MTB East League Round 2, 12 Apr 2026

The second competition of a brand new season for mountain biking, once again at Potash. I've missed the mountain bike season; there's nothing quite like competing on a dedicated course, free from vehicles, featuring challenging berms and bridges, all while adrenaline surges. I’m now competing in the elites division after being promoted last year.

Having finished second to Caroline Murfitt in the first race of the year, I felt prepared for this event. Fortunately, she wasn't participating this week, so I recognized the necessity of performing well to accumulate additional points. I had been battling a severe cold a couple of days leading up to the race and still felt unwell on the day of the competition. The circuit featured several technical sections with A & B lines. My start was quite poor after the flag dropped; I definitely need more practice. I managed to overtake a few competitors and positioned myself behind a strong leader, I attempted to pass but was forced off the track. I decided to try again on a wider part of the track. I called out "on your right," and she began to push me towards the brambles. I eventually got past, realizing then that all I needed to do was maintain my position. Each time I heard her approaching, I accelerated. I managed to create a lead of a few seconds between us. At one point, she gained ground, so I had to push even harder. I was exhausted and simply wanted it to finish. The commissaire called out to me, asking if I wanted the bell for the final lap. "Yes, absolutely!" I responded, but the rider behind me desired another lap. Fortunately, I held my position and secured the win by 48 seconds. I was incredibly pleased to secure the victory, and also to recover. My gratitude to Tim for his continuous support.

Sophie Lee