One trained specifically for one race and won it, another raced very successfully many years ago but does different disciplines and distances now and the other went down the road route.

I have absolutely no idea. But if I somehow qualified for the downhill world cup, my average run time would have made me 76th at Fort William. Which would have made me 22nd Brit. So, it’s only the fact that downhill isn’t an olympic sport that’s stopping me from goign on a 21-man killing spree then embarassing the country

37 for me! (based on Nat Champs result…)

The question is though how many people are better than Expert or Elite racers but don’t race?
Personally I reckon fewer than you think! There will inevitably be a few, but I can’t see that many people being dedicated enough to train for hours, but not want to compete. Certainly the case with top of Expert/Elite I reckons.

Don’t know. There’s always a fell-runner/triathlete/rower/etc who seem able to surprise us all, maybe they ride MTBs for fun or as a bit of cross-training and are merely infrequent competitors. Unlikely to be Liam/Oli/Lee Williams quick, but still some fast ones around.

Used to run for my university and our running club used to borrow some rowers for big events as a couple of them were faster than we were!

I’d have to ensnare 207,877 riders in my cheeseburger smorgasboard trap in order to get into the Olympics. Then I’d buy rounds the night before and make sure I drank less than the rest so that they all had killer hangovers on race day, to become King of the Biking People.

nick – there are some up here who have dabeled in racing – done VERY well – as in decimating most of the field …. then just decided they dont like racing…. occasionally dropping in to remind them selves how much they hate XC racing

others used to race but just got bored – but occasionally come along and show folks how its done ….

fairly sure i know who SBZ is on about

Yeah I wasn’t specifically questioning it, my 2 comments were unrelated really, a continuation of my thought process!

As I said I can imagine someone turning up and doing well at a Scottish/Midlands race, but can’t imagine very many people who’ve never raced doing very well in an NPS (for example). There are obviously a few people who would, who either have history, such as those SBZ is on about, plus those I mentioned: Ian Wilkinson etc, or other sports folk.