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National XC Series Round 1: Sherwood Pines
Me and Harley were the only CCA riders at the first round of the national xc mtb series, we ventured down on the Saturday to check out the course.
========== Saturday ===========
We arrived on the saturday with mixed opinions on what today was going to be like. From other people's past experiences it was going to be a flat, un-technical course. After riding the course we decided that largely, it lived up to its reputation. However there was one climb where you had to ride a series of step ups which robbed your back wheel of traction, we both spent a while at this section of the course practising our lines so we don't make a mistake in the race . After doing several laps to get our lines right, we headed back to the travel lodge to attempt to get a good nights sleep ready for the next day.
========== Sunday ============
After waking up with next to no sleep, due to a few people at the hotel having a bit too much to drink, we headed back to Sherwood. The weather originally looked nice, but by this time it was starting to look grim, and as I tested my legs on the rollers I felt the first drop of rain. This was the first of many downpours to come that led to a horrendously muddy course! The youth races were the first of the day so our start was scheduled for 9am, but due to the clocks changing it felt like 8! I headed to the start to get gridded. I was gridded 36th out of 63 riders so I was right in the middle of the bunch. We were given 15 seconds to go and BANG! My feet clipped in immediately but unfortunately the riders in front didn't. This led to me having to switch to the inside line on the first corner, which meant I lost a lot of momentum that could of moved me up the field. Once the pace started to settle a group started to form, which included two other riders from the eastern region, but some attacks meant that the group dramatically narrowed down with just 4 racers riding together. We rode like this until a gap started to open when I attacked with another rider in order to drop the other riders in the group. This worked so the other racer and I rode together for the rest of the last lap which meant that we ended up in a sprint, which I lost. Overall I finished 39th, a result I was not particularly hoping for. But I am pleased with the way I had ridden especially considering my recent lack of fitness. Meanwhile my sister had just finished her race, narrowly achieving a top ten (Tenth), which is a good result for her first national!
========== Photos ============
The only A Line:
Harley after the race:
========== Saturday ===========
We arrived on the saturday with mixed opinions on what today was going to be like. From other people's past experiences it was going to be a flat, un-technical course. After riding the course we decided that largely, it lived up to its reputation. However there was one climb where you had to ride a series of step ups which robbed your back wheel of traction, we both spent a while at this section of the course practising our lines so we don't make a mistake in the race . After doing several laps to get our lines right, we headed back to the travel lodge to attempt to get a good nights sleep ready for the next day.
========== Sunday ============
After waking up with next to no sleep, due to a few people at the hotel having a bit too much to drink, we headed back to Sherwood. The weather originally looked nice, but by this time it was starting to look grim, and as I tested my legs on the rollers I felt the first drop of rain. This was the first of many downpours to come that led to a horrendously muddy course! The youth races were the first of the day so our start was scheduled for 9am, but due to the clocks changing it felt like 8! I headed to the start to get gridded. I was gridded 36th out of 63 riders so I was right in the middle of the bunch. We were given 15 seconds to go and BANG! My feet clipped in immediately but unfortunately the riders in front didn't. This led to me having to switch to the inside line on the first corner, which meant I lost a lot of momentum that could of moved me up the field. Once the pace started to settle a group started to form, which included two other riders from the eastern region, but some attacks meant that the group dramatically narrowed down with just 4 racers riding together. We rode like this until a gap started to open when I attacked with another rider in order to drop the other riders in the group. This worked so the other racer and I rode together for the rest of the last lap which meant that we ended up in a sprint, which I lost. Overall I finished 39th, a result I was not particularly hoping for. But I am pleased with the way I had ridden especially considering my recent lack of fitness. Meanwhile my sister had just finished her race, narrowly achieving a top ten (Tenth), which is a good result for her first national!
========== Photos ============
The only A Line:
Harley after the race:
Comments
Mark F