Herne Hill Cyclo Cross 4th Jan

[Andrew G]

George, Jon H and myself were representing Addiscombe at Herne Hill today.

My first cross race at HH (only my third in total) but I really liked the technical back section of the course. There was a bit of back and forth on the track infield, and then over the track down a nice drop off and in to the twisty single track type stuff. It really did twist and turn like a twisty turny thing. Plenty of icy ruts and up and down bumps, burmy bits on some bends. There was also a very steep hill. First time I tackled it on a warm up lap was a disaster as I dismounted at the bottom to run up it but my MTB shoes are the trainery type without much grip and scrambling up was a nightmare. After that I just sprinted at it, never quite made it to the top so would jump off and stick the brakes on to use the bike as a sort of cramp-on for the last little bit. Some more twisty stuff before some more infield (including 2 hurdles) to the end of the lap. I don't know if it was my wider tyres but I found the infield sections real leg sappers, but it may just have been the surface and hurt everyone's legs the same.

I have to say I really enjoy CX in these hard ground conditions, I'm not one for mud-plugging but this sort of compact/rutty/loose is right up my street. I started near the back of the field as although I give it a good ol' go I'm doing it for fun, not doing the full series, and not going to be contesting placings, so don't want to get in the way in the mad dash that is the start. Jon H was by me with George on the front row with his seeding.

My Mum and Dad were out to support the Agreeables today and despite it being a bit nippy for supporting gave good shouts whenever in earshot .

Jon's race ended early with a snapped chain . George had yet another puncture, changed his wheel and then stormed back through the field. It was very impressive to watch him scythe back through the field on the chances I got to glance across, and then he came flying passed me and on to a great top 10 finish. With all these quality 1 hourish all out efforts in the cross you're going to do some killer 25s next year.

On the final lap I passed a VCL chap but couldn't shake him off and coming in to the final straight he just managed to pip me on the line in our little battle for mid field obscurity .

Seniors/Vet/Women/Juns (Results wth laps and times here)
1st sen 37 Darren Barclay Arctic Premier
2nd sen 8 Matt Holmes Arctic
3rd sen 19 Christopher Ansell Corridori
4th sen 1 Kevin Knox Dulwich Paragon
5th sen 11 Stuart Jones
6th sen 43 Andrew Waterman Dulwich Paragon
7th sen 2 George Brent Addiscombe (including wheel change)
55th sen 9 Andrew Green Addiscombe
79th sen 105 Maria David Dulwich Paragon
DNF sen 40 Jonathan Hemming (snapped chain )

Pictures from my Dad:

First lap too crowded to charge at it so had to scramble up the hill
[img]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/andrewgreen23/Herne%20Hill%20CX%20040109/869Andrewhill.jpg[/img]

Jon's proper cross method for hill running
[img]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/andrewgreen23/Herne%20Hill%20CX%20040109/870Jonhill.jpg[/img]

George at the top of the hill
[img]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/andrewgreen23/Herne%20Hill%20CX%20040109/878Georgetopshill.jpg[/img]

Me almost making it up without having to jump off and resort to my MTB cramp-on method (no-one else in sight so must have been at about the 40minute mark when I was caught in a halfway house between riders for what seemed an age).
[img]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/andrewgreen23/Herne%20Hill%20CX%20040109/876Andrewtopshillblur.jpg[/img]

George looking serious
[img]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/andrewgreen23/Herne%20Hill%20CX%20040109/875George.jpg[/img]

Jon looking serious
[img]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/andrewgreen23/Herne%20Hill%20CX%20040109/873Jon.jpg[/img]

Me looking slightly less serious and getting an early 2009 entry in
[img]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/andrewgreen23/Herne%20Hill%20CX%20040109/872Andrewtongue.jpg[/img]

George with a new wheel and on a charge
[img]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/andrewgreen23/Herne%20Hill%20CX%20040109/879Georgespeeding.jpg[/img]

Ouch that hurt
[img]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/andrewgreen23/Herne%20Hill%20CX%20040109/881Georgecoasts.jpg[/img]

[Antloony]

Great pics and report Mr

Shame George had yet another p*ncture, I think we should fill his tyres up with expanding foam

[Marek]

Nice one George, have you actually had a race without a puncture in the last 2 months, it seems like every race you have one. Is it that common to puncture so often in CX, not having done it before it looks pretty tough. Well done, how are you getting on in the series rankings, last time I looked you were right up there.

Cheers

Marek....

[Sylv]

George was up with the leaders but lost 1'15 to them the lap he punctured, and only another 20" when riding solo afterwards moving up the field - impressive. Shame another podium missed

[George]

Got a great start today and for the first 2 laps was very comfortable in the lead group with Matt Holmes and Darren Barclay, had a new set wheels and was racing on tubulars in cross for the first time.

Really felt great riding them and super confidence boosting round the hard singletrack icy corners, then on the second lap felt that bobbing feeling form the rear wheel and had to pull in the next lap to swap a wheel out.

Got going again but felt rather pissed off that again I had been scuppered by a mechanical. Round the infield it was solid on the grass and the muddy racing line on the flat out corners were treacherously slippery but fun.

As Sylv said I lost over a minute changing my wheel now if I would have had a spare bike then it would have only been 10 or so seconds

Andy Waterman from Dulwich Paragon also had a flat so we dueled to the finish line where he got me in the sprint for 6th place, my heart struggled to get back into the race after my flat and I felt like I was just ambling round afterwards.

Well done to Andrew for having a good day out enjoying all the singletrack riding round the perimiter and unlucky Jon for snapping that chain.

With just 2 races to go in the London League, I am sitting in a very strong 3rd position only just behind Stuart Jones London Phoenix who I should be really be beating but for my bad luck with mechanicals and Chris Ansell Corridori who with 3 Victories so far is looking set to win the championship, I'm the only rider to complete all 14 rounds so far.

[Jon H]

Well, I'd been meaning to do a cross race since October, but various combinations of laziness, bad weather and man-flu had prevented me until yesterday. As Herne Hill is only about 20 minutes ride away from Hemming Towers I rode over which was a good way to start my warm up. Got there in time to sign-on, dump my rucksack in Andrew's car and do a recce lap.

As Andrew has said, we both started near to the back of the field. After the first lap when the congestion had thinned out a bit I found I was catching people and making up some places. I was really enjoying hammering around the frozen grassy infield bit. Nearly had a wipe-out at one point when my front wheel decided it wanted to go sideways rather than straight on, but just slid out a bit onto the grippier but lumpier grass. Did have a wipe-out later on around the twisty singletrack section when a tree jumped out in front of me. I think I was on lap three when suddenly there was no resistance from the pedals. I thought the chain had just come off - I looked down and realised it had, and it was lying on the ground ten metres back. So Game Over for me.

I'd forgotten what great fun cross is - that's the most fun I've had with my clothes on so far this year.

[Maria David]

Football matches get cancelled because of a frozen pitch - us hardy souls were expected to ride across the frozen grass though. It made for quite a few spills - especially on the corners. Can't say I found it that much fun, but I survived. Bring on the mud !

Bad Luck with the mechanical problem Jon. I was wondering why you were suddenly no longer in the race.

Hope you get your bike fixed soon. There'll be another one of these on January 25th so hopefully you can have more fully clothed fun !

Maria
www.2wheelchick.blogspot.com