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Club CX Championship
Entries have opened for the Central League CX race on 15th January. I have entered the Senior Race at 2.15.
I don't think there's any need to get in quick but let's get as many CCA's racing as we can
Pete
I don't think there's any need to get in quick but let's get as many CCA's racing as we can
Pete
Comments
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/155966/Rockingham-Forest-Wheelers-Cross/Central-Cyclo-Cross-League-Round-13
app.lap.io/event/2017-central-cx-league-13/results?category=CCA
I am sure everyone will have there own stories. For me a broken mech (one of many I think) just after the pits so had nearly a full half lap running through the wooded section. This put paid to any hope I may have had but carried on because I wanted to finish. Dave and Tim lapped me just before the finish and looked to have had a very close race. Mark Wyer came in 3rd.
Best comment from Vince as we all started together - he just kept going on about how good everyone else's tyres were!!
Hopefully someone can post full results later but I'm off for a bath after 2 hours of cleaning bikes.
Hopefully get some pics up in due course.
2nd Tim D
3rd Mark W
4th Peter D
5th Daniel D
6th Stuart F
7th Vincent F
8th Martin L
9th Dan H
10th Richard L
11th Nick M
Keep the stories and photos coming.
The Corby course is excellent featuring off camber grassland and woods. The woods proved particular challenging as there were two run ups and a steep descent (or in my case ‘fall down’). I think I may have surprised Richard when I crashed out of the woods on the penultimate lap; or maybe amused him.
Mud build up was rapid and anyone with only one bike had a really hard time. The CCA pit crew was made up by Youth riders and Stevie who did an amazing job. With two brushes, a couple of buckets and a battery powered pressure washer. Great job guys - there was always a clean bike available. A special big thanks to Tom, Sam and Alfie.
Dave had done some great preparation work with the organisers and we were allowed to line up after the main race had departed so our start was equitable and fair. It is noteworthy that many of the CCA riders ended mid table in the main race despite starting a few minutes down on the main event.
Great to be in the same race as the V40 youngsters and great to see some of the occasional CX riders like Martin and Vince chance their luck.
Incredibly tough going negotiating the turns, especially when you turn your handlebars but the bike keeps on going in the previous direction. My technique and confidence at CX is low and the rest of the field were gone from me in half a lap. But, it was good to admire the skills of the others. This discipline is an art, and also an incredible aerobic effort.
The initial, fairly doable grassy bit, wound into the woods. The less confident you are, the more you ride on the edges of the rutted course. At the edges, the more your wheels pick up detritus and leaf muck, and the effort increases markedly. Without a spare bike or washer or boy with a big stick to clean your other bike in the pits, things just get tougher. Until your wheels refuse to turn further. Passing the pits, it was great to get cheered on by the weather-beaten CCA crews.
I had to stop and take huge handfuls of Corby gravel n' grime a lot in the first few laps. Less so latterly, as I got into the swing of things more and went through the centre lines. By then though, this was a lost cause, but a good workout and a way to build technique. The course was mostly tame; conditions aside. A lot of pushing and hauling in the second half of the lap - but more often winding and doable.
I was lapped by Tim, Dave, Mark, Peter and Daniel - who glided along and away from me - very impressive. It was great to see this was a proper battle. The notorious clogging gravel on the far side of the lap really worked its magic. Sure enough, on the last lap, my rear mech hanger had had enough and said goodbye with a light 'ping' sound on one of the steep climbs that was rideable. This turned out to be an interesting competitive moment, as I had to run to the finish line from there on in to claim any kind of placing.
I wasn't alone. At least Vince and Stuart lost their mechs too. I wondered where everyone in the senior race was, only to do the maths that that race probably lost 30% of its bikes too, to the conditions.
Party time and war stories after the race. There should be a good group pic on its way. Cheers for winner Dave and the others who rode so well in daft conditions. A quick catch up with everyone in the car park and then home down the A14 in the gloom, stopping off to watch Vince spend a fortune at the Godmanchester Shell's jet wash - blasting our bikes on the roof rack in the dark - only to realise his missus' car then looked like it had been dumped on by a dinosaur and have to clean that too.
Well done CC Ashwell for a good show.
I think my favourite race of the season. I always enjoy my battles with Dave, and despite having the lead a couple of times and despite Dave having a tumble on the last lap i knew once he got past me with half a lap to go i was in trouble, hes always got a good last half a lap in those legs!
Well done Dave, you and Tim must have been going at light speed as I didn't see either of you pass me. I thought Mark was in the lead when he came past me with Pete on his tail!
Great course, above my ability, excellent!
First race of year where cleaning the bike and kit took longer than 5 minutes. A strange year of cross indeed...
Tim was very strong, I thought he'd got away so many times but different strengths on different parts of the course always seemed to bring us back together. I had one last match to burn on that last lap which was the only thing separating us.
Martin is right CX is a bit of an art, especially in those conditions, and I've certainly learnt a fair amount of that at the Wednesday night sessions run by Mark, Tim and Jackie. Young or old, experienced or novice you will always improve your riding at those sessions so if you want to improve for next year sign up.
Hole Shot for Richard!!! That was not on his to do list!!!
i would say it looks like it was a lot of fun... but it doesnt.. it looks like it was an absolute nightmare, - well for all of that dont get the mud thing anyway.
Well done everyone