Highlights From The 2023 Merida Ex

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7 whole years of vintage tea stops, gourmet singletrack, stunning vistas, unforgettable climbs, iconic clifftop beer stops, dinner parties, discos, BBQs, all-you-can-eat cream teas, night stages. 7 years of 80 riders, all experiencing what we feel is the ‘perfect’ version of racing.

Way back in the day, we set out to create a race through our own lens. One that was less about winning things or beating people. Not so much about who could go the hardest, the fastest or even the most of anything at all.

THE EX is more about that harder to define experience that brings you back year after year. The feeling that leaves you buzzing with excitement to return, pining for the event when you’ve returned to normality, racing to enter again the following year and to bring a few more mates along to experience it for themselves.

More about the best craic in the evenings, the most beautiful transitions with the most iconic views. The best tea and the biggest slices of cake. Mountains of home-cooked food, served up by a master chef and a live band playing after dinner. Timed stages that just leave you beaming at the end and proclaiming, “no, actually, that one was the best stage ever!”.

Some get it, many don’t. And that’s ok.

The concept of THE MERIDA EX, presented by Shimano is pretty simple.

3 big days in Exmoor National Park, from Friday through to Sunday. Several timed stages each day, all against the clock and all mostly gravity-focussed and on fun, flowy, natural downhill trails. Entries are open to just 80 riders, with all the food and drink included. Uplifts at the start of each day. All the drinks you can drink, scones you can eat, cooked breakfasts, homemade evening meals. The full works.

Home for the weekend is the cosey, chocolate-box village of Allerford that just happens to be at the foot of the hill where many of our trails drop. We take over the village hall and playing field to eat, sleep and celebrate, boosting that ‘weekend away together’

Credit: MERIDA BIKES