Intoducing.... Jacob Dickson - latest Rider Profile

From a young age I was around bikes and naturally I took an interest, having my Dad race since before I was born and growing with him racing, taking me to downhill races or BMX tracks; I was hooked from a young age.  

I originally started off in motocross racing, and raced until the age of 12, but growing up I had always been riding at skate parks or BMX tracks, even having my own table-top outside my house which my Dad built. I had to give up racing motocross due to how expensive it was and in 2009 I competed in my first downhill mountain bike race.

My race was in 2009 at Rostrevor and I was the youngest competitor there and had no expectations of getting on the podium, I was mostly there for the experience and a bit of fun. My bike was an Iron Horse, which was kindly set up for me by Ali Beckett and Ben Reid, and this was my first ‘proper’ downhill bike and I was chuffed to bits with it. Shockingly enough in my first ever race I came 3^rd; having had no previous experience of racing it was safe to say it was a surprise.

From this I then entered my first full season of racing downhill the following year. This season I had no real expectations, only to learn more about the sport, and just get a grasp of racing downhill. This season I came third in the Irish Champs, and this really gave me the proof that I could contend with the other guys that were riding in my category.

In 2011 I got my first sponsorship with MBW Racing and I then started to race in British rounds, and learnt that the level of talent across the water was definitely high, but in my first British race I finished 4^th, which was something I was really proud of. Going across to do British rounds should me the level of racing that I wanted to be at and I wanted to be on the top step of the podium one day. This year at the IDMS I won the national Champs, and this was definitely one of my first major achievements.

From the 2011 season into 2012 I continued to be sponsored by MBW and continued to do well in most of the races placing top 5 in the majority of them. From this success I was excited to go into the 2013 season, with a new team Giant Factory Racing. The season was going well for me, having placed in the top 3 in all rounds I had raced, and then I fractured my neck racing at Innerleithen. This meant that I was out for the a lot of the season. I came back to race and won the third round of the IDMS and then went on to race a European round in Maribor, which I came 3^rd in and this was a shock to do so well having not raced for a lot of the season and this was the highest level I and ever raced at.  I wanted to go into the 2014 race season with a fresh start, luckily Ben Reid had faith in me to do well this season, despite having hardly any results from last season and gave me a place on the Orange Dirt World Team.

2014 was the first year that I raced at world cup level, and it was a real eye opener for me. I knew that I wanted to do well in the races, but didn’t want to set my expectations too high, my first world cup round was at Fort William, which I came a solid 17^th in. I was continuing to race the Irish and British rounds and was doing quite well in them and had my sights set on the World Champs. This was definitely the most eye opening experience, I really didn’t have any expectations I and seen a lot of these guys at the world cup rounds and knew what they were capable of.  I was just enjoying riding my bike and having fun with it. Race day came and I was just loving riding my bike that weekend with no pressure,  the biggest shock came when I discovered I was sitting in 3^rd place. Winning a bronze medal at the World Championships is definitely my proudest moment and hopefully one day I can make it a gold one.

I’m looking forward to the 2015 season, racing all of the world cup rounds this year, as well as the British and Irish rounds. It would not be possible without all my sponsor, Orange Dirt World Team and everyone that make the team possible. I would not be where I am today with the support of all my previous sponsors and my family that continue to be a massive support to me. It amazes me that I get the opportunity to travel the world and ride my back, and I hope to continue for as long as possible.