WIGGY’S THE WINNER
With 220 finishers from the 275 starters it was an elated Alexz Wigg who stood on the stage to take the accolade as the winner of the 2010 Scottish Six Days Trial on the Saturday evening, but what happened to his rivals, and where did they finish? Here we take a look back at the best of the rest in this review of the event.
After the technical inspection and applying marking paint, 275 riders and their machines lined up in the Parc Fermé ready for the popular riders’ parade on a dry, bright day through the streets of its home town, Fort William. The drama that unfolded over the next six days could not have been predicted as the finale was played out on the slopes in front of the enthusiastic crowd. Playing its part at the event was the good weather which was enjoyed by riders, officials and spectators. With Alexz Wigg taking the win we look back at what happened to other challengers over the six days.
SECOND: MICHAEL BROWN (SHERCO-GBR)
Runner-up for the previous two years, Michael moved to the Sherco team in 2010 with the new machine. Not a man of many words, he was quietly confident of the win. Many would agree, it was his time, but cruel luck would deny him.
Joint leader on the opening day, he carried the leader’s board into Tuesday where a clean ride would keep him well on target. A low two marks parted within the final section at Sleubhaich on Wednesday would still keep the dream alive.
When the Sherco would not start on Thursday morning, he took the mandatory five-mark penalty. The problem was later traced to water in the fuel; nothing to do with the machine, just one of those things many riders experience in the event.
Despite determination, he parted with no more marks on day four. However, on the steep rocks of the hazards at WD on day five, he dislodged a section marker, and a five-mark penalty went on the scorecard. Was it game over? With two marks lost on the final day, the win he wanted so much had, once again, denied him.
THIRD: BEN HEMINGWAY (BETA-GBR)
Could we see a new four-stroke winner; a first for Beta after James Dabill in 2007 on the Montesa Cota 4RT? Ben had first ridden the event in the mid-90s. He came so close to victory with four top-three finishes over the years; a win would have been well deserved. Looking very much on course for his maiden victory, he kept a cool head going into the final day equal on 15 marks with Wigg and Brown. Looking every inch a winner, he had to part with two marks which would push him down to third place on the tie-break decider in the end.
It’s quite ironic that, at the time, he had been Minding for Michael
Brown in the world championship; the general banter between the two was that you could not have the Minder beating the rider!
FOURTH: IAN AUSTERMUHLE (BETA-GBR)
This was a good strong performance from the very unassuming Beta rider. Keeping a very cool head, he went about the week just quietly challenging for the top three. On the opening day, he was an impressive third and kept moving up and down the leader board, and was getting better as the week progressed. Finishing fourth was just reward for some superb riding.
FIFTH: GARY MACDONALD (GAS GAS-GBR)
A Scottish rider winning the Scottish Six Days Trial; how good would that sound? Based in Kinlochleven, Gary had one thing on his mind: winning the event. In the earlier part of the week, the elusive win looked a possibility, but as the week progressed, it became more distant. Never one to concede defeat, he finished the week as the best Gas Gas rider.
THE BEST OF THE REST
Riding as the current British Trials Champion, and Gas Gas factory rider, James Dabill never looked like challenging for the win all week.
For whatever reason, he did not perform at his best. When on ability, he should have finished higher up the order. When his chain derailed on the final day on the Ben Nevis sections, it summed up his week, which was not the happiest!
With the experience of riding in the event comes results and Ross Danby put in a superb effort this year looking very focused all week on the Gas Gas.
Many riders would have packed up and gone home after the nightmare of a time Dougie Lampkin had on the opening day. After parting with a single mark at the Blackwater sections in the morning, he took a sudden and unexpected five on the step at Coire Mhorair high above Kinlochleven. As he approached the sizable step, the Beta machine misfired and ran backwards to give him a quick five in the process nearly throwing him over the handlebars; the watching spectators went very silent! As professional as ever, Lampkin took a minute to regain his composure and walked straight into the next hazard to inspect it. Unknown to him at the time, the HT coil on the machine was burning out. By the time he attempted the opening sections at the final group, Lagnaha, the machine was running badly. Taking two fives, he managed to get the machine going, but with the time penalties incurred, he would finish the day way down the leader board. He would only lose a further two marks for the rest of the week to finish in eighth place, which was a true testament to a professional trials rider.
It’s always good to see new foreign riders in the event and, in 2010, Spanish Sherco factory rider, Albert Cabestany competed. He found the days long and, at times, was taking some very different lines in the sections compared to the other competitors, giving the crowd some much-welcomed entertainment!