Tim Wiggins is one of the Isle of Wight mountain bike team, taking part in the Natwest Island Games – not only that, but he’s a blogger too. Below is a piece that he wrote a couple of weeks ago about this morning’s course for the second Mountain Bike event. We’ll let you know how it goes, but all hopes are with the IW team, which includes Tim. Ed
I went out and rode a few laps of the XC course that has been made for the Island Games yesterday.
With a Force6 headwind all the way out to Cheverton Farm I was pretty worn out already when I got there, but the course itself is certainly one that is going to leave no prisoners.
It starts at Cheverton Farm, on the Gatcombe road.
Pack sprint to start the race
From the start there is what I am sure will be a pack sprint for about 400meters until you turn up into some woods, here is where the fun begins.
The woods are set on the side of Brighstone Down, and the course snakes its way up through the trees and then hairpin turns all the way down.
Hoping for drier weather
Especially after yesterday and Wednesday’s continuous rain, the ground was super greasy and on every turn and climb you had to work hard to stop the back-end drifting out; if it’s like that during the race there are definitely going to be a few bike-engages-tree moments for those that don’t know where the course goes exactly – could make for some exciting viewing for the spectators!
Crossing over into another set of woods the course then passes by the Cheverton Aggregates quarry before really ramping up as it heads up on to Brightone Down – the lung burning climb takes you through some fields and then onto some single track, and certainly promises to spread the riders out as they strain up the incline.
Challenging course
Once on top of the downs there is a loop down the southern side, promising another difficult climb as you head back up to the top. Another fast descent through the fields on the quarry side and another ascent back up, will leave all legs definitely weary. Luckily this then only leaves the fast downhill to the finish. This is a super-fast track that runs parallel to the Gatcombe road and sends us racing back into the arena at Cheverton Farm.
It’s going to be an exciting course and potentially carnage at times. Either way it will be tough and certainly worth coming to watch if you get the chance.
Image: me’nthedogs under CC BY 2.0
