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Day Zero: Psyching Up For The Off The rains may be coming down but spirits are high ahead of the first stage of the Merida Bikes TransWales. With a mid-stage time trial and a night time special stage in the evening the riders are being hurled head-long into things straight from the off, reports Matt Skinner in the first of his daily reports…
It’s just shy of 8pm on Saturday evening in the small mid-Wales town of Builth Wells. Outside the rain has been coming down in fits and starts all afternoon and has now settled into a continued downpour. But although the ground outside is sodden, inside the marquee the 280 riders massed for tomorrow’s start to the Merida Bikes TransWales are in buoyant mood after consuming vast quantities of pasta, washed down by some with a tipple of vin rouge. Ahead of them lies 7 days of uniquely enthralling mountain biking, where marathon rides in some of Wales’ most stunning scenery rubs shoulders with flat-out singletrack duelling in the event’s unique special stages.  Riders have come from as far afield as South Africa, Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Portugal, the US of A, Ireland and of course the UK to take on 550km (344miles) of riding around Wales with 15,500m (50,840feet) of climbing off-road. This would be a tough enough proposition in favourable conditions but combined with the rain soaked terrain and a weather report that reads like a 80s pop band (‘wet, wet, wet…’) and things are going be interesting.
Tomorrow’s first Linking Stage is 67.5km of mixed riding that promises riders a selection of steep and technical rocky descents and fast rolling trail with great views of the surrounding countryside. Part-way through the linking stage there is also a special timed section that will both count to the overall GC but also help seed riders for their first true speed test: the Exposure Lights Maxx night time-trial in the evening at Cwmrhaedr, near Llandovery at journey’s end. With nothing to do now until morning but sit the rain out and get acquainted with the other riders, exchanging riding anecdotes and sharing mugs of tea, it’s (almost) time for the riders to get psyched up to get this show on the road… Linking Stage One Builth Wells to Cilywcwm, Llandovery Total distance: 67.5km Climbing: 1812m Followed by: Special Stage One Exposure Lights Maxx time-trial, Cwmrhaedr Total distance: 7km Day One: The Night Train  The first day of the Merida Bikes TransWales has seen the first linking stage and the Exposure Lights Maxx night time trial blow the trails up under thousands of lumens of riding fire power, reports Matt Skinner in the second of his daily reports…Linking Stage One Builth Wells to Cilycwm, Llandovery Total distance: 67.5km Climbing: 1,812m Followed by: Special Stage One Exposure Lights Maxx night time-trial, Cwmrhaedr Total distance: 7km Climbing: 260m  The first stage of the 2008 Merida Bikes TransWales kicked off at 9am on Sunday morning. Taking the riders from Builth Wells through to Cilycarn, Llandovery some 67.5km away, it tested and warmed up legs and hearts in equal measure; just as well, as the evening would see the racing begin proper with the fast and furious Exposure Lights Maxx night time-trial. The results of which would decide who would pull on the leader’s jersey and truly get the Merida Bikes TransWales firing on all cylinders. Over Saturday night the non-stop rains finally eased and the cloud cleared to reveal a Smirnoff-pure night sky much to the relief of one and all. Although the ground had taken a soaking – as much of the UK has for the past few weeks – this meant that riders wouldn’t also have to battle with the sky falling on their heads. But steep rocky descents and challenging ascents still meant they had to be on their toes as the conditions under tyre were Teflon slippery – particularly over roots and rocks – and would leave the hesitant or nervous plopped unceremoniously onto the deck. The route swept riders out of Builth Wells and up a gradual Tarmac climb that gave way to a fast forested descent as a wake up call. Riders then spun their legs through Llangammarch Wells and into Crychan Forest and its mix of fireroad and singletrack; a 1km portion of which served as special time trial that would seed riders starting order – fastest first – for the evening’s special stage. Conditions were tough but virtually all was rideable with enough tenacity and luck. But large mud holes, crown-high puddles and maliciously slippery roots did their best to unseat riders, pitching the unlucky ones over the bars and into the welcoming mud. Some thought better of it: “The first bit of woods for the special stage was so dark it was initially very difficult to pick a line so I thought it was quicker to run with my bike and then pick a line once my eyes adjusted [to the light],” said Trek 69er Collective singlespeed rider Matt Car at the stage’s finish. “But the dark never appeared, so I ran pretty much most of it.”  Matt’s cyclo-cross efforts placed him well, and guaranteed him an early start for the Exposure Lights Maxx night time-trial in the evening at Cwmrhaedr. But others weren’t quite so lucky: last year’s defending TransScotland Men’s Solo champion, Andy Barlow (Whyte Bikes) had a uncharacteristically tough time of it. He ended up finishing way back in the field; a result that put him on the back foot in his title defence before he even got onto the start time of the Exposure Lights Maxx time trial. However, some monster fast, rocky and steep descents, more altitude gaining, and some sinuous knife-edge singletrack – as well as some fireroad and Tarmac work to spin the legs out – was to come before riders could even begin to think of letting it all hang out in the dark. The route took the fastest riders just over four hours to complete the 67.5km stage and arriving in Cilycwm to a bright welcome and the privilege of having some warmth to dry out tents and gear, before relaxing and preparing for the killing it on the singletrack in the pitch black. Cwmrhaedr is a purpose built trail of roughly 7km and is essentially a non-stop 3.5km climb followed by the same in descending. Quite simply it’s non-stop from start to finish. A grinder of a fire road climb gives way to a sharply switch backing section for the last grunt to the summit, before curving downwards on fast, rolling and pumpy sinlgetrack that convulses downwards at warp factor nine. But its deceptively smooth appearance belies a fickle underbelly: loose flint, rock slots and shards litter the trail in places waiting to snakebite or rip the tyre carcass of the unwary.  In the end, punctures would claim a fair few riders – including the seeding stage time trial winner Jean Claude Van Derf Veken. “It all went wrong and I got a puncture on the downhill,” he explained afterwards, “I lost three or four minutes riding down on the flat as I didn’t take any spares with me which was really foolish. I’m really gutted.” His misfortune helped Scotland’s Andy Barlow to make serious time as he absolutely blitzed his lap – despite having to make his way through traffic – to finish second behind Builth Wells local, Ryan Bevis, and to keep his dream of a title defence a reality. Day two will see the second linking stage taking riders 71.5km and all of 1985m of climbing from Cwmrhaedr to Llansawel via Brechfa Forest, where the second special stage will take place: for some this will be the perfect chance to pull away, whilst for others it’s a second bite in attempt to right wrongs. But either way, A1 riding is guaranteed to get the endorphins going for all the riders. It’s just beginning… Day Two: A War of Attrition  Heavy rains and winds take their toll but blistering singletrack brings the second full day of riding to an exhausted climax, reports Matt Skinner in the third of his daily reports…
Linking Stage Two Cilycwm, Llandovery to Brechfa Total distance: 67km Climbing: 1985m Followed by: Special Stage Two Time-trial, Brechfa Forest (Abergorlech Trail) Total distance: 7.5km Yesterday was a let off. The weather gods were teasing the riders; toying with them as a cat does a mouse by allowing them a hint of optimism that the fair weather may hold. Today, however, there were no such half measures of restraint. The gods unleashed their all with volley after volley of soul draining rains; drowning both the trail and the riders’ spirits and turning the 67km linking stage into a non-stop battle of attrition, guts, and reserve. Out of Cilycwm the riders headed west along the black top before diving into the woods to grind upwards on firetrack. It wasn’t long before the rains began beating down hard making climbing even more mentally tough – not many folks revel in hard climbing, but throw in a maelstrom and the number drops to even fewer, particularly when the trail just keeps on pointing up. Eventually the riders zipped up and dropped back down to the Tarmac: yet even this wasn’t easy. If riders didn’t want to freeze to the bone soaked through by both rain and road spray, there was no option but to stick it into the big ring and keep the legs turning hard. And so it went on for a large proportion of the stage: grinding upwards, cold descents, and the no-man’s land of flat stretches battling both the elements and the will to remain mentally buoyant knowing that they were still a very long way from the end.  Finally riders clawed and scraped their grateful way to Brechfa Forest and its rich vaults of new school singletrack. Built by UK downhiller Rowan Sorrell, the Abergorlech trail is stuffed to bursting with berms, table tops, rollable doubles and high speed lines that will give any rider a lesson in flow. Merida Bikes TransWales course designer John Lloyd made good use of all the available buff singletrack to bring a high octane end to the very long, very sapping and very, very wet second linking stage. But despite that the day was not yet fully done. Due to the rains and the physical pummeling that riders had endured just to make it to the linking stage’s end, the special stage was shortened to 7.5km. But for many riders this was still a bridge too far: sitting it out meant that a rider would be automatically allocated the time of the slowest racer in their category from the special stage, plus two minutes. For riders here for the challenge and the experience, such penalties are purely hypothetical and an easy price to pay for rest and recuperation. But for those revved up for the title race, this would be a pivotal stage to lay down their claims or see their chances begin to slip through their muddy fingers. The course was fast and non technical, but taken at racing pace the undulating singletrack weaved its way through the trees over compression rises like the speeder bike scene in Return of the Jedi. On this course there would be nothing to separate riders save for out and out speed; it promised tight racing and it didn’t disappoint. In the USE Men’s Solo category competition intensified as the favourites were joined in the fray by new faces who were determined that things wouldn’t go to script. TransWales’ 2006 pairs winner, Ryan Bevis (RAM Bikes) was again the early pace maker, followed closely by last year’s TransScotland Solo Men’s winner Andy Barlow (Whyte Bikes); but pipping both riders to the top spot of the podium in a blisteringly fast time of 16:59 was Belgian Frans Claes (Connection Granville). Frans’ time was a clear 32 seconds up on Bevis’ second place time, with Barlow 6 seconds slower in 17:37. The only other rider to go sub-18 minutes was fourth placed Ewan Thorburn (Fat Tread Bikes) with a time of 17:52. Elsewhere in the Niner Bikes Singlespeed category TransWales and TransScotland veteran Matt Carr (69er Collective) had a proper race on his hands with Henry Richard Lansdown (Bike Shed Wales) taking 17 seconds out of him on the special stage to snatch the category lead in the general classification (GC) by just one second.  In the USE Veteran Women’s Solo category Mary-Rose Cross convincingly beat Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails) into second to take both the Brechfa special stage win and the overall GC. However, USE Solo Female leader Fi Spotswood (Iron Horse/Extreme) stretched her lead in the GC by simply starting the special stage as Angela Carpenter – her nearest rival – sat the stage out. Fi then went on to win the stage by just under five minutes from second placed Amy Baron-Hall (trio25.blogspot.com). Similarly, in the USE Solo Veteran Male category enduro stalwart Steve Heading (Whyte Bikes) began to creep clear of second placed Kerry Graham (BAD CC) in the GC with over a minutes cushion. Bryan Singleton (Ride On/Buff) came in third to keep the GC unchanged. Tomorrow sees the riders saddling up for the biggest linking stage yet: all 75km and 1950m of climbing of it. Taking riders from Brechfa to Tregaron it will see riders get into the Welsh wilderness proper as the course strikes into the wild heart of Mynydd Mallaen. It’ll be a long day and undoubtedly tough, but with the weather forecast hinting at an optimistic turn, the worst of the weather could be about so say its final adieu. 288 Merida Bikes TransWales riders are certainly hoping and praying for it to be so. Special Stage Two – Brechfa - Results USE Women’s Solo Category 1 – Fi Spotswood (Iron Horse Extreme): 21:12 2 – Amy Baron-Hall (trio25.blogspot.com): 26:21 USE Men’s Solo Category 1 – Frans Claes (Connection Granville): 16:59 2 – Ryan Bevis (RAM Bikes): 17:31 3 – Andy Barlow (Whyte Bikes): 17:37 USE Veteran Women’s Solo Category 1 – Mary-Rose Cross Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 26:46 2 – Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 28:37 USE Veteran Men’s Solo Category 1 – Steve Heading (Whyte Bikes): 18:54 2 – Graham Kerry (BAD CC): 19:43 3 – Bryan Singleton (Ride On/Buff): 20:21 High5 Mixed Category 1 – David Evans & Lily Mathews (Team 8): 20:13 2 – Meggie Bichard & Ed Kerly (Team Chance): 20:18 3 – Paul Hoogenboom & Alieke Griffeon (Peptiplus-Bikezone): 22:23 Ergon Veteran Men’s Category 1 – Simon Jepheart & Gary Cousins (phasenineclothing.co.uk): 21:29 2 – Carl Hutchings & Stuart Lockear (London Phoenix Vets): 21:51 3 – David Wood & Tom Jones (Team Dysynni): 24:03 Buff Female Category 1 – Irene Lachner & Alice Lund: 31:22 Gore Bike Wear Male Category 1 – Ifan Richards & Richard Purt (Revolution Bikes RT): 19:26 2 – Steven Franzoni & Craig Sterrett (Outdoor Escape): 19:33 3 – Ben Jones & Andy Jones (Clee Cycles / KCNC): 20:08 Niner Singlespeed Category 1 –Henry Richard Lansdown (Bike Shed Wales): 19:32 2 – Matt Carr (69er Collective): 19:49 OVERALL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER SPECIAL STAGE TWO USE Women’s Solo Category 1 – Fi Spotswood (Iron Horse Extreme): 11:46:30 2 – Katrina Brown (Deeside Total Endurance): 11:47:53 3 – Amy Baron-Hall (trio25.blogspot.com): 11:59:14 USE Men’s Solo Category 1 – Ryan Bevis (RAM Bikes): 11:37:28 2 – Frans Claes (Connection Granville):11:37:50 3 – Andy Barlow (Whyte Bikes): 11:37:53 USE Veteran Women’s Solo Category 1 – Mary-Rose Cross Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 12:00:30 2 – Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 12:00:51 3 – Kim Williams: 12:08:22 USE Veteran Men’s Solo Category 1 – Steve Heading (Whyte Bikes): 11:40:31 2 – Graham Kerry (BAD CC): 11:41:57 3 – Bryan Singleton (Ride On/Buff): 11:43:45 High5 Mixed Category 1 – Meggie Bichard & Ed Kerly (Team Chance): 11:43:42 2 – David Evans & Lily Mathews (Team 8): 11:44:06 3 – Paul Hoogenboom & Alieke Griffeon (Peptiplus-Bikezone): 11:51:40 Ergon Veteran Men’s Category 1 – Carl Hutchings & Stuart Lockear (London Phoenix Vets): 11:46:48 2 – Simon Jepheart & Gary Cousins (phasenineclothing.co.uk): 11:47:01 3 – Enrico Pizzorni & Marco Zanetta (Ruotequadre Italy): 11:53:06 Buff Female Category 1 – Irene Lachner & Alice Lund: 12:05:07 Gore Bike Wear Male Category 1 – Ifan Richards & Richard Purt (Revolution Bikes RT): 11:42:03 2 – Steven Franzoni & Craig Sterrett (Outdoor Escape): 11:42:32 3 – Ben Jones & Andy Jones (Clee Cycles / KCNC): 11:43:42 Niner Singlespeed Category 1 –Henry Richard Lansdown (Bike Shed Wales): 11:42:33 2 – Matt Carr (69er Collective): 11:42:34 Day Three: “Grinning and loving it.”  The weather has turned a corner and the riders have been firmly introduced into mid-Wales’ wilderness and its stunning trails, reports Matt Skinner in the fourth of his daily reports… Linking Stage Three Brechfa to Tregaron Total distance: 75km Climbing: 1950m Today the event broke into its stride and took the riders into the dark yet bewitching heart of Wales to deliver all that it had promised. From beautifully wild landscapes, hypnotic singletrack, epic climbs and sweeping descents along quintessential Welsh drovers tracks, today’s stage from Brechfa to Tregaron – some 75km apart – served up a gourmet course of some of the finest Welsh riding going. With the heavy rains over night finally dying out around 5am, the riders awoke on Tuesday morning to lighter skies and brighter hopes. A spin along the black top eased tired and aching bodies gradually back into life ahead of entering the trees and the dirt to begin the climb up Esgair Ferchon at 433m. Leaving the trees behind and below the riders began the first true wilderness portion of the event so far: boggy and marshy it sapped energy. But with the tranquillity that only wild places know, it saw riders gritting their teeth and savouring the views whilst they spun it out. Summiting Mynydd Mallaean at 448m further lifted spirits as the trail began pointing down for some hard earned gravity pay off, picked up speed and began galloping headlong over rocky outcrops and techy, adrenaline-birthing trail. The trail then coursed into the fast and furious singletrack descent at Cwmrhaedr used for the Exposure Lights Maxx night special stage. With the lights up, riders stormed it and gratefully pulled into the lunch stop with pinging rotors and pumped arms.  Another black top section helped settle stomachs before a beast of a climb – both steep, rocky and sustained with a few switchbacks thrown in for good measure – did it’s best to upset said settled stomachs. Then with a major altitude chunk notched up in one go the trail entered the woods once more before dropping down the open descent of Hafod Las and taking in a beasty of a river crossing: with the heavy rains of previous weeks being captured on the Welsh hills the flow was fast and verged on being in spate. Riders had to negotiate it with caution and keep hold of their bikes to prevent them from being swept away. After surviving the torrent, riders then entered into Cwm Berwyn Plantation for an extended woodland visit. Then came a choice: cut the route off short to save energy or tackle the final loop into Tregaron that had been billed as the hardest and most technical section yet. The sting in the tail for cruising back on the tarmac? A 2 minute time penalty. But with many tired and weary bodies making strong cases to cut short many did, and only the hardy, the pumped up, and those in contention in the general classification ran the final section. But despite the large number of time penalties, there was no change in the top three riders in each category in the general classification.  Running along the flank of Esgair Ffrwdit the trail then dropped quickly before climbing once more and although wet, the descent was fast and fun, with riders working their way steadily downwards along a mix of drovers tracks and singletrack, before launching down a steep chute into the final stream crossing and a gentle spin to the event village on the outskirts of Tregaron. With the rains beginning to die out there’s optimism that the event has weathered the worst of the storm. “The magic is definitely here [at the Merida Bikes TransWales],” said Trans veteran Charlie Eustace (Ellsworth/Freeborn/Torq) after finishing the day’s stage. “It’s wet – really wet and the streams are angry – but we’re in the middle of Wales, we’re camping, we’re riding and we’re with friends and that’s what biking is all about. I’m grinning and loving it.” Things are looking brighter, the riding is improving day by day, and the Merida Bikes TransWales is preparing for another big day that will take the whole Trans circus 79km and 2000m of climbing all the way to Machynlleth via the coastal town of Aberystwyth and into the mountains proper. OVERALL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER SPECIAL STAGE TWO USE Women’s Solo Category 1 – Fi Spotswood (Iron Horse Extreme): 19:16:30 2 – Katrina Brown (Deeside Total Endurance): 19:17:53 3 – Amy Baron-Hall (trio25.blogspot.com): 19:29:14 USE Men’s Solo Category 1 – Ryan Bevis (RAM Bikes): 19:07:28 2 – Frans Claes (Connection Granville): 19:07:50 3 – Andy Barlow (Whyte Bikes): 19:07:53 USE Veteran Women’s Solo Category 1 – Mary-Rose Cross Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 19:30:30 2 – Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 19:32:51 3 – Kim Williams: 19:40:22 USE Veteran Men’s Solo Category 1 – Steve Heading (Whyte Bikes): 19:10:31 2 – Kerry Graham (BAD CC): 19:41:57 3 – Bryan Singleton (Ride On/Buff): 19:13:45 High5 Mixed Category 1 – Meggie Bichard & Ed Kerly (Team Chance): 19:13:42 2 – David Evans & Lily Mathews (Team 8): 19:14:06 3 – Paul Hoogenboom & Alieke Griffeon (Peptiplus-Bikezone): 19:21:40 Ergon Veteran Men’s Category 1 – Carl Hutchings & Stuart Lockear (London Phoenix Vets): 19:16:48 2 – Simon Jepheart & Gary Cousins (phasenineclothing.co.uk): 9:17:01 3 – David Wood & Tom Jones (Team Dysynni): 19:23:17 Buff Female Category 1 – Irene Lachner & Alice Lund: 19:37:07 Gore Bike Wear Male Category 1 – Ifan Richards & Richard Purt (Revolution Bikes RT): 19:12:03 2 – Steven Franzoni & Craig Sterrett (Outdoor Escape): 19:12:32 3 – Ben Jones & Andy Jones (Clee Cycles / KCNC): 19:13:42 Niner Singlespeed Category 1 –Henry Richard Lansdown (Bike Shed Wales): 19:12:33 2 – Matt Carr (69er Collective): 19:12:34 Day Four: The Best Day?  The rains may still be around but they can’t dampen the enthusiasm of the riders after the best day’s riding yet, reports Matt Skinner in the fifth of his daily reports…
Linking Stage FourTregaron to Machynlleth Total distance: 79km Climbing: 2045m Today the Merida Bikes TransWales seriously stepped things up to give maximum payback to the riders for all their endurance – both on the stages and with the weather itself – as everything that is great about mountain biking was rolled out on a platter that only got sweeter as the day went on. Taking riders from Tregaron to Machynlleth 79km and 2000m of climbing away, the day’s stage also had some bonus prizes in store for the riders: 2200m of descending. And the final destination also had one very important facility: a laundrette in which riders could wash and dry their much-abused kit. The stage left Tregaron and for the first 20km gave the riders a gradual warm up along flat trail including an old rail line and a riverside ride along the Afon Ystwyth for a scenic spin into Aberystwyth. Following a grind up to the lunch spot things clicked and the riders got into the groove of proper wilderness riding with techy ascents and desents, wooded singletrack sections and stunning scenery. The trail jumped on the Continental Trail – part of the Nant-y-Arian trail network that the riders will encounter in greater depth tomorrow and Friday – and ran it backwards along the stunning Esgair Ffostudr section. With long rocky climbs winding steadily amidst the folds and the flanks of the moorlands, the rocky trail base meant that progress both up and down was good and fast. With water running down descents and climbs in places creating floods and standing pools across the trail water – as with the rest of the event so far – proved an unavoidable reality of the ride. Many riders – already soaked and with adjusted mindsets (‘I can’t get any wetter….’) – charged in with youthful glee just for the hell of it, coming out the other side grinning from ear to ear.  The route then re-entered the trees near the shores of Nant y Moch reservoir and ran along tarmac and fire road before crossing an almighty stream. Here serious care had to be taken to respect the breadth and high flow of the water, and riders helped each other across safely to the other side. Then came the finale. The first TransWales in 2006 had also visited Machynlleth before making the pilgrimage to Coed y Brenin – quite possibly one of, if not the, most important sites for modern British mountain biking. It was here that the first purpose built trail centre was conceived, built and realised by Dafydd Davis, OBE. Its influence is still echoing across the land with each and every new trail and trail centre development. But like today’s stage, back then the chute descent off the top and into Machynlleth was heralded by the riders as one of the best sections of trail ridden of the entire event. The descent itself is simple: a steep chute with a base of loose shale that drops riders skittering down at speed, on the verge of losing control and stuffed full of endorphins into the awaiting valley. With the end in sight, riders could at last relax and savour the final minutes to journey’s end looking out across the Afon Dyfi (River Dovey) valley. “It was definitely the best day so far,” an elated USE Solo Men’s rider Nikalas Cook said after finishing. “It was everything that’s great about mountain biking: big climbs; amazing descents; beautiful scenery including an incredible waterfall; and great technical stuff like the chute descent.” But that’s not all: despite the set backs of bad weather, riders are gelling with spirit of the Merida Bikes TransWales’ infectious ‘we’re in this together’ sense of camaraderie. Tomorrow will see riders spin the 7km up the road to Corris and the Cli-Machx trailhead to begin the third Special Stage. Taking in the entire Cli-Machx trail it’ll be a true test of fitness and handling skills as the trail climbs stolidly up right from the off before finally summiting. From there the trail then points straight back down again along on an increasingly fast, technical and challenging descent. The time trial will leave the riders exhausted yet buzzing, pumped yet ready to go again. And again. Riders will then head out on the 65km linking stage to Pontewyd, taking in some of the fine flowing singletrack at Nant y Arian that will host the final and deciding special stage on Friday. But that’s all yet to happen. Today, the riders are at last able to wash and dry wet kit, take in some warming beverages, refuel, share stories and rest after an inspirational and exhausting day in the saddle. For tomorrow it’s about to happen all over again… OVERALL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER LINKING STAGE FOUR USE Women’s Solo Category 1 – Fi Spotswood (Iron Horse Extreme): 26:16:30 2 – Katrina Brown (Deeside Total Endurance): 26:17:53 3 – Amy Baron-Hall (trio25.blogspot.com): 26:29:14 USE Men’s Solo Category 1 – Ryan Bevis (RAM Bikes): 26:07:28 2 – Frans Claes (Connection Granville): 26:07:50 3 – Andy Barlow (Whyte Bikes): 26:07:53 USE Veteran Women’s Solo Category 1 – Mary-Rose Cross Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 26:30:30 2 – Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 26:32:51 3 – Kim Williams: 26:40:22 USE Veteran Men’s Solo Category 1 – Steve Heading (Whyte Bikes): 26:10:31 2 – Kerry Graham (BAD CC): 26:41:57 3 – Bryan Singleton (Ride On/Buff): 26:13:45 High5 Mixed Category 1 – Meggie Bichard & Ed Kerly (Team Chance): 26:13:42 2 – David Evans & Lily Mathews (Team 8): 26:14:07 3 – Paul Hoogenboom & Alieke Griffeon (Peptiplus-Bikezone): 26:21:40 Ergon Veteran Men’s Category 1 – Carl Hutchings & Stuart Lockear (London Phoenix Vets): 26:16:48 2 – Simon Jepheart & Gary Cousins (phasenineclothing.co.uk): 26:17:01 3 – David Wood & Tom Jones (Team Dysynni): 26:23:17 Buff Female Category 1 – Irene Lachner & Alice Lund: 26:39:08 Gore Bike Wear Male Category 1 – Ifan Richards & Richard Purt (Revolution Bikes RT): 26:12:04 2 – Steven Franzoni & Craig Sterrett (Outdoor Escape): 26:12:32 3 – Ben Jones & Andy Jones (Clee Cycles / KCNC): 26:13:42 Niner Singlespeed Category 1 –Henry Richard Lansdown (Bike Shed Wales): 26:12:33 2 – Matt Carr (69er Collective): 26:12:34 Day Five: Piling On The Drama  High drama and adventure on the penultimate special stage and the fifth linking stage made day five of the Merida Bikes TransWales one to truly savour, reports What Mountain Bike magazine’s Editor Matt Skinner in the sixth of his daily reports…Linking Stage Five Machynlleth to Ponterwyd Total distance: 56km Climbing: 1800m Followed by: Special Stage Three Climachx Relay time-trial, the Climachx trail, Machynlleth Total distance: 15km Climbing: 600m The Merida Bikes TransWales is piling on the drama: with the third special stage on the Climachx trail getting things off to a white-hot start – with leads being swapped in many categories – the event then leapt up the hills and into the wilds once again for a truly adventurous linking stage. The Climachx trail is 7km north of Machynlleth: 15km long with 600m of climbing it is essentially one long climb broken up by singletrack sojourns before heading skywards once again. At the summit it fires back down on extended singletrack descents that increase in speed and technicality as they progress with rock slabs, sweeping berms, and roller-coaster singletrack littering their lengths. It’s non-stop both up and down, and a true test of guts and fitness. Team riders would ride half each in a relay style, whilst soloists would ride the trail in its entirety. Going into the special stage, the USE Solo Men’s leader was RAM Bikes’ Ryan Bevis. But following the previous surprise performance by Belgian Frans Claes (Connections Granville) in the last special stage Bevis knew he had a job on his hands on the 15km time trial to defend his lead. “I’ll be looking over my shoulder for Frans,” said Bevis on the start line. And he wasn’t wrong: the Belgian overhauled Bevis’ 20 second gap off the start and finished a further 16 seconds up despite riding the final descent on a rear flat. The result puts Frans on top of the USE Solo Men’s leader board, 15 seconds up on Bevis. With the racing fire now blazing in his belly, all eyes are on Frans to emphatically stamp his authority on the final special stage that begins tomorrow’s penultimate day of the Merida Bikes TransWales.  The closest race so far has undoubtedly been in the Niner Singlespeed category: despite only having two entrants they’ve been fighting tooth and nail since day one, and with one second between them coming into Climachx special stage it was all to play for. Henry Richard Lansdown (Bike Shed Wales) left the start line 20 seconds ahead of Matt Carr (Trek 69er Collective) but Matt put the hammer down and overhauled Henry on the first portion of the climb. Heading into the singletrack and Henry gave his all in chasing Carr and retook the lead. The pair battled and swapped the lead several times before the 69er Collective rider made a mistake that put him on the deck and allowed Henry to climb clear. The crash cost Carr time but also his rhythm, allowing Henry to creep clear in the GC by 1 minute 31 seconds. But it’s not a foregone conclusion in the overall: tomorrow’s final special stage at Nant-y-Arian features a monster grinder of a fire road climb that may allow Carr’s climbing ability to reel Henry’s lead back in for a truly nail biting finish. In the High5 Mixed category the lead changed yet again following the third special stage: Meggie Bichard and Ed Kerly (Team Chance) lost two minutes to previously second place pair of David Evans and Lily Mathews who won the stage. Evans and Mathews now take just over a minute and a half advantage in the GC into the final and deciding special stage tomorrow at Nant-y-Arian. But the battle is far from done, and either team could take it in the deciding round.  Similarly, things have gotten a little closer in the USE Solo Women’s category as previous stage winner Fi Spotswood (Iron Horse/Extreme) had to settle for second place next to Katrina Brown (Deeside Total Endurance). Katrina won by 23 seconds to close the gap somewhat between Fi and herself in the GC. She now has to repeat the performance and put another 50 seconds into Fi if she’s to take the overall win on the Nant-y-Arian time trial. As with many categories, it’s all to play for. Following the special stage, riders saddled up for the fifth linking stage that would see intrepid Merida Bikes TransWalers turning southbound to Ponterwyd, some 56km and 1800m of climbing distant. Climbing up and back into the wilds around Plynlimon, the route took the riders through the high moorlands towards Nant-y-Moch reservoir. Just short of the scenic reservoir, the riders had to ford the waist deep and strong flowing waters of Afon (river) Hengwm: the strong force of the water meant riders had to tread very carefully, help each other across, and ensure that those struggling were fished out to safety as quickly as possible. Following the river crossing, the route was cut short to save rider’s legs after a particularly punishing day. With an easy single lane tarmac cruise down to the camp site at Ponterwyd, rather than an extended detour around Nant-y-Moch and into Nant-y-Arian itself, riders were grateful to finish a long day with the weather warm and dry for much needed rest and recuperation. It’s been a truly memorable day – both of riding and racing – that has helped set things up for a climactic finale with tomorrow’s final and deciding special stage just up the road at Nant-y-Arian. But nothing is guaranteed and – as we’ve seen – in racing anything could happen and it’s pretty much guaranteed that anything will… Special Stage Three Results USE Women’s Solo Category 1 – Katrina Brown (Deeside Total Endurance): 51:04 2 – Fi Spotswood (Iron Horse Extreme): 51:37 3 – Amy Baron-Hall (trio25.blogspot.com): 1:09:39 USE Men’s Solo Category 1 – Frans Claes (Connection Granville): 40:14 2 – Ewan Thorburn (Fat Tread Bikes): 40:32 3 – Ryan Bevis (RAM Bikes): 40:39 USE Veteran Women’s Solo Category 1 – Mary-Rose Cross: 01:04:17 2 – Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 01:06:23 3 – Ros Fish (Dorset Rough Riders): 01:07:14 USE Veteran Men’s Solo Category 1 – Steve Heading (Whyte Bikes): 42:56 2 – Kerry Graham (BAD CC): 44:42 3 – Jonathan Edwards (Carpe Diem): 46:29 High5 Mixed Category 1 – David Evans & Lily Mathews (Team 8): 32:00:01 2 – Meggie Bichard & Ed Kerly (Team Chance): 32:01:47 3 – Paul Hoogenboom & Alieke Griffeon (Peptiplus-Bikezone): 32:13:08 Ergon Veteran Men’s Category 1 – Carl Hutchings & Stuart Lockear (London Phoenix Vets): 49:17 2 – Simon Jepheart & Gary Cousins (phasenineclothing.co.uk): 51:09 3 – David Wood & Tom Jones (Team Dysynni): 57:32 Buff Female Category 1 – Irene Lachner & Alice Lund: DNF Gore Bike Wear Male Category 1 – Ifan Richards & Chris Purt (Revolution Bikes RT): 43:38 2 – James Cooper & Rick Fielder (Army Cycling Union): 46:07 3 – Ben Jones & Andy Jones (Clee Cycles / KCNC): 47:43 Niner Singlespeed Category 1 –Henry Richard Lansdown (Bike Shed Wales): 44:34 2 – Matt Carr (69er Collective): 46:04 Complete Special Stage Results, download below: Special Stage Solo Results - XLS Special Stage Team Results - XLS OVERALL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER SPECIAL STAGE THRE AND LINKING STAGE FIVE USE Women’s Solo Category 1 – Fi Spotswood (Iron Horse Extreme): 32:08:07 2 – Katrina Brown (Deeside Total Endurance): 32:08:57 3 – Amy Baron-Hall (trio25.blogspot.com): 32:38:53 USE Men’s Solo Category 1 – Frans Claes (Connection Granville): 31:48:04 2 – Ryan Bevis (RAM Bikes): 31:48:17 3 – Andy Barlow (Whyte Bikes): 31:48:44 USE Veteran Women’s Solo Category 1 – Mary-Rose Cross Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 32:34:47 2 – Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 32:39:14 3 – Kim Williams: 32:53:02 USE Veteran Men’s Solo Category 1 – Steve Heading (Whyte Bikes): 26:10:31 2 – Kerry Graham (BAD CC): 26:41:57 3 – Jonathan Edwards (Carpe Diem): 32:00:43 High5 Mixed Category 1 – David Evans & Lily Mathews (Team 8): 32:00:01 2 – Meggie Bichard & Ed Kerly (Team Chance): 32:01:47 3 – Paul Hoogenboom & Alieke Griffeon (Peptiplus-Bikezone): 32:13:08 Ergon Veteran Men’s Category 1 – Carl Hutchings & Stuart Lockear (London Phoenix Vets): 32:06:06 2 – Simon Jepheart & Gary Cousins (phasenineclothing.co.uk): 32:08:10 3 – David Wood & Tom Jones (Team Dysynni): 32:20:49 Buff Female Category 1 – Irene Lachner & Alice Lund: 32:44:21 Gore Bike Wear Male Category 1 – Ifan Richards & Chris Purt (Revolution Bikes RT): 31:55:42 2 – Steven Franzoni & Craig Sterrett (Outdoor Escape): 32:01:13 3 – Ben Jones & Andy Jones (Clee Cycles / KCNC): 32:01:25 Niner Singlespeed Category 1 –Henry Richard Lansdown (Bike Shed Wales): 31:57:07 2 – Matt Carr (69er Collective): 31:58:38 Day Six: The Penultimate Day  The final day of racing sees more drama and close calls, reports What Mountain Bike magazine’s Editor, Matt Skinner, in the seventh of his daily reports… Special Stage Four Team relay time-trial, Nant-y-Arian Total distance: 14km Climbing: 600m Followed by: Linking Stage Six Nant-y-Arian to Strate Florida Total distance: 72km Climbing: 2100m The penultimate day of the Merida Bikes TransWales saw the sun creep out from its wet slumber in time to turn the heat up for the final special stage. This would be the decider to seal the overall results and with the racing so close in many categories there was little margin for error or complacency. With the weather finally coming good everything was set for riders to begin the home straight on a high. The morning’s special stage took place on a slightly abridged version of the Summit Trail at Nant-y-Arian: with 14km and 600m of climbing including the infamous Leg Burner climb and fast, swooping singletrack section it would be a test of fitness as well as high speed bike handling. And with the racing so close going into it, there had to be no holding back. In the USE Men’s Solo category, the fight for the overall title intensified with three serious claims to it. Last year’s TransScotland Solo winner Andy Barlow (Whyte Bikes) – a very technical and powerful rider – had been struggling to show the form that led him to last year’s highly popular win. Admitting during yesterday’s linking stage that he was struggling to get in the right mental place for it, he sadly slumped into 5th in the special stage in a time of 39:38. With Andy’s challenge for the overall seemingly over, three names emerged head and shoulders above the rest fighting tooth and nail for the top spot.  Previously, both Ryan Bevis (RAM Bikes) and Frans Claes (Connection Granville), the current overall leader prior to this morning’s special stage, had both taken special stage wins, but today they had to bow down before the advance of Ewan Thorburn (Fat Tread Bikes). Ewan stormed the special stage to claim a convincing win in a time of 38:04, 17 seconds clear of Frans in second, with Bevis third in 38:51. Ewan has been bubbling under the radar for the duration of the event, but with six days of hard riding and racing in riders’ legs, his endurance, power and skill brought him deservedly to the fore. With the final general classification being announced at journey’s end tomorrow in Builth Wells, it really is going down to the wire between these three. In the High5 Mixed category, the top two teams – Meggie Bichard and Ed Kerly (Team Chance), and David Evans and Lily Mathews (Team 8) – had been swapping the top spot in the special stages all week. And today was no exception: after losing out in yesterday’s special stage, Meggie Bichard and Ed Kerly (Team Chance) took their chance and went all out for the win. Their hard work paid dividends and they swept David Evans and Lily Mathews’ challenge aside by just under a minute. In the USE Women’s Solo category Fi Spotswood cemented her overall lead by producing an emphatic win in a time of 48:48, just under 10 minutes faster than her closest rival Amy Baron-Hall (trio25.blogspot.com). Similarly, the closely fought singlespeed category became a foregone conclusion as Trek 69er Collective’s Matt Carr faded at the last with tired, tired legs. Pushing a 32:15 gear all week may have just been too much on the climbs and just blunted the sharpness of the usually fiery singlespeeder. Henry Richard Lansdown (Bike Shed Wales) swept to the win in a time of 43:17 with Carr crossing the line back in 45:42.  Elsewhere, Steve Heading screwed the final nail in the coffin for his competitor’s chances for the overall title in the USE Veteran Men’s Solo category as he again took another special stage win. This time his winning margin over second placed rider of a minute and forty seconds with a time of 41:31. This makes Steve untouchable in the overall and a deserved and convincing winner of the Merida Bikes TransWales 2008. But the event wasn’t all about the racing: due its unique format of non-competitive linking stages together with rally style special stages, it also attracts riders looking for a challenge and truly memorable weeks mountain biking. One such pair was What Mountain Bike magazine’s Merida Bikes TransWales competition winners: Gareth Taylor and Lewis Collins. Hailing from Brighton in England’s south east, the pair are lifelong bike riders of any persuasion – both dirt, tarmac and BMX. Taking a chance they entered the comp to win the ride of the Merida Bikes TransWales but also walked away with enough schwag to keep them in bike kit, clothing and energy drinks for years courtesy of the events sponsors – Meridsa Bikes, Gore Bike Wear, High5 energy food and drinks, USE and Exposure Lights, Ergon, Niner, and Buff. In total, the prize was worth thousands of pounds. “It was sunny. It was warm. And there were some great natural descents – very steep and rocky, very technical with loose sections and extremely fast,” said Gareth on finishing the day’s stage. “I’m loving it,” he continued, “I’ve had a fantastic time and am absolutely loving it. I had a sense of humour failure on the first two days but I’ve recovered now: I’ve met some really nice people and it’s been really inspiring.” All the while Lewis is nodding his head in agreement as Gareth is talking: “It’s easy to have one good bit of riding that you’re good at,” Lewis explains, “whether that’s climbing, descending or fitness – but here you have to be good at everything all the time and be super fit and mentally hardy as well.” Gareth and Lewis’ exploits have been recorded in glorious technicolour and will be featured in a forthcoming issue of What Mountain Bike. For more on the magazine – including what’s in the current and next issues – log onto www.bikeradar.com or pick up a copy at your local store. Tomorrow sees the longest stage of the event that takes the riders the final furlong from Strata Florida to Builth Wells – some 84km and 2500m of climbing (but with 2600m of descending). There the final winners will be announced, the riders will finally kick back and relax over a beverage at the Red Bull finishing party, share stories of mishaps and near misses, of long but rewarding days in the saddle, and finally bring a close to the 2008 Merida Bikes TransWales. “I’m really excited about tomorrow,” said Gareth, “I know it’s going to be a long day but I know I can do it so I’m really looking forward to getting out there. After everything it’s going to be great to chill out with all the people we’ve ridden with, have a few drinks although I’m also really sad it’s the last day. I’m definitely going to be coming back again.” Special Stage Four Results USE Women’s Solo Category 1 – Fi Spotswood (Iron Horse Extreme): 48:48 2 – Amy Baron-Hall (trio25.blogspot.com): 57:36 3 – Katrina Brown (Deeside Total Endurance): 50:11 USE Men’s Solo Category 1 – Ewan Thorburn (Fat Tread Bikes): 38:04 2 – Frans Claes (Connection Granville): 38:21 3 – Ryan Bevis (RAM Bikes): 38:51 USE Veteran Women’s Solo Category 1 – Ros Fish (Dorset Rough Riders): 01:02:07 2 – Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 01:03:00 3 – Mary-Rose Cross: 01:05:07 USE Veteran Men’s Solo Category 1 – Steve Heading (Whyte Bikes): 41:31 2 – Kerry Graham (BAD CC): 43:10 3 – Richard Wilson: 43:23 High5 Mixed Category 1 – Meggie Bichard & Ed Kerly (Team Chance): 42:06 2 – David Evans & Lily Mathews (Team 8): 43:04 3 – Paul Hoogenboom & Alieke Griffeon (Peptiplus-Bikezone): 49:27 Ergon Veteran Men’s Category 1 – Carl Hutchings & Stuart Lockear (London Phoenix Vets): 46:37 2 – Simon Jepheart &~ Gary Cousins (phasenineclothing.co.uk): 49:49 3 – David Wood & Tom Jones (Team Dysynni): 51:35 Buff Female Category 1 – Irene Lachner & Alice Lund: 57:02 Gore Bike Wear Male Category 1 – Ifan Richards & Chris Purt (Revolution Bikes RT): 41:39 2 – Ben Jones & Andy Jones (Clee Cycles / KCNC): 42:57 3 – James Cooper & Rick Fielder (Army Cycling Union): 45:48 Niner Singlespeed Category 1 –Henry Richard Lansdown (Bike Shed Wales): 43:17 2 – Matt Carr (69er Collective): 45:42 Complete Special Stage Results, download below: Special Stage Solo Results - XLS Special Stage Team Results - XLS Day Seven: The Final Furlong It’s over: after seven days and 550km of riding with 15,500m of climbing the Merida Bikes TransWales 2008 Champions have at last been crowned, reports What Mountain Bike magazine’s Editor, Matt Skinner, in the final of his daily reports… Linking Stage Seven Strata Florida to Builth Wells Total distance: 84km Climbing: 2500m It’s been a long, exhausting but exhilarating week of riding in some of the toughest conditions that the Trans UK events have ever seen. Today at last, after four flat out competitive special stages, seven long linking stages, the Merida Bikes TransWales 2008 rolled across the finish line to bring the event full circle into Builth Wells. In total, the massed field of international riders had completed 550km (344miles) of riding with 15,500m (50,840feet) of climbing off-road around the heart of Wales in just seven days. For some, the spoils of victory. For others, the consolation of a cold beer. But for all, great memories and new friendships formed to last a lifetime. The final linking stage took riders from beautiful Strata Florida with its ancient abbey back home to Builth Wells, some 84km and 2500m of climbing away. It may be the last day of the event and the ‘glory ride’ home, but it was still the longest linking stage of the entire event. Taking the riders through Tyw Forest the route revisited sections of trail much loved by 2006 TransWales riders: the seven river crossings section where riders can carve criss-crossing lines over and through various river crossing points on the same section of trail. Just put the hammer down, carve, and enjoy. Also back on the menu was the fine and technical singletrack descent along the side of the Afon Doethie and down to the Llyn Brianne reservoir, snaking along the contours of the scenic valley and hammering full bore downwards over some of the finest flow riding on the entire Merida Bikes TransWales.  The route then climbed back into the trees towards the home of some of most colourful events anywhere in Britain, including the Real Ale Wobble and the World Bog Snorkelling Championships, Llanwrtyd Wells. The trail then turned north west following the river Irfon and into Irfon Forest, snaking upwards on fire road to eventually exit onto the black top. From that point on, the riders buzzed along the Tarmac back into Builth. But they still had to work hard as there were still steep climbs and descents to be conquered before they could finally slay and lay to rest the Merida Bikes TransWales challenge. With the weather staying good all day, the finishing arena turned into an en-masse chill out zone. Riders rode into rapturous applause from their friends and loved ones turning out to welcome them back, from their new riding buddies, and from all the crew who had helped make their ride so memorable. Each rider claimed their finisher’s jersey and made straight for some very well earned cold beer courtesy of BikeRadar.com and hard earned rest. Finally. In the end of the 2008 Merida Bikes TransWales saw the closest racing in the event’s history: in many categories, racers had been swapping the lead in the general classification all week with no one clear superpower dominating. With the final special stage yesterday again seeing fresh winners in some categories, it made for a suitably climactic finish to the event and all was finally revealed today in Builth Wells (see below). “This was certainly the toughest Trans event I’ve done ever, ever, ever,” said Trek 69er Collective singelspeed rider Matt Carr during the BikeRadar.com finishing party. The toughness of the event wasn’t missed on the organisers, Mike Wilkens and John Lloyd, either. “I think the conditions made this an even bigger challenge than it would be anyway,” said Mike. “It was certainly the toughest Trans event we’ve ever done but the fact that the riders are still here after a week of going through some big ups and downs really impressed me like no tomorrow. It was a challenging week but it continued the spirit of the event – of people helping each other out and mucking in together.” The 2008 Merida Bikes TransWales Champions*: USE Women’s Solo Category 1 – Fi Spotswood (Iron Horse Extreme): 45:56:55 USE Men’s Solo Category 1 – Frans Claes (Connection Granville): 45:26:25 USE Veteran Women’s Solo Category 1 – Mary-Rose Cross: 45:34:47 USE Veteran Men’s Solo Category 1 – Steve Heading (Whyte Bikes): 45:34:58 High5 Mixed Category 1 – David Evans & Lily Mathews (Team 8): 45:43:16 Ergon Veteran Men’s Category 1 – Carl Hutchings & Stuart Lockear (London Phoenix Vets): 45:52:43 Buff Female Category 1 – Irene Lachner & Alice Lund: 48:43:23 Gore Bike Wear Male Category 1 – Ifan Richards & Chris Purt (Revolution Bikes RT): 45:37:21 MERIDA BIKES TRANSWALES 2008 FINAL OVERALL RESULTS USE Women’s Solo Category 1 – Fi Spotswood (Iron Horse Extreme): 45:56:55 2 – Katrina Brown (Deeside Total Endurance): 45:59:08 3 – Amy Baron-Hall (trio25.blogspot.com): 46:36:29 USE Men’s Solo Category 1 – Frans Claes (Connection Granville): 45:26:25 2 – Ewan Thorburn (Fat Tread Bikes): 45:26:48 3 – Ryan Bevis (RAM Bikes): 45:27:08 USE Veteran Women’s Solo Category 1 – Mary-Rose Cross: 45:34:47 2 – Anne Dickins (Cloud 9 Trails): 45:39:14 3 – Ros Fish (Dorset Rough Riders): 45:58:10 USE Veteran Men’s Solo Category 1 – Steve Heading (Whyte Bikes): 45:34:58 2 – Kerry Graham (BAD CC): 45:39:49 3 – Jonathan Edwards (Carpe Diem): 45:45:25 High5 Mixed Category 1 – David Evans & Lily Mathews (Team 8): 45:43:16 2 – Meggie Bichard & Ed Kerly (Team Chance): 45:43:53 3 – Paul Hoogenboom & Alieke Griffeon (Peptiplus-Bikezone): 46:02:35 Ergon Veteran Men’s Category 1 – Carl Hutchings & Stuart Lockear (London Phoenix Vets): 45:52:43 2 – Simon Jepheart & Gary Cousins (phasenineclothing.co.uk): 47:59:59 3 – David Wood & Tom Jones (Team Dysynni): 46:12:24 Buff Female Category 1 – Irene Lachner & Alice Lund: 48:43:23 Gore Bike Wear Male Category 1 – Ifan Richards & Chris Purt (Revolution Bikes RT): 45:37:21 2 – Ben Jones & Andy Jones (Clee Cycles / KCNC): 45:44:22 3 – James Cooper & Rick Fielder (Army Cycling Union): 45:45:32 Niner Singlespeed Category 1 – Henry Richard Lansdown (Bike Shed Wales): 45:40:24 2 – Matt Carr (69er Collective): 45:44:20 Niner Singlespeed Category 1 – Henry Richard Lansdown (Bike Shed Wales): 45:40:24 | ||||||||||||
| MTB Trans Wales 2010 |
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Latest News Mini TransWales 12.07.10:
