Ellie has got thepedal power to compete at top
A Shropshire sixth form student has secured her place as one of the country’s best female mountain bikers.
Ellie Jones, from Moreton Hall School near Oswestry, has placed first at the Ard Rock Enduro race and fourth in the National Championships.
Despite being just 17 years old, the teenager was competing against women in the under-30 category.
Enduro is a form of mountain bike racing that combines the technical and endurance elements of downhill racing and cross-country.
In the races, bikers head up steep hills and then gain huge speeds downhill on off-piste trails.
Many races have six stages, but the National Championships had 13 stages over two days. It can take an hour to get up the hills but between two to six minutes to come down them as bikers race for the fastest times.
“It’s the less lazy version of downhill,” Ellie said. “It is so fun. Racing is an escape from everything else. The level of competition is insane. The level of riding is getting better and better.”
