Shimano British Downhill Series: Round 3, Ae Forest - Practice Uncut

The sun was shining and the midges were out for Round 3 of the Shimano British Downhill Series at Ae Forest. Blessed with fair Scottish weather, riders were faced with a shorter course compared to the one they were up against in the previous round at Fort William, but still they found the race line at Ae Forest challenging and in many places, fast.

Again for this race, national-level competitors were riding against international riders. Sam Hill had stayed on since Round 2 at Fort William, and the likes of the full Pivot team, including Eliot Jackson were in town (albeit literally, just off the plane).

The race line started with a flowy descent into a wide open but technical section. After an easy right turn, the riders were racing at pace across the exposed hillside, where things got tricky for several riders. Full of off-camber turns, full of loose, fresh ruts revealing the peat-like dark soil underneath, riders had to rapidly switch direction, with some fairly unorthodox and impromptu side-saddle riding thrown in! Plenty of riders, including Gee Atherton and Marc Beaumont, took the opportunity to session this area again and again.

After successfully traversing the hill, the racing line narrowed into an ally-way of drops and berms as they entered the first wooded section. With midges lying in wait, speed was essential and riders were wise to keep their mouths shut unless they needed a mid-practice protein hit. You could hear a few riders coughing and spluttering as they rode out this section. I guess midges aren't that tasty after all. Riders were channelled into a tight and twisty section with a few natural drops thanks to the complex net of roots. Wide bars were the undoing for some riders - evident on the trees that littered the racing line - with many riders ricocheting off and through the tape. Lewis Buchanan was one of the riders who suffered here, entering the section at full tilt, clipping a tree and sent flying over the bars.


Once out of the technical wooded section, riders were out in the open. After a few gaps, a steam jump, and berms, riders were treated to a stunning view of the other side of the valley, before checking their speed as they prepared for the first of two tables which fed riders into an open left-hand berm. The high line of the berm was tempting for most riders, but a number of the pros chose the lower line, which seemed to be the fastest route and the flowiest, for the right-hipped table in front of them.


Once back on terra firma, riders were up against a series of steps taking them down to the fireroad. It was again off camber so riders here struggled to stay on their bikes, especially when having to make the final turn to straighten up before a drop. Even the likes BMX-turned-MTB pro, Kye Forte, came a cropper, but got straight back up to continue down the course. The fireroads around here are a bit legendary as they were once used for a rally series where drivers managed to clock speeds of over 95mph, but these days the fastest machines are two-wheeled, and the riders swiftly pushed on and into the course's lower section.

Popping over a rock garden that offered numerous lines, riders were mostly choosing to bear left to avoid the worst of the jagged rocks. However, it was a tricky line choice as it meant full commitment and the promise of a slap in the face with from a sapling, just inches from this racing line. With the rock garden nailed, the next wooded section beckoned, with riders gaining speed across the pine needle-carpeted terrain. The midges were out in force again here, but with riders at full tilt, they had no chance of taking a bite, and after a small rock garden and sizeable gap jump, the race line took an almost 180 degree right hand turn across a mossy off camber corner and down into the final technical wooded section, full of little drops, slick roots, and tight turns. With the finish almost in sight, riders had time to take a deep breath before a big drop which spat the riders out into a series of high banked berms.


As the riders finally emerged from the woods, they were faced with the track's final feature: a more or less sheer drop into the finish line area. Digging deep into their energy reserves, the drop's landing was not only rutted and bumpy, but covered in grass. Landing off-balance of cathing a wheel meant you were off the bike like a rocket, and for some they felt the full force of gravity, as their bikes escaped from under them. This was a challenging end to the Ae Forest race run, but one that will keep the crowds on their feet come race day.


Stay tuned to Pinkbike for the results from the Shimano British Downhill Series, Round 2 later today.

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