Bluegrass Enduro Tour Dublin.

This is a bit late but here goes. Saturday brought the Bluegrass Enduro Tour to Ireland and with it the first ever multi venue race in Ireland while racing Blind. Saturday saw the women take on the 3 venues (Ticknock, Ballinastoe and Djouce) and 6 stages. There was some great racing in the women's category with Michelle Muldoon taking the win for the Irish. The men's race was the following day.

Sunday 

Sunday saw an early start from Powerscourt waterfall to get a bus to Ticknock. There were 2 stages, one very technical and the other a fast trail centre stage. First up was the technical one.

Ticknock Stage 1

Stage 1 started out on the fast flowy new trail centre section on Ticknock before turning of onto a much more technical, natural trail. This section was in the Gravity Enduro back in May so I knew this section quite well so I got through it at a decent speed. After 2 massive compressions onto the fireroad crossing it was into the steepest part of the stage but everything went wrong pretty much straight away. As I turned in to take a tight line beside the tree to have a straighter exit line I caught my front wheel on a stump and that was that. Straight out over the front and onto the deck. I got back up as quick as I could and got back on the bike. The rest of the stage was completely singletrack with a long pedaly bit at the end. I put in a time good enough for 3rd in my category and 13th overall. I was happy to have the first stage out of the way and to only be 10s of the top Junior even with the big crash.

 

Stage 2

Stage 2 consisted of one of the trail centre trails (Metro 1) and was a flat out sprint down the mountain. I knew this trail like the back of my hand from riding it on most spins I go on. It's all about carrying your speed and sprinting on the straights. I won the stage in my category and was 4th quickest overall. After this it was back onto the bus to go to Ballinastoe the second venue of the day.

 

 

 

 

Ballinastoe Stage 3

Stage 3 started with a slick rooty forest shoot before traversing across some of the hill. It then dropped onto one of the trail centre trails which was again fast flowing. After crossing the fireroad it was into some more natural singletrack and some wood work before hitting a long fireroad sprint to the last section of trail. This was another trail centre trail which was extremely fast and flowed down the mountain well. I finished this stage 3rd in my category and 12th overall.

 

  

 

Stage 4

Stage 4 was one of the longest stages of the day. Using a mixture of 2 of the Gravity Enduro stages meant there was a serious amount of pedalling and downhill. Everybody knew this was going to be the hardest stage so far. I started off well and made my way through the first section of tight slippy woods quick enough. There was loads of pedalling as we made our way backwards along one of the trail centre climbs before dropping into stage 3 of the Gravity Enduro. It had a great mix of berms and jumps but was followed by a god awful pedal to the finish. Once again I finished 3rd in my category and 10th overall. After this stage we had a cycle down the road to Djouce for the final 2 stages of the day.

Djouce Stage 5

Stage 5 was brilliant. Started straight away into a steep loose wide open corner followed by a quick pedal and then dropping across a path into a kicker climb. It then threaded its way through the trees and out a rooty shoot onto a walkers path. From here it was straight into a long section of off camber and a combination of bermed and flat switchbacks. After crossing 2 fireroad crossings and a chicane taped around some trees we were done. 3rd for the 4th time on a stage in my category and 11th overall

Stage 6

After a long climb up the red road it was time for the final stage of the day as the sun started to set over Dublin in front of us. It started with the same top section as always. Flat, pedaly and rooty. I had a small crash one one of the corners but nothing major. From here we were in for a big surprise. A whole brand new section of trail. It started out fast and flowed across the side of the mountain before turning into a steep straight loamy section. From here it was back onto the old stage and that was that for the day. Posted 3rd fastest time in my category on the stage and 11th overall.

It was then back to Powerscourt for ice creams and photos by the water fall. In the end I finished 3rd in my category a minute back on the fastest time in my category and 11th overall. Happy enough to be where I was considering the size of the first crash I had and the small crash on the last stage.

Big thanks to Alan & Matra from Action Pictures Ireland for the photos. You can see all the photos from the race here: http://www.actionpicturesireland.com/

As always I'd also like to thank Alfie and Robin in Expert Cycles for keeping my bike going 100% all the time.

See you in Carrick for the Final round Of the Gravity Enduro Series in 2 weeks time