Alpine Bikes Winter Series Rd 2, Innerleithen

Well after the cancellation of the first round it was good to see rd2 take place, even if the coarse was probably slippier than it was for the first round. The 2010 Alpine Bikes Winter series will go down as one of the wintriest (is that a word) on record I’d say. It was looking good on Saturday the track was cutting up good and there was plenty grip, almost muddy in places. Top section above the fire road was still hard and slippy but with a bit of work from a few riders it was good to go.

Sunday morning was a different story -7 during the night turned the track from good to solid hard pack top to bottom even under the trees.  First 20 or so riders down had a good run with grip but you could see the black polished lines appearing and it was obvious the braking just wasn’t working as more and more riders were sliding out on easy parts of the track. As the morning dragged on and the sun never really got his hat on it was beginning to look like there might be another cancelation. Most of the top riders decided not to race, why only they know why but it’s there loss. For the guys and gals that stayed and raced I think most had a ball and rode to tracks conditions, there wasn’t any bad crashes that caused injuries apart from maybe there pride.

Pete Williams

With 300+ riders entered only 203 started the race with most of the top riders packing up and heading home after practice, I suppose they do have a long season ahead of them and a silly fall on an icy track could be costly.

Hat has to come off to Adam Brayton who on Saturday by the end of practice couldn’t pee and was in a bit off pain. Took himself of to the local hospital and spent the night in the local BGH with a catheter tube fitted ouch.  Feeling a bit better Sunday morning signed himself out and made his way back to the hill, walked the track and decided to race, well why not he was the only Elite left so he cruised not so slowly to take the win and get his new sponsors some publicity, nice one.

Another good sight this weekend was the return of Robson’s finest plumber Dave Young after nearly 3 years out injured. He thought on Friday it looked like good weekend for racing so went and got himself a late entry from Matt.  Then went on the scrounge to Gary Forrest (why aren’t you riding it) to borrow his bike and kit, sorted.  It was funny that after 3 years out he didn’t recognise most of the riders and they hadn’t a clue that they were about to get spanked by one of the most talented riders who with a bit more practice might be come back and ride the SDA series this year, please think about it Dave your missed.

Good to see that Chris Ball’s tuition is working well on the not so wee Lew Buchanan ripping to his first junior win by a clear 14 seconds, and fastest time of the day on a borrowed bike, will someone give this lad a deal, or has he got one? mmmm can’t say.

Alpine Bikes will chuffed with there one and only sponsored rider Joe Connell taking the youth win by a huge 17 seconds over I-Cycles Stuart Wilcox with Gregor Notman a further 3 seconds back in 3rd.

Hard as nails hardtail category was won by Wideopen Mags rider Steve Larking with Stuart Black in second place and taking 3rd spot on the podium was Tom Cleave.

Niall Morrison was the winner of the Juvenile class this weekend with Dan Farley not so far back in 2nd place with Frazer McCubbing in 3rd

Daz Westwood (sounds like a top DJ) found himself on the top of the podium in the Masters category with Pearce Cycles Sion Jones in 2nd place just in front of Erland Mowat in 3rd.

The old vets were out in force this weekend with a field of 10 riders deciding to race; Pete Hoggan was the victor over Stevie Boyd with Seb Ramsay in 3rd.

With only one Elite woman entered it was a case of just getting down the hill for Harriet Latchem riding for Propain Bikes to take the win.

Bex Reilly stayed upright to take the women’s win over Team-CHR/Fox rider Angela Coates with Mairi Gillis in 3rd

With 8 Expert riders deciding to race, it was Alasdair Maclennan with the second fastest time of the day that took the win over Dale Russell with Eliot Machin in 3rd place.

Well all in all it was a good weekends racing and I for one think that it was the right decision to go ahead and race, even if it was freezing for us togs on the hill side. Look forward to the final race of the series on March 14th come along and enjoy the trackside banter.

One last thing is that coming down the last part of the track at the end it was quite obvious that a lot of people feel the need to leave loads of rubbish laying around the hillside for the marshals to clear up! It’s not on take your rubbish down with you to the buckets in the car park.