HSBC UK National Downhill Series Round 4, Llangollen - Sunday Race Day

Round 4 of the HSBC UK National Downhill Series took place today at Llangollen, North Wales. The sold-out event saw 250 of the UK's finest descend the well-established 'One Giant Leap' soil. The all new track crafted by Brian Mundy of Ride Portugal held up well to the traffic and there was no shortage of 'hero dirt' as the welsh weather gods held steered the rain clear… for the majority of the day.

Sunday morning practice ran smoothly, those out early made the most of the sunshine and still Welsh air. The good conditions allowed more riders to conquer the first double and bridge gap uninterrupted by gusts of wind. Confidence on the track was clearly building with plenty of roost and smiles filling the air.

Seeding took place on a dry track with many riders making the switch from mud tyres back to faster rolling alternatives. Rain was forecast for the afternoon with its exact time of arrival the subject of many a discussion in the pits.

A quick interval after seeding allowed the young-guns to rattle down the finishing straight on their Strider bikes, the Strider racing really was a highlight drawing in plenty of spectators and over competitive parents alike. Once the Strider title had been claimed it was time to move on to the grand finale.

The racing times were tight for the majority of categories and the weather took a turn to shake things up from Junior Men’s onwards. Oisin O’callaghan won the Juvenile DMR Men’s with a 2:30:419, just +0:01,739 up on Connor Smith in second. Luke Williamson took the top step in the Funn MTB Youth Men’s with a 02:18:720 just +0:00,711 up on Jamie Edmondson in second. Peter Little took home gold in Grand Vets, as did Andrew Titley in the NS Bikes Veteran Men and Craig Taylor for Dainese Masters Men. In the women’s Maya Atkinson took top step in Rachel Atherton’s Juniors and Mikayla Parton won the Dexshell Women’s. Elite Women’s was arguably a one-woman race with Tahnee Seagrave putting a 02:25.939 on the board, Wideopen’s Veronique Sandler came in second over 25 seconds back with Becci Skelton and Aston Tutt hot on her heels.

As the Spank Junior Men landed in the finish so did the water droplets, although the track remained dry for their runs, times were extremely tight. Matt Walker took the top spot and the fastest time of the day with a 02:13.556, Joe Breeden was just +0:00,097 back closely followed by Kade Edwards’s +0:00,203 back from Walker.

The weather by now had done a mini-Lourdes and the track was slicker than the G.O.A.T.s hair—riders were getting caught out on sections they thought they knew well.

Calum Mcbain came in with a 2:31.556 taking the win in Shimano Senior Men’s. In Fabric Expert Men, Will Hart cinched the win from Luke Cockburn with a 2:26.650 and just a +0:00,621 lead over second. Dan Farley deserves a mention he came in just +0:02,168 shy of Will Hart’s time on his Iron Horse Sunday (26 ain’t dead)!

In the Elite Men the Keswick Kestrel took flight to soar above the others, Adam Brayton put down a 02:18.364 in the wet setting him almost two seconds clear of Welsh local Al Bond. Series leader Charlie Hatton had to settle for third, I noticed Charlie was still on dry tyres whereas Adam came down on Shorty’s, did this cost him the gold!? Marc Beaumont took 4th with James Purvis in 5th.

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