Photo Story|Round 1 of the 2015 Rose Bikes British Downhill Series, Ae Forest

RACE SEASON IS GO!

// Photos by Mr Ian Lean (unless credited)
// Words by Jamie Edwards
// Video by Luke Hough

The British Race Season fired up its engines this weekend at Ae Forest for the 1st round of the British Downhill Series.

A short, fast, natural and balls-out track challenged the UK’s fastest and proved who had been putting in the hard graft over the winter.

We were in the pits, on the hill and on the start list to bring you the action!

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“jesus christ that kid is loose!” shouted Rich Thomas watching this guy, Scott Mears, get wild on track. Scott was disappointed with his 25th place result but looked so, so good on track!
Saturday morning - the mic goes on and Si Paton announces "welcome to the 2015 British Downhill Series!". Race season is officially on!
Saturday morning – the mic goes on and Si Paton announces “welcome to the 2015 British Downhill Series!”. Race season is officially on! Jamie Edwards photo.
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FMD’s Neil Stewart – less clicked on the one-legger than Mr Mears but higher up the podium. 1st place in junior men for Neil and an awesome warm-up for Lourdes World Cup.
No trip to the BDS is complete with a good queue. And Ae didn't disapoint!
No trip to the BDS is complete with a good queue. And Ae didn’t disappoint! Jim Smith photo.
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Wideopenmag test pilot Monet Rose Adams got her bikes stolen a month ago and was left wondering if she’d even race. Here she is hucking the road gap on her Wideopenmag Vitus test bike and on track for a podium!
The BDS takes a small army of marshals to keep it running smooth - here's Race Director Colin setting out what's what on Saturday AM.
The BDS takes a small army of marshals to keep it running smooth – here’s Race Director Colin setting out what’s what on Saturday AM.
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Simmonds! New year, new kit, 9th place in elite.
Safety first. After a winter of hints about Health and Safety the series didn't feel much different. Just safe, efficient and well run. Photo by Jim Smith.
Safety first. After a winter of hints about Health and Safety the series didn’t feel much different. Just safe, efficient and well run. Photo by Jim Smith.
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Katy Curd looked awesome on track all weekend and earned herself 2nd place in elite women. True fact, there’s a statue of Katy in Radstock!

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He got it! Team Wideopenmag's Kye Forte has been working hard for a British Downhill National ... and it finally came together for him. Amazing work sir!
He got it! Team Wideopenmag’s Kye Forte has been working hard for a British Downhill National … and it finally came together for him. Amazing work sir!
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With no Rachel Atherton on the line-up it was just Gee and Kade Edwards (photo’d here) repping for the Athertons. Kade is the Atherton young gun on the “Atherton Academy” – he scored 5th place in Youth.
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Jack Reading – optometrist by day, team manager and racer by night! Jack’s new team “1Vision Racing” is a nod to his eye-testing-roots. “I’ve got my eyes set on success!” he told us.
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Gazzy B! Gareth Brewin doesn’t always get the top results … but he always looks amazing on track. Send us a photo of Gaz and we’ll run it 10 times out of 10!
The BDS doesn't run itself. It takes a huge team of hard working race fans to bring it to life. Here's Race Director Colin Olden pausing for breath between jobs!
The BDS doesn’t run itself. It takes a huge team of hard working race fans to bring it to life. Here’s Race Director Colin Olden pausing for breath between jobs!
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Manon – by her own admission – had a high pressure weekend. With no Rachel Atherton she was feeling the pressure to live up to the crowd’s expectations.
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… But she needn’t have worried. 1st for Manon, 2nd for Katy Curd, 3rd for Tahnee Seagrave.
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Bryceland. 1st race back after his big injury. Josh was keeping a fairly low profile this weekend and just getting his head-down and putting in the laps.
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Bryceland.
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“Forgot me trouser clip today and got all snarled up in a few sections!” Josh landed 3rd and looked disapointed … but it’s early in the season. Good luck for Lourdes Rat!

 

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Was there ever any doubt Gee would take the win? Nope, not until Innes Graham won seeding and made Gee think twice!
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“I had to push hard in my race run … but it all came together. It’s always great to take a National win”. Gee Atherton.

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1st for Gee, 2nd for Mike Jones, 3rd for Josh Bryceland.

Huge thanks to Ian Lean for shooting these gold-photo-nuggets and Luke Hough for the video. Look out for more all season at the British Downhill Series.

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