Downhill thrills and spills back in the Fort

Fort William is gearing up for two days of high octane thrills and spills as the MercedesBenz UCI Fort William Mountain Bike World Cup returns to the town in May.

The downhill extravaganza is a key fixture in Scotland’s sporting calendar. Riders are timed over a 2.8km course down the slopes of Aonach Mor, under the Nevis Range Mountain Gondola.

The exhilarating event is likely to attract thousands of spectators to witness more than 250 of the world’s top riders battle it out for the Downhill World Cup on Saturday May 21 and Sunday May 22.

The weekend also features a round of the 4X Pro Tour where four riders compete head-to-head in a gladiatorial challenge on a custom-built course of berms and big jumps.

Mike Jardine, of organisers Rare Management, said: ‘Covid has meant we’ve missed out on two years of thrilling action but we’re delighted we will all be back in Fort William this year. Once again, fans will be able to welcome the world’s best riders to Scotland. What’s even more exciting is that the crowds will be able to cheer on our Scottish World Champion Reece Wilson and, for the first time, acknowledge his amazing achievement taking the sport’s highest accolade in 2020. We can’t wait to welcome the crowds back to the legendary spectacle that is Fort William.’

Over the two days, the team and expo area will be packed full of bike manufacturers, the latest bike-wear brands and team sponsors, alongside demonstrations and displays to keep everyone entertained.

Online bike retailer Freewheel.co.uk is sponsoring the event, as well as being part of the Madison Saracen Team, one of the leading UCI Elite Teams.

Everyone is excited at the prospect of outstanding downhill action returning to the famous Nevis Range track on Aonach Mor.

Tickets including gondola access are sold out but there is still time to snap up event tickets without gondola access for Saturday and Sunday.