HSBC UK National Downhill Series Round One - Sunday Practice and Racing
Sunday of the HSBC UK National Downhill Series presented by GT Bicycles began with much more promise than its predecessor. Racers awoke to blue skies and scattered cloud; as the day progressed the cloud dispersed making way for the elusive Welsh sunshine. Despite the drier climate the track remained saturated, throughout the day it did dry out to some degree. If anything this only made an already technical track more challenging, the roots were exposed and polished from the high volumes of traffic. The once fine wet slop gradually reduced to slick grease, a common affair for UK racing!
Sections of the track were beginning to suffer wear and tear. Most notably a deep unsupported rut forming between the start and marshal point 1. This was a single line affair and the riders fresh out of the gate were hitting the section exceptionally hard. This resulted in many riders getting hung up, including World Champion, Danny Hart and world cup rival, Gee Atherton. After a discussion between the maintenance teams, organisers, and riders the decision was made to run the course. The alternatives were a long closure for maintenance or alteration of the taping immediately before race runs. As changes cannot be made to the track without riders being offered practice runs the decision was made to run the track in its current status with removal of some loose logs and rock. There was also a delay to the start after a juvenile rider damaged some essential netting over a river crossing near the bottom of the course.
![The views at the Nant pits reminded me more of a surf event than a downhill race.]()
![The sun might have been out but not everyone was in search of a tan]()
![Riders queuing for practice bright and early on Saturday morning]()
![The organised marshall hanging out.]()
![The technical rocky track was eating bikes for breakfast. With a long pedally section towards the end this was not a track to be losing a chain]()
![Danny Hart out of the start line and into the trees on his first run of the second day.]()
![Danny stops and turns around to take a second attempt at the deep rut which claimed rider after rider all day.]()
![Hot on the tail of Danny Hart in practice Gee Atherton also got caught out in the rut.]()
![A rider falling victim to the notorious rut]()
![Rachel making light work of a greasy left hander near the top of the track during practice.]()
![Denis Luffman disappearing into a worn section of track leading into a rock garden. Congratulations Dennis for taking the win of the DMR 13-14 boys]()
![Jamie Edmondson flicking it through the worn section in practice he later went on to win the Funn MTB 15-16 boys category.]()
![Pete Little disappears into the ground he reappeared at the end of the day to take 1st in the Kenny Racing 50 Mens Category]()
![Andrew Titley laid down a clean run to win the Funn MTB 40-49 Mens Category]()
![Millie Johnset amidst the rocks managed to take second in the Rachel Atherton 17-18 Girls Category.]()
![The riders were queing up in the pits to lighten the load before heading up for race runs]()
![Steve Peat s team vans were parked up right by the finish line with a barbeque fired up in - throw another shrimp on Steve Here he prepares himself for another race run to add to his list.]()
![Matt Rushton departing the Welsh sunshine by the start to seek out mud in the trees]()
![Aston Tutt displacing some of the groundwater as she tears into the trees.]()
![Rachel Atherton bending it around the tree in her seeding run.]()
![Adam Brayton aka Keswick Kestrel crashed out in his race run and didn t manage to swoop onto the podium today.]()
![Danny Hart tears into the trees demonstrating his finesse from a strict off season regimen.]()
![Maintenance removing loose debris from the corner that slumped under 250 of the UK s finest.]()
![Megan James sends the step down to take first in the 17-18 Womens category.]()
![Rachel Atherton smiles after managing to maintain her winning streak putting a clear 10 seconds into her nearest rival.]()
![Tahnee Seagrave took a bad tumble but did eventually complete her run.]()
![Legend Steve Peat debriefs his boys on following his race run which placed him mid pack at 16th.]()
![Custom Rainbow Stripe Five 1Tens]()
![Danny Hart takes a moment to gather his breath after his 02 05 922 untouchable run.]()
![Danny Hart lets out a smile mid interview following his win and fastest time of the day.]()
![Elite Women s podium.]()
![Elite Men s Podium]()
Round #2 of the UK National Downhill Series takes us to Fort William, Scotland on May 13th and 14th 2017. It's sure to be a big line-up, as the riders squeeze in the runs leading up to the 2017 Fort William World Cup shortly after!
Full Results here.
MENTIONS: @GTBicycles / @si-paton / @tris400d
Sections of the track were beginning to suffer wear and tear. Most notably a deep unsupported rut forming between the start and marshal point 1. This was a single line affair and the riders fresh out of the gate were hitting the section exceptionally hard. This resulted in many riders getting hung up, including World Champion, Danny Hart and world cup rival, Gee Atherton. After a discussion between the maintenance teams, organisers, and riders the decision was made to run the course. The alternatives were a long closure for maintenance or alteration of the taping immediately before race runs. As changes cannot be made to the track without riders being offered practice runs the decision was made to run the track in its current status with removal of some loose logs and rock. There was also a delay to the start after a juvenile rider damaged some essential netting over a river crossing near the bottom of the course.
The views at the 'Nant' pits reminded me more of a surf event than a downhill race.
The sun might have been out but not everyone was in search of a tan!
Riders queuing for practice bright and early on Saturday morning!
The organised marshall, hanging out.
The technical rocky track was eating bikes for breakfast. With a long pedally section towards the end, this was not a track to be losing a chain!
Danny Hart out of the start line and into the trees on his first run of the second day.
Danny and Gee both had to retrace their steps after getting hung up in the rut
A rider falling victim to the notorious rut!
Rachel making light work of a greasy left-hander near the top of the track during practice.
Denis Luffman disappearing into the worn section leading into a rock garden. Congratulations Dennis for taking the win of the DMR 13-14 boys!
Jamie Edmondson flicking it through the worn section in practice, he later went on to win the Funn MTB 15-16 boys category.
Pete Little disappears into the ground, he reappeared at the end of the day to take 1st in the Kenny Racing 50+ Men's Category
Andrew Titley laid down a clean run to win the Funn MTB 40-49 Men's Category
Millie Johnset amidst the rocks managed to take second in the Rachel Atherton 17-18 Girls Category.
The riders were queuing up in the pits to lighten the load before heading up for race runs!
Steve Peat's team vans were parked up right by the finish line with a barbecue fired up in - 'throw another shrimp on Steve'!
Matt Rushton departing the Welsh sunshine by the start to seek out mud in the trees!
Aston Tutt displacing some of the groundwater as she rips into the trees.
Rachel Atherton looked composed in her seeding run.
Adam Brayton aka 'the Keswick Kestrel' crashed out in his race run and didn't manage to swoop onto the podium today.
Danny Hart demonstrating his finesse from a strict off-season regimen.
Maintenance removing loose debris from the corner that slumped under 250 of the UK's finest.
Megan James sends the step down to take first in the 17-18 Women's category.
Rachel Atherton smiles after managing to maintain her winning streak putting a clear 10 seconds into her nearest rival.
Tahnee Seagrave took a bad tumble but did eventually complete her run.
Legend, Steve Peat debriefs his boys on following his race run which placed him mid-pack at 16th.
Rainbow stripes throughout.
Danny Hart lets out a smile mid-interview following his win and the fastest time of the day.
Elite Women's podium.
Elite Men's Podium
Round #2 of the UK National Downhill Series takes us to Fort William, Scotland on May 13th and 14th 2017. It's sure to be a big line-up, as the riders squeeze in the runs leading up to the 2017 Fort William World Cup shortly after!
Full Results here.
MENTIONS: @GTBicycles / @si-paton / @tris400d
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Rachel Atherton - Most successful female downhiller ever - 2.28
Top 3 15-16 year old boys - 2.23, 2.26, 2.27......
How is this possible???
Is it cultural or psychological or something like that?
If you looked at another sport would you see a similar pattern or is downhill behind when it comes to encouraging girls into the sport?
Also, Rachel Atherton opening up a 10s gap to Manon Carpenter? HOW?
All this means a higher V02 max which is important when it comes to sports like downhill where it's a whole-body exercise performed at a near maximum intensity for a somewhat long duration.
I bet those kids on a WC track would be slower than Rach.
If it was a 2 minute race on road bikes then this would be simple.
But maybe that little bit extra gets gee up to a higher speed out of the gate, maybe it means he hits a transition perfectly and loses no speed, maybe he can make 3 consecutive bunny hops 4 minutes into a World Cup run where Rachel can only do two...