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Report: British Fourcross Series Round 2
Joost the Boost leads Euro invasion

Words and Photography By Luke Webber, Andy Dunwoody
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Joost Wichman showed why he is a World Cup winner, taking a landmark second round of the British Fourcross Series which attracted the worlds greatest riders, including Britain's best domestic pros. Running alongside the fourth round of the European Fourcross Series, it was up to Dan Atherton, Scott Beaumont and Will Longden to battle their way to the final, keeping their hopes of the British Series overall title alive.

Luke Webber's Photostream

The weekend also marked the race opening of the brand new Harthill track; a custom made facility known as the Hales Superbowl, also featuring a pump track, mini downhill and jump spot. In the week the Phil Saxena designed track was dusty, but with persistent overnight rain any hopes of a dry morning of practice were gone.

Every rider was unrecognisable, sliding up and down the hill in full rain-cape and waterproof gear, but the sandstone base of the track was holding up well - alot of riders able to run intermediate tyres.

Particular attention was paid to the differences between the top riders - Dan Atherton (Continental Vertical front, cutdown mud rear), Scott Beamont (Schwalbe Mud Shark pair), Chris Kovarik (Schwalbe Nobby Nic pair). Three different approaches, with many more from Wichman, Guido Tschugg, Tomas Slavik, Lukas Mechura and Longden.

Andy Dunwoody's Photostream

THE TRACK
Starting with a short straight into an open 90-degree turn it was Wichman who first showed the potential of the widely-flagged entry. In his opening moto he carved the turn, embarrassing the competition and showing the way to a set of highly competitive heats.

Followed by three rollers, there was a 180 degree turn left which had two distinct turns; an inside rut or an outside berm. From here, the track was most suited to single file traffic, the most bizarre bit of design a pro line which was slower than the smaller set of jumps. The final two corners would have been great for overtaking maneuvers, if only the top half allowed for some more competitive racing.

Thankfully there was a good pitch to the lower section, allowing speed into the finish and raising the standard of UK fourcross tracks in general. The final judgment is surely reserved for the opening of the South Welsh development, which will hopefully have some more natural features suited to mountain bike racing.

THE SERIES
With a new track and a lot of riders in the gate with no series aspirations, the overall standings were even more contentious at round two.

At UK Bike Park, which hosted round one of the British Series, Scott Beaumont salvaged his series hopes through a continued assault on the motos; by winning every qualifier, the points tally kept him on terms despite a crash in the finals.

Since then, the British Champion has been battling against injury though; a crash at round two of the World Cup putting today's race in question. But even with little practice, a strapped-up foot and one shoe two sizes bigger than the other, Beaumont looked fast and interested in racing every qualifier, regularly mixing it with Wichman and Tschugg.

This is not perspective; this is having one foot bigger than the other.

Series leader and round one winner Will Longden was reveling in the wet conditions early in the day, referencing his ability to set a bike up to suit the changing track, while Dan Atherton was happy with a track more suited to mountain bike skills over BMX speed.

Due to the number of riders though, the day was long and arduous; finals racing didn't start until 6pm by which time the track was transformed from soft and muddy to a variety of hardpacked and sandy turns. This change caught out a number of riders - in fact more so than the mud. Specifically the inside line of corner two claimed riders throughout the finals, the sandy rut hooking front wheels for fun.

Nichola Anderson paid the highest price for this in the women's final, trying to pass Katy Curd on the inside, but cutting to the hardpack of the rut and flying over the bars. This left Curd riding pressure-free in second, but following a bad gate unable to make any impression on leader Sarsha Huntington. Fresh from second place at the Maribor World Cup, the Aussie was happy to take the wider, safer line in turn two, letting all the chasers risk a crash.

In the men's final there was another chance of Aussie victory; Kovarik lining up with Wichman, Longden and Scott Roberts. From the final Longden was already assured the series lead as Beaumont went out in the heats, while Dan Atherton could have made it three Brits in the final; only to be thwarted by Tomas Slavik.

The wild move came in the leadup to corner two; Atherton with the lead, Slavik running into Atherton's wheel over the rollers and both riders going for a roll in the sand, gifting a spot in the finals to Longden and Roberts. Suffice to say; neither turned up for the small final.

Without doubt, the gate was rammed for the main; a contrast of styles, from the inside out. Kovarik; a downhiller on flat pedals but with the power to easily mix it up, Joost; a fourcross specialist with the BMX gate, Longden; one of Britain's smoothest all around riders and Scott Roberts; the underdog from the outside.

As predicted, Wichman had the gate but Kovarik the stern inside line through turn one, knee down motoGP style. Longden was smoother than Bing on a good day; straight down the middle and through turn one; it left a heady cutback into turn two though and effectively the race was over.

Wichman took every risk on the inside of the hairpin 180, it was more Joost the Roost than Joost the Boost, shutting down Kovarik who went high, wide and carried speed into the hump.

Through the middle section nobody was up for losing speed on the pro line (this was a race after all) and there were no undue risks in the final two sandy corners. Wichman the winner, Kovarik second, Longden third - and now leading the British Fourcross Series after two rounds. Scott Roberts probably did enough to secure second overall, with Beaumont third, though we'll have to wait for Chris Roberts to complete his math before we can confirm that detail.