Enduro1 Race 1 - Great Wood, Quantocks

The weather forecast didn’t look good leading up to the race. Saturday’s ashen sky and torrential hail storm didn’t fill me with optimism. The remaining snow/hail on the hills on Sunday morning also didn’t look too promising but as we rolled into Greatwood the sun was glistening through the trees and the day looked to be a fine one for racing.

10:07:00 The first transition indicated what was in store for any newcomers to the Quantocks; a steep climb straight off of the start line rollercoastering its way up towards the start of stage 1.

10:43:00 The start of stage 1 lulled racers into a false sense of security with its fast hard packed trail before plunging into a loamy, slight off camber drift fest peppered with stumps and inside lines for observant riders with cat like reflexes. Clicking up a few too many gears caused me to bog down a little but a few pushes with the feet kept me moving and in next to no time at all (a minute and a bit) the stage was over. The next transition was a gentle cruise which included being attacked by gorse (probably chose the wrong time to expose my arms – ouch).

11:18:00 Stage 2 started off quite flat with a few berms and fly offs thrown into the mix before swooping into a gully using the sides like a mini natural half pipe. After negotiating some roots the trail flattened out and pedaling and bog avoidance tactics were employed. The trail narrowed through a rhododendron tunnel (tricky for the taller rider) then widened again. It became clear that the stage wasn’t going to head down any time soon so with the Reverb getting full use I proceeded to spin away before a glimpse of the finish line spurred me on to break into a sprint. This stage was just over 3 minutes long but felt like a lot longer. This kind of pedal-fest stage mixed in with the other more technical trails made the whole event a well-rounded challenge and a true test for the legs and lungs. The next transition was a tough one, especially with no time to rest after such a physical stage. At the start of stage 3 some racers were starting to feel the heat and I’m sure a good few riders arrived a bit late.

11:55:00 Stage 3 started with a series of rooty and stump littered turns which force you to find your flow before negotiating a lattice of roots and then into some tight trees. The trail opened out and I could see the rider in front so stamped on the pedals across the flat section and pass him just before it gets steep. I then promptly fall off on the first steep and greasy switchback right in front of him (sorry!). With my mojo in tatters I paddle and bobble my way down the next section before dropping to the finish. This was another 3 minute plus stage but this time more technical and a taste of things to come. A slightly easier transition to Stage 4 led to a few more late starts for some riders.

12:26:00 A quick sprint led into a pine and gorse lined muddy singletrack and an opportunity to use the little cogs on the cassette and find some speed. This was short lived as we dropped into one of the toughest sections of the whole race. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one to get a bit tangled up here and be forced to run down the steep drop. Here began an almost endless off camber section (which apparently used to be a road!) to the finish. Keeping things neat and tidy here was the name of the game as it was so easy to lose a wheel off the edge of the trail.

13:14:00 and finally all the climbing was done. Most riders were starting to feel the tough conditions and a few riders chose to shortcut one of the transition stages and were disqualified as a result! Stage 5 was a 2 minute ish stage with a top section full of berms and small fly offs. A really tight left turn off a fire road caught me out then all that was left was to negotiate a few steep turns, avoid rhododendrons, a drop and then finally a steep chute to the finish. I’m sure only the lucky few made it to the end without a crash or two!

In summary it was muddy, but what’s better than getting your bike sideways and getting filthy, after all it is only March! A big thank you must be given to all the marshals, the Forestry Commission for supporting the event, the Andersons (from Triscombe uplifts) for their hard work finding/ building the tracks and last but not least Carlos for pulling all the stops out and creating an excellent event. The tracks were definitely more challenging compared to last years Enduro1 series and the stage transitions were considerably harder (probably due to the conditions) but this was one of the toughest but also one of my favourite enduro races. I doubt anyone left the event feeling unchallenged! See you all at the Forest of Dean on the 16th June.