We were contacted by Will at Blazing Bikes to see if we would like somewhere to stay, we jumped at it when we saw what they had on offer. The guys at  Blazing Bikes in Marshbrook, near Chruch Stretton (20 mins south of Shrewsbury) really have got it all going on. Not only have they got a superb bike shop with great staff(and coffee!), they also have camping pods with full shower and wash facilities and to top it off, they have their own pub, The Station Inn. Richard the owner and visionary behind putting this part of the world on the mountain bike world is a great guy and absolutely turned on the works for us, but you got the feeling whether you were with Steve Peat or not, he’d do whatever he could to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. It’s a family business and the whole set-up had a really good feel to it. Get yourself down there; there is loads of riding right off of their doorstep – http://www.mtb-shropshire.co.uk

Friday night started off with the team members arriving and getting assigned a Pod to stay in. For those of you unfamiliar with camping pods it’s pretty simple, its basically a very well insulated shed. Perhaps that’s not a fair description but its is very basic but everything you need, there is a light, a heater and some blinds – you just bring you sleeping bag, mattress, duvet or whatever to make yourself comfy. It was still fairly cold when we stayed but you would not have known it. I woke up a 5am sweating like a pig gasping for air! Top Pod tip – put the heating on minimum and open the window slightly, you’ll sleep like a log. After getting acquainted with the pods we had a fine meal at the station Inn, it was butcher night and there were loads of cuts of steak on offer. Being a connoisseur of bovine flesh, I opted for the fillet – which as you would hope, melted in my mouth. After several drinks we retired and headed into our pods for a good nights kip.

Saturday morning arrived and Richard had set us up with sausage and bacon butties, just what we needed. You’ll never go hungry when you stay with these guys and we loaded up the vans and headed over to Hopton Castle to meet up with Dave Pearce and his crew of uplifters. The weather was spot on for riding and we soon had our bikes loaded onto Dave’s excellent Land Rover and trailer set-ups – these are bike friendly and you are not nervous about your bike getting wrecked using them. The beauty of the Land Rover and trailer combo is that its quick and has a really good turn around time. In no time were at the top and ready to rock. We spent the day hammering out full runs and then stopping to section parts of the track. Steve and Josh showed how it was done and the team were soon pushing themselves and trying to improve their lines and whatever else had room for improvement. Also riding with us was GT’s Marc Beaumont, who really is an awesome rider. Marc executed a sick gap jump, launching off a berm, over some bushes and landed into a pretty sketchy root section –scary.to watch but great to see him pull it so solidly. We were still riding on our old bikes as the team V10s were still on their way to us, it was a shame to not have our new bikes but it not matter to the weekend – we knew they were coming and would be worth the wait. We had such a good time riding we didn’t take any riding photos!

After the days riding we headed back to the Pods and got a welcome shower, loads of hot water and super powerful too, perfect after a days riding. We hung out at the Station Inn again and this time dined off of the main menu, plenty of good solid rider food to choose from. There is some really good ale on tap too, one of which has been brewed for Blazing Bikes – its goes down really easy after a days riding, too easy! We had a really good crack and the riders were given an Evoc backpack each, stuffed with a load of Smuggling Duds underpants – no need to clean your pants for a week now ( they got a weeks worth, I’m not suggesting they wear the same pair for a week but Loosedog probably does) – Again, well fed and watered, we retired to our cosy pods for a good nights sleep.

Sunday was again spent at Hopton, loads of runs and everybody getting plenty of good advice and coaching from Steve and Josh Bryceland. If you want to get some uplift action going on in Shropshire, then get in touch with Pearce Cycles http://www.pearcecycles.co.uk/events – you can even organise your own private uplift, just get a group of mates together and share the costs – its money well spent. By the end of the day, all the team were tired and ready to head home, the first SPS training weekend had been a huge success and will surely be the first of many.

A massive thank you to Richard, Will and the rest of the Blazing Bikes crew – you made us feel really welcome and you have a great set up, well definitely be back.

The only riders not at Nant G were Jack Read who was down at the Forest of Dean and Ally Simpson was at an underground race in the Inverness area. Peaty was off riding at a Stephen Murray charity event, gutted to not be there for the weekend with his team but happy to be raising money for his friend Stephen. Jenny beesley had no downhill bike and manager Tristan Tunstall road his Nomad but would rather forget the experience! So how did the boys get on? Nathan vials showed his firepower with a win in the Expert class that put him in 2nd overall, beating plenty of Elites. Nathan is fast, watch out for him this year – riding on the SPS could be the stepping stone he needs to get to the next level. Dale Russell knocked out a top ten finish, in tenth and looked strong all weekend – Dale won his previous race at Innerliethen and is warming up nicely for the start of the season. Tom Kelly is the final rider in Expert and had a mixed weekend, plenty of crashes in his practice and race runs left tom going home to Scunthorpe with a score to settle with the Nant G track. The Juniors put on a good show, Billy Matthews being top of the crop romping home in 2nd place and doing his travelling entourage of family and friends proud. Also on the podium was Freddie Oxley with a solid 5th place, Freddie and Billy ride together a lot and Billy might have to watch out for Freddie at this rate! Ben Humphries had a steady weekend in the junior class, consistently getting down the track with only one second between each run, Bens in fast company and will no doubt pick up new speed from his Junior counterparts in the SPS. Josh Lewis is the final SPS Junior and had a couple of crashes in his race runs, he was fast in practice and enjoying himself – a clean race run eluded him this weekend. Masters rider Chris Griffiths was riding good and looks like he can be a podium rider throughout the season, it’s a highly competitive class and a 3rd for Chris was a great way to open his account.

Overall it was good weekend for the SPS, good riding and good fun. It didn’t rain either! Roll on BDS 1, the first national is going to be crazy!

The team are currently waiting for their 2011 Carbon V10s, lets hope they turn up for the first national!

The custom jerseys are going to be worn with SP247 kit which will have custom SPS logos printed on to finish of the factory look, with some riders choosing pants and some shorts. The riders hands will be taken care of by the all new 2011 Blast gloves, these awesome new premium gloves look to be the best yet and ready to take the rigours of downhill racing. The palm has no unnecessary padding – just .8mm perforated Clarino with embossed Silicon fingertips and roll-over fingertip detail. The back of the hand features 3D primo mesh for maximum flexibility and comfort. A microfiber thumb-wipe is a great added touch, as are the direct-inject logos which provide great flexibility without compromising comfort. A TPR wrist closure and low profile hook and loop closure complete the profile. Again, these are possibly the best Royal glove ever.

Peaty is pumped to see the new shirts, “It’s awesome to see the shirts are on the way, everything is falling into place and looking great. I’m very excited to the least about the coming season and al the good things we have going on for 2011.”

Yes, this was the day that Steve Peat, or Doctor Steve Peat as they know him at the University, announced the 2011 line up of the ground breaking Steve Peat Syndicate team.

Launched at Fort William in June, the all-new team offers its riders, all of which are amateurs, a pro-level set up with support, guidance and training from the big man himself.

- All the riders signed the SPS charter, not so much a contract but as a way of signifying everyones commitment to being part of the SPS family and its ethos.

Managed by British National Masters DH Champion, Tristan Tunstall, the team includes thirteen riders of all ages and levels of experience, from Youth to Veteran categories and, to keep the boys in check, also features a female rider all the way from New Zealand.

- The 2011 SPS family, not pictured is Jenny Beesley (coming all the way from NZ to be part of SPS!)

Meeting on the 10^th for this very first team ‘away day’ at Sheffield Hallam University’s Centre for Sport and Exercise Science, the riders immediately got to know each other as well as meet the team of support staff from both the University and the SPS ‘backroom’, from Sports Scientists and Personal Trainers to SPS Marketing and press support staff.

Welcomed by Steve and Tristan, the new team soon found their stride and actively took part in a series of classroom sessions covering subjects from the SPS ethos, aims and goals to social media and press training.

- Dave Hemborough gives the boys a briefing before the beasting. This is where athletes become elite athletes (the boys had sore legs for days afterwards!)

However, the team’s main aim is to ride bikes fast and to have a lot of fun doing it so after a couple of hours in the classroom it was time to get active!

- Peaty and Josh Lewis compare “awesome scores” after some biometric tests. Peaty was highest on ninety with Josh and Masters riders Chris and Tristan on 88. The boys have got some work to do to catch up with the boss.

- Dr Rob Copeland from Sheffield Hallam runs the biometric tests as the manager looks on at Peatys high score, surely there must be a mistake!

After a quick change of clothes, the riders were taken to the University’s extensive sports testing facilities where they were put to work testing out their bodyweight and composition, power outputs and balance as well as being taught the importance and relevance of each test in becoming a world class rider.

Following that and just as they thought it was time for a rest and some lunch, in entered Dave.

Dave Hembrough is the strength and conditioning coach at Sheffield Hallam’s Centre for Sport and Exercise Science and what followed proved to the riders once and for all just what being a top downhill racer needs – motivation, dedication and supreme physical fitness. Dave made them work!

Joined by Steve, the whole team spent the next hour being worked hard in the gym. From Yoga to power exercises and plyometrics, they were taken through all the basic exercises needed to prepare the mind and body for the rigors of downhill racing. Despite the hard work, fun was had all round with Dave and Peaty leading the way and bringing the SPS sense of fun to even the most demanding of training.

- The boys went for a cold and slushy ride in Wharnecliff and Greno woods, did some photos and well and truly finished of their legs.

Sweaty, aching and clutching their pre-season workout plans, the next part of the day got the riders ready to roll again as they made their way over to the now world famous Warncliffe Woods for the really fun part, riding Santa Cruz bikes with their new team boss and MTB legend, Steve Peat.

How do you follow that? Well, a visit to one of Sheffield’s finest curry houses followed by 10-pin bowling is how. With the curry calories firmly burnt off the following day by hitting Wharncliffe’s finest downhill runs, the team bonding was well and truly underway.

- No surprise here, Peaty drinks better than he bowls.

‘’We had an amazing first couple of days together’’ said Peaty

‘’It was great to get all the guys together here at Sheffield Hallam University, a place so instrumental in my own training and development, to help kick start their racing with SPS’’

‘’The ten pin bowling certainly also showed what a competitive bunch we have on our hands and we had a great time’’ he added.

‘’We ride bikes and it has to be fun but ask any successful pro-rider and they’ll all tell you the same. To be the best you need the right training, the right support and the right set up too. That’s what we’re offering with SPS and I’m sure this bunch of guys will progress and get even faster over the coming months’’

‘’I can’t wait!’’

So the Steve Peat Syndicate is go. The team is picked. The training is underway and the world of downhill racing in the UK has a new name on the start line. 2011 is going to be one hell of a year!

Let us introduce you to the 2011 Steve Peat Syndicate Downhill team sponsored by Santa Cruz and Royal Clothing.

Tristan Tunstall –  35 – Team Manager and British Masters DH Champion 2010

Jenny Beesley – 27 – Senior Women

Billy Matthews – 16 – Junior

Josh Lewis – 17 – Junior

Jack Read – 16 – Junior

Nathan Vials – 20 – Expert

Ally Simpson – 40 – Veteran

Ben Humphries – 16 – Junior

Chris Griffiths – 30 – Master

Dale Russell – 20 – Expert

Freddie Oxley – 15 – Junior

Michael Vickers – 25 – Senior

Tom Kelly – 25 – Expert

Steve Peat – 36 – Elite

Check this out, MBUK have purchased a place on the team to give away perhaps one of the best competition prizes ever. Read below to find out what you need to do and perhaps you could earn a place on the team, here’s what they have to say…

“In 2011 the Steve Peat Syndicate (SPS) will take a handful of wannabe downhill stars and give them the knowledge, experience and know-how of our very own world champ.

And where most will have to pay for this privilege, Mountain Biking UK has one exclusive place on this team to give away to a lucky reader!

We’re hoping to unearth the next big downhill star, whether they be 16 or 65, male or female – everyone has a chance.

Our winner will enjoy all the benefits of a full professional level race team complete with the best kit and technical support. Included in your package will be a Santa Cruz V10 bike and top level race gear.

Best of all though, you get training and advice from the man himself, Steve Peat, along with various other World Cup riders at selected times. The SPS race team is the perfect way to lift your game to a whole new level.

It works like this. First you need to apply (see how to enter and download our form below). We’ll then handpick the best 25 applications and invite them to our top secret boot camp sometime in August.

We’ll invite you take part in some downhill racing and activities and from there we’ll whittle it down to our top five finalists, who will all be featured in the mag. We’ll then put those five finalists through our eliminator challenge and the winner bags the prestigious place on the Steve Peat Syndicate!

HOW TO ENTER

Write a short CV (200 words maximum) on the form provided (download it below). It should tell us what you’ve achieved in downhill, where you normally ride, and why you think you are the one who deserves to win a place on the Steve Peat Syndicate team. Don’t forget to include a picture of yourself too.

You should back up your application with a short video of you riding if at all possible. Then please include a link to the site on your application where we can watch you in action. Vids should be no more than two minutes long please.

Remember, it’s from your CV that we will be shortlisting riders for our special boot camp where a number of judges including Steve Peat himself will help choose our Final Five and ultimately the Downhill Dream Ride winner!

You can post your entry in the special box on our stand at Fort William or at BikeRadar Live at Brands Hatch on 10-11 July.

Alternatively you can post it to the following address:

Downhill Dream Ride,

MBUK, 30 Monmouth Street,

Bath, BA1 2BW

Closing date is 30 July 2010.

To enter you must be UK resident, aged 16 or over (if you are under 18 you will need parental consent) and be able to commit to:

- Attending and taking part in the British Downhill Series 2011

- Attending the elimination process in August

- Taking part in a series of winter training features and season reports for Mountain Biking UK magazine and its website while you’re on the SPS team.”