Team MTB Ride Guide at SDA Round 1 Innerleithen

The 2014 Downhill season got underway with Rnd 1 of the Scottish Downhill Series at Innerleithen in the Scottish Borders and the whole Team had a great weekend of riding and racing.

Neil  smashing the turns 

The track was fast right out of the start gate and off down the rooty tunnel before dropping into flowing jumps and flat out berms followed by a brutal sprint, then into more drops and corners. 

The going then got steeper and faster with a few tricky corners and exposed roots to catch out the unwary. 

Towards the bottom of the track there was some great drop in corners and sketch off camber roots finishing off with a sprint to the finish.

Ewan styling it up on his way to 8th in Youths

Practice went well and all the lads were looking fast and smooth. We all rode together and tested different lines to make the most of it and were all pleased with progress made by the end of the day on the fun track.

Race day was on us before we knew it and the weather was looking promising with blue sky and sunshine which was better than the snowy start we had the day before.

First up were Al and Ewan in Youth Category, they both had good strong runs to finish under 1 second apart with Al finishing 7th and Ewan 8th, a great start to the season.

Al being chased down by Ewan

Keir has moved into the very competative Junior Category this year and was looking strong all weekend thanks to all the hard winter training he has put in, but a few small mistakes dropped him down the results a bit further than he was capable of.

Keir getting to grips with his Nukeproof pulse

The stacked Veteran category gets faster and stronger every year and both Alastair and Neil had their work cut out for them if they wanted top spot on the podium this weekend. 

They both had solid runs riding well with Alastair finishing 3rd and Neil 4th.

Alastair heading to 3rd in Veterans.

So a good start to the season for the Team and we now move onto the 1st round of the British Series in Wales.

Thanks to Marked Mediahouse for the Images