Former Team BikeRadar downhiller Neil Donoghue is taking a break from racing this year and is instead focusing on mountain bike coaching.
Now a qualified CTC skills instructor, 'The Don' aims to help everyone from beginners to experts get the best out of their bikes and have fun out on the trails.
"I thought I'd take a break from racing and do a bit of coaching because I've got lots of experience – almost 15 years, including nine racing World Cups – and thought I could pass on some knowledge," he told BikeRadar.
"More than anything, the sessions are supposed to be fun. There's a little bit of advice about racing but it's more about general riding skills. I'm doing a mix of everything, including jumps, drops and a bit of four-cross and downhill."
Donoghue holds coaching sessions at Hales Superbole in Cheshire and other locations across the Midlands and Wales. The great news for 16 lucky riders is that he'll be putting on two special one-hour sessions at BikeRadar Live at Brands Hatch on 10-11 July.
This will a great opportunity for any level of rider to learn from The Don and improve their riding while hanging out at the show. On the Saturday he'll be doing a North Shore and jumps school on the black demo loop.
Then, on Sunday, he'll be holding a special jumps and berms school on the dual slalom track. The sessions will be limited to just eight riders on each day, so to book your place you'll have to be quick! Go to www.neildonoghuecoaching.co.uk for details.
While on the world circuit, Donoghue was known for his style on a bike, which earned him spots in films including the Earthed series, Between The Tapes and First. Career highlights included six medals at Elite level at the British National Championships, multiple wins at NPS races and top 10 finishes at World Cups.
Fellow racer, Team BikeRadar manager and BikeRadar Live course builder Will Longden said: “Donny is the king of making riding look effortless! He takes part in a massive range of riding styles and is one of the most stylish riders around.”
