The 2018 UCI Cross-Country Marathon Mountain Bike Championship is upon us. And if you haven’t heard already – the start lists are intense. While we’ve already given our thoughts on the course, the question of who can win on it isn’t so simple. Firstly, you should go and read the entry lists on the UCI […]
What’s it like to race XCO World Champs? Imogen Smith reports on Lenzerheide
I may not be an XCO racer most of the time, and on paper my result was nothing to write home about, but unless I suddenly become a rockstar, nothing I do in my life will come close to the exhilaration of racing XCO World Championships in Lenzerheide. So what’s it like racing XCO World […]
2018 XCM World Championship course preview
Related Event: 3Epic
After the flat out marathon course in Singen for the 2017 UCI Cross-Country Marathon (XCM) World Championship, the course for the 2018 event is a completely different beast. The 3Epic race which hosts the Championship is a hilly course with sustained climbs and descents, taking in fast gravel roads, steep climbs, forest trails, a long […]
First Look: EIE carbon A29C25D22S wheel build
You may not have heard of EIE Carbon, but chances are you will hear of them more in the future. They make a big range of rims, but what I was looking for in a rim needed to be something that hit the following numbers: internal width of 24-26mm Asymmetric for more even spoke tension […]
Memories from Norway – Skaidi Xtreme
Related Event: Skaidi Xtreme
Back in November last year I began coaching someone in Norway, he ran a bike race, his passion for the event was obvious from the beginning. It didn’t take much to persuade my fiancee and me that we needed to visit Skaidi Xtreme. Flights booked, we signed on for the ‘Different Experience’ and we were […]
Livigno Training Camp: Day Seven
What the hell just happened? How did an 8 day stay in Livigno just about come to an end? It seems like so recently that we arrived in Livigno, anticipating epic rides, amazing food, crazy Italians, thin air and mountain scenery. For the most part – Livigno delivered. While we didn’t have seven days of […]
Livigno Training Camp: Day Five
Sitting here on an early Saturday evening, I just realised this is the longest I have spent in Livigno at one time. While in 2013 I came and visited for about 4 nights, headed off to race Dolomiti Superbike, then came back again for another four or five nights, this would be the longest consecutive […]
Have you met Ben May?
Words: Andrew Handyside. Photos: Melissa May The XCM World Championships are nearly upon us and, as any responsible national governing body would do, MTBA have named their athletes who will pull on the green and gold to represent us against the finest the world has to offer. As you know, kitting up for the lads […]
Livigno Training Camp: Day Four
As Mike and I have been watching the weather forecast like the vital signs of a dying man, we knew today would be a great day to have off. But imagine my disappointment when, after the jubilant excesses of yesterday’s climb to the top of Livigno’s mountains, I woke up again with a painfully sore, […]
Livigno Training Camp: Day Three
It’s out third full day up in Livigno, and after Imogen and I went our different ways yesterday, we regrouped for one of the other highly popular activities in Livigno – shopping! It wasn’t a mega spending spree, but we did both buy some headbands, so we could feel the part in the high mountains. […]