Round 1 kicks off this weekend at C-Syd in Somerset town, should be a goody!

330 of the fastest racers from the UK along with a sprinkling of foreign riders means rd 1 is going to be off the Richta Scale! The big battle in the womens catgeory will be between GT’s Rachel Atherton and Saracen’s Manon Carpenter.

The Elite mens field is stacked with a whose who of the World Cup scene. Will new kid on the block and last years series winner Alex Bond upset the old guard? Will Peaty’s old legs still carry the speed, Marc Beaumont, Josh Bryceland, Brendan Fairclough, Matti Lehoikenen and many more will try their very best to be on that that top spot come Sundays race.

The course has been totally re-vamped from top to bottom as the trail fairies have been super busy over the winter. Our recommendation would be to head on upto the middle field section and watch the top riders fire themselves over and off a massive 32ft long step down into a selection of man made jumps that will no doubt please the crowds and Danny Hart “Whip” imitators…

Combe Sydenham country park is situated on the eastern edge of the Exmoor National Park. The venue was used from 2002 to 2004 for the NPS. The venue is very well signposted from every direction, just follow the directional signs. The venue is accessed off the B3188, between Elworthy and Monksilver The nearest Motorway junction is J25 of the M5 Taunton.

Postcode: TA4 4JG

The local ITV Televison Station are booked in to film on Friday along with doing the weather report live from the site so were expecting a huge number of spectators come Sunday and the weathers looking onside as well with dry and sunny periods predicted.

2012 Race Schedule:

Friday

14:00 Venue open for team pits, parking and camping.
15:00 Course open for on foot inspection only. No transport to the top is provided or permitted.
16:00 Commissaire course walk.
18.00 Pro track walk with top Elite rider who is available.
18:00 – 20:00 Race registration, please bring your valid 2012 BC/UCI Race License.

Saturday

07:00 Course open for on foot inspection only. No transport to the top is provided or permitted.
08:00 – 11:00 Race registration, please bring your valid 2012 BC/UCI Race License.
09.00 Uplift opens for all riders
09:30 Open practice for all riders.
18:00 Course Closed.
18:05 Riders meeting.
18:10 Course open for on foot inspection only. No transport to the top is provided or permitted.
19.30 Evening video.
21.00 Entertainment

Sunday

08:00 Uplift opens.
08:30 Open Practice for all.
10:35 Top Ten Elite Men from UCI then BC Rankings.
10:45 Course Closed.
11:00 Timed Seeding Run.
13:45 Seeding finished.
14:00 One Timed Race Run.
16:45 Last Elite racer down.
17:15 Podium.

Parking/Camping/Spectating for the whole weekend is £5.00 per vehicle.
Timing by Tag Heuer, Live Commentary, Monster Energy Sound System, Pro Pits, Retail and Display stands.