250LONDON had a “Mega” weekend with riders repping all over the Goddam place and having an awesome time in the process and we’d like to celebrate some of them! We’re so appreciative of the riders who embrace our brand, whether as supported riders or Privateers, they’re all important to us! Here’s just a few of the riders who were out there, having an awesome time, styling it up and making us look bloody good! First up, our King of the Mountain…
AIDAN BISHOP - MEGAVALANCHE - L’ALPE D’HUEZ, FRANCE
King of the Mountain, Aidan Bishop (near as dammit anyway!)
Cannondale Rider and old guard of the MTB scene, Aidan loves the Megavalanche, a Downhill race held annually at the Alpe D’Huez ski resort in the French Alps, since 1995. If you get the chance, try and watch some YouTube videos, especially of the start, it’s very entertaining! Anyway, Aidan had an awesome time and here he is to sum up his race…
Aidan contemplating the long and gnarly descent…
“The Megavalanche was fun this year. The glacier was lacking snow so was pretty sketchy! Bad start for me there but had fun trying to fight back and overtake people. Finishing with reeling in a British rider friend, Charlie Williams, and having a painful sprint finish after 45mins of alpine racing! Disappointed to end 4th in my category.....may have to go back for more next year!!”
Good work Aidan, we’re proud of you! His family were there to support him, that’s Barbara his wife with him below. Yep, gotta be said, they make a cute couple! ;-)
Next up, a badass Women rider if ever there was one! Kayleigh Durston, on the 250LONDON MX Team….
KAYLEIGH DURSTON - RND 5 OF THE BWMA - UK
Kayleigh was set to have a really good race, it was shaping up to put her in 2nd overall, but then a nasty crash signalled a plot change. Here she gives us the lowdown…
“Round 5 of the BWMA was looking to be one of my best finishes all season, going 3rd & 2nd in the first 2 races and a solid third race would have given me 2nd overall, which is something I never expected at the start of season. However a big crash in the final race resulted in me landing face first, at a fast pace, on solid ground!
Adrenaline was high and I got back on and finished the race, then realised how bad my face was when I took my helmet off. Gutted is a understatement as I was feeling so good the day before and getting the best results but these things happen!”
Massive respect to Kayleigh and all the other Women Riders who are racing, winning, failing, crashing and getting back up to race another race. Kayleigh we salute you! (and we’ll send you another jersey, don’t worry!) 250
“I want to say thank you to everyone who came to see me after the crash and to everyone who have sent me get well soon messages means a lot. And a massive thank you to Alex Gillingham for reassuring me everything will be fine after seeing half my lip hanging off and Pete Durston for waiting around and the hospital and driving us home getting in at midnight! Sorry 250LONDON for the state of that shirt 😬”
No problem Kayleigh, shirts can be replaced and fortunately your lip will heal up! Now time for her to rest up and get prepared for round 2 of the IMBA representing #TeamGB 🇬🇧 Here’s some photos from the race…
ROB GASCOINE & JESS HERBERT - A JOLLY TO MORZINE, FRANCE
Jess and Rob have literally just got back to the UK from Morzine and are now on a total downer. But they chirped up when we asked them to relive their trip for this blog. Words by Jess…
“We’ve just spent an incredible 10 days out with out downhill bikes in Morzine sampling some of the best trails the French can build! There’s no better way to wake yourself up than thundering down a steep and rooty trail hoping that the alpine cows you spotted on the lift up the mountain have finally moved (or should I say moo-ved) off the track. ”
“Every day we rode a new trail and really tested our limits - though Rob did discover there is such thing as ‘too steep’ much to the amusement of a German couple who watched as I held onto Rob’s bike, stuck halfway up the side of a track”
“There wasn’t a single day we didn’t finish grinning from ear to ear and somehow even more excited for the next! With the UCI MTB World Cup also taking place in Les Gets (the next town over from Morzine) the whole town was buzzing with excitement and riders from all over the world. Obviously we tried our best to show off our skills in the best 250 kit we had as Rob clocked up the air miles on the Super Morzine jumps!”
Super Jumper Rob Gascoine just couldn’t keep his feet on the ground
Cheer Rob & Jess, hope the come down from Morzine ain’t too bad but the weekend is just around the corner…
WAG SCOTT - LADIES DAY, SITTINGBOURNE SPEEDWAY
You can’t miss Wag Scott on the track. She rides with style and flare, is a hugely talented rider and an exceptionally lovely person into the bargain. We LOVE that she rides in 250LONDON and provides us with sweet content virtually on weekly basis. She rocks! She raced at the Sittingbourne Ladies Day event and she’s told us all about it below!
Wonderful Wag getting a wiggle on at Sittingbourne Speedway Track
“I spent the day with 30 women who were invited to “have a go” at speedway. The women were all ages (16 to 50+) and of all riding abilities.
I’d previously had a go on a 500 speedway bike but on this occasion our training would be on the 125. We were also able to try trials bikes and I took the CRF125’s for the women to try Flat Track. I also had the CRF250 for some sneaky practice before the next DTRA rounds at Ammanford this weekend. Speedway, Trials and Flat Track in one day, brilliant👌 More days like this please 😁”
Cheers Wag, what an awesome weekend of riding! Pics above by Geoff Young and the Speedway bike pic was by Dil Ligaf Drackett. Cheers, great images!
JEN WHANT - VARIOUS SPOTS, ALSO FRANCE!
Jen Whant is also out playing on her bike in France with her crew! Recently signed up to Marin Bikes, a well deserved sponsorship deal we must add, she’s giving her new Alpine Trail a right good testing…
Jen surveying the beauty of Les Gets
“We came on out Saturday and watched the World Cup DH at Les Gets then have been riding Morzine and Les Gets laps. We plan to ride the Pleney and any offpiste rooty we stuff can find!”
Jen’s got some cool races and events coming up so her gnarly riding in France should serve her well!
JONNY ODDY - PEARCE CYCLES DH - UK
And finally, our boy Jonathan Oddy played a blinder at Rnd 3 of the Pearce Cycles DH series at weekend at Hopton Woods, and got himself on the box! Here he is to tell us all about it...
Focussed on the finish - image by Gareth Dalley
“Getting up to speed on a track that flat out is always tricky, you’ve gotta be off the brakes as much as you can all the way down. When partnered with the super dusty conditions, this becomes so tricky, both wheels sliding in all the corners and up the take offs on jumps.
I felt confident all weekend and was happy to put down a solid run and come away with 2nd.
Now I just need to go one place better and find myself the elusive win!”
So good to see Jonny on the box, he’s worked hard for this! 250
Thank you to all the riders above for your support! Any rider who supports us we will support in return. Just keep riding, having a good time and looking as good as you do in 250LONDON. Your engagement and the content you send us helps us grow our brand. We need riders like you, the ones who think outside the box, who don’t follow the leaders. All independent brands need you. Thank you.
Why not give these guys a follow on Instagram…
AIDAN BISHOP, KAYLEIGH DURSTON, ROB GASCOINE, JESS HERBERT, WAG SCOTT, JEN WHANT, JONNY ODDY