Cycling - World title for firefighter Reid (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Cycling - World title for firefighter Reid

10:02am Thursday 2nd July 2009

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STUART Reid (HerbaLife/ WHEELBASE.co.uk) captur-ed the gold medal for the second year running at the World Firefighter Mountain Bike Championships in Switzerland at the weekend.

Still elated from his victory in the Bob Swailes Road Race, Reid headed to Switzerland to defend the title he won at last year's Games in Liverpool.

The Burneside-based rider worked as the road manager at Staveley cycle superstore WHEELBASE.co.uk for 12 years until taking up a full-time firefighter post in March this year with Cumbria Fire and Rescue, based at the Kendal Fire Station. Reid was the only Briton taking part among the 80 riders from all over the globe gathered in Sainte Croix, Switzerland.

On his way to top the pdoium, Reid faced a close-fought two hour and a quarter battle with the Swiss national mountain-bike champion high in the hills and on tight forest singletrack, 120k from Geneva in stifling heat in the high 20deg Cs.

The Swiss rider broke away on the final lap, but as torrential rain suddenly engulfed the field, Reid spotted his opportunity, knowing that he was quicker on the descents.

He stormed down the final, dark forest descent full of slippy roots, but it was not until the riders came out into the arena that he could see the lead Swiss rider.

“I knew it was now or never,” explained Reid. “I gave every last ounce of energy and powered in to the final short climb, head down, and passed him at speed - I knew he couldn’t recover.”

n Andrew Hawdon (Herbalife/ WHEELBASE.co.uk) was second and Reid third in the senior men's race at the Horwich Carnival Races in Lancashire.

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