24 hour Mountain Bike Race Attracts Record Field

Photo by Peter Jolly

24 HOUR MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE ATTRACTS RECORD FIELD

by Linda Sinclair

Over 800 cyclists braved snow, ice and plummeting temperatures in a Highland forest to take part in what’s dubbed the toughest mountain bike race in the UK.

The Strathpuffer, a 24 hour endurance race, celebrating its tenth anniversary, is held in the Contin trails every January.

The cyclists can enter as solos, pairs, quads, or new for 2015, to mark the event’s special birthday, the Puffer Team of 10, which was won by the Dingwall Academy Pupils.

Riders who start cycling at 10am on Saturday cover a thigh burning 11 kilometre lap and finish at 10am on Sunday morning with the aim to cover the most number of laps in 24 hours.

The winner, in the solo male category, was Keith Forsyth from Musselburgh, who completed 28.

The 45 year old, no stranger to endurance races having won the 24 hour World Title in Fort William last year, says winning the Strathpuffer felt "fantastic" having come third last year, but, admitted it had taken its toll and he felt that he had been in a car crash!

TV star, motorcycle racer and mechanic Guy Martin replicated his second position of last year.

The 33 year old paid tribute to the winner saying: "he rode a blinder, I’m not quick enough at the start, those boys go billy-oh at the start then slowly tale off, my pace is sort of quick but I can stick with it, but not enough to win."

Both men admit the gruelling competition takes its toll both mentally and physically and this year was particularly hard because of the snow and ice.

Guy said the hardest thing: "is just keeping the brain in gear."

Both cyclists said eating to keep up energy levels is vital with Keith stopping for: "Pot Noodles by the fire", while Guy opted for: "porridge, ravioli, dark chocolate, gels, bars and protein drinks" going onto say "just chuck it down the hatch and get going."

Guy admitted he was supposed to do the pairs event because of his TV commitments and confessed he had only trained for 3 weeks which he believes shows success in the Puffer is more about mental strength than physical.

He did say his 40 mile round trip to work probably keeps his fitness in check but now it feels like "my legs are hanging off."

Morven Brown from the Black Isle’s team 'Age B4 Beauty' were given an award for completing every Strathpuffer event since it started in 2005.

The 25 year old said it was a: “really special feeling … and it was tough because a team mate was on a crutch and only managed to do one lap and they had to ride as a trio."

Morven, keeping awake on lots of cups of tea and tins of Irn-Bru, admitted she probably has an advantage as: "I’ve been riding and racing on the Contin trails since she I was 12."

Co-organiser Alasdair Lawton said on Friday they feared the event might not go ahead because of the difficulty in getting over 200 camper vans on to the site which was encased in ice and snow, but he’s: "relieved it’s all gone to plan and been a success."

He said it’s the biggest field in terms of numbers of competitors and numbers of teams.

Alasdair says it’s: “always bizarre to me that people like cycling for 24 hours in the middle of winter but everyone seems to love it, so we will keep going.”