2010 I feel was a very successful if not a very unusual season. Everything from acts of God such as the volcano eruptions grounding all flights to torrential rain , family Bereavement and horrendous winds tried to stop Stewart gaining the results he was capable of this year.The season started off well with some early season form at the Matlock Hilly 25 followed by a couple of other good races leading up to the Montello 24hr in Italy, unfortunately the Icelandic Volcano put paid to that race and we had to content ourselves with the Kraftwerk 12hr being the only really long distance event early season. Despite strong winds and torrential rain he managed to finish off with 260 miles, a new personal best. I'm sure had the conditions been more favourable he could have gone even further.
Stewarts season continued in the same vain with him not getting one decent weekend of weather throughout the season, yet still he managed to keep turning in the personal bests.
The highlight of the year has to be qualifying for RAAM at the UK 24hr with 427miles, an excellent ride.
Throughout the season he has manged to better his previous best at all distances attempted with the exception of the 50 mile and that was only because the course he was going to ride it on was cancelled because of a rider fatality on the course the previous week.
I feel that Stewart has matured as a rider this season and I look forward to bigger and better things in the near future, hopefully even RAAM. Roll on 2011.'
On a sad note Jure Robic died while out training on the 24th September . Jure was a true inspiration to ultra marathon cyclists winning RAAM five times and setting many world records. RIP
Chris 'Hoppo' Hopkinson
