The journey from small guy to teenager...

[weeksy]

Confirmation that the European Championships open for entry on the 15th at 9amCET via their website today.

As you'll know, RTTL have massively funded this little bit of our adventure and we've booked accommodation in Morzine for the race time. It's a little further away but logistically it works for us, so we'll wing it and make it all work.

Track walk is 3pm on the Thurs, which we'll be there for. With practice 10.30am roughly on the Fri and again at 2.30 in the afternoon. It seems to me like there's VERY little practice compared to some events, but there'll be a hell of a lot of riders too, so what can you do

It's going to be completely EPIC !

[weeksy]

Merch drop from Oxford Mint.

IMG_20240327_141329 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[weeksy]

More merch from the DMR guys

IMG-20240328-WA0004 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG-20240328-WA0009 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[weeksy]

[weeksy]

Well it looks like we've managed to make it to the start of the season without being injured... Although it was touch and go yesterday at Merthyr Vale. It's a new place we've not been to before, apparently it's not 50 year old friendly. (vid clips later).

He was riding with Katy, Katie, Mary and ex-team-mate Drew. Was ace to have to Drew out with him as they push eachother and have different riding styles which means they see different parts of the track in slightly different ways/lines and techniques, one will pull for gap, the other will take the lower line and see if it's quicker.
At one stage i'd dropped them at the top and we had Marys bike in the van from the uplifting, "we'll ride it down in the middle" So one rider each side of the middle bike, 1 hand on the bars.... they stacked it and Drew went over-the-bars ! Bloody muppets.

Anyway, they survived the day, including some race simulation runs and practice, with all of them getting faster and gaining confidence from the riding. The boy came away really happy, both with his riding and a bit of a rekindling of a friendship with Drew, which was brilliant to see. We won't see them as much this year as last year as we've got different focus's this year, but we'll be in Morzine with them for a week together so will be good to get them bonding again

The weekend bring RHEOLA !!!
For anyone who recalls, this was Rheola last year
2023-04-19_07-47-18 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

2023-04-14_04-45-38 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Muddy rooty hell....
Last year he picked up 21/26 in the Gravity race (first weekend of 2.) and 24/49 in the National (which will be next weekend), it's the sort of place where anything can and will happen on the race runs though. Crazy woods, roots, jumps, mud... everything.

We'll be out the door handy on Friday afternoon for track-walk, with practice all day Sat and then 2 race runs on Sunday. (Hopefully anyway).

Let the crazy times resume.

[weeksy]

We've spent the last few weeks working with a company called Kalas.

https://www.kalas.cc/

As you can see above in link, they're the team who make kits for Alpecin and the world Champ Van Der Poel, as well as the GB squad etc..

So we've been working with the design team on a custom jersey for 2024. It's a little bit later than we'd ideally have liked, but getting things done in MTB land isn't always as quick as you'd think. This was jersey revision 6 in design process and is the final design.

herseyfinal by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

So it's now off for final completion and getting test garments made, then onto jerseys as well as a baselayer type jacket. He'll keep one of the 3 jerseys as a 'big race' jersey for the European Champs. The blues don't look quite as poppy in this as they should be in reality, they're closer to the blues of his 2023 jersey you've all seen him in.

We're all very excited to get this done and hopefully should be with us for Fort William race in May.

[weeksy]

[weeksy]

3-d render onto a roadie version to give a representation.

[Mr Moofo]

3-d render onto a roadie version to give a representation.

Wierd font?

Make sure it does have the number 44 on it!
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foo ... 21868.html

[weeksy]

3-d render onto a roadie version to give a representation.

Wierd font?

Make sure it does have the number 44 on it!
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foo ... 21868.html

It's DMRs font design for their riders

[Mr Moofo]

Fair enough

[weeksy]

So today was practice and Rheola didn't disappoint again.
IMG_20240406_140831 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20240406_140836 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Once again it was very very messy. Mud a plenty.

Happily, the boy came down and was telling me he loved the track and how awesome it was.
He knocked out 7 runs of practice with his mates and came back smiling every time.

It was even commented upon by a few of his riding race peers that they were shocked by how much he's improved! We'll take that for a compliment.

Back in our accommodation now for a beer and a well deserved chill before heading for an Indian and I expect an early night.

Let's see what insanity comes tomorrow

[Taff]

Jeez, the mess on that

just by that picture I know that I'd be coming down track that on my arse

[weeksy]

Well there's that and the fact it's an insane track too.

We're now feed and I've had a couple of beers. Sadly the rains came so we had pizza instead of Indian, but it's all good.

High winds now and rain, oh joy. Back to where racing left off then, wet and horrible

[weeksy]

[weeksy]

randr-photo-12643339-6000px-by-fstop-media by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

randr-photo-12643259-4000px-by-fstop-media by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

randr-photo-12639828-6000px-by-fstop-media by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

randr-photo-12640262-6000px-by-fstop-media by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

randr-photo-12643335-6000px-by-fstop-media by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[Dodgy69]

Top pic's ace, who took, it.

[weeksy]

They have camera people who attend and then we buy them

https://www.rootsandrain.com/event12573 ... la/photos/

[weeksy]

Bit lacking in some bits of the reports from yesterday, but not really our fault.

Once again for the 2nd year running Rheola brought not only a lack of results from the organisers, but a deluge of rain all day. Sunday was sooooooo wet it was insane. I spent a lot of time fixing and repairing bikes yesterday too, so again a bit lacking in pics etc sorry.
IMG_20240407_092500 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

The boy though had a blast and again following on from Sat practice he was flying. But like i say, currently we have no idea how flying, flying is or was... i'm not convinced we ever will get results for this one. Which would of course be VERY frustrating, but we'll have to mark it down to thinking of the day as 2 practice days on the track we're running Nationals on next weekend.

I've got such a clean-up to do later today, just so much mess to sort out. But we'll get there.

[Count Steer]

That's, as you say, frustrating. How do they do the timing? Timer on the start gate linked to one at the end, transponder...? Poor show if they can't get the fundamental part of a race right.

Good that he enjoyed it. Can't decide if he's a masochist or a sadist (for all the work he lands you with).