my first ever downhill race, about 1996 i think, at hopton woods. got there, unloaded the car, and realized my back wheel was still in a bin liner on my parents lawn! cue searching for a wheel and tyre and cassette to buy. i never got a chance for a practice run so my (single) timed run was my only look at the course. a marshal blew a whistle as i went past and i assumed it was because i had gone the wrong way! i stopped, mid-race and mid-fire road and looked around. there didn’t seem to be much commotion so i carried on, eventually getting to the finish. amazingly, i wasn’t last! i was third from last…