For the first time in over 25 years, the Dual Slalom National Championships were back! Held at The Malverns Classic Festival once again, this head to head format of Mountain Biking would wow crowds on Friday.

With National Champion Jerseys up for grabs in the Championship categories, this mtb festival that is normally about good times, fun and music would turn very serious for about 20 seconds per run!

The Track:

The great thing with Dual Slalom is that you can do it anywhere! The Malverns Classic literally proved this! A grass field became a race track with a few carefully placed flag poles! A 2 rider pro gate start gate would set riders off into 12 corners for both the red and blue lanes. Riders would get a run in each lane, times added together and the winner would move on to the next round until the winners were crowned.

A week earlier, Scott had been asked by the Malverns Classic organisers to create the Dual Slalom track. He had made it fast and flowing, utilising the whole hillside and hopefully making racing close.

Practice:

Scott looked fast right from his first practice run. He initially opted for Schwalbe Spike tyres – normally reserved for mud races, but on this occasion would bite into the grass hillside. 

Qualifying:

Qualifying started at 12.30. A single run down the red lane to determine the qualifying order and calculate the brackets for racing later.

Scott got into the gate and ready to go. He made a customary great start and powered along the start straight. Through the first 4 corners all was looking good until, he had a massive slide in turn 5 nearly crashing. He miraculously saved it and hammered the rest of the track, crossing the line in 3rd place, just 0.8 behind the leader!

‘Its time to switch to dry tyres now’ Scott said in the finish laughing about his qualifying run!

Before the finals we had some rain showers which certainly made the grass track tricky, but thankfully the track dried through the racing again.

Kockout stages:

Scott rode well in his first couple of rounds , moving through to the quarter finals. In the quarter finals, things started to get a lot tighter. In round 1 of the quarter final, Scott was able to win by 0.5 seconds in the blue lane. On the red lane he was able to control the race and again won by 0.3 seconds moving into the semi final.

In the semi final, Scott again put the hammer down in the blue lane taking a convincing win by 0.9 seconds. Like his quarter final, he was then able to control the 2nd round without pushing to the limit and won that race by just 0.1 seconds.

Onto the final.

In the first race, Scott was in the red lane to start. The gate dropped and both riders were level for the whole run until the penultimate corner when Jack Hudson washed his front tyre out and went down. Beaumont was able to take the win and Hudson was awarded the maximum first round deficit of 2 seconds.

In the second round, Scott showed his vast experience and simply sat on the wheel of Hudson all the way, keeping it smooth and actually giving it a little burst across the finish to take the win by 4 thousandths of a second.

“That was such an amazing day of racing. I am absolutely stoked to take the win and become the 2023 British Cycling Dual Slalom National Champion. Huge thank you to Schwalbe for their help today. We continued to switch tyres through the day seeking the perfect grip. This win is owed to them as I was able to push so hard in the last few races there. Half the job is done. 4X National Championships on Sunday to focus on now!” Said the new champion in the finish area.

Your Senior Men’s 2023 Dual Slalom National Champion was Scott Beaumont. Certainly well deserved, and the 45 year old continues to be the man to beat in head to head MTB racing.

A huge thanks to The Malverns Classic and British Cycling for organising this incredible event. 

Thank you to all the riders, medics, commentators, officials, commissaires, marshals, family and friends who attended this race. You made it a great day in a grass field!

The biggest BMX race of the season is of course the UCI BMX World Championships. An annual event that attracts over 3,000 riders from all around the World and during the course of 1 race, determines who is the best rider in each age category.

As many of you will know, Scott has won the BMX World Championships twice before and has the covered rainbow jerseys hanging proudly in his house. The goal for this year was to add a third title. Very simple!

Our journey began early on Friday morning when we drove 5 hours north to arrive in Glasgow at lunchtime. With the first practice session at 17.00, we had plenty of time to get organised and ready to train.

Riders generally get 4 or 5 laps of the track on the first day. This year, team GB separated out some age groups to give us the maximum chance to get the most laps. Scott was lucky and he managed to position himself in the pens to get plenty of track time. The track was super technical and fast with huge jumps and berms. Scott loved it and he looked great on track. Things were looking good.

Saturday and it was the second practice session. The temperatures were high and the track speed moved up a notch. Lap times were 40 seconds and with so many jumps in that lap on this huge track, we were in for some interesting racing on Wednesday. Scott ended the session with some gates and full laps with all the jumps dialled. He was ready to race.

On Monday we had a training session to keep the legs turning. Scott was flying and we were all getting excited about the prospects on Wednesday.

Tuesday, and a complete day of rest. A boat trip on Loch Lomond, some great food and the stage was set.

Wednesday – Race day:

9am and it was final practice. 2 laps to get everything set and then game time. Scott looked great. Nice and smooth.

First moto. Scott made a great start and settled nicely into 2nd. It was a great start, but there was a long way to go until the final.

Second moto and his start was very good again. He battled hard and and again settled into 2nd. He looked really comfortable out there and we were excited.

Third moto and it was the same story. 2nd again! A good start followed by a nice lap. It was easily enough to qualify through to the eighth finals and things were looking good.

Onto the eighth final. Now it was straight knockout. Eight riders in a race and just four qualifying to the next round. Scott ended up with gate four. Ice nailed another great gate and he hit the first turn in third. He rode a good lap and crossed the line in fourth. Although that sounds like it was close, he had the race well under control and he saved some energy for the quarter final.

Quarter final. Gate 5. He was extremely confident and made his best gate of the day. 2nd into turn 1 and then the unthinkable. The leader rode Scott extremely wide. Nearly off the track. He got back onto the racing line in third but he had lost a lot of speed. He held third all the way to the final corner when the guy behind dived inside running Scott wide again. Then the rider in fifth dived back inside. Scott was in a drag race but unfortunately lost out. Fifth across the line and he was out. World number 18 for the year on BMX.

In the finish area, the frustration and anger was plain to see. Scott said: “The week has gone so well. I felt strong and my lap times were fast. Everything was set. Today, I have been in control all day. I just can’t believe that rider took me so wide in turn 1. That ruined my whole race. I am absolutely gutted.”

Racing is a roller coaster and whilst Scott wins a lot of races, it is always gutting when things go wrong. However. The great thing is, after bad days, we have the chance to turn it around a week later.

Our next event is The Malverns Classic. The Dual Slalom National Championships and the 4X National Championships. This is a huge weekend for us. We will be ready.

Thank you again for your support. Let’s go.

Speak soon.

Rounds 6 and 7 of the 2022 Schwalbe British 4X Series took place at Afan in South Wales at the weekend. This iconic track is pretty amazing, nestled in the Southern Welsh Valleys, it has always been a great venue for Scott and the team were excited to get back to Schwalbe British 4X Series action.

A cornerstone of the British 4X Series for many years, Afan is fast, flowing and always a favourite for riders and spectators. With fun jumps, high berms, rocks, corkscrew bridges and split lines on the track, racing is always amazing. The sun was shining and the stage was set for a great weekend of racing.

On Friday, Scott did a photoshoot with team photographer Charles Robertson to get some images on Afan’s trails as well as on the 4X track. Then, Scott did a small amount of practice on Friday evening on the 4X track to see how the track was riding and dial in some lines. The rain throughout the day made the track tricky, but Scott looked good ahead of the weekend.

Saturday – Round 6:

The weather had continued to hammer Afan on Saturday morning with frequent showers making conditions tricky. 

The British 4X Series uses the moto system for qualification which means Scott would race 3 qualifying races against different riders to qualify through to the knockout rounds.

Racing got underway at 12.00. Scott’s motos went perfectly with him taking 3 wins from 3 races. He looked impressive and focused in each race, taking the wins with a big margin.

In the final, Scott took his preferred gate 1. Saving his best till last, Scott made a perfect start and was able to get all the way across the other riders to take the holeshot! He was pulling away until the tight turn above the rock section. His rear wheel skipped off a rock and he had to unclip and dab a foot, before setting off again. The pack were on him again and Scott powered down the rocks and into the lower sections. He pulled a slight lead again and it was enough. Crossing the line Scott was clearly very happy! A step closer to getting back his number 1 plate.

“I could not be any happier. This has been a tough day of my racing. It also goes down as one of my best British 4X races ever. We have stayed focused all day and made it happen in these tricky conditions. I am absolutely stoked to have won. Thank you to everyone for their support.”

After the podiums, photographs and film interviews were done, it was time to rest up, refuel and get ready for Sunday.

Sunday – Round 7:

Sunday morning and the weather predictions were right. Rain and fog engulfed Afan Bike Park! The organisers took the decision to move the start time 2 hours earlier to try and avoid the worst of the rain. So a shortened practice session but Scott was happy with the track and that suited us.

Into the motos. Like Saturday, Scott rode flawless and took 3 wins from 3 rides, qualifying directly to the final as the number 1 seed.

He certainly saved his best race for his last race. Choosing gate 1, his start wasn’t his best of the weekend and he slotted into 2nd in turn 1. Hounding the rider in front, he was wheel to wheel through the S bends. Into the rocks and a slip lost him some speed, losing 2nd place. Now in 3rd, you could sense the cogs turning in Scott’s brain. In the penultimate turn he shot out wide to the outside berm and carried ALOT of speed into the final corner. Opting again to go to the extreme outside, he was hauling and on the last straight went from 3rd to 1st. It was an incredible move and the crowd were going wild.

“That was amazing. I came into the last corners and just thought lets go. I’ve never gone through there so quick! I am stoked to take the win but also extremely proud. I haven’t dropped a lap all weekend and I’ve taken maximum points from the weekend. I want the overall title badly and this was a huge step towards it.” Said an ecstatic Scott in the finish!

So now we move onto the big one. BMX World Championships start on Friday with the first practice session. Scott is in form and looking for a big result. We will keep you all updated throughout the next 2 weeks as we build up to race day.

 The 2023 4X ProTour finals took place in Jablonec, Czech Republic at the weekend. After a strong season, Scott Beaumont was in mathematical contention to win the overall title. Arriving in 3rd overall in the points, we were confident and focused on the task ahead.

Historically this track hasn’t been the best for Scott. He was looking to maintain his good form recently though to finally get the result he wanted at JBC bikepark.

The track is in his arch rival, Tomas Slavik’s hometown of Jablonec in Northern Czech Republic. It is the toughest track on the circuit with the biggest jumps, forest section, rocks, wall rides and rhythm sections. It has it all and it is also the longest track so it is extremely physical.

Practice began on Thursday and it was in perfect condition. With immaculate track preparation ahead of the race, everything was ready to go. However, it was a disaster for Scott. On his first lap in the rock section, his bike got bucked and he went over the bars. It was a violent crash and he suffered a bad gash on his knee, but also a light concussion. He tried to roll down the hill a couple more times just to get into the track, but his vision was blurred and he was shaking. After a couple of runs, the team pulled the plug and stopped Scott from going back up the hill.

On Friday the weather again was perfect. Thankfully Scott had rested up and he was feeling much better. We were extremely thankful for his Bell Full 10 carbon helmet which absolutely took the main impact away from Scott’s head and allowed him to continue. After a couple of rolls down the track, Scott picked up the pace and he was looking comfortable.

Scott was seeded 3rd, so he qualified at the end of the session. He rode a good lap, and crossed the finish line happy with his run. With all things considered, 9th was a great performance. It also gave him vital points in his quest to end the season in the top 5 and on the podium.

“I made a great start and rode all the lines well. I pushed where I felt comfortable. I’m happy to qualify” said Scott in the finish area.

Saturday 15th July – Race Day:

Race day and tit was the hottest day of the week. 34 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. There was a short practice session for the riders before the opening ceremonies. 

First up at 18.00, there was a new documentary film launched showing Anna Slancova’s progress over the last year after she was unfortunately left paralysed after her crash in Val Di Sole last year. The top10 riders brought Anna on to the stage and launched the new fundraising push to help her rehab.

Afterwards, the top 10 riders were introduced to the huge crowds. Scott, with his 3rd overall World ranking set off down the hill to huge cheers from the crowd. The commentators were building him up as the legend of 4X!

After the intros were done, the Red Bull air race planes took over and simply wowed the crowds with an incredible display over the hillside.

Before racing started, the top riders were introduced to the huge crowds with a backdrop of dancers and flames flying in the air. It was an awesome start to the event. Then an acrobatic plane flew overhead and the crowds were going wild!

Onto the racing. In Scott’s first race, he took gate 2. With a great start he took the lead into turn1 but then got shuffled back to 2nd in turn 2. He rode a great lap and qualified comfortably in 2nd.

In the quarter finals tracing got very serious. Scott had the 3rd pick on the gate and he took gate 3. In this race, Tomas Slavik (World Number 1) took gate 1, Tomas Brozik (World Number 4) in gate 2, Scott (World Number 3) gate 3 and Thomas Kral (World Number 8) in 4. 

Making a great start, he opted to stay wide into turn 1. He dived inside but after a couple of bumps, he was left a way behind in 4th. He started the catch up! Chasing down the riders in front. Through the rocks he dived inside and snatched 3rd. In the final 2 corners he was gaining and across the line he missed 2nd by 0.2 seconds. It was a great effort but unfortunately his night ended there with an overall position of 9th for the evening.

A cruel way to end the night but as Scott said in the finish:

“I would have done exactly the same thing. I was excited for the move in turn 1 but it just didn’t work out. I rode a great lap and that pass through the rocks felt great. That’s racing and it was fun out there. Over 10,000 spectators just saw 4X in it’s finest light’.

As the finals unfolded things went well for Scott. When the overall results were published, Scott had done enough to finish 3rd overall in he 2023 4X ProTour. It was an amazing achievement and we are so proud of what he has achieved.

Now the team are heading home to prepare for the next 2 rounds of Schwalbe British 4X Series in 2 weeks time which is then followed by the big one. The 2023 BMX World Championships in Glasgow, UK. 

To say we are excited about it is an understatement. Lets see what comes in the next couple of weeks.

Round 6 of the 2021 HSBC British BMX Series took place during the weekend in Gosport, Dorset. 

We arrived at 23.00 on Saturday night after a 20 hour drive across Europe from Val Di Sole in Italy where Scott raced 4X ProTour on Friday evening. On Sunday morning we signed on and got plenty of practice time to get used to the track. All things considered: a haematoma on his leg, 20 hours of driving and hardly any sleep this weekend, Scott looked great out there.

In the BMX National Series it is your top 5 results that count towards the overall title. Scott had t race this event to make sure he qualified for the overall.

Sunday: Round 6

In BMX riders have 3 qualifying races – called motos which qualify riders through to the knockout stages of quarter finals, semi finals and then the final.

Scott’s day got off to the good start, taking third in his first moto. In the second race he finished second and in his final moto he finished fourth.

Qualifying through to the final as the fourth seed, the team were more than happy with that. The plan had been to make the final. He had done that with ease.

Scott was able to chose gate 3 in the middle of the track. Here a great start is vital. Making a decent jump he was banging baes down the first straight. Things got very tight, and Scott exited turn 1 in 5th. He made up time catching the riders in front. Across the line it was close but Scott had to settle for 5th.

“I am really happy with today. I gave it my all and today it wasn’t quite enough to take the win. I got bumped in the final but it was good, hard racing and thats what I’m here for.” said Scott in the finish area.”5th is great points towards the overall and it’s always good to come away injury free. Now we can focus on the next 4X ProTour in Czech Republic.”

It has been an incredible week for Scott, taking 2 wins at Schwalbe British 4X Series last weekend, 4th at 4X ProTour on Friday night and 5th today at British BMX Series.

The team now has a weekend off before round 4 of the 4X ProTour which will take place at JBC Bikepark in Czech Republic on 15th July. This is the biggest international race of the year and Scott is throwing everything he has at trying to land on the podium.

Many thanks to all our team partners for your support.