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Friday 10^th December marked an historic day in British Downhill mountain biking. On this day, at Sheffield Hallam University, the most successful downhiller of all time announced the very first line up of his very own team.

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.”

The current SPS team members, Josh Lewis, Billy Mathews and Tristan Tunstall took delivery of their new Royal kit in time for the 3rd round of the nationals last weekend. As usual, the race kit that Royals’ Nick Bayliss has designed, is top notch. The shorts are super adjustable and you can fine tune them to sit just where you like ‘em, good work Nick. Team colours are as you guessed, red/white and black. The Race gloves feel real nice, especially after a couple of rides, once they have fitted to your hands and stretched a little to suit the shape of your hands. It’s a shame all 3 riders filled their new kit with dust at the weekend, great kit but not the greatest race results at Llangollen!

Welcome to the Steve Peat Syndicate. We’re now live, raring to go and looking forward to seeing you as part of the syndicate.