Cyclocross season 2012

[Phil H]

6

[Sylv]

Cheers. Today was a bit muddy (pic lambrini2010 @ flickr)

[img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8063/8218596560_cd3a305059.jpg[/img]

[Ghaleb]

7

[tel]

Always a good read-8

[Andrew G]

Agree with Terry, always enjoy reading the race reports. Definately "'cross" weather this weekend. Alart from the mud-plugging the wind must have been fun on any exposed sections.

[Sylv]

Well in the end I was DQ'd from the Brighton race cos I'd previously entered a national trophy race that day but then changed my plan at the last minute - you're not supposed to do that!

11 Nov - Milton Keynes Bowl.

I was offered to be part of the London team for the annual Inter-area champs. A good course but rendered treacherous by the recent rainfall. Lots of off-camber sections and corners. Did a practice half-lap a couple hours before our race and bike got covered in mud. I also caught a bit of race tape inside my brake lever on off-camber bit, which literally pulled the bike from under me a few meters ahead. Fell hard on the hip. Spent 1/2h then trying to clean the bike with water bucket/brushes - oh the glamour.

We had a team of 6 and I was in 4th line at the start with ahead of me Harry Franklin, Darren Barclay and Alex Paton. Behind me were Jack Finch and Ben Lewis, who was replacing someone who'd dropped out. Got crowded at the start with so many people ahead of me (about 6 rows of 3 riders). By now the course had dried up quite a bit but still had some nasty slippy sections - managed to come off twice at same place, no harm done. I caught up with Darren, hoping we'd work together, but he was not in a great day, and later had a good fight with Will Bjergfelt, but he pulled away towards the end.

Later on I was wheel in wheel with Ed Mc Parland for the last lap, I tried to outsprint him before the last slippy descent, but he wouldn't have any of that, so we carriered down it at the limit of control, both taking different lines and almost crashing into each other at the bottom hairpin. I was still behind, and coming towards the last 180 degree hairpin, onto the tarmac for a long sprint finish. Was hoping to get onto his wheel but just didn't have enough for it, and ended in 13th.

Harry got a brilliant 2nd place behind Lee Williams (pro mtber), and our team got a 2nd place too, with Alex in 10th and Darren 15th. Good race.

Pics British Cycling


[img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8487/8176351051_7bd857124d_c.jpg[/img]

Lee Williams pulling away from Harry

[img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8058/8176353601_1d04e9e6d9_c.jpg[/img]

Podium with my wooden leg


25 Nov - Gunpowder Park London League

Another mudfest. The park was waterlogged in part and this time I didn't have time to clean my bike after riding half a lap, as I'd got there with not much spare time and the car park being full, had to park in an estate half a mile away. Chain was making nasty crunching noise, not a good start. At least it was bright and warm enough to race in shorts and short finger gloves. Very windy yes but thankfully the sections which would have been into a headwind were quite sheltered. Got gridded first line and we got started by Mark. Struggled to find any traction straight away, spinning in the mudbog! Then onto short tarmac section jostling for position, before long straight mud slog, that was to become worse as it went.

Course is fast in the dry - last year I averaged 26.4km/h, with the first lap over 27. This time it was well under 18km/h, and there were a few sections that pretty much brought you to a halt. I got caught behind Jack Finch who'd had to dismount and lost a few places, then lost lots more as I was dabbing a foot out, bizarelly getting my leg caught between the front tire and the downtube - pretty painful! Worked hard to make up lost places then chased a trio of vIcIous riders riding in close formation, Kevin Andy and Paul. Caught them in the start/finish bog, and got away which felt good! Andy was chasing me down though.

I was now in 3rd with Darren and Denis Lysbid ahead. I'd passed Taylor Johnstone a little while back but all of a sudden he caught me up again, and we fought it out for half a lap. He then put on an attack which left me for dead - think he'd swapped bikes for a clean one, but this only couldn't explain the speed difference - he was on fire, and put almost 1"40 on me over the next 10 min or so. I slowed down a bit but not drastically, while around me people were walking, pushing broken bikes, or just giving up a lap early!

Taylor managed to catch and pass Lysbid and very nearly caught Darren, who won again just 9sec ahead, while I was 4th some 1"30 back from Lisbyd. Glad it was over as it was one of the toughest races in a long time, even though I'd been banking for a podium most of the race, but not looking forward to the couple hours at least it would take to get everything clean and ready again for the next race (ACC's promotion in Penshurst 2 Dec). Caught up with Rich afterwards, not sure where he finished yet but seemed to have enjoyed it, we discussed the benefit of a hard workout done and dusted in an hour which never leaves you cold even in dire conditions, as opposed to a road race which can be quite unpleasant in the cold/rain. Feels so good afterwards too!

Pics by Lambrini2010

[img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8486/8218615420_73301f37d9.jpg[/img]

There were rivers of mud, this is one of the more rideable ones

[img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8066/8217502229_198d91a4df.jpg[/img]

Darren finishing, with Taylor not far behind

[stamourp]

Excellent write ups as usual. In the circumstances - and with that prosthetic lower limb; those French doctors have an unorthodox approach to knee surgery - surely a great result.