It’s a weary morning here at Singletrack Towers. Following last week’s come-down from the epic event that was the Fort William World Cup, there has literally been no rest for us wicked folks. Which is saying something, because we’re normally lazy AF.
The A-Team of Chipps, Andi & James shot back up to Scotland over the weekend for the Tweedlove International, where they reported back to us via several live videos that you can now watch here. Mark went off on a secret press trip to the Appalachian mountains, and as a banjo playing checked-shirt wearer, he had zero problems fitting right in. Stay tuned for his delving of secrets. Meanwhile Hannah went to her first enduro race in France, and despite several near-death experiences, she has returned triumphant and glad that she did not die. We are also pleased by this.
With Hannah’s bruises, Mark’s jetlag, and the A-Team’s post-Tebay-pork-pie hangover, most of us are showing a few bags around the old eyelids, and there’s a little more groaning and foot-shuffling going on today. It’s the Monday morning after a busy weekend of work and travellin’, and none of us are quite ready for the mountain of work sitting in front of us. In fact, it’s rather like being back at school;
We hope you’re managing to get through your Monday Morning without too many grunts and groans. But if you need a little pick me up, get that Hot Chip tune grooving through your earbuds or speakers, and settle in for a slideshow from the Singletrack team’s weekend of riding (and non-riding) shenanigans.
Yes, the Tweedlove International was held over the weekend in Peebles, Scotland, and by all reports it was a belting weekend of bikes, brews and good times. Trek rider and all-round mountain biking legend, Tracey Moseley, had a glorious win, and gave the crowd a bit of a masterclass in how to pop ‘n’ spray a victory bottle of champagne – nice technique!
Andi was up at the Tweedlove International all weekend, where he wore every hat (helmet?) possible by filming Facebook Live videos, shooting photos, doing interviews, and generally just looking amazing with those gorgeous golden locks of his. He also tried his hand at some bike testing, but as you’ll be able to tell by the above video, things didn’t go so well…
One of our contributors, Tom Nash, was also at the Tweedlove International, given it’s his backyard. As Tom explained after a fast and furious weekend of racing the enduro, it was one of the most physically exhausting races he’s ever done. Nice work Tom!
It appears that it wasn’t just Tom that was physically exhausted from the weekend’s racing. Our very own fearless leader, Mr Chipps Chippendale Esq. put his fitness and skills on the line on the Friday night as part of the Tweedlove cyclocross race. As you can see here in the above video, his technique and endurance saw him gain some significant advantages over the competition.
On the other side of the English Channel, Hannah was up in the Alps around Jura in France. She raced a three-day enduro stage race as part of a factory tour with Julbo Eyewear, and aside from filling up with countless wheels of cheese, she also survived some of the steepest and gnarliest trails she’s ever ridden before – good job Hannah!
We can’t tell you what Mark was up to in America, otherwise we’d all have to swallow cyanide pills, but we can tell you that he was up to a super secret spy mission involving 2018 products that you will hear about soon. We can also share with you this photo that Mark took of a themed vape store that we’re unsure is a joke or not. But Murica right?
When I asked Rob for some riding photos from the weekend, all I got was this. I’m not sure if this #beerporn photo was taken pre-ride, mid-ride, post-ride or instead-of-ride..
I certainly didn’t get up to any riding over the weekend, because I’m still recovering from being a total dickhead (I’m not sure I’ll fully recover from that one…). I busted my shoulder about two weeks ago in one of the lamest low-speed crashes ever witnessed on camera. Thankfully I did capture it all on camera so you can see how much of a pillock I was, but also so you can hear the moment on the trail when I relocated my shoulder after dislocating it in the crash. Warning: not for the squeamish!
While I’ve been feeling sore and sorry for myself, I’ve been casting my memory back to a few weeks ago while I was riding in Valberg in France on the Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay launch. The scenery was absolutely stunning, and the riding was the bees knees, albeit significantly steeper and gnarlier terrain than the buffed-out trail that I crashed and busted my shoulder on – funny how it’s always the slowest and dumbest crashes that do the most damage huh?
Anywho, I shall leave you with that crash video so you can all feel better about your Monday morning. What’s my loss is your glorious, hilarious gain!
ST Out.
