fort William, Rhyd Y Felin, Moelfre, and Powys.

We are delighted to be able to confirm the dates for the 2016 British Cycling Downhill Series. The series was a huge success in 2015 with some great racing and fantastic crowds. The 2016 series will take in some of the biggest mountain bike venues across the country and showcase some of the best riders in the world. - Jonathan Day, Cycle Sport Manager, British Cycling

The series will visit the Revolution Bike Park in Powys for the very first time. Situated just over the Welsh border at the foot of Snowdonia National Park, the trails are set in 100 acres of woodland and include over 300 metres of vertical descent.

We are very pleased to be able to welcome the event at Revolution Bike Park to the calendar for 2016. It's a brilliant venue and will offer riders a new challenge. We have seen amazing performances from British riders on the world stage since we took over the National Series and it's vital that we have high quality venues available across the county to strengthen the talent of the BDS racers. - Si Paton, BDS Organiser

New for 2016 will be Action Sports Timing who will be providing live timing and results for each rider throughout practice, seeding and race runs.

Expect further exciting announcements regards the series prior to the entries opening at 09:00 on Saturday the 2nd of January 2016 via the British Cycling website.

FULL CALENDAR
Round 1: 02-03 April - Ae Forest, Scotland
Round 2: 14-15 May - Fort William, Scotland
Round 3: 28-29 May - Rhyd-Y-Felin, Wales
Round 4: 25-26 June - Moelfre, Wales
Round 5: 27-28 August - Revolution Bike Park, Wales
Round 6: 17-18 September - Llangollen, Wales

MENTIONS: @si-paton / @TheHillsAreAlive

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44 Comments

23 3

dirtygilb (Nov 9, 2015 at 12:16)

A huge well done again to the BDS for getting together a true national series!! Not one round in England. We have hills. We have good tracks. Tavistock for example. If it was good enough for dirt magazine to test the likes of gee atherton down it then it's good enough for the rest of us. When will these people listen to the English rider and stop going back to the same old places where the local Heroes go to practice 6 times a week! British cycling need to wake up and start investing some time and money for some tracks in England!

14 2

Small-Tales-Epic-Trails (Nov 9, 2015 at 11:10)

If the organisers read these comments, could we please have a separate English DH series. I couldn't even care if the courses are sub-par. At least we'd have something to race. Combe sydham, Ludlow, hamsterly...

trifecta (Nov 9, 2015 at 14:55)

Instead of complaining, pick up a spade and put your country back on the map! Id love to see national level tracks in England! I shall now be neg propped by the whole of England haha...

digthehills (Nov 9, 2015 at 17:06)

This guy already does a load of spade work mate, excellent looking trails all hand built

hellhound089 (Nov 10, 2015 at 5:09)

Gawton

10 0

stevenday121 (Nov 9, 2015 at 13:58)

I think I will carry on racing the Pearce cycles series thank you Their up lift service works The BDS uplift does not

10 3

si-paton (Nov 10, 2015 at 1:56)

There are no venues in England because there are no suitable venues. We need a great track, good uplift route with passing places, friendly neighbours/locals and a big finish field.

Tavistock is great riding but it is not a national standard race venue. I wish it was!

For the record I am English and live in Birmingham.

Small-Tales-Epic-Trails (Nov 10, 2015 at 2:48) (Below Threshold)

Firstly can we have an English cycling body to represent us? Secondly as I said before above. We couldn't care if the tracks aren't the longest/steepest, we simply want somewhere to race in our own country. Is that so hard to understand? Apparently your english....

llarrggee FL (Nov 10, 2015 at 8:22)

How many times have you said that Si. Why don't people listen? Good work with the BDS as always.

Small-Tales-Epic-Trails (Nov 10, 2015 at 8:49)

I'm afraid you have it the wrong way around. It is BC that are not listening to the people. 4 of the races in wales, why not let welsh cycling deal with it? SDA will no doubt do they're own. I get there are more/better courses in wales. But this is not a national series, well not in the british sense. It is simply trying to attract big names to races rather than support us cyclists up and down the country. As previously said, why don't BC have an English cycling group under it's banner like wales and scotland and put on a separate series.? Someone tell me why this isn't possible? Si...

watchmen (Nov 9, 2015 at 11:31)

If you stand on the right hill with a pair of binoculars and squint a bit........you can see all 4 welsh tracks at once!!

NaToED (Nov 9, 2015 at 14:00)

Not quite our big mountains tend to block the view

. It's gutting that there are not many tracks in England though that are long enough . Plymouth has a few good runs but it's just as long for some people to travel to as Scotland . That was the issue with the old NPS in the mid 90's . very pedaly courses that would end with a flat field .

watchmen (Nov 10, 2015 at 13:16)

You can definitely see Molfre and the top of Revolution (Rhyd y Felin is next door) from Cadair Bronwen (785m) and the mast at the top of Llangollen.

NaToED (Nov 10, 2015 at 16:33)

ah yes the mast but not the rack .........P.s I was joking.....factious even .

iainbruce (Nov 10, 2015 at 9:42)

To be honest if your going to race BDS. Its going to be the most suitable national tracks for big teams and numbers of riders etc. If only one round was in england would it make that big a difference? Still always going to be rounds in wales and Scotland

Ziph (Nov 9, 2015 at 9:43)

Why can't they do one in England?
Oh.........wait a minute......

Intensevp (Nov 9, 2015 at 9:49)

Best get building a mans track for the uk! Anyone got a spare hill?

george-thompson FL (Nov 10, 2015 at 5:45)

Jesus, so many negative comments????? What does it matter if there aren't any races in England? There are far more obvious places not on the list from Scotland - Inners, Glencoe & Wales - Stiniog, Bike Park Wales. I think it looks like a cracking series good work Si, just hope that there still plenty of spaces come the morning of the 9th

alex275 (Nov 10, 2015 at 5:08)

back in 2013 bringewood was used at the BDS which is england is there a reason why this was not used since (realise that it was not classed as a UCI track?

tobywombat (Nov 9, 2015 at 11:44)

And again the nearest is over 4+ hours away.

NaToED (Nov 9, 2015 at 14:02)

Where are your local trails ? Get a bit of building done and I'm sure Si would help out for 2017 .

ArchieDH (Nov 9, 2015 at 15:24)

Stop your moaning, some off us have to travel from Northern Ireland, and some of my mates as far away as Cork!!

betsie (Nov 9, 2015 at 15:31)

My locals are Gi, pluscarden, dd, dd+, mast then some big mountain downhills all over the north of Scotland. Must have over 10 tracks within 45 mins of the front door. Every one many times better than Ae. Which is over 4 hours south. Most tracks are under 2 minutes with hardly a pedal stroke. Everywhere has builders and tracks. Not everywhere has uplift, a field at the bottom and permission

tobywombat (Nov 10, 2015 at 11:33)

If Your in Northern Ireland then Archie your probably closer than me,so i will moan cheers.

ArchieDH (Nov 10, 2015 at 13:50)

1hour to ferry, 3hours on ferry, 1.5hours to closest venue?

NaToED (Nov 10, 2015 at 16:34)

I live in Wales and the races are still 3.5 hours or more to travel to . It's a long slow drive up to gog land .

georgy291 (Nov 9, 2015 at 12:11)

good time to be in north wales! .... wait a min

si-paton (Nov 10, 2015 at 1:57)

Plus Revolutikn is a welcome addition to the series. If you have a venue in England, give me a shout.. si@pinkbike.com

adamconradx (Nov 9, 2015 at 10:54)

Moelfre is on my birthday!

Matt-W (Nov 9, 2015 at 11:05)

Not a single event in england as usual.

simooo (Nov 9, 2015 at 14:45)

The welsh downhill series

Riders-Company (Nov 9, 2015 at 8:32)

So Stoked.

Knuckle89 (Nov 9, 2015 at 10:20)

No stiniog?!!!

Small-Tales-Epic-Trails (Nov 10, 2015 at 4:31)

Below threshold threads are hidden

9 13

Small-Tales-Epic-Trails (Nov 9, 2015 at 11:03)

Considering the scots and welsh don't consider themselves british, it's hard to call it the BDS

10 3

ollyforster (Nov 9, 2015 at 11:08)

That's a sweeping statement if ever there was one.

Small-Tales-Epic-Trails (Nov 9, 2015 at 12:56)

Have you ever lived outside england?

ollyforster (Nov 9, 2015 at 14:37)

I'm from the borders, born and raised, so don't even go there...

Furious-Styles (Nov 9, 2015 at 14:52)

Small-tales I'm afraid that was a really naive and silly statement to make. This is biking not politics.

betsie (Nov 9, 2015 at 15:26)

I am a Brit. I am also Scottish. I drive past culloden battlefield every day. I am a brit. Can't race the BDS though as all but fort bill is way to far away and we have so many fun tracks up here. Why drive all that way! Need to hyjack a helicopter.

Small-Tales-Epic-Trails (Nov 10, 2015 at 1:17)

Considering furious-styles and betsie, you both affiliate with scotland more than Britain as stated by your profiles. So why do you find this so offensive? I'm merely stating what we all know. For example scots hate Tories? True or false. Even labour are 'red Tories' now haha. Whilst there maybe a few scottish Tories kicking, about on the whole (sweeping statement) it is true. It isn't silly it's the truth. Have you lived in a bubble for the last few years?

Try this... Is there a welsh cycling body? Yes. Is the there a scottish cycling body? Yes. Is there an english cycling body? No, apparently the english fall under british cycling which is backing this series yet not one single race is in England. Do you think that is fair?

betsie (Nov 10, 2015 at 4:24)

I could type a long response to your fishing line but I just had my lunch thanks. Wrong... move on.

Small-Tales-Epic-Trails (Nov 10, 2015 at 4:32)

Please do, it would be better than you simply not bothering.

Furious-Styles (Nov 10, 2015 at 11:45)

Oh dear small-tales think you listen to the media rather the the real world. You are making assumptions about others that are way out I'm afraid. I don't find you offensive just ignorant.