Monday, June 12, 2006 - posted by Lee Bertram
Three helpings in one go, here's Orange rider Lee Bertram's personal account of the first three UCI World Cup rounds
UCI WORLD CUP ROUND ONE, VIGO. 07/05/2006
Round one of the 2006 Downhill World Cup took us to the popular destination of Vigo [Spain], there was great weather, and a beach only ten minutes from the course.
The course is manly natural with real steep rock slab sections, a tricky stream and a few added man made jumps and road gaps to keep the army of spectators amused.
Qualifying was on Saturday afternoon, it was fast, dry and dusty. Brendan was on the pace, finishing top twenty, while I cruised down a little casual, but inside the top eighty and through to the final.
With Qualifying on Saturday this made for a relaxed morning on Sunday, having two practice runs and having plenty of time before the final. I was up on the gate early and so were the crazed locals lining the track from top to bottom which made a real good atmosphere. I put together a good run I felt good on the rock slabs and got the stream real good and took the hot seat and waited for the fast boys. Before long Brendan was on course and on the gas, his split time on the top section put him well inside top twenty, but it wasn't to be, he had a mechanical problem! Basically his back wheel gave up on the stream section and he struggled on the bottom section which was on the pedals and with his wheel rubbing both sides of the swing arm, by the time he landed the final road gap it collapsed and skidded over the line a little disapointed.
| RK | NAME | INTER | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Lee BERTRAM | 1.42.814 | 2.33.664 |
| 44 | Brendon FAIRCLOUGH | 1.41.709 | 2.35.981 |
UCI WORLD CUP, FORT WILLIAM, ROUND TWO 28/05/2006
The Scottish Highlands played host to the second round of the World Cup Circuit.
Inevitably there was rain and glorious sunshine[but mostly rain!!] The course was very much the same as in previous visits with some small changes.The biggest additions were the two extra turns after exiting the last wood with a small hip jump on the second turn, which seemed to make it a little hard to pedal on to the last jumps towards the finish.
The course was real rough and was noticably changing every run, breaking bumps were getting bigger and there were big holes on the top section and the first wood was really tricky not helped by the relentless weather conditions.
100% concerntration was needed, I took a couple of early knocks in practice twice over the bars in the woods and a big one on the top where my hand just blew off the handle bars! Brendon on the other hand was loving it, no fear and flat out and staying on, this was clear by the time we had qualification sunday morning a good run and 10th position for Brendon, I was in the main but not really feeling the harsh track and conditions as much.
After qualification we had a break in the weather and there was sunshine and also a strong wind which dried the track up nicely.
As always there was a healthy crowd,not just in the grand stand, but all the way down the course which always seems to help you in the race. Race run went ok,there was a head wind at the top all the way from the gate which seemed hard work.I stayed on tried hard ,but it wasn't quite the result i wanted!
Brendon was pumped for his race run, knowing a real good result was possible. At the top he also felt the harsh head wind which seemed to sap energy that was really needed for that pedal home.he felt it didn't quite flow as well as in qualification, but a good result considering he wasn't happy with it. Oh yeah,he also took the yellow UCI leaders jersey,which means he leads the youth class over all at this point.
| RK | NAME | INTER | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Brendon FAIRCLOUGH | 2.09.95 | 4.40.56 |
| 44 | Lee BERTRAM | 2.14.75 | 4.51.71 |
UCI WORLD CUP, WILLINGEN, ROUND THREE 04/06/2006
Only six hours the other side of the pond and we were in Germany for round three.
The weather was nice traveling until we got within half an hour of the venue and it was rain, yet again! Everyone feared the worse of a repeat of the previous year, where the course was really wet and hard going.The all man made course is set on a short mountain side with not much gradient to it, the top section is all hard pack like bmx track surface, which is wide open different lines to be had if you didnt want the big jumps and gaps. The middle section was the place to watch, with a big hip jump for those brave enough with a wide open rock section, which was the steepest part of the course and quite spetacular at speed, over a road gap some slalom type turns, then on the pedals a few more jumps in to the finish.
Qualification went ok but realising the times were going to be tight on the short course, narrow tyres harder presures and even semi slicks were coming out for the race run. It was looking like sub two minutes for the boys,scraping for the podium.
Race run and the track was dry and running noticably fast on the top section, clearing the first jumps was easy compared to practice, there was a good crowd in the middle section and through the steep rocks clean, keeping on line and with good speed out of the wood and then the forty psi in the back tyre feeling like a good idea, cranking home and into the hot seat,a good run.
Brendon didnt like the course so much, the course not really suiting him being so pedally and flat, but still enjoying big whipps and entertaining the spectators on the jumps up top. He was having the big hip jump in practice every time but on the race run got a kick and missed the jump loosing him time in the steep section, he didn't really enjoy the big peddal down the last field [on flat pedals]. A little disappointed, but still good enough to keep his over all lead and the leaders jersey.
| RK | NAME | INTER | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | Lee BERTRAM | 1.25.82 | 2.06.44 |
| 22 | Brendon FAIRCLOUGH | 2.06.44 | 2.08.81 |