The Montane 100 Enduro
Cross Border Riders at the Montane Kielder 100
News Release / 21.09.2010
One lap of a specially designed one hundred mile endurance mountain bike race course with just one road crossing, some fire roads, some grass tracks and a surprising amount of challenging, technical singletrack. This is not a race for the faint hearted or the unfit, just speak to anyone who rode 2009 or 2010.
After only its first year this ground breaking enduro event had already gained legendary status, receiving a rapturous welcome and support by riders keen to find that next mountain biking 'high'. A high that only events such as the Montane Kielder 100 can give them.
This years race began in style. 650 mountain bike riders queued in the early dawn light beneath the glorious, ominous presence of Kielder Castle. Hushed voices and the aroma of coffee and bacon sandwiches wafted through the cool air. A few late stragglers hurriedly arrived seconds before the race began, nervously joining the back of the pack. Photographers snapped, spectators marvelled and race organisers gushed as the Swinnertons cycle store sexy black van led the pack out through the start, mountain bikes and riders snapping at its heels. Little over 10 minutes later the train of riders spread out in a mile long crocodile of adrenalin, muscle and machinery.
At the front of the bustling pack Andrew Cockburn and Stephen James jostled for a lead. James pulled away but then suffered a mechanical allowing Andrew the lead and domination of much of the race.
The rest of the race beat, crashed, and propelled its way through the spectacular Kielder forest in the Northumberland and Scottish borders. They twisted down trails, dug deep on high climbs, swished along singletrack and rode high over moorland wooden boards, stopping occasionally at the well organised feed stations, check points and the Scottish border crossing where amongst the roar of bagpipes they received a mandatory stamp in the riders special Montane Kielder 100 passport.
As the sun arced beyond its zenith and spectators milled around the finish area excitedly straining to spot the first rider home, Andrew Cockburn swept across the line and finished with an astounding time of 7:56:51 with Stephen James (8:11:55) and Neal Crampton (8:13:52) arriving shortly after, all tired, exuberant and utterly psyched.
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