After a very a strange season of racing I finished the year with the Tour de Ben Nevis. Riding as a sponsored rider for “Team Wellocks”  I finished 174th out of 319 riders. The cousre was spetacular and I thoroughly enjoyed the event. Even with a lack lustre performance I finished in 06:22 on my trusty Superfly hardtail . As for next year’s Tour of the Ben, I will be racing on my new Santa Cruz Tallboy which will be perfectly suited to the course.

Sean, Geoff, Robbie and John celebrating with horns of Black Sheep at the end of Team Lard’s 15th annual trip to Appletreewick. Robbie was awarded the trophy for the Best Crash of the Trip and now based in Lanzarote automatically won the Long Distance Award for attending.

It’s very easy to miss cattle controlling measures across the track as you descend to Rylstone Church from Rylstone Fell. Riders can be faced with two wires across the track as they approach the farm and church (grid reference 973586). This is a large dairy farm and the wires are used to control the herd’s movement at milking time. Although there are marker tags on each wire they are easily missed if you are descending at normal speed or if the wind is from the North West.  The same wires are easily spotted when ascending the track on the approach to the climb of Rylstone Fell.

At long last a bike shop has opened in Grassington which will satisfy the needs of visiting riders. ‘Outdoor Human’ is situated at the start of Grass Wood Lane and is easy to find as you come into Grassington on the B6265. There is a small car park and you can ring them on 01756 751865

After 25 years in Headingly Stiff have moved to Summerbridge in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. World Downhill Champion Steve Peat attended the Grand Opening.