MTB East 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. Having finished second to Caroline Murfitt in the initial race weeks prior, 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