Mountain bikers ride to 24-hour victory
Last updated 19:43, Thursday, 03 July 2008
EIGHT Cumbrian mountain bike racers have proved themselves among the best amateurs in Europe at a huge event involving nearly 3,000 competitors.
The women’s team from Keswick Bikes won their race at the Mountain Mayhem 24 hours while their male counterparts came second in the men’s race.
Also taking part in the men’s race were professional elite teams several of which the Keswick Bikes quartet also beat to finish eighth overall.
The KB women’s team - Emily Brooks of Keswick, Cheryl Frost of Threlkeld, Caroline Flanagan of Silecroft and Alice Crook of Keswick - won their race by only 46 seconds.
The men’s team - Ben Bardsley of Threlkeld, Andy Wrigley of Whitehaven, Chris Hope of Brigham and Phil Davies of Penrith - were 13 minutes behind the amateur winners.
A mixed course of open hillside the woodland at Ledbury, Herefordshire, was the venue for the Mountain Mayhem.
The 24-hour races are relays with team members taking it in turns to do the 14km course which, due to heavy rain, turned to a clayey in places.
Hope explained that lap times can vary considerably, ranging from around 43 minutes in the day to 70 minutes at night when many competitors would frequently run pushing their bikes along.
For Hope and Wrigley the event was a good taster for the Trans Alp eight-day race they will tackle later this month.
The race starts in Germany on July 19 and see riders visiting Austria and Switzerland before the finish in Italy 700km later.
Rather like the Tour de France each day is separate race with times accumalating to give an overall winner.
