They did... and Aimee Dix asked them if they could let her go on it so she could do some world cups and she was apparently told that they weren't looking for applications from people like her. Encouraging ey. Presumably because she's neither a junior nor a potential WC medalist at the mo. Fortunately a very well known top ranked female rider put a word in for her and she was allowed to race on the national team at Schladming, wearing a GB jersey. She now has enough points to be able to race wherever she likes.

But isn't it crap that she was turned away when she's perfectly able of racing world cups, and it took someone who knows someone to get her in.


the trouble with BC is they're too fussy by far and they won't just let someone in on the off chance they might actually be any good. Anja had to fight her way into the World Champs this year, despite the number of spaces and that it was in our own country. I could have fought it and got in as well but as I was quite happy working in sunny France I didn't bother. Both of us had made the qualifying criteria, me at the very first world cup, and Anja at Mt Ste Anne, which is probably one of the toughest roughest races around. What's the point of setting qualifying criteria if they then go back on it. aaagh!

they are the UCI appointed governing body.  So everything has to go through them.

3 rounds in scotland!?!? Do they think us southerners are made of money?

some of the best uk tracks are in wales

i do have some sympathy for you.

but its your choice of hobby, and your choice where you live, so you can't really complain.

Its like me arguing that the surfing round me is rubbish, when I live in the middle of the country.

or someone in Brittany complaining that all the French National are in the Alps.

but yes they could use tracks in the Midlands or Wales, but I'm guessing there are good reasons why they are not.

I live down south and can under stand what burf is on about Iam in the same boat, for me its not the money, its the time of work for every trip up that end is 2 day Holiday gone so that's 8 in all.
The nps was very good last year and we would like to do it again , but I think this year we are going to do the MSS instead which is also a very good series and will mean no days off work I can save them for the mega . As Col say Iam sure SPS have there reasons lets just hope it stops raining.

Jake-Snake and burf have a good point about the travel, but as steve says the hills are up there...however there are plenty of good hills in S.wales and the midlands, which are hlaf the distance away for the propper southerners. Perosnally I don't midd too much, the scottish tracks are brilliant and it makes it a bit more of an adventure going al the way up there, but an expensive one! maybe in '09 the majority of the tracks will be a bit more southern?
 I bet no one would have moaned if they had been mixed up a bit, rather than the 3 socttish ones as the first 3.

Anyone know the nearest nps track to me? Im an nps newbie and i live in sheffield