Series Information
The British Cycling Mountain Bike Downhill Series (BDS) is widely seen as the one of the best stepping stones to international competition. 300 riders per event will have qualified along with a handful of international riders to test themselves on five of the toughest downhill mountain bike courses in the UK.
Racing in age categories you can expect to see both male and female riders as young as thirteen right down to the last category down the hill on Sunday afternoon, which is the "Pro Elites". Don't blink for these guys as you will miss all the action as these riders go faster and bigger off all the jumps and drops than anyone else.
Weekend schedule
Practice is all day Saturday as the riders learn the best lines over the rugged terrain. Sunday is race day! Practice is early morning followed by a timed seeding run and then one race run. The riders fire out of the start hut every 30 seconds, racing against the clock.
Race categories and running order for both seeding and race runs
Juvenile, youth, veteran, master, women, elite women, junior, senior, expert, elite.
Prize fund
£10,000 has been allocated for the series for the fastest eight riders overall from the males and 4 overall females.
Race regulations
The event will run under British Cycling and UCI Regulations and Penalties.
Timing
Race timing will by Tag Heuer. Radio or wireless communications will be used. Live split timing will be provided and provisional results from each category will be printed and displayed within five minutes of each category finishing. Full medical cover will be provided, both on course and from an identifiable base station in the event arena.
Facilities at events
Camping will be available onsite in a separate camping area except for Fort William where no camping is allowed. A full public announcement facility will be on site with announcements throughout the day. Toby Parodi, the voice of the BDS, will be on hand all weekend.
There will be onsite catering providing fresh hot and cold food and refreshments from 18:00 on Friday through the close of play on Sunday.
Multiple male and female toilets will be onsite all weekend along with disabled and urinal facilities. All will be serviced on Saturday evening and restocked throughout the weekend.
The pit area is packed with retails stalls with all the latest biking gear, as well as several leading manufacturers displaying their latest range of bikes and equipment. You will also be close up to all the pro team riders as mechanics tune their bikes for that essential race run.
