FREEZE FRAME
CLOSE TO THE EDGE
Sometimes, after conquering a gruelling ascent, you just need to strike a pose to mark the occasion. That’s exactly what happened when photographer Paul Sundin snapped this scene of rider Jess Dart at the High Cup Nick valley in Cumbria, back in January.
“We were back in the valley for the second time, because on the first attempt we couldn’t even see 10ft in front of us due to fog,” Jess explains. “We were so grateful for the clear weather and amazing views.
There was thick ice and snow everywhere, and people were even wearing crampons for some parts. It was nothing for our Five Tens, though! After nearly giving Paul a heart attack when I did a wheelie on the cliff edge, he pulled himself together and got this shot.”
FREEZE FRAME
SPRING IS IN THE AIR
It’s a season of contrasts here in the UK. While the peaks up North can still be still snow-covered, the rolling fields of Cornwall are toasty little sun-traps. When snapper Ross Taylor saw Zak Belasco on Instagram hitting this fun-looking hip, he knew he had to get down there on a sunny day.
“Tucked away in deepest Cornwall is an old quarry, from which James Roberts and his crew have carved a really fun set-up. Zak is one of the best in a local scene full of burgeoning talent,” explains Ross. “I sent him an excited message and we met the next day. He sessioned the jump, going progressively higher, while also testing the limits of his suspension as he used up every inch on the landing. We got this one on his last try before he ran out of squish and tweaked his shoulder. As long as you get the shot, it’s worth the send!”
Say What?
“NOT YET A TEENAGER, HIS ARRAY OF TRICKS INCLUDES FLAT SPINS, TRUCK DRIVERS & BARSPIN BACKFLIPS”
Staff writer Will Soffe on young ripper Harry Schofield
FREEZE FRAME
BONUS TIME
How do you make your incessant hunger for riding fit around the demands of a full-time job and perhaps family life? You set your alarm for 4am, pedal up your nearest hill in a race against the rising sun and start your descent as the first light begins to crest the horizon. By nine you’re showered, fed and buzzing at your desk from already having earned your turns, and left with an entire day to play with. Bonus time like this is easily obtained with just a little determination and, despite the initial stinging eyes, allows you to start your day on a high. Rider Ed Braithwaite [pictured] is particularly fortunate to count England’s third-highest peak, Helvellyn, as one of his local hills!
PRO’ S LIFE
MARTHA GILL
Racer Martha hops across the pond for the season opening Sea Otter Classic
“As we head into the 2022 race season, this is the first year since 2019 when it actually feels like it’s going to be a proper one, especially now we’re allowed to travel to more countries, like the USA and Canada. My first event of the year was the Sea Otter Classic, in California. This is a huge industry event, which is great to attend as an athlete and – with my sponsors, Marin –a brand. I flew into San Francisco and, after a few days of sightseeing, headed to Monterey for the event.
“There’s multiple races throughout the week and plenty of time for meeting sponsors, connecting with new people and seeing old friends. I raced the dual slalom and downhill events. The slalom was on a new course created by [US freerider] Kyle Strait, and was technically challenging and physically demanding. I qualified in second, which I was really pleased with. The racing was exciting and tight, and I managed to advance through all the rounds until the gold/ silver final, where I was up against MTB and BMX legend Jill Kintner. I was pretty exhausted by then, so I was happy to come away with the silver medal.
“The downhill race was the following day and my body was knackered from the dual slalom. It was a super-dusty course, flat-out fast, loaded with jumps and rollers, and required a huge amount of pedalling. After finishing my race run I had to lie on the floor for quite a while! I ended up in third place.”
GEAR CHANGES
REMARKABLE LEVERAGE
Hope’s latest Tech 4 lever is said to deliver more braking power and improved consistency, thanks to a new shape and a smaller master piston, which add up to a claimed 30 per cent increase in pressure. Revised internal sealing and roller-bearing pivots reduce friction, enabling a lighter lever action. The lever is also said to integrate better with a wider range of shifters, while retaining the handy tool-free bite-point and reach adjustments of the Tech 3. On top of all that, a larger reservoir area allows a lower stack height. The new lever is compatible with Hope’s X2 (XC), E4 (trail), V4 (enduro) and Trial Zone (trials) callipers. While the two-pot brakes are unchanged, the four-piston E4 and V4 get updated hybrid stainless-steel pistons with a phenolic insert, to give smoother movement, reduce maintenance and manage high temperatures better. Brakeset prices are £175 for the Tech 4 X2, £190 for the Tech 4 Trial Zone, £195 for the Tech 4 E4 and £210 for the Tech 4 V4, with braided hoses an extra £10. Complete brakes are available in black or silver and with accents in six anodised colours. www.hopetech.com
FREEZE FRAME
FRISCHI GOINGS-ON
The Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team are unusual, perhaps even unique, on the world XC circuit, in that their oldest member is in his 50s and is still an active racer. This is the legendary Thomas Frischknecht. Already a world cyclocross champion when MTB went mainstream, the Swiss rider went to make his mark on the fledgling sport, and over the next decade and beyond would become one of the major forces in XC racing, with countless World Cup victories to his name.
For Frischi, the highlight of his career was winning the first Marathon World Championships in 2003. “As a racer, this was the most emotional moment,” he tells us. “I won it by only two bike lengths, in a sprint finish against my long-time rival Bart Brentjens. It was in Switzerland, with family at the race. And it was on a prototype Scott Genius – the first full-sus bike to win a big [XC] title.”
Now aged 52, Thomas still rides for Scott, but his main focus is on his younger charges. “As a team manager, my best moment was the Rio Olympics in 2016,” he recounts. “Nino Schurter’s Olympic title wasn’t a shock, but Jenny Rissveds’ surprised us all – my two athletes winning both gold medals at the Olympics can’t be topped!”