Third Place For Vertigo At Famous Scott Trial

Having already won the famous Scottish Six Days Trial (SSDT) earlier in the year, Vertigo factory rider Dougie Lampkin came close to completing an historic double as he narrowly missed out on also capturing the equally revered and famous Scott time and observation trial. Over one hundred years after the event was first run, the Scott remains regarded as the toughest single day trial in the calendar and is a competition Lampkin has won four times previously.

After seventy six sections and around eighty miles over the tough north Yorkshire moors, Dougie ended the day in third spot on board his prototype Vertigo Combat, and just seven marks away from capturing the main trophy on a fifth occasion. This would have taken him clear of his father Martin's record of four wins that he currently shares with his eldest son.

Using the rider-friendly two stroke fuel-injected machine to full effect Lampkin was by far the best on observation dropping a mere twenty five marks over the nearly eighty rocky and slippery hazards that were made even more testing due to the lack of water in the local rivers over recent months. Dougie ended the day some fourteen marks clear of eventual winner Ian Austermuhle in terms of marks lost in the sections, but was demoted to third place overall as time penalties played their equal part in the final result.

Dougie appeared to be in control of the event until later in the trial before he struck trouble just after exiting the famous Bridge End sections. Here the ex multi FIM Trial World Champion was forced to effect costly repairs as the battery failed on his prototype Combat machine. The time that Dougie spent changing this pre-production component was to prove the difference between him winning, and him eventually being forced to occupy the final rostrum placing.

It was not to prove the best of days either for Lampkin's fellow factory rider James Dabill who also experienced some technical issues that were again to offset his observation performance as he too incurred hefty time penalties that would see him finish outside of the top ten come the finish.

Speaking at the end of the event Lampkin said. "Obviously I am absolutely gutted to have just missed out on being able to record what would have been an historic and incredible double for Vertigo in what has been an amazing first season for the new brand and team."

"We decided that the Scott would be the last trial for the prototype bikes that James and I have been riding this year, as it is an event that totally destroys a bike. We did consider riding our new production- based bikes, but decided that we wanted to save these ready for next season with this being the last big competition for the team this year."