A change of scenery was on the cards with a trip to Ludlow in Shropshire to race in round 2 of the Pearce Cycles Winter Series. Due to heavy snow and rain in the week prior to racing, conditions were going to be muddy to say the least and upon arrival on practice day all vehicles were re-routed onto a fire road near the top of the course to save the car park for the following day. Ben set off on foot to inspect the course and getting to the top of the hill was tricky as in places it was not unlike standing on ice on a 45 degree slope.

After having a look at the course it was time to re-build the bike and commence practice, sessioning the the course on the way to the bottom where the uplift trailer awaited for the lift back to the top.

10 out of 10 to the guys who built the bike trailers, they were a work of art and kept the bikes apart, not stacked up against each other.

Having checked out all the various sections of the course it’s time to piece them all together into longer sections until you end up doing full runs down the course

Out of the start gate and its straight into five muddy berms catching a lot of the riders out then down over the road gap and onto a big off camber mud slide covered in roots ready to send you in the opposite direction you are hoping to travel. Then onto an easy slope with a nice jump in the middle to break up the hard work of trying to stay in an upright position taking you onto the fire road and a flat 30metre dash to the next section.
Down over a couple of rocky drops it’s onto a long muddy part of the track, and with not much in the way of height loss it means pedalling is the only option before heading into the woods where the fun begins, starting with a big kicker (ramp) it’s over the tabletop and into a section full of muddy jumps and tight slippery corners keeping you on your toes, pedalling as the mud tries to hold you back as you head to the next section.
What a change, the track gets tighter with a lot more twists and turns, some so tight you wonder if the bike will fit through the gap, and the ground becomes firmer and faster as the steeper gradient helps keep the speed up.
Round the last corner and the finish is nearly in sight, only a nice kicker and huge tabletop to negotiate and it’s hard on the pedals over the finish line.

Run times of 2:49.351 and 2:48.869 and 12th place in youth category.