A few of you, who’ve been reading my posts might have noticed that I’ve been taking a bit of time with my posts. I’ve been doing this because I enjoy thinking about my races retrospectively, it hopefully provides a bit of background knowledge for readers who fancy a go at ‘cross. I’m convinced that CX is an ideal pathway into competitive cycling and I’m keen to show it as a safe, affordable, accessible and friendly sport. What follows might concern someone thinking of having a go….please don’t let it put you off, it was just one of those days……...
Following last week’s weather, it was with growing trepidation that I contemplated racing in the National Trophy at South Shields on Sunday. The cancellation of my race the preceding weekend didn’t help as confidence is everything for CX. Frozen solid conditions are by the worst conditions for me, by far. It’s a good job that they only happen in about five percent of the races. Sliding on ice is instantaneous, uncontrollable and the stakes are high as mud becomes like concrete and ruts can spit you off catastrophically. To make it worse, the fast bits can be fast, virtually road race fast. I’m usually pretty robust about conditions and risk……but as an aging vet, I get recurring nightmares about breaking a hip on an icy corner.
On Thursday, joy of all joys, it dawned on me from speaking with Ted that the course we were to race on was being used for a CXNE league event on the Saturday afternoon. Hence after a couple of hundred riders had all done several laps on the course, the boggy parts would be rutted to hell, freeze solid and remain so for our 10.30am race. As I sat in the barbers waiting for a haircut late on Saturday afternoon, Ted rang with pre race intelligence and confirmed my worst fears by telling me that the course was boggy and rutted. Minus seven Celsius was forecast……..
Setting off well before dawn, Paul, the two girls and I, arrived at South Shields. A completely frozen course that had numerous corners, long sections of frozen ruts and to make matters worse was super fast. Thankfully, the tarmac finishing straight and ninety right had been salted but the rest was either polished frosty grass or what can be only described as a surface like corrugated iron.
After a couple of practice laps, I settled on a super soft front tub with a harder rear as there wasn’t anywhere on the course where traction was a problem. The front tub was soft that it was folding under the rim in slow tight turns unless I was gentle and swung wide. A cup of hot coffee, some super hot embrocation on and it was off to be gridded for the start. After Paul and I missing Southampton, there was little chance of being at the front of the grid. And so it came to pass, Paul on the back rank directly behind me shivering on the penultimate rank. BANG, we were off.
After my sixth place ride at CXNE at Durham, it was back to being an ‘also ran’ but I used what I’d learnt there…that is, not to blow myself to bits on the first lap but to let the race develop, recover (well sort of) and then start picking people off and jumping across to small groups. Forty minutes isn’t long but it’s a lifetime when a good start is lost through going slower and slower due to blowing up.
As we hurtled (yes, I think it was hurtling) on the fastest part of the course, I heard a gut wrenching bang from ahead and saw a rider had come to grief, big time. He’d clearly fallen foul of a frozen rut (probably Ted’s) and been spat off. I knew as we went past he was properly hurt as he was motionless and I could a medics and marshals running towards him. After a few moments soft pedalling, I gathered my thoughts, decided I couldn’t add to his care so got on with the job in hand. Trying to stay smooth, and remain technically tidy, I was able to just keep the pressure on and not take any risks on the horrible frozen, off camber corners. Slowly I worked my way through about twenty riders. With two laps to go, the leader of the over 50’s race caught me for a minute and without conscience, I got on his wheel and actually rode a really uneventful last two laps with him dropping me in the last half lap by bunny hopping across a couple of kerbs to get a gap. He must have learnt to do that riding a BMX in the 1980’s when I was busy watching Noel Edmonds Swap Shop.
Worryingly, the fallen rider was still on the ground 35mins after his crash with ever increasing numbers of medics and then paramedics as the laps passed. (To my great relief, I understand that as of yesterday he was ok but suffering with facial injuries).
Paul had a good solid race to finish 30th @ 5:44 on the same lap as the winner, which was some achievement at this level given his recent chest infection and month long break from racing. Best of all, he came back to the van smiling and stayed upright. He even scored points. Not bad for ‘I’m just going to cruise around’.
Yours truly, I finished 19th @3:33, half a lap down on the winner.
Best of all though was one of the mechanics from team Hargoves-Specialized with whom the following conversation took place.
“I don’t know what you boys are doing, but you must be doing it right”
“Why?”
“Those two” as he pointed behind out van ……………
Following last week’s weather, it was with growing trepidation that I contemplated racing in the National Trophy at South Shields on Sunday. The cancellation of my race the preceding weekend didn’t help as confidence is everything for CX. Frozen solid conditions are by the worst conditions for me, by far. It’s a good job that they only happen in about five percent of the races. Sliding on ice is instantaneous, uncontrollable and the stakes are high as mud becomes like concrete and ruts can spit you off catastrophically. To make it worse, the fast bits can be fast, virtually road race fast. I’m usually pretty robust about conditions and risk……but as an aging vet, I get recurring nightmares about breaking a hip on an icy corner.
On Thursday, joy of all joys, it dawned on me from speaking with Ted that the course we were to race on was being used for a CXNE league event on the Saturday afternoon. Hence after a couple of hundred riders had all done several laps on the course, the boggy parts would be rutted to hell, freeze solid and remain so for our 10.30am race. As I sat in the barbers waiting for a haircut late on Saturday afternoon, Ted rang with pre race intelligence and confirmed my worst fears by telling me that the course was boggy and rutted. Minus seven Celsius was forecast……..
Setting off well before dawn, Paul, the two girls and I, arrived at South Shields. A completely frozen course that had numerous corners, long sections of frozen ruts and to make matters worse was super fast. Thankfully, the tarmac finishing straight and ninety right had been salted but the rest was either polished frosty grass or what can be only described as a surface like corrugated iron.
After a couple of practice laps, I settled on a super soft front tub with a harder rear as there wasn’t anywhere on the course where traction was a problem. The front tub was soft that it was folding under the rim in slow tight turns unless I was gentle and swung wide. A cup of hot coffee, some super hot embrocation on and it was off to be gridded for the start. After Paul and I missing Southampton, there was little chance of being at the front of the grid. And so it came to pass, Paul on the back rank directly behind me shivering on the penultimate rank. BANG, we were off.
After my sixth place ride at CXNE at Durham, it was back to being an ‘also ran’ but I used what I’d learnt there…that is, not to blow myself to bits on the first lap but to let the race develop, recover (well sort of) and then start picking people off and jumping across to small groups. Forty minutes isn’t long but it’s a lifetime when a good start is lost through going slower and slower due to blowing up.
As we hurtled (yes, I think it was hurtling) on the fastest part of the course, I heard a gut wrenching bang from ahead and saw a rider had come to grief, big time. He’d clearly fallen foul of a frozen rut (probably Ted’s) and been spat off. I knew as we went past he was properly hurt as he was motionless and I could a medics and marshals running towards him. After a few moments soft pedalling, I gathered my thoughts, decided I couldn’t add to his care so got on with the job in hand. Trying to stay smooth, and remain technically tidy, I was able to just keep the pressure on and not take any risks on the horrible frozen, off camber corners. Slowly I worked my way through about twenty riders. With two laps to go, the leader of the over 50’s race caught me for a minute and without conscience, I got on his wheel and actually rode a really uneventful last two laps with him dropping me in the last half lap by bunny hopping across a couple of kerbs to get a gap. He must have learnt to do that riding a BMX in the 1980’s when I was busy watching Noel Edmonds Swap Shop.
Worryingly, the fallen rider was still on the ground 35mins after his crash with ever increasing numbers of medics and then paramedics as the laps passed. (To my great relief, I understand that as of yesterday he was ok but suffering with facial injuries).
Paul had a good solid race to finish 30th @ 5:44 on the same lap as the winner, which was some achievement at this level given his recent chest infection and month long break from racing. Best of all, he came back to the van smiling and stayed upright. He even scored points. Not bad for ‘I’m just going to cruise around’.
Yours truly, I finished 19th @3:33, half a lap down on the winner.
Best of all though was one of the mechanics from team Hargoves-Specialized with whom the following conversation took place.
“I don’t know what you boys are doing, but you must be doing it right”
“Why?”
“Those two” as he pointed behind out van ……………
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