I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR WETSCREAMS!

With a track muddier than a pie from Mississippi, Team Idiot took on Yorkshire’s most famous moor, ( bar t’at) in the Ilkley Mates Race Part 2.

Having reconned the track over the past week in favourable conditions, it was no surprise the night before saw a rainfall that would have had Noah reaching for his Toolfix catalogue.

Riding to keep out the cold as much as keep on top of the sloppy conditions, the extended warm up session saw thrills and spills with Sam taking a pretty nasty slam, head butting static bikes out of the way in a bid to stop.

The track was being pretty unforgiving, but the riding speeds were heading towards full on race runs at a pace. With a full crew on the hill (aside from the injured Rich who came out to represent) the top spot for the team was up for grabs, as well as the bragging rights to go with it…

Bracing against the wind at the greasy, steep rutted roll in, the Team took their turns down the hill, drifting and battling against ruts and slop the whole way down. With lines memorised and gearshifts noted, it was truly a game of luck if the bike was to go where the riders wished, such were the difficulty of the conditions.

The first run down saw the Team spread across the leader board, with Chris ‘Tashy B’ Bell calling it after his first run, suffering with a bout of dysentery. Daz looked disappointed taking a spill in both runs but held it together well in his first race. Jacko too battled his nerves to take a solid run at his first race, a difficult task by anyone’s standards.


Chris Bell

Darren Cooley

Rob Jackson

Plagued by mechanics after a cool first run Tom managed to inch into the top half of the board, not a bad position with the calibre of riders, but something we know he’ll be keen to improve on at the Team’s next race at the 661 in the Forest of Dean.


Tom Broadhead

Team loony and general all round biking hotrod, Ed Mack smashed down the track with a blistering 1.08 slamming into the top 5 and taking the Team honours on the day, all the more impressive given the lack of track time he’d had.


Edd McIntosh

By far the closest battle of the team was fought between the Specialized boys, Ben ‘raging beard’ Tilford and Sam ‘timing fault’ Matthews. Heading into the last corner with a fast paced run, it was with slight disappointment Sam was to be told (as often occurs) there had been a problem with timing and he wasn’t to be given a time, it would be all or nothing on the final run.


Ben Tilford

Tilford looked to keep up his rapid form after taking the hotspot at Wharncliffe a few weeks earlier and a solid 1:12.33 put him in great contention for strong overall position but was knocked back a place by Sam who came in with a 1.12.01. With less than a second between the riders, who knows where it was won or lost?


Sam Matthews

And it is with great honour that we announce our first winning podium position with Caff ‘raging beardless’ Short. Showing that you don’t need to be a bloke to ride like ya got big cajones, Our resident hair and make-up expert held her own in a male dominated field to take the top girl spot on the day, even beating some of the boys on her way to victory!


Cath Short

The Team had a great day with some great overall positions and some serious race ‘cherry-popping’ in less than ideal conditions, and we will sure as hell be reppin’ at the I.M.R Part 3.

Sam Matthews

(Thanks again to guys for organising the race and to those that braved the conditions!)





Photos:

LewSpeight Visuals

Cycopath Cycles

Ben Newhousesize

Video:

Filming: Richard MItchel
Edit: Ben Tilford


www.teamidiot.org

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