ChainReactionCycles.com NPS Round 2
Fri 12th, Sat 13th and Sun 14th of May | Innerleithen, Borders | Pictures Joolze Dymond
The 2006 NPS Downhill series was back on familiar territory for round two at Innerleithen in the Scottish Borders region. We sent Joolze Dymond along to get the pics - below are a few images to whet your appetite!
Matt Simmonds in full flight (left) and promising youngster Danny Hart
Marc Beaumont took a huge step towards defending his NPS title with a win in the second round of the 2006 ChainReaction sponsored series at Innerleithen. The MBUK Santa-Cruz rider is perhaps the most consistent rider in the game at the moment and he was always likely to make the most of the absence of the Athertons and Steve Peat at the Downtown Lisbon event. Tom Braithwaite had one of his best rides to date to claim second, just ahead of Andrew Neethling. Tracy Moseley mede the most of a rare appearance on home soil to win a similarly depleted women's race by an amazing half a minute from Emily Horridge.
Si Paton's Report
Si Paton took time off between runs to tap away at the word processor for us. Here are his thoughts on a weekend of racing in the Scottish Borders:
Friday - no smoke without fire!
This was real Innerleithen as round 2 of the Chain Reaction NPS circus rolled into town on a dry and sunny weekend in Scotland! Friday practise between 15:00 and 18:00 for Experts and Elites riding the 15mins along the road in the baking sunshine was rudely interrupted by a forest fire on the main road between Wakerburn and Innerleithen. The result was all traffic was diverted along the road due to the smoke blocking the road.
Bad news on Friday night in the pits was that bikes, work stands, forks, tyres etc were stolen! Obviously not by us riders. Now let this be a lesson to you all, keep it locked!
Saturday - what a track!
Saturday saw everybody waiting for the uplift, keen to ride a proper Innerleithen track and they were not disappointed once they finally reached their destination at the start shed.
Off the starting blocks you were immediately into awkward rocks and roots: well you might as well start as you mean to go on! It's tough to describe this track in detail as for 90% of us this was a 4-minutes plus descent that twisted and dived through densely forested hillside. Using the natural lie of the land with all the undulations rolling away from you, the track flowed so well.
Following the tape was the only option to stay on course as there was no way of memorising an ever changing track which had more sneaky turns than your estranged spouse! As practice went on, roots became more prominent as the rubber scraped by removing the covering dirt: stripped of their bark, they shone bright white, waiting for you!
Will Longden rips through the forest
Now throw in some super tight and twisty "S" bends - these dealt everyone some cruel blows: if you messed up the entry for one, like dominoes falling, you fell foul of the next and then the next! Now add some speed and air time! Flat out over a road and descending fast and hopping and doubling rocks and stumps, keeping your speed before a huge rock take off launched you to a stepped down landing some distance away - clear that?
If so then you could clear the small but long 4pack before cracking your shins on the loose rocks and fast, dry and dusty corners. Is Summer really here? The bottom section was such a contrast to the top section's tight, greasy corners, being fast, scary, tress flying by scraping your elbows before dropping the anchor and diving into the corners, foot out, flat out, drifting..
The World-famous Inners bomb hole awaited the now exhausted rider: impress the crowd or stay low and wide before hitting the huge re-surfaced berm at Mach 1? The choice was yours! Cross the road and pedal your heart and lungs out to the line. Catch your breath, relive every nail biting scary moment with your mates and your body instantly forgets the aches, pains and stress you've just put it under!
Seeding on Saturday afternoon went on time and without a hitch, for those that stayed on that is!
Sunday Race Results & Analysis
Si Paton reports on the race - we list the top ten in each category ( and include a pic of the category winner or runner up if we missed them. Sunday's practice was interrupted by the Commentator with news that Peaty had won the Lisbon Downtown for the 5th year running with Rachel Atherton winning it for the ladies: the UK rocks!
Full results and analysis spreadsheet here >>>>
| Elite Men
|
| Elite Women
|
| Open
1 WAITES Ben SantaCruz UK 4:04.398 |
| Seniors
1 MORGAN Ben Pearce Cycles/ Burgtec / 5:10 3:51.737 |
| Juveniles
1 FLOCKHART Sam Loriders 4:16.068 |
| Youth
1 BRYCELAND Josh Royal Santa Cruz 3:49.156 |
| Junior Men
1 WHILES Nikki Team Skene 3:49.304 |
|
(L to R) Haby-Blu Cann, Jules Coventry, Monet Adams, Lynda Davies |
| Master Women
Veteran Women
1 DAVIES Lynda Ticket2ridebc.com/nwmtb 5:13.693
Juvenile Women
1 ADAMS Monet Bike Cellar 5:39.222
Senior Women Haby Blu's on a roll and she was fifth fastest woman down the hill - can Kate catch her?
1 CANN Haby-Blu 4:51.210
Junior Women
|
| Vet Men
1 TWIGG Jerry Cycleworld 4:11.747 |
| Master Men
1 ARNOLD Neil Hope Factory Racing 3:56.441 |
| Expert Men
1 LAMB Fergus Ancillotti UK 3:46.588 |
Slugger (Marc) is unstoppable? Fresh back from the World Cup podium he was babysitting Mongoose's Neethling. This week like so many they were heading up to Fort Bill. Bertram close to that Elite podium! 4th from a man that has dominated every category he has moved up and into. He will reach those steps by the end of this season, guaranteed. Deacon on the up as well from the dark horse of Elites. Steve Peat one the Redbull Downtown hence his no show here as was the same for Neil Donaghue, Dan and Gee Atherton. Pictured, Marc Beaumont.
Tracy back from her glorious win in Spain was 30secs up on everyone else. Rachel Atherton was busy winning the Redbull Downtown for her sponsors. Pictured, Tracy Moseley
Chris Whitfield's younger brother Jed made a welcome appearance after a long spell away from racing DH. As for the rest of you guys here you should be buying your BC license and riding with the big boys. Pictured, Jed Whitfield.
Morgan's a loose canon on those fast courses. At least here he can show us his awesome technical ability and stay on. Leon likes his podiums, at the Dragons at least. I like Roberts qualifying time, that was a long wait in the hot seat. Pictured, Ben Morgan.
Local man Lewis makes top five, good lad whilst his team mate who lead qualifying let it slip race run and disappointed himself in finishing 2nd. Flockhart pulled the stops out and it showed with that 6sec lead. Pictured Arran Gannicott.
I had some good money on Dale, this wasn't a pedally course but hold on what about Hart? He could nip and rip through those corners due to his size! Kerr's mom makes the best chocolate cake, many thanks, maybe that's what makes him so fast in DH and 4x? Smith crashed out in his run yet still proved he has the skill as well as the fitness. Josh is Josh and this was his sort of course, technical with a few jumps thrown in! Pictured, Josh Brycelend.
Yes, Whiles a Welshman in Scotland pulling the rug on locals! Rhubarb did puncture last berm in race and Barnes crashed big in seeding. Should he have stayed sat down for a few minutes to ensure he was 1st off and not having to overtake anyone on that single track? Balfa's Baker looking strong again but how's his memory? Pictured, Ben Cathro. 
Where's Alan Blood? Twigg won't have it all his way this season. The fastest milkman in town fresh up from Masters will push him all the way this season. Felstead clocks a good time but what happened to Wilson, he should have been on those golden steps. Abbot will come strong once he masters those "sharp" flat pedals. Pictured Jerry Twigg.
4 of these top 5 are off to the Masters Worlds in Canada in September. Any of the top ten can podium on a good day, if they stayed on! Arnold was always going to win after qualifying 10secs up. Bishop is hard in training for that big race, he's even staying off the booze! Pictured, Aidan Bishop.
How many crashed their brains out? Paul Aston, Alex Stock, Darren Howarth and so many more. How close between 1st and 2nd? Could of been a Cheetham brother double up on that podium. Rob Breakwell finished 7th, after smashing these boys round 1. Pictured Fergus Lamb.
Full results and analysis spreadsheet here >>>>
Other News
After supporting Will Longden at the start, MBUK's chief mechanic Jelly Bean rode down the fire road on the trainer bike and binned it hard, appearing prior to the podium with a nasty open knee wound: good job he's better with the spanners than he is on the bike.
Next Nationals?
Round 3 June 10th and 11th Pen-y-bont-fawr Round 4 August 12th and 13th Caersws Round 5 September 23rd and 24th Fort William http://www.naccevents.co.uk/
