Looking ahead....

The race team is looking ahead now to races stretching right into the winter. It may seem like a long time away with the sun still high in the sky and summer racing still firmly in our legs, but we're a team on the move and will continually look to improve our race presence and race performance. 

Here's a preview of what's on the race horizon:

This weekend sees the usual FNSS action, then Andy, Paul and Nick P take on the final round of the Midlands XC at Eastridge on Sunday

End of August Rich and Nick will head off to Verbier in Switzerland for CristAlp Grand Raid, 125km and 5025 vertical metres of climbing off road - that'll hurt! 

September we have 2 key initiatives to attend to;

Manx End2End sponsored by Manx Telecom, 8th September. Paul, Andy, Nick and Chris will be racing the 75km off road course from the Northerly most tip to the Southerly most tip of the island. 

The start of the Cyclocross season! Andy, Rich, Nick P, Josh and hopefully a returning from injury Ben will be racing various midlands based cross leagues throughout the dark months. Rumour is Paul and Nick T will be pit-bitching at some of these...

October 12th, Nick T and Andy head off to Ritchey Oktoberfest at Ashton Court Bristol for the 8 hour pairs singlespeed race. 2 gears between them and determination to get on the podium after finishing 30sec off 3rd place in 2011. 

Then starting early November with the first of 4 wintery 4 hour races in the flatlands of Thetford, Nick and Andy will begin Thetford Winter Series in the Vets and Senior categories. Like cross racing; cold, damp air, tongue hanging out like a panting dog and the greasy smell of the burger van wafting across the track, these winter races are the essence of the British grass roots race calendar. 

Forget your dusty trails and semi-slick race tyres........Naked Bikes will be putting on 700c or 29" with knobbles and keeping a high winter race profile.