On the weekend of the 2nd and 3rd of July the focus of the UK downhill MTB scene again became the world cup course at Nevis Range, Fort William for the 2nd running of Kill the Bill downhill race. The timing could have been better with Euan’s shiny new 2011 Rose Beefcake DH arriving during the week. What better place to try out a new bike that this long fast and brutal course.
Having ridden the course earlier this year at a Scottish Downhill Series event Euan decided to only walk the bottom half of the course particularly interested in how to the organisers had routed the course over the much talked about ‘big doon’ road gap. To his complete disappointment the gap wasn’t included a all.
Saturday was dry and pretty warm. Euan straightway feeling the new bike was a big improvement over the old one. It may well just have been in his mind but whatever it was, it worked with Euan both enjoying himself and clearly riding fast and well.
Race day stayed dry and not wanting to ruin an error free Saturday Euan chose to do a couple of steady practice runs just to check the track for changes but on the second run, the thrill of the speed got the better of him and he had overdid it coming in to the woods resulting in a big crash. Confidence only slightly dented he was about to go up in plenty of time for his first run when we spotted the rear gear cable had been damaged and was holding on by only a thread. A quick shop and change saw Euan a little tight for time, arriving at the start gate as his number was called. The extra adrenaline of nearly missing his run obviously helped as Euan really pushed right from the start and reportedly looked very quick on the rocky top sections. The middle section was ‘solid enough’ according to Euan and I can confirm he took the ‘off beat wall’ and the 4X triple as fast as anyone. He crossed the line 15 second up on the previous best and took the hot seat. Not for long though as unknown to us Welsh rider Mike Jones smashed that by a further 21 seconds for the race one fastest time.
Euan went in to run two knowing he could go quicker but not at all sure he could bridge the 21 second gap for the win. Another solid run got Euan safely down to the woods and the scene of his trouble in practice in good time. Unfortunately it all came unstuck here with another big crash. No lasting harm was done to either Euan or his pride and joy new bike so when he got to the bottom he was reasonably happy to still be in a clear second place.
A podium on his first ride on the new bike and at Nevis Range too! Not a bad weekend at all.
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