UCI World Cup Pro Sprint Eliminator - Pickering, England

World Cup racing returning to England is no small occasion and the organisers wanted to put on a show and with that in mind they created the Pro Sprint Eliminator! World Cup Professionals going head to head in a 4 cross style race through the streets of Pickering. Orange Monkey were priviledged to have been invited to take part by the organisers and Paul jumped at the chance of competing against the very best in the world in front of a packed crowd in the centre of the Yorkshire town of Pickering.

The course started with a tight left hand turn before shooting up a steep climb and then into a small alleyway which took the riders through the middle of a graveyard before hurtling down some concrete steps, up another climb and then swooping through some loose gravel in somebodies back garden before finally dropping back out onto the road and up the drag to the finish. It was just as exciting to ride as it was to watch with the course taking just under 2 minutes to complete.

The event started with the 55 riders completeing a time trial around the circuit and the top 28 going through to a knockout eliminator style competition. After a few laps of practicing the course, Paul was in confident mood and was asked for an interview by race commentator Chris Furber.

As the streets around Pickering filled to bursting point, Paul was called from the staging area to prepare for his Time Trial effort. As chants of Bambi (Paul's nickname) rang around the streets of Pickering, thanks to commentator Dan Jarvis, Paul thrashed around the streets of Pickering in double quick time and amde it through to the knockout phase of the competition.

Next up it was the Eliminator and Paul was picked to go alongside top Cannondale Factory racer Marco Fontana, the Italian National Champion! A great slingshot off the line was followed by missing his pedal and Paul went into the first corner in last place giving himself no chance of a recovery or progressing through to the next round, a slight disappointment but the occasion was fantastic and the exposure for the team phenomenal.

A great start to the weekend... now onto the World Cup race!

A special thank you must go to Simon Burney for organising a great Pro Sprint Eliminator and inviting Orange Monkey to take part.

Top picture courtesy of Joolze Dymond Photography