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Part 1: MTB World Cup With Team Torq
Posted May 21 2010
PART TWO | Words And Photography By Luke Webber
This weekend we're running a very exclusive buildup to round three of the cross country World Cup, going behind the scenes of Team Torq and following nine-to-five racers Tim Dunford and Anthony O'Boyle and aspiring pro Ben Thomas, who just three years ago was lining up in Sport category events, but today is toeing the line with the best riders in the world.
Torq have come a long way in under a decade, starting out with a few energy bars and drinks, gaining mass popularity in the mountain bike ranks and supporting the sport, up front, every step of the way. Right now they are the only British-registered UCI Trade Team, have the biggest British XC race team and staying true to their roots, they're supporting the dreams of British riders who have aspirations to race at the highest level.
THE PLAN
So on Wednesday morning as Tim Dunford - ninth at round two of the British XC Series - comes out of a business meeting and hot-foots it up the M3 to meet the team bus; British Cycling Online will be there!
We'll travel with the team and give you a sneak peek into what it's really like to prepare for a World Cup on Sunday, before returning to the nine-to-five grind on Monday. We're even promising to roll into the office on Monday morning to show the face of a man ravaged from the World Cup circuit facing that all important first-day-back question; 'so what did you get up to on the weekend?!'
The answer to that question will follow here throughout the weekend, but for now, it really is a case of back to the day job.
THE ROADTRIP
Wednesday May 19. Tim Dunford escapes from a multi-million pound taxation meeting in Southampton, while in south Wales, Anthony O'Boyle wakes up following another long night shift. Ben Thomas makes preparations for the arrival of the team van and riders in Bracknell, and by noon team manager Rob Barker is at the wheel for an eight hour drive to Reims, France.
It's not the traditional buildup to racing mountain bikes on the worlds hardest stage, but it's a buildup nonetheless for three riders determined to compete against the great names of the sport, most of which are just faces in magazines to the domestic Elite rider.
But armed with a pocket - albeit a very shallow one - of UCI points, these three nine-to-five racers are intent on making a European roadtrip to five rounds of the Cross Country UCI Mountain Bike World Cup - and we're joining them for the ride to Offenburg!
After passing through the Chunnel, across hundreds of miles of French countryside and finally finding a pizzeria that was still serving (avoiding the dogs that looked like wolves along the way), it was finally time to bed down one last time before arriving in the Black Forest.
In a van without operational aircon, it was a sweaty 25 degree journey on day one, but following a mammoth breakfast it was a cooler and wetter affair on Thursday. That was great for travelling in, but when it came to jumping out of the van and into the cakestore, footwear ranging from plimsolls to flipflops were not appreciated. On the plus side, the cake and fresh bread was a touch and demolished before the mist turned to darkness across the imaginary vineyard.
Friday was the busiest day for organising race essentials with sign-on, bike prep and course riding to attend to. Offenburg has been rated as the best XCO event on the calendar more than once and even four years on, it's easy to see why. Close to the town centre, posters to promote the event everywhere in the locale and an overt pro-cycling stance all serve to bring the race together, on a course reminiscent of British deciduous woodland.
That's where the similarity ends though, because where British courses have typically eschewed natural trails prone to heavy erosion, exposed roots and deep mud, Offenburg embraces the challenge.
As of Friday, the track is most comparable to Aston Hill in winter; a slick layer of mud covering the duration of the track. This resulted in a lot of crashes for the Torq riders - but still a lot of fun! Immediately everyone stopped and assess Dual Speed - a section of trail where two lines with multiple drop offs run together. In the dry it is simple, but add a heavily eroded off camber singletrack rut, and untreated log steps and Dual Speed takes on a whole new dimension.
Ant was the first rider to take it on - admittedly only after watching Catherine Pendrel ride the section first! Ben and Tim followed next, and finally I gave it a go. It's got to be said I had a pretty scary time though, laying heavily off of the front brake and hoping for the best.
That was the last drop I'd ride for the day, relieved I didn't have to risk a collarbone, while everyone else had no choice but to get acquainted with the safety netting and hay bails. In Offenburg there is no such thing as a B line...
Thankfully with the sun out on Saturday and further good weather predicted, the course should dry up to resemble a dustbowl, calming the trail and making for a fair chance of finishing race distance on Sunday.
We'll have the full wrap next week, but for now enjoy the roadtrip photos!
