Nicholas Earley, Ewan Cook and Alfie Haydon from the Wightlink Cycle Racing Team Mountain Bike squad made the long journey to Scotland at the weekend to compete in the 3rd round of the National XC MTB Series at Glentress.
The course started with a big climb followed by a flowing descent with lots of berms and jumps leading into a smaller climb then a flat bottom section.
In the Junior category, Ewan and Alfie had good starts and were in the mix up the first climb. Ewan continued to pick off riders each lap, before settling in with some very fast lads in the top 10 and fought hard to cross the line in a commendable 7th place. Alfie had a good race flying on the downs and giving it his all on the ups to come home in 22nd.
Nick – who is still recovering from injuries sustained in a nasty crash at the last round 2 weeks ago – was competing in the Senior Expert category up against the best riders in the UK. Nick started off well and pushed himself throughout the race, crossing the line in 20th place – a respectable result considering he isn’t yet back to full fitness.
Mountain bike team captain Nick said:
“To race at a track like Glentress – which you’ve only ever seen on TV and to share it with Olympians and World Cup racers – was pretty cool.
“To have us in the mix and be able to race at this level is great. We would probably never have the opportunity to race at this level without the commitment and support of our team and huge thanks go out to sponsors Wightlink Isle of Wight Ferries, Wight Mountain, Island Renewables Ltd, KReative Studios and Rapanui for their continued support to help make it happen.”
Closer to home, Finley Manser-Grundy travelled to the mainland with his Dad, Jack, to compete in the B1KE Downhill Series at Tidworth Bike Park.
Competing in the Under-13 category, 6-year-old Finley tackled a fast, rooty course with big jumps with the dry conditions making it incredibly slippy. Riding his 20-inch wheel bike, he carefully navigated the technical sections, improving his lines and confidence throughout the day. Finley’s impressive efforts earned him 30th place out of 45, a commendable achievement as the youngest competitor.
Jack says:
“Finley gained valuable experience in line choice and maintaining speed on loose, sandy sections, which was great learning for the future and he can’t wait for his next race.”
Best place to cycle, Scotland have more cycle lanes
than the Isle of Wight.
Lol