With nearly a year behind them the women’s XC mountain bike race team, WXC Racing, take some time out to reflect on a successful 2010.

In 2010 the team has performed above and beyond expectations for their first year, collecting a plethora of podium positions, with all the riders performing extremely well in their own right, 4 riders making their international debut and a number of the athletes obtaining National titles along the way.

The team has helped develop some of the UK’s most talented female competitors, as well as encouraging many more to try the sport by providing unconditional support at all the major races.

Irish rider Cait Elliot joined the team to help her make the step onto the international racing stage and with the guidance of the team managers has had an impressive season, stepping onto the British Mountain Bike Series podium on more than one occasion as well as retaining her National Irish XC title and adding to it with the Irish Marathon Championship title too.

Carla Haines as been a development rider for a number of years under the wing of Trevor Brown and 2010 saw her take the big step up from the junior ranks to Elite status, producing encouraging top ten performances throughout the year in the National Mountain Bike Series, while retaining her Southern Elite title and adding to it with the South West Elite title along the way.

After an absence of two years from the mountain bike scene, Jessie Roberts chose 2010 and WXC to help her return to the sport. Starting with a National Student XC title, the year got off to a flying start for her, this coupled with consistent top ten finishes in the National XC Series, rounded off a perfect comeback for Jessie, who we know will go from strength to strength in the coming season.

Our youngest rider of the year, juvenile Gretel Warner, clocked up and impressive 40 races throughout the year racking up a win in the Southern XC Championships and the overall Series title to round off and impressive year for such a young and committed rider.

Rickie Cotter also provided the team with some impressive results as the young Welsh rookie rider took the endurance world by storm. Her raw talent and gritty determination saw her take the inaugural 24 Hours of Exposure, the National Championship for solo riders. She went on to add the prestigious Mountain Mayhem solo title to her name, along with the 12 hr Bontrager Twentyfour12 title and the Trans Wales 7 day stage race, finishing her incredible year with a trip to Australia to compete in the World 24 hour solo Championships, where she came home in a creditable 9th. An impressive tally for any rookie!

2011 will see a bigger influx of riders all keen to help develop their participation in the incredibly hard sport of mountain biking, with the help of WXC, while a new and exciting branch of the team aims to take a select number of riders to tackle the world stage.

Many thanks to all our loyal supporters and sponsors who have helped us develop the team and now share in our success; we certainly couldn’t have done it without you!

Team Palmares 2010

• IRISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
• IRISH NATIONAL MARATHON TITLE
• BRITISH XC STUDENT CHAMPION
• MOUNTAIN MAYHEM 24 HOUR SOLO WINNER
• MOUNTAIN MAYHEM 24 HOUR TEAM WINNER
• BONTRAGER 24/12 – 12 HOUR SOLO WINNER
• BONTRAGER 24/12 – 12 HOUR TEAM WINNER
• 2 SOUTHERN CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES
• SOUTHERN AREA SERIES TITLE
• UK 24 HOUR SOLO CHAMPION
• UK 24 HOUR SOLO ROOKIE CHAMPION
• SOUTH WEST AREA CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
• SOUTH WEST SERIES TITLE
• 2010 TRANS WALES SOLO WINNER
• BRIGHTON BIG DOG 6 HOUR WINNER
• BREDGEBURY 12 HOUR SOLO WINNER
• ULSTER ELITE CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPION
• 45 WINS
• 48 PODIUMS
• 35 TOP TEN PLACINGS

For more information about the team take a look at www.wxcmountainbikeracing.co.uk