Enduro World Series Round 2: County Wicklow Ireland - Martin takes 4th place and Dan takes 10th

A good day at the office for the GT Factory Racing Enduro team in County Wicklow today. Top 10 for Dan Atherton and top 5 for Martin Maes on a day bathed in Irish sunshine and supported by the biggest and best crowds Enduro has ever seen. 

The riders raced through beautiful bluebell woods and eucalyptus on trails crafted over the years by dedicated local riders, and they were accompanied by a deafening chorus of support.

Stage 1 was a fairly straightforward stage with lots of high-speed open sections through gorse-strewn moorland - a good warm up for the rest of the race. Both of our GT Factory Racing riders had solid if slightly steady starts; Martin finished in 5^th for the stage with 3.28.75 (3.04 seconds behind stage winner Fabien Barel). Dan didn’t feel great on this stage and posted 15^th – 3.34.43  (+8.72)

Stage 2 was the longest stage of the race and physical, with punchy climbs and some flat sections for the riders to push on through. It was intense from the very start. The trail began with a long and super tricky rock garden (which caught out a lot of riders in practice) then plunged into loamy woods with plenty of sharp rocks and mud to keep things interesting. It was vital to keep the flow on this stage, especially closer to the bottom where roots sapped speed. Dan and Martin both felt more comfortable on this stage which wasn’t dissimilar to trails in either Belgium or Shropshire. Dan finished 14^th on the stage with 5.38.09 ( +11.51) and Martin was 6^th with 5.32.87 ( +6.29 behind local rider and eventual overall winner Greg Callaghan.)

Stage 3 was probably the most pedal-heavy stage of the day, and both riders fared well, sailing through the gnarly rocks in the open section at the top of the trail with ease. This trail was the most open of the entire day, affording riders a good view of what was ahead. Martin took 3^rd on the stage with 3.53.5 and Dan 11^th. Justin Leov took the win on this stage and also on Stage 4 which started with another tough rock-drop!

Dan struggled to find his flow on Stage 4, finishing 23^rd in 3.31.54. Martin was
6^th with 3.23.5 (2.5 seconds behind Leov).

Stages 5-7 were considered the more Downhill stages of the race (though stage 5 especially was still quite physical!), and as such they were more likely to suit Dan and Martin. Both riders rode smoothly, but even though Martin did well on the stage (finishing 2^nd) neither of them particular enjoyed the flat corners.

Stage 5 was won by Greg Callaghan in 3.53.86, and Martin was second with 3.57.19 (a pleasing result for him on this physical stage).

In the end their results were fairly consistent throughout the entire day until stage 7 where Dan jumped up to 5^th.

Dan said: “I had a lot of fun riding in practice with Martin. Stage 7 was awesome! I really struggled to find my flow all day; I felt really tense and couldn’t relax . . . I finally found some flow on Stage 7 but it wasn’t enough. I’m stoked to see Martin pull off a good result coming into Scotland.”

Stage 6 was steep and fast. Richie Rude took the stage win with 3.39.31 with Martin in 6^th (3.46.61) and Dan in 16^th (3.57.81)

Stage 7 was similar in style but this time Dan came flying down into 5^th place for the stage (4.04.51). Local hero Greg Callaghan took the stage win and the overall race win; Martin was in 6^th with 4.04.84.

Martin said: “Today was awesome! All stages went well, a bit disappointed not to be on the podium but I ‘m pleased with how I rode and with the result, and it’s so good to be riding with Dan again. The crowd today was amazing!”

Overall Results

1 Greg Callaghan

4^th Martin Maes

10^th Dan Atherton

Stage 1

1 Fabien Barel 3.25.71

5 Martin Maes 3.28.75

16 Dan Atherton 3.34.43

Stage 2

1 Greg Callaghan 5.26.58

6 Martin Maes  5.32.87

14 Dan Atherton 5.38.09

Stage 3

1 Justin Leov 3.51.06

3 Martin Maes  3.53.5

11 Dan Atherton 3.58.8

Stage 4

1 Justin Leov 3.19.72

6 Martin Maes  3.23.5

23 Dan Atherton 3.31.54

Stage 5

1 Greg Callaghan 3.53.86

2 Martin Maes  3.57.19

16 Dan Atherton 4.05.32

Stage 6

1  Richie Ride 3.39.31

6 Martin Maes  3.46.61

16 Dan Atherton 3.51.81

Stage 7

1 Greg Callaghan 3.58.36

5 Dan Atherton 4.04.51

6 Martin Maes  4.04.84

Silverline supports YTFC Get Pedalling on 256-mile charity ride from Paris to Somerset

More than 100 cyclists recently completed #PedalFromParis, a four-day 386km ride from Paris to Yeovil, to raise money for three charities - Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust, Cyclists Fighting Cancer and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Silverline was proud to support the event by providing two of brand-new lorries, which transported 100-plus bicycles from the UK to France for the start of the ride on Thursday 30^th April. The Silverline Events Team accompanied the riders to Paris to provide support and ensure the riders and their bikes were in top condition and ready for the road by using track pumps, puncture repair kits and other tools from the Silverline bike tool range.

Organised by local charity YTFC Get Pedalling, #PedalFromParis is the third charity bike challenge. The 2014 ride from Middlesbrough to Yeovil raised over £50,000 for charity, and the number of cyclists taking part in the challenge has risen from just 16 to more than 100 in three years.

The first day saw the cyclists ride 62 miles from Yeovil’s twin town Herblay, near Paris, to Evreux in Normandy in torrential wind and rain. Despite the weather, everyone remained in high spirits and focused on the goal of completing the ride and raising money for charity.

Fortunately, the second day was a little brighter and after many visits to the Silverline repair station, the riders were ready to cover more than 85 miles from Evreux to Caen to catch the ferry. The Silverline support team returned to Yeovil ready to welcome the group back to Huish Park, home of Yeovil Town Football Club, on Sunday 3^rd May.  

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the impressive 386km ride and raised huge amounts for the three dedicated charities (amount TBC). Silverline is extremely proud to support the #PedalfromParis event and its dedicated cyclists. 

For more information visit: http://www.ytfccycle.com/

Training volunteers Montagu Castle in Marcoussis

Training volunteers Montagu Castle in Marcoussis

Heritage restoration and preservation organisation Rempart, recently held a training programme for its team leaders.

 The training took place from 20th-24th April with site leaders trained on the importance the team leader role and responsibilities when managing a group of international volunteers. 

Many themes were discussed, such as the history of the Rempart sites, training methods, group dynamics and management of materials. During the event, at the historical site of Castle of Montagu in Marcoussis near Paris, volunteers used Silverline tools when carrying out their work.

The Castle of Montagu was built in the early 15th Century by Jean de Montagu and was one of the last fortress castles built in France. After it fell into disrepair it was demolished in the early 19th Century. Nowadays, only the ramparts and two towers are visible; one of which was turned into a chapel. The historical association of Marcoussis maintains and protects the castle ruins.