… and our B team comes in 11th!
Winners of the 209 Dusk 'til Dawn
Our race report in the Newmarket Journal:
On Saturday night, 3rd October, two mountain bike teams from local Newmarket cycle shop, Revel Outdoors, took part in the Dusk ’til Dawn 12 hour race in Thetford Forest. This premier annual night event attracts over 1000 riders from across the country. Starting at 8pm Saturday evening and ending at 8am Sunday morning, the course covers more than 11 miles of fire roads and flowing singletrack, combining the challenges of endurance, mountain biking in the dark and sleep deprivation. Both Revel Outdoors teams were competing in the 80 strong, 3-man team category with team members riding alternate laps.
A rapid start from shop owner Jamie Wightman put Revel Outdoors team 1 in the lead after the 1st lap. James Dyke was out 2nd with Mike Stoveld, the Revel Outdoors workshop manager, riding 3rd. After a few laps the team slipped down into 3rd position but some strong, gutsy rides in the early hours of Sunday saw the team make up time and claw back the lead. Stoveld, finishing the 15th and last lap for the team, managed to just hold off local rivals ThetfordMTBracing, finishing only 12 seconds ahead to secure a hard fought victory.
Revel Outdoors team 2 was led out strongly by the experienced Garry Houghton, followed by Rob Balaam who rode a quick first lap to put the team up into 7th place. With 3rd member and night race newbie, Neil Payne, getting quicker as the night wore on, the team moved up into 6th position. Around 5am, disaster struck as Balaam’s tyre blew. Balaam’s cool-headed repair minimised the time lost, but the team lost several places. Completing the 15th lap, Payne brought the team home in a highly commendable 11th place, pushing through the cramps in his legs as he crossed the finish line.
Superb teamwork and absolute dedication from all the Revel Outdoors riders achieved these fantastic results which further highlight their credibility on the region’s mountain biking scene. The riders will now be preparing for more good performances in the upcoming Thetford Winter Series mountain bike races.
