Fort Bill BDS is always an interesting one. With just two weeks until the UCI hits the highlands, we see some of the top riders from the world cup circuit making their plans of attack.

Images and Words by Dan Griffiths – Moonhead Media

Of course, there was one main talking point this weekend, one that look set to billow throughout the year, 29ers. Santa Cruz may have jumped the gun at Lourdes but at Fort William we finally saw what brands had been working on over the winter. Commencal, Mondraker and Trek all hoping to get some under-the-radar testing done on their big rigs.

If you wanted controlled conditions for the larger wheels, then Fort William was a better laboratory than Lourdes. The weather stayed dry, the track was running smoother than it has in years and a slew of  top racers were on board. The results though are still inconclusive. While 29ers won every session in the men’s category, they also came dead last in the men’s and women’s races.

In fact, the best evidence probably just comes from the fact there was so many of them. Whether you like them or not, whether you believe they’re quicker or you bury your head in the sand, they’re happening. Fast.

Here’s all the action from the World Cup warm up.