Ultimate Biker: Final 3

The final day of the competition saw the riders swap two-wheels for two legs in a day of fitness training under the eye of Dave Luscombe of the ACU Academy.

They travelled to Sport England’s facilities at Lilleshall to begin the day with a simulated rostrum television interview by Banrds hatch commentator Brian Jones. Then it was off for health checks and an intensive exercise programme including a bleep test.

The group were then treated to a two-mile run, followed by four miles on a mountain bike, all against the clock.

And this helped to settle the battle for third place, with the lucky winenrs being measured for customised Dunlop leathers and Motocross clothing.

The 2005 Dunlop Ultimate Biker winners who will race at Moto1 are:

1. Carl Nash, Peterborough.

2. Andy Carlile, Coventry

3. Steve Reynolds, Leamington.

Follow the trio on the Dunlop Ultimate Biker site, here. (external site).

The Dunlop Ultimate Biker contest has seen over 1000 entries competing for just three chances to race in the Moto1 event in October against some of the biggest stars in british motorcycle sport.

The event itself covers Trials, Motocross, Supermoto and road-racing with big name stars including WSB’s Pierfrancesco Chili and Chris Walker, BSB racers Karl Harris, Steve Plater and Craig Jones, Motocross riders Billy Mackenzie and David Campbell, and even Speedway rider Kelvin Tatum. Plus a number of Supermoto racers including Chris Iddon, Matt Winstanley, Leighton Haigh, and Ady Smith.

Throughout the summer the entrants for Ultimate Biker have been whittled down. From the preliminary entries, 24 riders went on to try their hands at off-road riding, advanced training, a track school and Harley-Davidson riding. Read more on their experiences by following the link, right.

This eventually narrowed the field down to six riders for the final elimination stage, held on September 13 and 14, 2005.

The first day saw all six riders tested at Mallory Park circuit on the components of the Moto1 event. First up was an observed trails test on four-stroke Scorpa machines supplied by trials rider Nigel Birkett. The group were then put through their paces by off-road tutor and fellow Moto1 competitor Wayne Braybrook on Honda CRF 250X’s.

A new challenge for most of the competitors was Supermoto, so Ady Smith staged ten-lap head-to-head races on Dunlop slick-shod KTM’s.

And if they weren’t exhaust yet, they were then sent out around the circuit for two six-lap sessions on Virgin Mobile R6’s loaned by Rob McElnea, with Hawk Kawasaki BSB star Glen Richards helping with the judging.

The favourites leading up to the final day were Andy Carlile from Coventry and Carl Nash from Peterborough. But just one point seperated Steve Reynolds and Chris Hall for the final qualification place.

Find out more about the riders at the Dunlop Ultimate Biker site, here. (external site.)