Mikayla Parton, dressed in Endura clothing and protective gear, will make the step up into Elite Downhill racing this year. Photograph: Miles Mallinson.
Over the past decade the growth in mountain biking internationally has been huge and it is no surprise that the Highlands have been at the heart of this.
The sport has come a long way since the first Mountain Bike World Cup in Fort William back in 2002. Bikes are almost unrecognisable to those 17 years ago, riders are faster, venues have expanded and the way the sport is managed has been transformed.