BRENDAN & CLAY

Alex Rankin ( Sprung, Earthed) may have been the first filmmaker to properly document the DH scene, but it was Clay Porter’s candid interviews and evocative cinematography that brought the drama and emotion of World Cup racing to life. By his own admission, he’s tried a few things that haven’t quite worked, but his films give a great insight into what it’s like to be a pro racer – and Brendan Fairclough has been responsible for some of the most captivating sections.

In 2006 Brendan had his breakout World Cup season, and Clay’s film from that year, Between the Tape, has an awesome section of him pinning it through rocks and spraying roost in Bromont, Canada. Fairclough starred again in the 2008 film The Tipping Point, where we see him railing hand-cut turns at home in Surrey. We reckon his section in 2011’s 3 Minute Gaps is one of the best rider sections of any MTB film. Perhaps we’re biased though – the track he’s riding in Morzine was built by our Features Editor Al and Staff Writer Ed!