Sun blazing and with a smell of sun cream in the air the event started with a run and as I’d already had the pleasure of starting the Enduro 6 I left it to my team mates to battle it out to see who was going to do the honours; Si Ernest our ringer from Juice Lubes lost the toss and took to the start line.
Smashing the run before jumping on his bike and sprinting up the fire road, plumes of dust billowing from his wheels, Si took second place into the single track matching our rivals pace; the race was on and our team feeling confident of a good result were all looking forward to what the day might hold. I was to be the third man out and thinking I’d got plenty of time I pottered around the camp site, chatting to friends and putting up my tent before realising I’d only got minutes before it was my turn. Panic ensued and with time running out fast as I made it to the start line, the only warm performed by the heat from sun.
As I headed to the start line the sound of turbo trainers and strong Bristolian accents floating on the warm air I was looking forward to sampling some of the finest single track Bristol has to offer. First place crossed the line clad in a skin suit, leaping the small hurdles designed to stop people from riding in the transition area with the ease and grace of a gazelle; hmm I thought; I can see me breaking my neck trying to clear that! Right Matt get ready to rock it’ll be your turn any second…. Seconds, then minutes passed; team after team went through, then finally steam venting from his ears our rider turned up! Cursing about people moving the tape we swapped over; down 5 minutes and even more importantly with a LOT of traffic between us and the leaders it was time to reel them in!!!
Hammering it into the single track I carved up the trail which could only be described as a 20 minute pump track, berm after perfect berm lay ahead of me. Tyres actually squealing on the smooth hard pack, gears maxed out, I flew through the trees, overtaking on the berms and sneaky little B-lines, rider after rider left in my wake!
Out of the trees and onto the road, aero position engaged as the speedo clicked skywards before taking a sharp right onto a climb, feathering the steering to compensate for the transition from tarmac to gravel. With every ounce of power eked out of my legs I pumped the pedals, crested the hill with clear air in front as the trail curled down into a small gap in the trees!
Over the makeshift bridge launching off the other side, gears maxed, tyres holding true on the berms I carried more speed than my legs could handle; through the bomb hole and down to what felt like the centre of the earth before turning sharply and going straight back UP!
The track was littered with cyclists fighting for traction on the rocky climb; clicking down the gears I attacked again, trying to pull back a few more places and hopefully get a clear run into the next section of single track, zig zagging left and right, legs pumping I sliced through the field; face half smile, half grimace as I enjoyed the feeling of knowing we must be gaining on our rivals!
As the lap finished I cleared the shin high fence, with the grace of a one legged hippo, glad not to have landed flat on my face and tagged my team mate. Job done and only another 11 hours to go, but with sun blazing in the crystal blue sky I couldn’t think of anything better to be doing on a Saturday morning :o)
With each lap we chipped away at our rivals lead until finally we were in first place by a couple of seconds. I was just thinking to myself with another couple more fast laps we could chill out a little and just soak up the sun; but alas the gods weren’t smiling on us….with one eye on the course as I sat in our camp I spotted our rivals come though ahead of us; had Si had a mechanical? Minutes passed and so did other teams; finally a very unhappy Si appeared with a ripped tyre and a 15 min deficit!!
Pulling our socks up the team went back to work, pulling back 10 seconds here, 20 seconds there, chipping away at the lead and having a very interesting battle for team fastest lap; and with the final throws of daylight we managed to take the lead back…
With all the trouble we’d had we decided not to rest on our laurels and as the course empty our lap times got faster until we’d pulled out a good buffer… job done and after a cold shower (not of my choosing) we hit the podium some members of the team already half cut on red wine!
First prize: more booze, well it would be rude not to partake as the celebrations went on into the night.
I’ve never been a superstitious person but you have to wonder if our race number played any part in our troubles?
