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Off-road racing results
Hi,
Stevie and I rode the Havoc on the Hill MTB race on the 20th September at Langdon Hills in Essex. This was the final round of the Eastern Region MTB League. It was a cracking course with plenty of climbing and great descents through the woods. There were a few crashes on the fast course including a broken leg. In a large field, I finished 50th overall and 21st Vet. Stevie was 87th overall and 4th Vet woman.
In the Eastern Region series overall, Stevie finished as 3rd Vet Woman, her first series trophy since winning the London Cyclo-Cross League a few years ago. I finished 10th overall in the Vets series.
The previous week, the cyclo-cross season kicked off at Sible Headingham. This is a popular course round a small farm with plenty of fast gravelly sections. In the new split format, I finished 10th in the non-elite Vets race. Stevie stoppped to assist a rider who had crashed so her final position as 7th placed woman was not a fair reflection of her efforts.
It's full on into the cyclo-cross season now so we won't see you much until after Christmas. I will probably skip the nationals this year and concentrate on a good placing in the regional series.
Mark.
Stevie and I rode the Havoc on the Hill MTB race on the 20th September at Langdon Hills in Essex. This was the final round of the Eastern Region MTB League. It was a cracking course with plenty of climbing and great descents through the woods. There were a few crashes on the fast course including a broken leg. In a large field, I finished 50th overall and 21st Vet. Stevie was 87th overall and 4th Vet woman.
In the Eastern Region series overall, Stevie finished as 3rd Vet Woman, her first series trophy since winning the London Cyclo-Cross League a few years ago. I finished 10th overall in the Vets series.
The previous week, the cyclo-cross season kicked off at Sible Headingham. This is a popular course round a small farm with plenty of fast gravelly sections. In the new split format, I finished 10th in the non-elite Vets race. Stevie stoppped to assist a rider who had crashed so her final position as 7th placed woman was not a fair reflection of her efforts.
It's full on into the cyclo-cross season now so we won't see you much until after Christmas. I will probably skip the nationals this year and concentrate on a good placing in the regional series.
Mark.
Comments
any ideas as to who was photographing the Baldock cyclo-cross race. haven't seen any postings on the web?
Regards,
Vincent
Hi,
Paul Douglas from Luton took photos at the CC Ashwell 'Cross.
Paul is happy for riders to see them at this address:
http://tinyurl.com/ybya342
Mark.
The third round of the Eastern League was on Sunday 4th October at Springfield Hall Park, Chelmsford. This was a very fast course with a couple of flights of wooden steps to run up. Despite being gridded at the front of the normal (mortal) Vets race, I started poorly and was well back in the pack. I worked hard to make up places, getting close to the top 10 before suffering for it on the last lap and losing 3 places for an eventual 14th place. Phil Keen has been struggling in 'cross this season and came in 32nd. I'm sure he will be back to form soon as he's going well on the road. Stevie came in 38th and 6th woman.
Last Saturday was round 4 at Stanborough Park, Welwyn Garden City, run by Welwyn Wheelers. I had a better start this time, around 10th place on lap 1. I made up a couple of places on the second lap and managed to hold on to them for 7th place and some prize money. Phil came in 22nd and Stevie was away on a course. In the Youth race, Josh Maynard succumbed to a puncture and sister Rebecca finished 14th and first girl in the Under 12s race. The main race was livened up by the visit of a Belgian team on their way to the National Trophy the next day at Derby, including the 40+ World Masters Champion.
David Nichols who won our Senior 'Cross race finished 17th in the National Trophy the following day and 4th Under 23.
Next Sunday's round is at Colchester. All details on www.easterncross.org.uk.
Mark.
Round 5 of the Eastern League was Sunday 18th October 09 at Hillyfields in Colchester promoted Amis-Velo RT. Conditions were still very good, being firm and dry and with a long looping start section - this meant a fast pace race was always likely. There were some great long and winding downhills through one of the two sections of trees which were a good test of my nerve and some short sharp hills to tackle both up and down on other parts of the course. I think Mark was a bit disappointed with his start but he still managed a very credible 12th. I finished 25th from 45 starters, being bit of an improvement on my previous races this year.
Round 6 (8th October 09) was promoted by Colchester Rovers at Mistley in Essex. The course is probably the most technical of the series and is laid out in some woods on the side of a hill more of a mountain bike course I think! The wet weather of the previous few days added to the fun with some challenging off camber corners, lethal tree roots and energy sapping uphills. Mark had a great race and finished 6th (which puts him up to 6th in the league overall). I managed a 23rd (quite pleased with that - 16th in the league) and Stevie was 37th and 5th woman (5th in the womens league). Having three riders meant we qualified for team points which now puts us 13th!!
As Mark has noted elsewhere the next race is Saturday 14th November at Redgrave near Diss a great course for anyone wanting to have their first go at cross see you there!!
Phil
Round 7 at Redgrave - despite the generally wet weekend our race was run off in the dry. I managed a good start for once and settled into about 7th place. I pushed hard to move up and was challenging for third when I slipped my chain changing down coming off the road onto a bumpy section. I lost about 5 places and spent the remander of the race trying to pull back what I had lost and was eventually 6th. Phil came in 22nd with improving form.
Round 8 at Davy Down near Thurrock (last Sunday) - once again our race missed the showers. Thie course was mainly flat grassland with a couple of flights of steps to run up and an uphill drag into a short woodland section. I had a steady start knowing that there would be plenty of opportunities to overtake. I gradually moved up and latched onto a group of 4 battling for third place. The group started to splinter so I put in an attack and got away on my own. One of the riders got back to me but I managed to pull away again. With the leading two riders well in front I just had to hold it together for the last two laps to gain third place. Stevie came in 36th and 5th woman.
Next Sunday is a great course at Hempton Common just south of Fakenham. It's a long way away but well worth it.
Mark.
This weekend (6th Dec 09) is the Regional Championships at Foxhall, Ipswich which looking at the pre entry start list has 85 riders in the vets & womens race!!
Round 10/South East and Eastern Regional Cyclo Cross Championships, Foxhall, Ipswich Sunday 6th Dec 09 With a combination of Juniors, Women, Vets and Elite Vets all racing together (set off at intervals) there were 70plus riders attacking a tough course which mixed long flat sections with twisty woodland terrain made slippery by days of rain. I had a very poor start the rider in front of me struggled to get his pedals and left me somewhat boxed in so I found myself far too near the back at the early bends and spent the first couple of laps gaining places which I just managed to hold on to and finished 33rd from 41 starters in the Elite Vets/Vets race (which included Konrad Manning from Rapha Condor). I didnt see Mark at all during the race (cos he was too far in front) and he finished 25th.
The next round is Sunday 20th December 09 at Ditchingham nr Bungay the course includes a classic continental style sand hill run up which is sure to attract the crowds!!! See you there!
Just to add Stevie's and my update. At Hempton Common I was feeling a bit jaded after a hard week. I spent the whole race chasing a group of two with an old friend Rob Smith on my wheel. He couldn't do any work and I couldn't close the gap on the two in front. I sprinted up the run up on the last lap and just closed the gap only for them to open tantalising day light again. In towards the finish I opened up a rather tired sprint only for Rob to come round me. 9th place which if I had been 10 seconds quicker would have been 6th place.
Poor Stevie was then injured whilst spectating. We were watching the senior race and she went to the aid of a fallen rider. The race leader (who I coach) then only saw her at the last second through the gloom and piled into her on the descent knocking her flying. The upshot is she will be out of action for a few weeks with an injured shoulder. The stricken rider was fine though!
At the Regional Champs I was going much better and ended up 4th out of riders in my usual league. I am now in 3rd in our league but may drop a couple of places as I have ridden the maximum number of counting events. Phil is in 17th but improving each race so has the opportunity to move up.
Mark.
Link to video of the Seniors race at Foxhall
http://www.eadt.co.uk/content/eadt/sport/cycling/story.aspx?brand=EADOnline&category=CyclingNews&tBrand=EADOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=IPED06%20Dec%202009%2018%3A53%3A14%3A767
Despite the snow, the classic Broome Heath race still went ahead last Sunday (20th Dec). The snow was thick on top of the normally sandy heath course. As the temperature never got above freezing the snow as powdery and never that slippery even when packed down. Being one of the first riders out checking the course, I had to create the tracks through the snow. Once the race got underway I never felt on top form and whilst I had the leaders in sight I could never close the gap to them. 7th in the end was a consistent result but I was disappointed as I have at some point this season beaten everyone who finished ahead of me.
Off to Footscray Meadows in south London now - usually a mudfest but a chance to catch up with old friends from south of the river.
Mark.
That was the last league race for the season Mark ended up 7th overall and I was 21st I dropped a few places by missing a couple of events over Christmas (poor excuse I know but .)
CCA has a team entered in the end of season Team Event on Sunday 31st Jan 10 at Maldon Mark, Stevie, Phil Adams and Me (with Vince in reserve) - any support would be welcome!! See you there!!
The seriously cold weather of the previous few days had frozen the ground in a number of places - the planned run up obstacle had to be taken out as it was frozen over and unrunnable - ice covered puddles and frozen rigid ruts all added to a great course that included a fast winding section through the woods with on camber berms that allowed you to attack the bends at top speed! very BMX!! - and two short bomb hole drops that were a good test of your braking skills.
I was placed on the 4th row of the starting grid which was higher than expected, Mark was on the row behind and Stevie and Phil further back I managed to get a good start and get round the first few bends without incident - the first descent through the bermed wooded section was too fast for a number of riders and it claimed several fallers. The group started to stretch out over the next couple of laps and as the course had three or four exposed flat sections I made a point of trying to draft as much as possible, which included for nearly a whole lap behind one of the top 10 national womens cross riders. During the middle laps I picked up a few places and remarkably still felt quite good. As the race progressed several sections, bends mostly, started to deteriorate and picking the right line was key I had two riders go down in front of me on the slippy bits but I managed to stay upright!
Individual final positions were; me 37th, Mark 48th, Phil A 55th (on his wifes bike with a dodgy saddle bracket and not very knobbly tyres), Stevie 69th with an overall team position of 16th out 20