Dalby Dare Registration Opens

British Cycling has today opened online registration for the thrilling 'Dalby Dare' at the 2010 UCI Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Cup weekend in Dalby Forest available via www.yorkshiremtbworldcup.co.uk. Dalby Dare, which will take place on the afternoon of Saturday 24 April, will offer keen mountain bikers an amazing opportunity to ride the brand new Dalby World Cup course and compare their time ahead of the elite riders, who will be racing the following day. The 30km event will feature challenging sections of the new World Cup course including Medusa's Drop, Worry Gill and Dixon's Hollow before breaking out of the World Cup course and continuing onto other red and black Dalby trails with a series of testing zigzags up Addersback climb. A long, fast and rocky descent down Dargate Slack will continue to test riders before a steepening technical climb up Tom Milners Grain. The riders will then have to carefully negotiate their way round Peat Head Rigg and rejoin the World Cup course. Martin O Vastar', course designer for the Forestry Commission at Dalby Forest, said: "The combination of the various trails has really come together to make a great course for Dalby Dare. The concept for Dalby Dare was to include a number of single track climbs, fast rocky descents and technical climbs, before returning to cross the official World Cup finish line. It offers the perfect Dalby World Cup experience for the rider." Former National Mountain Bike Cross-Country Champion Nick Craig has given his backing to the Dalby Dare challenge, saying: "It is an amazing opportunity to ride the trails and test your skills on the World Cup course. Once you have ridden it yourself, you will realise just how good the pro riders are when you watch them smash it round the next day making it look so easy!" As well as having the satisfaction of completing Dalby Dare, participants will receive a Dalby t-shirt and goody bag and will be timed individually on both their World Cup lap and the entire Dalby Dare challenge. The weekend will feature a fascinating programme of elite level racing and competition but the event is about so much more. Jonny Clay, British Cycling’s Cycle Sport and Membership Director says: "The World Cup weekend gives you three days to get incredibly close to the World Cup action from Pickering on Friday and into Dalby Forest over the weekend. Whether you choose to attend or tune in on TV, the weekend promises to be truly inspirational and a great platform for encouraging people into the sport and into events like the Dalby Dare in fantastic facilities like Dalby Forest." British Cycling is working in close partnership with UK Sport, Welcome to Yorkshire, Yorkshire Forward and the Forestry Commission, with the support of a number of local partners including Ryedale Council and North Yorkshire County Council, to deliver the UCI Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Cup. To register for Dalby Dare go to www.yorkshiremtbworldcup.co.uk. The fee to enter is £32. Day and weekend passes are available via the website or by calling 0844 847 2387.