5 Sept 08
The 2007 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships have won another award at last night's inaugural Scottish Event Awards, organised by the Drum magazine. It was given the Best Sporting Event Award, taking the honours ahead of the UEFA Cup Final, the Cricket One Day International and the Swamp Soccer World Cup. Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen.
6-8 June 2008. What a weekend! With 411 of the world's elite riders from 32 countries accompanied by 16,000 spectators. Thanks to all who attended, helping to make it another world class world cup.
If you’ve already been to a World Cup or the World Championships in Fort William you are part of the team that has made it such a famous name in global mountain biking, and you know what to expect.
If you are a keen mountain biker, the chances are you’ve heard of Fort William so now’s the time to make the journey to see for yourself what all the fuss is about.
The UCI have confirmed the dates for the 2009 World Cup Calendar. The World Cup returns to Fort William on 6-7 June, the same weekend as this year. Make a date and book your accommodation now. www.visitscotland.com
Click here to visit the Fort William World Cup image gallery. View all the action from this year and last years World Champs. This gallery will be updated regularly so be sure to return from time to time..
Friday 4X - Fri 6 June 2008
A gloriously balmy evening saw the first competition of the weekend. Fresh from his maiden 4X victory in Andorra, Dan Atherton was the local favourite and the crowds roared him into the finals and 3rd place behind Australia’s Jared Graves (who will also be competing in the Olympic BMX in Beijing) and Joost Wichman of the Netherlands.
Jana Horakova (CZE) took her first World Cup win ahead of Rachel Seydoux (SUI) in the women’s race.
Saturday Cross Country - Sat 7 June 2008
The chasing pack of riders at this year’s event had to contend with dust clouds kicked up by the leaders, in a gruelling 6 lap (5 laps for women) race on the Witch’s Trail course. At one point the start climb had to be watered to stop the surface breaking up too much!
In the absence of the dominant Julian Absalon (FRA), the Swiss threesome of Florian Vogel, Nino Schurter and Christophe Sauser broke away and traded places right up to the sprint finish between Vogel and Schurter. Britain’s Oli Beckingsale had a great race to come in 9th – he’s in great shape going into the World Championships and the Olympics.
The women’s race was controlled by Marie-Helene Promont (CAN) recording her first win at Fort William, just ahead of Spain’s Margarita Fullana.
Sunday Downhill - Sun 8 June 2008
This was a fitting celebration of the 100th UCI Downhill World Cup, with wonderfully exciting racing, lots of changes in the hot seat and worthy winners of the special commemorative swords – all under epic blue skies.
Tracy Moseley set the scene, with a popular win on a course that she has dominated 4 times out of 7, ahead of Sabrina Jonnier (FRA) and an unlucky Rachel Atherton who had a big crash in qualification and then tangled with the timing gear as she left the start hut.
The last ten of the Men’s race was a text book “how a big race should climax”. Riders were jumping in and out of the hot seat as the big guns of downhill racing forced the loose, rough and strength-sapping Nevis Range downhill course into submission with last rider down, Greg Minnaar (RSA) powering in 3 seconds ahead of Gee Atherton and Steve Peat.
If you missed a trip to Fort William this year, you should have been there!
All results, timings and race analyses are also available for download from the UCI website. Visit the UCI Website by clicking here.
Buy Merchandise
Visit our official merchandise store by clicking here.
Under 30s urged to have their say on the Highlands and Islands.
People between 15 and 30 from across the Highlands and Islands and beyond are being urged to have their say in a major online survey launched this week to discover the deciding factors behind living and working in the region. Organisers are appealing to young people who have opted to stay in the Highlands and Islands; those who may return to the area and others who are considering moving to the region, to give their opinion of it as a place to live. The survey can be completed by visiting the youthmigration website.
The 2008 Downhill World Cup season kicked off in Maribor last weekend with wins for reigning Fort William World Champions Sam Hill and Sabrina Jonnier. The Brits were at the forefront of all the action with Steve Peat 3rd and Rachel Atherton 2nd.
Gee Atherton was 6th and Brendan Fairclough 9th with another 3 Brits in the top 20 men whilst Fionn Griffiths in 4th and Tracy Moseley in 7th put a total of 3 girls into the top 10.
Josh Bryceland took a bone-crunching fall, but should be back in action for Fort William.
The next Downhill/4X is at Vallenord, the weekend before Fort William. Follow the action live on MTBCut.tv.
Photo: Steve Peat, resplendent in White at the Val di Sole test event, contemplates his dry-cleaning bill. Photo: Santa Cruz
Nevis Range gets ready
Fort William has been experiencing some spectacular weather for the past three weeks, allowing extensive maintenance including more than 30 tonnes of material being dropped on the Downhill course.
Unbelievably it actually needs a bit of rain to compact the material!
The World Cup course gets it’s first test of the season with a round of the SDA Championships this weekend.
Cross Country builds up to Beijing
Fort William will be the only opportunity to see the World’s top Cross Country riders preparing themselves for the Beijing Olympic event in August.
As well as forming a crucial part of each rider’s programme, the Fort William Cross Country event (Saturday 7 June) is also crucial for national qualification and selection processes.
Britain has a quota of two riders for Beijing and final British Team selection will be made after the race. Oli Beckingsale has already put down his marker with an 18th at the opening event of the Nissan UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Houffalize. The other main UK rider, Liam Kileen had to battle through the field due to a late start position on the grid and deal with mechanical problems to finish 69th.
At the second event in Offenburg, Oli was 30th and Liam 65th with Fort William World Champion Julien Absalon dominating again.
This weekend the action moves to Madrid.
Full information on the Nissan UCI Mountain Bike World Cup and results can be found here: www.uci.ch/templates/UCI/UCI5/layout.asp?MenuId=MTUzNDI
Scottish One day Trials Comp for Fort William
Bicycle trials action has always been a big hit with the crowds in the World Cup Village and this year will be no exception. Most of the highly praised World Championships sections will feature in the 3rd round of the fiercely contested British National Trials Championships. As well as the artificial sections in the Village there will be natural sections in the river bed beside the Village.
Fort William takes Best Event in World for third year.
IMTTO, the International Mountain bike Teams, Tech support and Organisers association, votes annually for what they consider to be the best event in the sport of mountain biking.
All international competitions in every mountain biking discipline are considered and voting is by professionals who spend most of their time attending and supporting major events all over the globe. So they know good stuff when they see it and for the past three years they’ve awarded their beautiful glass trophy to the Fort William World Cup and World Championships.
It’s an award that recognises all aspects of the event – from crowds, atmosphere, courses, organisation and marketing – so take a big bow everyone who came along and helped make the World Championships such a success. And pleae come back again this year to keep the World Cup at the top.
Photo: Mike Jardine from organisers, Rare Management with big glass IMTTO pot.
