Bike
Check out Colin’s POV as he uses speed, stamina and daring lines to win Foxhunt 2016.
The fifth edition of Red Bull Foxhunt was arguably one of the most exciting yet. With two-time winner, Colin Ross, returning to Rostrevor in a bid to make it a hat-trick, the ‘Fox’, Gee Atherton was determined to give him a run for his money.
Despite the fact that Gee managed to find a good line, passing a staggering 399 riders on the mountain, Colin proved to be completely unbeatable, storming down the course in a record time of 5.45.89, more than 30 seconds ahead of former Downhill World Champion, Gee.
Check out Colin’s POV above to see how the Northern Irish man beat 400 eager riders down 3.5 miles of adrenaline-pumping downhill.
We caught up with Colin to find out a little bit more about his experience on race day.
"I got four hours sleep. I woke at 4am and just lay there playing out the start in my head.
"I worked out a really good line at the start. Although, a lot of riders spotted what I was doing and came and joined me so I really had to fight hard to break away.
"Jacob Dixon and I had a bit of a battle on the first straight as he came right in beside me, but I got round the first bridge and then onto the first climb in first place.
"That was the big fitness bit so I emptied myself as much as possible. I was so exhausted so when I got to the start of the downhill. I looked around and I had a 20-second gap, I couldn’t believe it. I got a sudden burst of energy and just went for it.
"The course was a wee bit greasy at the top because of the mist on the mountain. Then it was very dusty and loose near the bottom.
"Heckler’s Rock is the absolute best – there are some doubles down there and gap jumps that I am not even comfortable doing but I do them because everyone is watching so I feel brilliant when I come past there.
"I felt so much pressure to get the win. I do a lot of coaching and all the guys were saying it would be amazing if I could make it three in a row. I didn’t want to let everyone down.
"I knew it would be a hard race to win so I was really nervous.
"I tried to play it all calm but it meant so much to me to get the win so I am so relieved."
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