Noboby has mentioned the comments made by I think it was Sam Connor and relayed by Jack Burnicle. That is that Hawkstone was a challenging, difficult trial but UNLIKE some recent rounds he didn't feel he was risking his life doing it! Looking at the injuries in some of the preceeding rounds and the fact riders did crash out at Hawkstone but did not have the severity of the previous rounds it does look bad for the rounds concerned. Did anyboy who went feel they were that bad???

Also Watching the riders thru a couple of sections with their minders I was surprised how agitated Raga's Minders were compared to everybody else's.

Jordi Pasqet (not sure about spelling there) number 10 he was, no minder all day, am i right? brave guy and possibly backs up Sam about it not being too dangerous.

.....and a nice guy and bl

IF I recall correctly ,Pasquet rides alot without a specific minder, but gets help from the other minders.

I noticed that, if they are around the section - they mind for him at the dodgy bits. He must be well liked/respected...

Compared with the only other round that I attended this year, the French,

the sections were as tough but not so 'do or die'

So if the riders met on saturday evening & and the sections were changed at Hawkstone, how come this did,nt happen at the French round

I heard the commentator say that he had a stopwatch on his handlebars which he sets off as he starts the section! Not sure how easy that would be to read as you hop the bike around or as you fly through the air, but it seems to work for him.

Pascuet is a bloody hero in my book... not just for attempting it with no minder but how the hell does he complete the sections within the time limit with no time being shouted at him.

Couldn't agree more there R2 , and the guy is seemingly doing it all on a budget too , i did see you lookin longingly at his bike thinking something along the lines of " thats my bike that is"

Edited August 2, 200521 yr by lastplacebrad

Pasquet was mindered (is that a word?) at some sections but I don't think he has his own minder. I think I'm right in saying that its the riders that pay the wages of their minders and not the factory's?