Orange Monkey 2010 Review of the season

Orange Monkey has been around for over half a decade!  That's a long time since two boys from Essex thought it would be a bright idea to start a cycling team!  Fast forward to November 2009 and as the team prepared for its sixth full season of racing we said goodbye to a popular character, welcomed a new sponsor and prepared to do battle in another season of adventure!

Nat Jarvis had been with us for 3 of those 5 seasons and it was a sad goodbye as he moved onto pastures new but as we looked to focus on our upcoming training camp to Cyprus we welcomed a new brake sponsor (Hygia) who would prove to be a good sponsor throughout the season as we helped to test and develop an already top class system.  These two changes aside, the team remained the same and travelled to Europe together for the first time. 

After some hard winter training and some local racing the team headed to the Cyprus sun to compete in the Sunshine Cup.  The series is now regarded as the season opener and attended by some of the best riders in the world including World No.1 Jaroslav Kulhavy.  We were delighted to be joined by reigning National Champion Sue Clarke, top Elite Lee Williams and Endurance specialist Anthony Morris who made our three week stay enjoyable.  Dental problems for Paul and a flu bug for Chris made life difficult but Ben Roff shone through with some fantastic racing culminating in a 3rd place finish at the final race in Amathous.  

Once the team returned it was straight into the British Series starting with the flat twisty course at Sherwood Forest followed by a trip to the Netherlands (our first as a complete team), where we took part in a Benelux Cup against some real top class riders.  It was a different experience on a course that would never be allowed in this country - down steps, huge drops and even over a jump inside a beer tent!  Our youngest rider Alex showed his potential in his first taste of European racing with an excellent 18th place!

On returning Ben racked up the podiums locally until all attention turned to Orange Monkeys first World Cup experience!  Chris had gained enough points to compete, so with Will (Team Manager), Paul & Alex as supporting staff we travelled to Dalby Forest, Yorkshire!  Paul took part in the Pro Sprint Eliminator - a warm up race through the streets of Pickering in a 4X style format.  After qualifying well he slipped his pedal racing against Cannondale Factory Racing rider Marco Fontana!  The main race saw Chris compete in a thrilling race won by Nino Schurter in a sprint finish with Julian Absalon.  For Chris it was all about gaining vital European experience!  And so we continued our World Cup journey to the home of Mountain Biking - Houffalize, Belguim!  This was one of the highlights of a very good year as we supported Chris in his second World Cup on one of the most prestigious hills in Belguim.  

The buzz from the World Cups must have given the team great inspiration as they came back with a 4th at the British Series followed by three podiums in the midlands.  This was followed by a podium place at the third British Series in Wales before wins for Alex and Ben at regional races in the East and the South West. Ben retained his Welsh Championship jersey before we welcomed a guest to the team for the remainder of the year!

Our bike sponsor, Cannondale, asked us if we would look after a young South African, Rourke Croeser.  His CV was impressive - he'd won South African Championships for years, been the only rider to represent his country at both the Road and MTB World Championships in the same year and placed 2nd in a Junior World Cup.  After meeting him at the British Series race in Dalby it was confirmed that we would help him while he stayed in Europe for the rest of the year.  Rourke had a positive effect on the team and none more so than Alex who picked up his first British Series podium at Dalby.  

An invite for Paul, Chris & Rourke to ride at Bike Radar Live was gratefully accepted with Rourke picking up third place and it was then onto the National Championships where Alex produced a stunning ride to take 3rd place after leading for long periods of the race.  Alex then continued his rich vein of form with another podium at the Eastern series accompanied by Paul's first podium of the year.  Ben took a podium at the Southern Series before competing in the "invite only" Junior Tour of Wales.

The team then left the country once more as we jetted off to the South of France - in a people carrier - to stay with our excellent sponsor PyreneesCycling.com.  They kindly invited our guest rider, Rourke, and so the week of fun, and hard training began.  

Returning to the UK refreshed and fit, the team headed down to Plymouth for the final round of the British Series where Ben finished in style with a fantastic podium place in the Junior field before our end of season celebrations began lasting long into the night.  

It wasn't quite over though� we said a sad farewell to Rourke as he headed back to the sun of South Africa while we headed to the rain of Thetford Forest to compete in the Dusk til Dawn race in torrential rain that would push all four of us to breaking point.

Then a surprise call from an Olympic official asking us to send a rider to test the Olympic Course at Hadleigh Castle finished off what was a truly wonderful season for Orange Monkey.

So 2010 had its moments, some tough, some jubilant - it was a big year for the team�. but next year�. That will be huge!

Please visit our website or click on the links above to view some of the video's, interviews and reports from our season of racing.  We would like to thank our sponsors for their support throughout 2010!

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