The first ever official downtown DH race in the UK came to the town of Bridgnorth in Shropshire on Sunday October 15th 2006. The track started in the high town area of Bridgenorth and finishing up in in the low town beside the river side.
The event sponsored by TwentyFourSeven had a huge turn out of different riders from all over the Country. Pro racers to novice riders appeared on all sorts of bikes - nobody really knowing what to expect.... The event attracted the UK’s top DH (downhill) and 4X (4-cross) riders including Steve Peat* (DH world champion); Marc Beaumont* (National DH Champion) Scott Beaumont; Dan Atherton; Gee Atherton; Rob Warner; Neil Donahugh and Martin Ogden.
The prize for all this excitement? £1000
Down Hill Mountain biking meets the
streets of a small urban town was a new concept for
99% of the competitors on the day. The difference
over any normal DH race was swopping the mud
and the trees of the forests to the steep stone steps of the town...
The challenge of hurtling downhill the narrow steps and competing
against the clock down a course which will includes steep cobbled
steps, tight corners and jumps have
Straight from the start ramp the track raced straight into a sharp left hander before entering a walled alleyway with a nice right hander at the end. From here the track went straight into a steep series of steps that caught many a rider off guard... After this another sharp right hander took the riders into another passageway out across an open road and along a pathway. With a long gradual left turn that took you onto a fast decent into the finish area. The whole course only taking around 30-40 seconds. Mental
The hype for the race was amazing before it was even officialised. Comments on the day included being a great effort and that it had been far too long a wait to see urban DH races come to the normal hunble DH/FR riders. Many a rider said they would like to see it return for following years.
Grumbles of the day were the lack of decent uplifts and of a lack of padding on some of the gnarly sections of the course.
Galleries:
http://www.ace1mail.com/gallery/gallery/twentyfourseven-downtown-street-race-photo-gallery.html
http://www.rezurgence.com/galleries/downtown/index.html