Episode 2 The Adventure Show

Hello, and a very warm welcome to The Adventure Show.

Ooh, that's going to hurt.

Well, once again, the Highlands of Scotland are alive to the sound

of cheering crowds and crunching gears

as the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup returns to Fort William.

This really has become a staple of the adventure calendar in Scotland,

and it's easy to forget just how tough and gruelling

this Aonach Mor course really is.

We'll be covering both the 2.8km downhill track,

which is one of the toughest courses on the world circuit,

and the incredible 4X,

where the difference between success and failure is the slip of a tyre.

The track is really wild.

It's really rough, with some big jumps in there,

so it's really exciting for us racers.

And this is a very special Fort William,

because this is the last time that legend of the sport

and fans' favourite Steve Peat

competes here in Scotland at World Cup.

He has given so much to the sport,

so this is going to be an emotional weekend for him

and all the other people that have ridden against him over the years.

I think the old boys like Peaty and that, they don't slow down.

They're always going for it.

I just saw him up on the hill now, and he's flying.

Later in this month's programme, we'll be looking back

at the achievements of this mountain biking legend.

We'll catch up with how I'm getting on as I prepare

for the Braveheart Triathlon.

Now, just whose idea was that?

Go on, Dougie, you can do this.

And Michael tries out Fort William's latest indoor challenge,

for those rare rainy days in Lochaber.

Oh, my word. How are you meant to go from there up to anywhere?

This is ridiculous.

But first, here to the action in Fort William,

where we start with the 4X.

This is the event that demands most of the rider.

It's one of the most technical.

It's a fantastic combination of aggression, line choice,

and pure racing ability.

You can outwit your opponents a bit, see if you can take their lines.

They're going to try and take you off your bike as well.

You're in for the fight.

We're kicking off the action with the women's event,

where 26-year-old Hannah Escott from the Midlands

has battled her way to a place in the finals.

It's a dream come true.

I remember when I first started mountain biking,

Fort William World Cup was THE one.

It was the massive thing that you look out for.

And to be here racing is one thing,

but my real goal is to get on that podium this year.

I've been in the gym for it, training all winter, all weathers,

and you just think, "Fort Bill, Fort Bill."

When you're nailing down that last little bit in the gym,

or when you're thinking, "I've got to go out in the rain today," it's all about Fort Bill.

But today's competition is fierce, and one of the most talented riders

is former 4X champion Steffi Marth from Germany.

There's so much action. Four riders, it's really close.

It's like, in the corners there's so much happening,

and there's overtaking and crashing,

and it's just awesome for the crowds, too.

So just really nice to entertain them.

So, this is it - it's time for the women's final.

And lining up in gate one, race favourite Steffi Marth.

She's up against three Brits.

Gate two, the fastest qualifier, Monet Adams from Bristol.

Next to her, it's Hannah Escott.

And finally, another rider

from south of the border, Amanda Tanfield.

Gate down. And it's Steffi Marth straight into the lead.

Hannah Escott and Monet Adams battling for second place.

Monet's crept ahead already - something of a dark horse here.

Normally a downhill and Enduro racer,

today she's on a borrowed bike.

But Steffi Marth is dominating this race.

She's still out in front as they hurtle through the rock garden.

Steffi's someone who also competes in downhill.

A real all-rounder.

Towards the last corner -

not much doubt who's going to win today.

Steffi Marth is having an amazing race.

Yeah, she's in a different class. Over the line first.

Monet Adams in second, with Hannah Escott coming in third.

But what a ride from Steffi Marth.

It was pretty hard for me, just because I do downhill, too,

and my legs are just done now.

It's so hard to do downhill today and then the 4X.

But yeah, it was so much fun.

The crowds are amazing.

So, confirmation of those final results.

All that hard training has paid off for Hannah Escott,

who takes third place.

Monet Adams was second.

But the clear winner today was Steffi Marth.

Congratulations to Steffi - that really was a gutsy performance.

Now the women are taking a bit of a rest, and it's the men's turn.

Leading the field for the Brits is Scott Beaumont from Kidderminster.

For him, this race is as much about strategy as brute force.

There's two different start techniques.

You either watch the traffic lights or you listen for the beeps.

I listen to the beeps, and you're just waiting for that first beep

to go off, and you just explode out the start and make it happen.

This is a course with a notorious reputation.

But it's one that 4X riders like Felix Beckeman from Sweden relish.

For our season, it's one of the best courses.

It's challenging, it's loose, it's rocky, big jumps,

rock garden, so it's got everything in there.

So yeah, it's a good track.

And when you're on a course like this,

do you hear the noise of the crowd?

Because they seem, to us, to be pretty crazy.

Yeah, if you're putting up a big whip on the big table there,

the crowd goes crazy. And yeah, the crowd is very good here,

one of the best.

In 2015, one of the world's top racers,

Czech rider Tomas Slavik,

was out of the game with a major illness.

Now he's back.

Last year I was having really big problems with my health,

because my immune system completely collapsed.

So it was pretty hard times.

But I'm getting back into it again,

and I already won the first round of Pro Tour.

Where do you think on the course this race can be won and lost?

I think it's the last two turns.

There is a pretty big jump which not many guys are jumping,

and if you really want to pass the guy who's in front of you

and he's not jumping because it's risky to jump the jump in a race,

you just basically jump the jump, dive to the inside,

and try to pass the guy in front of you.

Really looking forward to what's going to happen this year.

And what a line-up we've got for the first semifinal.

In gate one, it's Bogdan Bondor from Romania.

Then it's race favourite Tomas Slavik from the Czech Republic.

Scott Beaumont, Britain's best hope, is in gate three.

And finally, another strong British rider, Joe Mallinson, in gate four.

Green light for go, and they're off.

Tomas Slavik's taken the lead.

Scott Beaumont just behind.

Could this be the year that Boom Boom Beaumont takes the top spot?

Now all he has to do is get to the final.

It's the first two across the line who'll go through.

Looking good, though - Slavik may be out in front,

Beaumont well ahead of the other two.

Oh! Bit of a slip from Tomas Slavik.

Can Beaumont take advantage?

But what a quick recovery from Slavik.

Great jump as he powers towards the last corner.

It'll be very hard to catch him on this run.

Yeah, down to the final straight, quick glance behind,

but he is in the clear. Over the step-down,

it's Tomas Slavik across the line first, with Scott Beaumont second.

They'll go through to the final.

Bogdan Bondor and Joe Mallinson are out.

So up to the top again for the second semi,

and the competition is fierce.

Swedish rider Felix Beckeman is in gate one,

coming back into the field after a year of injuries.

Then it's last year's 4X Pro Tour champion,

Frenchman Quentin Derbier.

Next to him is Britain's Will Evans from Cornwall,

and finally, it's the young German rider, Benedict Last.

Very even out of the gate. Neck and neck.

No, Evans is behind there,

struggling to stay up with the other three.

Shoulder to shoulder into the first corner.

Jostling for position.

This is 4X at its very best.

Beckeman and Derbier out in front.

Derbier on the inside line.

So dry and skittish today.

Derbier is first through into the rock garden.

Stumbling over those difficult rocks, Benedict Last struggling.

That means Evans is through, moved up into third.

Could he make it into the top two?

Flying into the final corner, can he make it past Beckeman?

He's so close, pushing right to the edge.

But Beckeman's held on. It's Quentin Derbier across first.

Felix Beckeman second. They're through to the final.

Will Evans, unlucky, and Benedict Last, both out.

So now it's time for the finals.

Look at this for a battle of the big guns.

Gate one, Swedish rider Felix Beckeman.

Next to him, the man who's dominated 4X for so many years,

Tomas Slavik.

In gate three, from France, Quentin Derbier.

And finally, Britain's very own Scott Beaumont.

Gate down, they're off.

Neck and neck out of the start line.

Tomas Slavik crept ahead. Beckeman second. Derbier third.

Beaumont bringing up the rear. Come on, Scotty, keep it together.

You can do this.

Slavik still well out in front. Other three bunching up behind.

Derbier has taken that inside line.

It's enough to get him past Beckeman into second place for the moment.

It's a scramble now into the rock garden.

Beaumont's unclipped. He's now well behind.

But look at Tomas Slavik. Out into the lead and up into the air.

He just loves this sport,

and he's miles ahead as he swings round the last corner.

Over the step-down and onto the finish.

Derbier's still in second.

But it's Slavik over the line first.

Look at this - Boom Boom Beaumont makes it onto the podium in third.

No question, though, today's race belongs to Tomas Slavik.

I really enjoyed every second on the track.

I was really having some good lines on the track,

so I felt quite confident.

But it's still 4X, and you never know what's going to happen.

So I'm pretty stoked with the first spot after two years here.

So...excited.

So, confirmation of those final results.

Britain's Scott Beaumont didn't achieve his dream

of a win here today, coming in third.

In second was Frenchman Quentin Derbier.

But the emphatic winner was Tomas Slavik

from the Czech Republic.

Amazing performances there.

Shoulder to shoulder racing and bruised bodies.

Congratulations to Steffi and to Tomas.

Now we're heading not very far from here,

just down the road, to Fort William,

where Michael Stewart is quite literally

stretching his body to the limit

in a new facility that opened in early May.

I'm still a relative newcomer to the world of adventure sports.

So far I've tried my hand at mountain biking, fell running,

and I've had a kayaking trip I'm not going to forget any time soon.

I've had enough.

Now there's something else for me to try my hand at.

I've come to the Three Wise Monkeys.

It's a brand-new climbing wall right here in Fort William.

Are my muscles going to be ready for this?

Well, there's only one way to find out.

So, what you going to set me off in here, Oliver?

I thought I'd start you off with a bit of bouldering.

-Yeah.

-So quick safety briefing -

if you jump from the top and land on your head, it'll still hurt.

The bouldering mat doesn't remove the risk of injury.

-OK.

-Got that? Good.

Basically, in here the routes are all different coloured handholds.

So you start following one colour of handholds

from the bottom to the top, and then come back down again in control.

What colour do you think you're going to set me off on?

-Well, turquoise is the easiest.

-Right.

And then it's black. So somebody of your calibre should be able

to quite comfortably do all the blacks.

Good start.

LAUGHTER

Don't make me laugh. I'll fall off.

And I definitely don't want to be falling off on camera.

You're going to be climbing up this in, like, ninja silence.

You know, really cool, creeping.

-No noise.

-Yeah.

Good stuff.

Sometimes when you're bouldering, cos the walls are a bit shorter,

you actually start sat down on the floor to give yourself maximum value

of climbing, so we can have you starting like that

and climb in that smooth ninja style you showed earlier

all the way to that top hold up there.

Oh, my word. How are you meant to go from there up to anywhere?

This is ridiculous.

Maybe, as you're struggling with the bottom move,

let's try a standing start, so if you...

I think I like the sound of that better.

..start instead on these two, and see how you get on from there.

Great.

See if you can get your right hand up again on that next good one.

Argh!

HE GROANS

Please tell me this isn't a simple line.

-Mm, it's medium simple.

-HE LAUGHS

-Medium simple.

-Medium simple?

I'd not necessarily expect a beginner to get it straight away.

-Would you expect them to get it by now?

-Mm...

Good. I'm not like this with, like, normal people, you know.

What, I'm not normal?

LAUGHTER

HE EXHALES VIOLENTLY

Oh, my forearms are absolutely gone.

Good. Well done.

HE STRAINS

Ah, ya..

Argh!

Go on, keep going, keep going.

Come on. Come on!

HE STRAINS

Get your feet nice and high. Go for it.

LAUGHTER

Right, Oliver. You've thrown plenty stick my way.

Are you going to show me how you get up this?

Am I right in thinking that historically, indoor climbing

was viewed as the ugly sister, almost, of outdoor climbing?

Could say that. I've been really pleased, cos I was expecting

a little bit in the run-up to us opening

that we would get a fair bit of that.

Is this the ninja style you were telling me about?

Something like that.

But we've had minimal complaints

from anybody... That don't view it as real climbing.

I mean, this place is clearly not trying to be an outdoor crag.

Very nice, very nice.

It's good fun. There's a nice vibe and atmosphere.

Like, on a weeknight there's a good 20 or 30 people in here,

and you can all have a chat. It's like a healthy pub, I suppose.

LAUGHTER

Oliver, I don't think I've disgraced myself,

although I didn't manage to do it all.

I'm going to go down to the main hall now and get a challenge

on the roped routes.

So we're going to have a go at this lilac route.

Lilac's like... You'll be fine.

It'll be highly entertaining.

I think what's really good about climbing

is that it's really mentally absorbing.

And it doesn't necessarily have to be in a fear of height kind of way.

It's all about the puzzle and the problem-solving and the challenge.

And the fact that we can really easily step the challenge

up and down depending on who it is,

so it's always going to be challenging.

How are you feeling up there?

HE STRAINS

Good. Go on.

I remember when I was younger, sort of still getting into climbing,

and watching some climbing film, and looking at this guy

doing this route and thinking, "I could do that. He made that look pretty simple."

It's just, you put your hand there and then you put your hand there,

and then you get on the holds and you can't hold them.

And you think, "Oh, that's interesting."

HE LAUGHS

Argh!

Annoying!

I couldn't see where on earth..

Really annoying.

Done.

Finito.

LAUGHTER

Welcome back to Aonach Mor for the downhill.

This course is described as one of the toughest on the world circuit.

In previous years, there's been a lot of competition

in the women's race between the French and the British,

but with two key retirements in the French camp,

the course is clear for the Brits.

Let's hope so.

A few years back, it was quite usual

to see five French girls on the podium,

but now we're only, like, a few of us.

I guess it's different. Depends on the years,

and the British girls are obviously really good at the moment!

This year, Morgane Charre is heading up the French attack,

but one of the Brits who's really making a mark

is Manon Carpenter from Wales.

Last year, she was on course for a win,

but crashed out in spectacular style.

Didn't quite have enough speed on one of the jumps,

but I wanted to do it, and I'd been doing it over the weekend.

Just the weather was pretty foul last year,

and it's made it that bit harder for us.

Is it in your head that you had such a big spill?

I mean, I'm sure you've seen it.

A little bit, cos when you're coming up to it,

you're really tired from a race run,

and then you can just see the takeoff,

you can't see anything behind it, cos you land on a downslope into the arena,

so you're just paddling at this wall that you've got to take off of.

You literally just paddle as hard as you can and pull up as hard as you can,

and hopefully get as far as you need to go.

This course is a gruelling test for everyone,

including Britain's top downhill racer

and world number one, Rachel Atherton.

Really is one of the hardest tracks of the year.

You're absolutely on the limit.

At the National a few weeks ago,

I almost was fainting on the lips of every jump

because, you know, putting that much effort in,

you're emptying yourself completely, and I could feel it closing in,

and I was like, "I can't faint."

As well as that, your arms and your legs are pumped up,

and the adrenaline is so physical,

and the girls, we're a lot less strong than the guys, you know,

so for us it's much harder.

Which makes us better riders!

SHE LAUGHS

Someone who's doing exceptionally well this year

is Australian rider Tracey Hannah.

She's a real contender for one of the top spots.

But a few years ago, she had to work in a mine to finance her riding.

They mine for titanium,

and you know, really fine sand that you put in paint or toothpaste,

you know, everything.

It's actually crazy what we mined out of that mine.

But the main one was titanium.

The fact that I was one of the first girls to work in that mine,

the guys were pretty hard on me.

They were a bit mean, and they weren't, you know...

They were back in the old days where girls can't do this or that,

so that was pretty tough and definitely gave me thick skin,

which helps in this industry, because it's good to be strong

and know who you are and be confident in yourself.

So let's see how these women do today,

and we're joining the action with a former 4X specialist

who's now focusing on downhill.

On the course now, Britain's Katy Curd.

Came 15th in Lourdes and 12th in Cairns, Australia

earlier on this year.

She first started at the age of 17 in 2006,

and she is one of the great British hopes.

One of the most aggressive riders we've seen so far today.

She's up there in the top ten consistently.

That's a very difficult corner.

It pushes you out over the void.

Quite intimidating to come down these first few drop-offs.

She is flying here.

That's a very strong line.

I think she should be in contention for a podium with this.

Katy Curd, she is flying.

What is going on here?

Oh, she's going in big style!

Going over the jumps.

Yes! Listen to this noise as Katy Curd comes flying down.

She's our new leader by a country mile.

If she gets a podium here, this will be absolutely fantastic.

14th in the world. Listen to the noise!

Oh, my goodness.

13 seconds inside.

Wow, wow, wow.

She could well be on the podium with that performance.

Back at the top of the mountain, next up is Morgane Charre.

Morgane Charre from France has been chasing an elusive podium place

for quite a few years now.

Hasn't won a downhill race in the last two years.

This is not her favourite course.

Her favourite course, in Leogang in Austria,

is a much shorter, steeper, rockier course.

But here on the rocks of Fort William, it could be her day.

Ranked fifth in the world.

Looks solid, very strong

on the upper part of the course.

And looking pretty smooth - carrying a lot of speed,

not doing much braking on this upper part.

Not doing much peddling either, though.

Trying to preserve her energy.

Oh, that was a little nasty kick there,

got a twist in the handlebars that just put her off line there.

Morgane Charre from France

disappears from our view and into the forest.

Morgane Charre going through the woods there,

and she just has her foot down all the time.

Dabbing her way down. It's horrible in there.

Absolutely horrible.

Has the talent to win, there's no doubt about it,

but the woods just caught her out.

I wonder if Katy Curd is going to do better than many expect.

Because those woods are becoming very, very, very exposed.

The roots are exposed.

It all depends what the girls are thinking.

Do they fly through the last section?

But Morgane Charre has made up nearly a second now.

Hold on a second.

We thought maybe that Morgane was out of this,

but she has put on an unbelievable performance

in the bottom half of this course.

My goodness, she could be knocking Katy Curd

off the top of the podium here

with this unbelievable performance on the second half of the course.

Really struggled through the woods,

but she said she had a big winter, put the effort in.

Second!

Two seconds out.

Wow.

On the course now is the Australian national champion, Tracey Hannah,

who came second in her home race in Cairns

and first in the national championships in March last year.

Came third here in 2014.

And it looks like she's in for a good chance.

She is fit.

And strong. Very motivated after two very good top-five positions at the

early part of the year.

Loves the dry track.

Thinks it's an advantage to her today.

Because it's dry and dusty.

And absolutely flying here.

Not taking any speed off in the top rocky section.

Tracey really moving.

And very important for her if she's going to win today to keep out of

the grit on the inside of these berms.

Looking very strong.

And there is a long rock slab that takes you down into the forest here

as Tracey is absolutely flying in the upper part of the course.

Really accelerated now.

She's flying into the woods.

Tracey Hannah going tentatively, very tentatively indeed,

going through the woods, but my goodness me,

she must have been absolutely flying through the top section of this course.

Ten seconds inside.

Look at that. Look at the way she rides those berms.

That is the way to do it.

Elbows out, pedalling when she has to,

she is pumping through the handlebars as well.

Oh, look at that. She is just getting a little bit out of shape,

but you notice how she gets her head down, pushes the wind out of the way.

Oh, my goodness me.

Oh, my goodness me.

Tracey Hannah

is flying through this.

Different class, different class from Katy Curd in this run.

She's absorbing all these jumps and she is coming through.

She flew that for miles over that junction.

Here is the Aussie, Tracey Hannah,

showing the rest of the field how it's done.

This is our new leader.

What? 17.756 seconds ahead of Katy Curd.

Wow, wow, wow.

Only Manon Carpenter and Rachel Atherton left to come.

Is Tracey Hannah our new champion?

On the course now, Rachel Atherton,

who has been unbeaten in World Cup and downhill events since April 2015.

Incredible run of firsts.

First in Cairns this year, first in Lourdes.

Rachel is the darling of women's British mountain biking.

And chasing Manon Carpenter,

who was four seconds ahead of her in qualification.

Rachel has every chance here.

She has here every year.

So impressive. Part of the great Atherton dynasty of mountain biking and

absolutely flying.

She is in a class of her own.

Manon and Rachel are really something special for women's downhilling.

Flying the British flag as ever.

Loves the Fort William course and has said that it is so physically

difficult that it is pain through the arms and the lower part of the section into

the jumps.

Totally dedicated athlete,

continuing, hopefully, her domination of women's racing,

as Rachel kicks up onto the slab and heads down into the forest.

Here we go. Rachel Atherton, World Cup champion, World Champion,

she is looking for her ninth consecutive win in World Cup.

And that would just be unbelievable.

And she is bossing this course.

She doesn't know she's ahead of Tracey,

but she will when she approaches the archway and this Fort William crowd

suck her down into the arena and into the finish and into the hot seat.

Because that is where she's going to be.

Oh, my goodness me.

13 seconds up.

She will hear that noise.

She will hear that crowd in a few seconds.

She will see them.

As she approaches the Scotland arch.

She is such an incredible racer.

This will be an equal record of nine consecutive wins,

set by Anne-Caroline Chausson a long, long time ago,

if she wins this. Manon Carpenter

still to come but Rachel Atherton, hello,

12 and a half seconds inside Tracey Hannah.

Number one on the bike.

Will she be one at the end of play?

Manon Carpenter will have to be sensational to beat that.

On the course now, a girl who's been snapping at the heels of Rachel

Atherton for the last couple of years.

Manon Carpenter, third this year in Cairns and third in Lourdes in France.

Actually qualified faster than Rachel today.

And continuing that fantastic heritage started by Tracy Moseley,

Rachel Atherton, and hopefully now Manon Carpenter as the best downhillers

in the world. Total dedication.

And a fast line there.

Manon looking really quick, very aggressive.

Very unfazed by this course.

And you can see, she has the strength to pick the bike up,

keep it out of the ruts and the bumps to make it fly down the course.

And Manon is a strong sprinter, like Rachel,

so sprinting along the bottom part of the course will win the race for

these two. And Manon is negotiating these berms incredibly well.

Nice, fluid line and a quick step up onto the rock slab.

And down into the forest Manon goes to chase a podium position.

Manon Carpenter, 23 years old, is a brilliant rider.

She is our fastest qualifier and she is the World Cup leader,

but she's nine seconds down, but this is still a great ride.

Let's not take it away from her.

This is still a brilliant ride by Manon Carpenter.

She's very... Oh, she's off.

Oh, my goodness. That's a mistake, oh, and a really weird place to fall.

What was going on there?

Oh, she just... Oh, goodness me.

That is heartbreaking.

But Manon is not going to give up. You can be absolutely sure of it.

She's still in third place.

This is unbelievable from Manon Carpenter.

Absolutely unbelievable.

She was chewing the Fort William dirt just a couple of seconds ago.

Now she's got herself back on the bike.

Last year, she flew over this and crashed.

She's over safely, thank goodness.

And she's still... But she will be furious with herself,

the Welsh girl. Such a talent.

She'll still be on the podium, even though she's fallen.

But Rachel Atherton is our champion 2016.

All smiles, thumbs up and well deserved.

What a brilliant, brilliant athlete.

So confirmation of those final results and it's two Brits on the podium.

Despite her crash,

Manon Carpenter came in third in a

time of 5 minutes 32.11 seconds.

In second place was Australian rider

Tracey Hannah

in 5.23.27.

But with a time of 5.11.22,

Rachel Atherton dominated

the race today.

Rachel, champion on your home World Cup once again.

Absolutely fantastic stuff.

I had a pretty wild run.

I nearly crashed so many places.

My back end was sliding out.

Normally I'm completely in control,

but Fort William seems to bring something out in

me where you know you're on the edge, you're like, "Go, go, go."

I think it might be all the people shouting your name, like, "Go, go, go."

You're going round a corner and their shouting, "Pedal" and you're

like, "Oh, my God, I can't pedal".

And you've equalled nine consecutive wins.

You've equalled the record of 16 years ago and that's amazing.

-Is that the record, nine?

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, the French girl, Anne-Caroline Chausson,

she's got the record, world championships, and Olympic gold medallist and,

you know, she's like on a pedestal.

All us girls are inspired by her and if I can inspire a few girls like

she's inspired me, then that's awesome, yeah.

Really cool.

Well, there really is no place to hide on this Fort William course,

but Rachel Atherton just gave a masterclass on how to absolutely storm it.

Congratulations to her.

Men's downhill coming up,

but right now I'm preparing for a challenge that's going to push me to my limits.

In fact,

it's going to push me way beyond my limits and the training, frankly, is not

going very easily.

Here we go again. You know, over the past decade,

I reckon I've done my bit for The Adventure Show.

'I've paddled through 70 Wild Miles...'

Do you have a bar on that thing?

-Yes.

-Gin and tonic, please.

'..taken part in the Strathpuffer 24 Hour Mountain Bike race to varying'

degrees of success, and puffed my way through the 300km Snow Roads Audax.

That was hard.

That was the toughest thing I've ever done.

-In your life?

-By a country mile.

Oh, God. 'No wonder it's taken four years for me to work up the courage

'for another challenge.

'This time, I've taken on the Braveheart Triathlon that's coming up in

'September. It's over 70 miles altogether

'with swimming, cycling, and the small matter of running up and down Ben Nevis.

'So I've enlisted the help of hardened triathlon racer Sean McFarlane.

'He competed in this event last year and came in third.'

So, Sean, could you lift me up and down Ben Nevis?

-That'll probably help me.

-Well, there is compulsory kit in this race,

-but sadly that doesn't include you. So I can't carry you up.

-OK.

-Shall we go for a run then?

-Yeah.

Good, good. Sean, tell me about your experiences on this race.

Where do I start? The swim was cold, but it was OK.

The bikes, quite flat, actually.

Not too bad.

But obviously, the run is something else,

up Ben Nevis. That was the bit I struggled on the most.

You got a serious problem.

You ended up feeling a bit ill as a result of the challenge.

I got a migraine coming off the top and ended up in hospital.

I messed up my hydration, even though it was quite a cold day,

and I'm meant to know about these things.

And in the hospital, I met the guy that won, as well.

So it was interesting.

So you both ended up in hospital?

-Should I book a space?

-Perhaps, perhaps.

-Hopefully not.

-Hopefully not.

'If I was in any doubt before, not any longer.

'This is going to be a tough race.'

-Oh, dear.

-Come on, Dougie, you can do this.

'So how will I cope going up Britain's highest mountain at the end of an

'already very, very long day?'

The one thing that we are doing which I think is important,

a lot of people get put of the idea of hill running because they think

-they've got to run on hills all the time.

-Uh-huh.

-We are jogging fairly slowly, still moving forward...

-Fairly slowly, you said?

..and we're walking bits as well.

You know the amazing thing? He's chatting.

I'm struggling to breathe. Oh, dear.

I think you've got to break it up into manageable chunks,

just take the next little small bit at a time.

Try not to look too far ahead.

And just enjoy it and think of it as a slightly quicker walk than usual.

There's very little to be gained in trying to run this,

because you can burn so many calories

in such a short space of time, so walk like this.

The more advanced people will begin to walk like this and speed up a

-little bit, as we're doing now.

-Yeah.

Do that. And to be honest with you,

I certainly can't actually run uphill that much faster than this.

So just tell me about the different disciplines and how you obviously

physically and mentally prepare for something like that,

because at the end of a very long day swimming and cycling, for me,

then the prospect of running up Ben Nevis is fairly daunting.

A triathlon is perfect in the sense that you can actually break it up

into three races. Just a big day out, essentially.

I would caution against calling it a race as such.

It's really just about if you keep on going forward and enjoying yourself

as well. That's the most important thing.

Like a gazelle there.

When you go in for an event, you're going in to win,

for me it's all about surviving and getting through it,

and there will be times where I'm at the back of the swim, maybe at the back of the cycle,

maybe at the back of the run. How do you suggest I keep that going mentally?

You might not be at the back of the field. But this year, because Ben Nevis is up and down,

as I was coming down, I saw the back markers, and you know what?

They were so much happier than everyone at the front.

And I can see you fitting into that,

if you're in that position. It might be you're higher up than that.

But if you are at the back quarter, it's an environment which you will enjoy.

The other thing about hill running as well, we are, what,

ten minutes' drive from the centre of Stirling?

-And look at this.

-I know.

And there's nobody here. This is great.

-There's the Forth Valley.

-A good excuse to stop here.

If I come onto the hill, I do have a tendency just to do that.

But I guess the big thing about being on a hill is you're on a hill.

-Absolutely.

-And it's all there in front of you.

Forget about that bit, which is the up bit.

All this is fantastic.

See that? It's just a wee excuse for stopping there.

Come on. Come on, let's go.

Whoa. Easy now.

'I'm worn out already, and Sean's only just warming up.

'I'd better keep on training.

'Hard.'

Welcome back to Fort William, where we're watching the men challenge

this fiendishly difficult course. But before that,

we couldn't resist celebrating one of the greatest downhill

mountain bikers in British mountain-biking history.

Rower Steve Redgrave, runner Paula Radcliffe,

and tennis player Andy Murray.

British stars that have defined their sport.

In the world of downhill mountain biking,

this crown belongs to former world champion

and three-times World Cup winner Steve Peat.

Here he comes. Inside four minutes,

sweeping down over the bottom section.

Listen to the roar of the crowd here.

Everyone is going absolutely wild.

He is in.

Steve Peat has won his first-ever event at Fort William.

4.11.44. Hands in the air. And listen to the roar of the crowd.

Now, after 20 years competing at the very top of the sport,

Steve has announced his retirement from professional racing.

We caught up with him just outside his home city of Sheffield.

I've been racing World Cup now for,

this is my 23rd season, so yeah, I've been doing it a while.

'I think for me racing at World Cup is obviously the creme de la creme,

'the Formula 1 of mountain biking.

'And downhill gets harder and harder to train for.

'To be at the top level against the young guys...'

Come on!

'I'm doing it my way. I want to take the whole year

'and let everybody know that it is going to be my last season,

'have a couple of parties along the way and have a bit of fun and just

'do it in my own sort of style.'

I don't want to get to the last race of the season, stand on the podium,

and just tell everybody, "That's it. I'm done. I'm finished."

I want it to be a year to celebrate, really,

what I've done in the sport and give something back to all the fans.

Steve Peat has been instrumental in shaping the mountain bike scene

in this country, particularly in promoting the sport to youngsters

and guiding fresh talent onto the World Cup circuit.

Here in Sheffield, he's founded the Steel City race,

a mini downhill to help promote the sport.

'Sheffield's always been a great spot for mountain biking.

'It's built on seven hills, so there's plenty of stuff to go at.

'We've just got a really good scene.

'Everybody gets together and works together to acquire funding,

'to build new trails, and we're constantly pushing.'

'This forest that we're in now, Grenoside Woods,'

is owned by Sheffield Wildlife Trust and they work with us

really well on mixed-use in this forest,

so when we do the Steel City downhill race,

which is in this forest, we put all the funds

back into maintaining trails and making new trails in the wood

'and also mixed-use in the wood.'

Steve's base may be Sheffield,

but like everyone on the World Cup circuit, each year

he makes the pilgrimage up to Fort William.

It's a race that is never far from Peaty's thoughts.

'I'm constantly thinking about the Fort William track.

'I raced there a couple of weeks ago.

'I catch myself watching TV,'

thinking about some corners on the track

or, "I wonder if you could cut that corner a little bit,

"make that a little bit tighter, shave a few seconds there."

You've got to know every root, every rock, every tree,

know where you're going to brake,

know where you're going to change gear,

just be 100% focused for a five-minute run.

It's a constant thing when you're at this level of the sport.

CHEERING

'2005, when I actually won in Fort William,

'I could hear the fans shouting all the way down

'and they willed me down that hill

'and when I came into the finish area,

'the actual noise and the boom of the place,

'I've never experienced anything like it before.

'Or since. And it was really emotional for me there.'

I didn't know what to do with myself when I came into that finish area

and I knew I'd actually won the race. It was pretty special.

Well, the fans here at Fort William are waiting to welcome Peaty

down here for the last time in a World Cup, but this year,

the event is tinged with sadness,

as the mountain bike world lost one of its top stars, Stevie Smith.

World Cup winner in 2013,

Stevie lost his life whilst riding his motorcycle

in his hometown in Canada back in May earlier this year.

Stevie Smith was amazing.

I think he single-handedly

brought Canadian downhilling back on the map.

Yeah. Just such a sad loss.

Me and Stevie were the same age, so we raced together in juniors

and it was awesome to watch his career flourish

and go from being like a junior who could never stay on

to one of the...to the best in the world in 2013.

He was one of the legends of the sport and I think this race is

'a celebration of him and what he accomplished

'and what he brought to the sport.'

This is the first World Cup since that accident.

And everyone here feels the big hole

that has been left in the men's event.

Back up on the hill for today's race, conditions are great.

It's such a pleasure being here in good weather.

Last year, this was torrential rain, horizontal snow, absolutely awful,

but now the weather is fantastic.

But it does bring other challenges for the riders.

The track is extremely loose

and it's very difficult to hold the line on the gravel.

The track gets faster and faster so of the riders are starting

to chop it up more, so new holes are coming through

so you kind of find new lines are a bit smoother,

they last for a few runs and then they change,

and you have to really pay attention to that

and make sure you're on top of it

and really ride in the fastest line that is there.

Today, Gee Atherton is the foremost British rider

and has dominated the sport for years.

But the qualifying round threw up some major surprises.

Adam Brayton from Keswick normally manages to make it into the top 50.

Today, he qualified fifth fastest.

He is the man.

'It's easy to get'

caught up in the crowd here and get a bit wild on the track.

Yeah, the crowd was that good.

Just kept pushing and kept clicking sections off that are tricky

and, yeah, just pushed hard and no mistakes and ended up fifth.

I was blown away.

Really shocked.

Another amazing qualifying result came from a young Scottish rider

from Selkirk, George Gannicott.

He finished tenth fastest.

Really pleased with that. I don't know how to put it into words.

I came across the line, a couple of rides

I got quite close to it. My time didn't come up instantly,

I was waiting for about five or ten seconds

and then popped up tenth - "Nah, can't be right."

It's a big difference from riding in Innerleithen

when you're being watched by maybe 20 or 30 riders

-to here where it's 10,000.

-It's a surreal feeling.

You can't explain the feeling that you get

when you're coming down the finish line

and there's thousands and thousands of people

all cheering just for you. It's incredible.

The highest-ranking Scot is Greg Williamson from Inverness.

Currently placed 11th in the world,

he was seventh fastest in qualification.

And knows it's all down to split-second timing.

To have a run winning here,

you've just got to be on the limit, really.

And just ride comfortably, but ride just a bit over the limit,

so if you don't do that, then you most likely won't win.

It's just so fast just now, and dusty for once.

And there's certainly no shortage of competition.

Last year's winner, South African rider, Greg Minnaar,

knows this course as well as any Brit.

I've been coming back here since 2002

and it's always great coming back

because I always feel like this is my home race away from home.

I grew up racing in the UK and all the guys that I grew up racing with

come through in support, so it's a good race for me.

Do you ride the course differently now?

I know it's changed over the years,

but do you ride it differently from when you were a younger guy?

-I'm still young, aren't I?

-You're clearly a young guy

but you were obviously a wee bit younger...

You know, I try and maintain that same pace up top, you know.

The whole top section is about carrying speed

so sometimes you want to just brake and be a little bit safe

and you just don't have that opportunity,

so I feel I am still riding like a young gun.

We're picking up the action as Greg's team-mate,

the legendary British rider Steve Peat,

starts down this course for his last World Cup race at Fort William.

This is history in the making.

UCI Downhill World Champion 2009, nine-times UK Champion,

twice European Champion, with over 17 World Cup wins,

he will get a fantastic, fantastic reception here.

Peaty is flying down the hill.

That is an amazing, amazing man, with an incredible downhill career.

It's very, very hard and that little drop off the line

has to be absolutely spot on.

So here he is, Steve Peat.

He won here in 2005.

First year that The Adventure Show came to Fort William.

Listen to the noise.

He is putting the style on.

And PT comes through the archway.

Listen to the welcome.

CHEERING

What a noise.

Here he comes. His last ever World Cup in Fort William

and I think there could be some tears under that visor.

Get that visor up, Peaty.

Everyone's wearing the Peaty masks. Fantastic.

So while Peaty soaks in the crowds, back at the top of the mountain,

it's business as usual for his team-mate, Greg Minnaar.

The South African giant that is Greg Minnaar, winner here last year,

started racing at the age of 17 in 1999,

had an incredible set of wins at the very, very highest level.

Struggled earlier on this year to match his form

that he made here last year.

But Greg is one of the senior riders, 35.

Respected. A hugely strong rider.

Incredibly skilled.

Hoping to repeat his success here last year.

And Greg looking pretty solid.

And his strength is his huge power in the lower part of the course,

and very, very good in the air.

So here is Greg Minnaar. He's won in Fort William five times.

No-one else has ever done that.

Minnaar's on the hunt. Six and a half seconds up.

And he's absolutely flying down here.

They love him here at Fort William, the way he attacks the course.

I spoke to him earlier today,

and he said he loves the fact that the course is riding fast,

because when the course is riding fast, he rides fast.

Thirion is in the lead at the moment.

Greg Minnaar is going to smash him off the top spot.

Here is Greg Minnaar throwing down the gauntlet.

Every single yard he has timed

and he is absolutely playing a master card here at Fort William.

Here he goes.

And some style into the bargain.

Forget that, Greg.

Get to the finish and get in the hot seat

and say to everyone else,

"Let's see what you can do,

"because this is what I can do

"and what I can do is amazing."

Almost eight seconds inside.

4:35.6.

Greg Minnaar is the boss and no mistake.

And already receiving a great welcome,

a fantastic favourite of the crowd here.

Danny Hart, the British downhill champion,

ranked seventh in the world this year.

Has been riding for a long time and still only 25.

Any of these riders could do well and he's really pushing it.

Such a danger of a flat on some of these upper parts

and he's just maybe trying too hard

but you might say that Danny is one of the best in the world.

He's come out of his pedal there.

Yeah, I thought he was going a little bit hard.

Back online now.

He needs to keep it out of the grit and gravel.

Try to cut the corners is not going to work today.

You've got to stay on the clean race line.

And Danny chasing Greg Minnaar,

who currently sits in first position.

The Rocket from Redcar has just blown the roof off Ben Nevis.

He's never had a win here at Fort William.

He would love to do it this year.

He's currently ranked seventh in the world rankings at the moment,

which is kind of low for him.

He loves to put on the style.

Let's look at this split.

Oh, he's two seconds down. Two seconds down.

And that's slightly disappointing,

but can he do anything at this point?

I reckon too much time in the air, there, for Danny Hart,

and he may have lost a little more down the way,

those end jumps.

Greg Minnaar was in great form.

Danny Hart just needs to get over the line,

get himself onto the podium for the moment

and see how everyone else does.

Second place. Almost four seconds outside Greg Minnaar.

That just shows you how incredible Greg Minnaar's run truly was.

Now we're into the last ten

with two great young riders flying the flag for Scotland.

George Gannicott from Selkirk in the Borders.

Incredibly pleased to be sitting in the top ten after qualification.

It would be an amazing thing

for George to get a position on the podium.

Very, very strong rider.

Go on, George.

He spends his winter working in a clothes shop,

says he knows nothing about fashion.

He certainly knows a lot about biking.

That is a pretty good line.

Loves Innerleithen in the Tweed Valley.

Looks pretty good so far.

Fashion to flyer, as George heads off down into the forest.

Down onto the motorway and George's time is slipping.

Has the pressure of expectation got him?

He's already over 12 seconds down on Greg Minnaar.

And there is no way he can make that up in the last part of the course.

Might be enough for a podium. It won't get him into the top ten,

but it's still been a fantastic weekend

for this young Scottish rider.

I reckon we will be seeing a lot more of him in the future.

On the course now,

having qualified seventh-fastest, is Greg Williamson from Inverness.

He'll surely get a fantastic welcome when he reaches the arena.

Had a crash in practice earlier on and hurt his shoulder

but it looks as though it's not hampering him at all now.

Knows the course, absolutely loves Fort William.

Rocky, big jumps, very, very strong.

So Greg is just up onto the rocks before descending into the trees.

Well, I tell you what,

Greg Williamson is picking up the pace.

Can he do something here at Fort William?

He already has done, let's face it.

Come on. He's in fourth place, Greg.

And the Scottish crowd will love Greg Williamson

and love what he is doing.

He's from the Highlands of Scotland.

The big fella is doing a Highland Fling.

Chooses the safer option

and Williamson has just got to head down,

get out of the wind, and just get down as quickly as he can.

What's he done?

Third place! No way!

That is unbelievable.

That is unbelievable from Greg Williamson.

He's in third now.

I know there are some really, really big guys still to come.

Adam Brayton, the British rider, based in Keswick.

Did really well here to qualify in fifth place.

Had an absolute blinder of a qualification ride.

His placings in World Cup so far,

he's been consistent in the top 50, but never really shined above that.

Come on, Adam. Pushing on.

Absolutely terrific in the top part of the course.

Giving his all.

Adam is flying on the top part.

Just slightly missed that line.

Being slightly too tight.

And you can see how difficult that is,

getting all off-line there.

You can see he lost a bit of power

in the elbows to hold the front wheel straight.

But pushing on. Let's hope he does well

as he jumps up onto the rocks and heads off into the forest.

Well, well, well. Adam Brayton has been doing some incredible stuff.

He's had an amazing weekend

and he could well be on the podium here, if he keeps it tight.

He is picking up and picking up and picking up all the time.

Let's see where he is. Let's see...

Split four - he is 1.4 down.

Oh, he's still in third.

3.1 down.

He's lost a bit of time on Greg Minnaar,

but he's still in third place.

And he's just going for it.

And that's what the Fort William crowd absolutely loves.

Gasps from start to finish.

Made lots of mistakes all the way through

but the reason he made mistakes was he was taking the risky options,

and it almost paid off.

What's he done now?

Into third place

for Adam Brayton.

That is a sensational ride.

Wow.

On the course now,

the current World Cup leader,

American Aaron Gwin,

who placed first in Lourdes in April.

Aaron has raced here many, many times.

Came second last year with an incredible performance

only to be pipped at the post -

Aaron Wareing, the number one on the bike.

He is truly flying on the top part of the course.

He's an extremely strong sprinter

and absolutely brilliant on the jumps.

Trying to keep a nice, smooth line, here, keep out of trouble.

He'll be sprinting hard in the next little section

on the rock slab, to take him down into the trees.

Aaron Gwin, got the American flag on his arm,

he's the national champion.

And he is great.

Look at that. He's absolutely flying.

He is behind Greg Minnaar

and he's not going to beat him.

But he puts some style on.

That's unbelievable.

Adam Brayton is sitting there

and Aaron Gwin is behind him on the time.

That shows you how good Brayton's ride truly was.

Here is Aaron Gwin.

Just really smooth.

He's still working the shoulders,

still working the suspension, getting nice and low.

Keeping it low, keeping it fast into the finish.

Will he get third?

He gets second. My goodness!

Aaron Quinn has just smashed the bottom half of the course.

Made up such a lot of time

and knocked Danny Hart down to third place.

Aaron Gwin, that's sensational.

Now just two racers still to go

and up at the top, another surprise rider,

Eddie Masters from New Zealand, ranked 44 in the world,

but got the second-fastest time in qualification.

Can he knock any of the big names off the podium?

Oh, no, he's off! In the sight of the start gate.

That's a massive crash.

I guess trying too hard.

Overcooked it on one of the very first turns.

Eddie Masters will not be challenging the leaders,

at least for this year.

So, now, all eyes will be on the last man to race.

Britain's very own Gee Atherton.

The last rider out and fastest qualifier

from the Saturday qualifications, Gee Atherton,

the ex-world champion of 2014 and hero here in Fort William.

He won the British Downhill Series here last year

and came seventh at Lourdes earlier on this year where,

apparently, he looked as though he was on the brakes on little bit.

He had a crash in qualification there, shook his confidence,

but Gee will be pushing so hard here.

Oh! That... Oh, too hard.

That looks like a very bad crash.

And that is it. Oh, that's not good.

I'm afraid Gee's challenge for a podium is over.

That was a big spill for Gee,

but that means Greg Minnaar is the champion once again.

Holds up the Canadian flag in honour of Stevie Smith, and smiles.

He's won here more times than anyone else.

Sensational stuff from Greg Minnaar. Champion 2016.

Brilliant, brilliant result. Congratulations.

Thank you, yeah. It was tough, you know.

Yesterday I had a bit of a mechanical in the qualifying

so I wasn't sure I had the track speed

but I just put it all out today

and managed to pull it off.

He most certainly did, and the final results look like this.

A fantastic ride for Adam Brayton from Keswick.

He came in fourth, with a time of 4:39.65.

Third place went to Danny Hart from Redcar in 4:39.6.

In second place it was Aaron Gwin from America

with his time of 4:38.96,

but in a time of 4:35.6,

Greg Minnaar, once again, took the top spot.

Well, another Fort William, and a sensational one.

The course here at Aonach Mor has stood up,

the racing has been absolutely wonderful

and the champions have performed to their very best.

This has been a brilliant weekend.

But that's it for this Adventure Show.

Next time around, we'll be doing the West Highland Way.

95 miles endurance contest, running as hard and as fast as you can.

Please join us for that if you can.

Until then, from all of us here, bye for now.