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enduro
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Paul Bolton |
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Bolts brings it back for the Brits What an exhilarating weekend. The setting itself was enough to leave me awestruck. Blue skies, beaming sunshine and snow capped mountains, surrounded the towering iron ore mountain that is Erzberg. The initial two days of the 'iron road' prologue were enough to attract 1500 competitors from 32 different nations, with 32,000 spectators. Overlooking the prologue course was what the Brit lads refer to as 'Mad Max' hill. It was a landscape strewn with tents and campers, booming music and bustling with bike fanatics. Here spectators watched in anticipation as competitors on a myriad of bikes (from the ordinary to the ridiculous) roared, crashed and back-fired up the seemingly endless zigzag of fire roads, from the base to the pinnacle of the mount. Their aim: to qualify amongst the fastest 500 riders, to guarantee entry into Sunday's main event, the 'Red Bull Hare Scramble'. More specifically, the elite riders were to strive for a top 50 ranking, to gain a much sought after front row starting position. The endurocross, which took place over 3 days, developed into somewhat of a showdown, with the top riders all trying to set the fastest time. The pyramid logs, steep inclines and descents, rock gardens and dumper truck body were all designed to cause maximum carnage. On days 1 and 2 the battle was on between Blazusiac and Lettenbichler. However in the morning of day 3, Paul Bolton set the fastest time of the event. The commentator enticed Taddy to return in the afternoon to reclaim his crown, which he did, by just 0.2 seconds. With sights firmly focussed on the following days main race, Paul decided not to compete in the evening endurocross final, despite lying in second place during qualifying.
I was lucky enough to hitch a ride and so was mobile throughout the race- tracking Bolts down at every opportunity. In one of the first sections, new to the Erzberg course, Paul took the high line to overtake Chris Birch who was trying to free his bike from a tree. Paul tackled the notorious 'Dynamite' section, trials style, impressing many with a near feet-up ride!! Then the riders were to negotiate some freshly blasted rock sections, with no lines appearing. Back into the forest in a new difficult section, Bolts clinched another place, passing Cyril Despres. The 'Staircase' proved no problems for Bolton. However the exit was a new very steep, tight, wooded section. There was no chance of getting a run up for the hills, as the handlebars were too wide to fit through the gaps in the trees. Pushing time!!! Then it was back out into the sunlight for a cool down along the maze of fire roads- with some lucky gambles about which direction to take. A much needed fuel stop followed, before the no assistance zone that is 'Carl's Diner'. The new entrance to the Diner was of a World Trials section standard. It was feet up, push the bike, roll the bike, do whatever you can, to get past the bike swallowing holes!!! Here Bolts had Salminen in his sights. Then half way across the 'Diner', Salminen slid down off the track and Paul made his move, putting him in 3rd place. Another new decent, designed to make the course more difficult, took its toll. The Honda 250 slid down into some sharp rocks, trapping Paul's knee beneath the bike. Bolts thought his race was over and he screamed, in his words, "like a baby!!". A marshal noticed that Bolton had entered the section but not returned and thankfully went in to inspect. He found Paul and lifted the bike off him. In pain, but aware that Salminen was on his tail, he mounted his bike and battled on, using copious amounts of energy drink as a painkiller. Then to the dreaded no assistance zone 'Jurisdiction Ditch' with Salminen, Kyle Redmond and Despres in close pursuit. Paul got back into the rhythm, knowing that otherwise his crash might cost him dearly. At the last hill climb, which resembled the Hell's Gate finale 'Hell's Peak', Bolton made it almost to the top without assistance. The final stint was accomplished with ropes and manpower. Glad to reach the top, it was a final decent to the Erzberg arena. I just made it to the finishing line to see Paul arrive in 3rd place in an amazing 1 hour 38 minutes. I felt like I'd competed myself, racing around on a bike with my dust smeared face, gritty eyes and adrenaline pumping! A rift of interviews and autographs followed with Paul taking it in his usual laid back stride. We stayed in the arena to congratulate the finishers, cheering in the Brit boys: Mark Jackson in 10th Place, Ed Jones in 14th place, first timers Martin Craven (17th), Andrew Reeves (19th) and Rob Wrayford (27th). We all felt for Biff Smith who reached the finish line just minutes after the 4 hour deadline. Although he was not awarded a finish, there were 6 British finishers. Well done lads! Bolts would like to extend his thanks to all that helped him out in Austria, as well as beforehand in preparation for this amazing event. He couldn't have done it on his own. I'm not too sure what Paul is most thrilled about - achieving 3rd in one of the world's most infamous extreme enduros, or his success being cheekily acknowledged by the legendary Juha Salminen, who pinched Bolts' bottom as he rode past in the finishing arena!! Mega memories of a wicked weekend…roll on next year!
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Helicopters whirred above, swooping down into the quarry, film
crews were frantic and thousands of on-lookers took their positions
waiting for the spectacle to unfold. The 'Red Bull Hare Scramble' was
about to begin. Despite earning a place on the front row, Paul had a
poor initial start. However, he came from 16th position on leaving
the start line to 5th position, in a mere minute. On the 2nd row was
fellow Brit and Bolts' bud Andrew Reeves, who took the hole shot,
leading his peers all of the way out of the quarry.
