This year’s TransWales event is coming closer and closer with less than four months to go before the event opens on the 16th August in Builth Wells. Preparations are in full flow with finishing jerseys and event holdalls being produced as we speak and the final touch’s being added the course.

Entries and final payment
Entries have being going strong and there are currently only places for 10 riders left. So if you are keen to get involved then don’t wait any longer, download your entry form from the TransUK entry page and send it together with your deposit through to our Bristol office. Once we are full we will keep taking entries and put them on the reserve list. Going by last year’s cancellations there is a very good chance that you get a ride if you get your name onto the reserve list. Don’t worry though – we will only cash the deposit if you made it into the event.

Lots of people have been asking us over the last few weeks when the final payment is due. The final deadline is the 1st June 2008. So please make sure that the money arrives with us no later than that date. Only when the full payment has been received can we confirm the successful entry into the event.

Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series and GORE BIKE WEAR ROAD SPORTIVES
Some of you probably made it to the 1st round of the Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series 2008 which took place in Builth Wells on the 12-13th April. The first event of the season featured the EXPOSURE LIGHTS BIG NIGHT OUT night marathon which saw almost 300 riders tackle the 40km long course. The Spring marathon on Sunday morning saw more than 900 riders tackle one of the 3 challenging courses. If you weren’t their make sure you check out how it all went here>>.

With the 1st round been and gone our focus now turns to the 2nd round in Ruthin which will feature the 1st ever Gore Bike Wear Road Sportive. The sportive will be held on the Saturday of the marathon weekend giving the riders the chance to get a full two day riding weekend with a demanding road sportive over some of the valley’s and fantastic roads around Ruthin followed by a challenging and improved off road experience the following day – ideal training for the TransWales… To find out more on the sportives please check: http://www.mtb-marathon.co.uk/sportives/sportives.php and to find out more on the mountain bike rides please go here: http://www.mtb-marathon.co.uk/events/ruthin.php.

To enter the road or/and the mountain bike events simply go to the entry page and either download an entry form or enter via our online entry system. You can also enter on the day with a £2 surcharge. If you enter the road and off road ride on the same weekend there is a discounted weekend ticket for only £45.

Sports Tour International Sportive Competition
As a special extra on the Gore Bike Wear Road Sportive Series 2008 we have hooked up with Sports Tours International to bring you a very special competition where you can win an all inclusive trip to the Final of the Tour de France in Paris or one of 3 compete Gore Ride On cable sets (gears and brake) worth £ 80. Make sure you check out the details here: http://www.mtb-marathon.co.uk/home/competition.php.


The new ‘Merida 96’ marathon machine Issue 83 of What Mountain Bike, which features the exclusive test on the new ‘super bike’ from Merida has just hit the shelves. The new Merida Carbon 96 is the ideal machine to tackle the TransWales and/or marathon events. The Merida UK crew managed to have one of these feather light frames on display at the 1st marathon and they will have a few test models on their stand later in the season. Check out the feature on the Merida website