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Did Ulverston too, my one CX venture of the year. The memory of the pain has subsided sufficiently for me say I enjoyed it. Lost 2.5 mins unjamming a chain but it made no real difference to standings, slipped back a lot from last year fitness wise, which is weird cos I've ridden more, was next to last man on the course in V40 😳 and 61 out of 66. Rubbish. Great day put on by BCW.
@Hob_Nob - pleased i didnt race it then, Sunday morning I was thinking I should even though the bike already had filetreads on for Pembrey. I've liked all the western league races I've done; but the parking at Lockleaze is a real pain which probably adds to the 'grass roots' feel
@twinklydave - and Matt's photos don't show how exposed it is to the wind 🙂 some weather forecasts have it very windy which is going to make things interesting; both from a tactics point of view and simply not getting blown back down the run-up!
Got to say the photos have really whet my appetite, on Sunday i had convinced myself I had made a huge mistake entering and should DNS, saw his posts on Monday and enthuiasm went into overdrive 🙂 Also in his vid. he says 7.5 minute laps meaning around 6 minutes for the 80% rule so I'm hoping I'll get 3 laps before being pulled
The Wessex course yesterday was pretty awesome, lots of fun techy wooded sections and lumpy/bumpy/rutted MX course out in the open!
Did eject my saddle on the final lap so swapped to the the SS monstercross in the pits but otherwise a great race! Legs very achy this morning but I guess that means I went 100%.
Found the saddle afterwards but now on the hunt for a new cradle as that is presumed lost in the mud forever! (anyone got a spare to sell?)
I had great fun at the National Trophy at Pembrey yesterday. I thought it was a cracking course and great fun to ride, primarily a power course with technicality largely coming from the number of on and off the bikes required at high speed. Lots of rainfor the vets the day before and forecast rain on the sunday meant I covered myself in sealant being indecisve and changing tyres too many times but settled on an intermediate front, file rear which seemed about perfect. I was expecting to come last and worried I'd only get 2 laps before being pulled. As it was I completed 3 laps before the 80% kicked in an I wasnt quite last so I was pleased with that. Just hit my target of £1 per minute racing (£26 entry fee, just over 25.5 minutes so I rounded up 🙂 ). I also managed to ride the sand hill until just before the top on my last lap when I had a clean run at it which i was pleased with.
Really enjoyed the experiance and I'd definitely enter again if Pembrey has an NT next year... or if there were other NT races relitvely close to home. I need to find 20s a lap to miss the 80% for one more lap! I didnt warm up enough as my legs were feeling like they were getting good by the 3rd lap. In general it was a bit of a shock to the system having not raced for a month, but I did feel like my legs were (relitvely speaking) in good shape so hoping I can have a decent-for-me showing in the regional champs in a couple of weeks.
Welsh league cancellation so will make a trip over the border for the Western League next weekend. Anyone raced at Oldbury Court before? I'm assuming it will be a mud fest!
A mate of mine did his first CX race a couple of weeks back and now wants to enter more. I've stupidly suggested a local league race near the end of January and said I'd also enter.
How the hell do I improve my fitness between now and then so I don't completely embarrass myself?
I'm not horrendously unfit, I commute 35 miles a couple of times a week when I can but I've not raced an MTB in about four years and last raced CX (badly) about five years ago.
Help!
Three things I would do.
1) practise skills* - it's more fun than getting fitter and will have a bigger impact on enjoyment IMO (and probably placement).
2) Depending on the venue by the end of Jan you can expect some running so do some short runs so its not a total shock if you dont already run occaisionally.
3) Do some standing start sprints.
*skills such as getting on and off bike, offcambers, tight corners and riding in mud
Thanks for that.
I'll try and get some running and skills practice in as well as a few interval sessions. Annoyingly I'm currently suffering with man flu so the training will have to start next week 😂
Good to get a NT race under the belt Ferrals - the 80% rule sounds unforgiving but gives something to aim for next year. Guess you'd want to be hitting a race like that with absolute peak legs but it's hard to plan with gaps in the race calendar, get the odd cold etc - just have to take the cross season as it comes I reckon.
I've had a couple of weeks off the bike with a cold but back on now and will race the N Wales event at the weekend - just outside Chester. Ideally go steady to get back into the swing of things, but once the whistle goes steady isn't really a thing in cross 🙂
Anyone raced at Oldbury Court before? I’m assuming it will be a mud fest!
It's been pretty muddy in places in the past and no doubt it will be this year, but it's never been unrideably muddy. It's mostly open, draggy (nothing steep) parkland, with a couple of stream crossings.
@Garry_Lager - i don't really have issue with the 80% rule, it meant I went harder than I normally would and pushed everywhere I could. Good to be forced to approach a race differently and to be honest it was a relief to be pulled after 20 minutes in the red 🤣. Standard was amazing, different level completely. Well worth doing.
@hoopyfrood - cheers, looking forward to it. Though little one is sick so I'm hoping she recovers and I don't get it or I may not be racing after all.
They didn’t 80% the V40 the day before, which I was glad of.
Are you coming down to race the Welsh champs @Garry_Lager ?
North or England Champs for me, Shedbrewed, weekend after next. In Towneley park in Burnley.
North or England Champs for me, Shedbrewed, weekend after next. In Towneley park in Burnley.
Still umming and arring about this one. It's just round the corner but I may be getting roped into some DIY! I also need to redeem myself after Ulvertons shambolic performance!
Good day out in Bristol- seemed like half the Welsh league had the same idea. I see what hoopyfrood meant about draggy - even had to pedal on the downs. The wooded stuff was great fun. Not too muddy, but bad enough that my mech stopped shifting with 1/4 a lap to go. luckily it didn't snap. Good result for me in the top 10.
Looking forward to the Welsh champs now, looks like the course is going to be a cracker!
Hawarden course was good yesterday in the N Wales league, quite picturesque weaving through the hedgerows in the grounds of the castle - admittedly hard to appreciate this when one is breathing out of one's hoop for 60 mintues.
Mud had dried a little so course was a bike killer, but my drivetrain kept rolling through huge amount of accumulated mud - was kilos heavier by the end. I wonder if the clutch mech actually makes a difference here? Not raced for a few weeks so was gasping a bit early on, but overall happy with the effort.
Does anyone else find the second lap to be the hardest part of a cross race? It's like a transition point where mentally you're not sure how things are going, and physically are trying to recover from a hard first lap. Definitely an area to work on for me.
I’m feeling a bit sore this morning after yesterday‘s race in Wittenberg in Germany. Got to start on the second row next to a good riding buddy of mine. In the Start sprint he nudged me offline into the deeper sand and my front wheel started squirming in the sand and clipped the rear wheel of the rider on my other side and down I went with thirty other riders ploughing into the back of me. Fortunately nothing serious to me or bike so brushed myself off, quick check of the bike and chased after the fast disappearing field. Managed to fight my way through but clearly I’m no Van der Poel but still finished 8th. My knee was bleeding during the race a bit but now it’s my shoulder and ribs that hurt from the crash. Next week is the last race in the other regional race series which by some quirk of fate I am actually leading on points even though I haven’t managed a podium once this season. Consistency counts 🙂.
Oh! And if anyone is interested here is a little edit of last week’s race in Dresden. Basically riding up and down a big steep earth mound. Lots of tricky off camber stuff to negotiate. I’m in this vid a few times. Green bike/pink socks.
Cheers @shedbrewed
@Garry_Lager - I find it jsut depends on how the race strings out, its that point when you realise the guys in front have too big a gap and there's no-one directly behind you that I find the pain really sets in! If i'm in a bunch then concentration/fear of loosing places means the pain doesnt seem so bad. Sundays HR trace was a funny one, there was a clear drop to 10 beats below threshold after 3 1/2 laps when I lost the wheel of someone, and then it ramps up again for the rest of the race when I decided to jump on the wheel of a passing fast moving vet from the wave 1 minute behind 🙂
So regional champs weekend. Who's racing where? Any goals? Even though I'll never be anywhere near the podium the champs always seem to have a bit more significance than a league race.. I guess its double BC points if nothing else!
The Welsh champs are at Gilwern, I've only raced there once in a small local race, but really enjoyed the mix of open field and wooded stuff. That time I had a cracking contest with another rider where we were switching positions depending on strengths around the lap and it came down to me messing up the penultimate corner that decided that particular battle. I'm just hoping for racing as tight as that on Sunday. Don't have any goals to speak of, legs are feeling good so it would be nice to think I could try and beat one of they guys who have been regularly in front of me in the league this season but can't see it happening.
Definitely taking a spare bike, currently trying to line up some pit help and access to a jet-washer! Can you remember if there are taps there.. I think there is?
I'll be mixing it with the Men of the North at Towneley Park. Raced there last year and thought it was OK, but it was a harsh day weather wise, so perhaps I'll see it in a different light at the weekend. Main field was heavy but rideable last year IIRC, so hoping for that - not in the mood for a footrace.
The course also has a hill, which is bad news for me, but it's on a good gravel path which helps measure the effort.
No real goals as I have a limited frame of reference - Did the champs last year at Bradford and was miles down the field, albeit with a lap on the rim of a flat tubeless tyre. So I'll take anything better than that I guess.
Well that was an emotional clart fest to round off the Welsh Cx League and champs.
One of the, if not the toughest course of the league calendar for me. It felt like 30% of it was shouldering the bike through thick uphill mud.
After an unusually crap start I had a pretty good race. First time with a spare bike and it was great to be able to drop the heavy mud-clogged Boone off and jump on the freshly built Crockett for a lap and half before swapping back. I found the terreno wet tyres gripped better than the limus tubulars. I don’t know how I feel about that but they were definitely getting me through the slop.
Had a fun little tete a tete with @ferrals towards the end. He didn’t look happy.
Almost stayed in front of my mate but it was his birthday so only fitting he came back through, pesky ex-runner.
Not sure on place but think inside top 20.
To give an idea of how tough it was we were racing for an hour and my Garmin recorded 50 minutes of moving time (above 3mph).
Yeah not a good day for me @shedbrewed. Can't really work out why, legs had been feeling good all week and in practice I was feeling fresh and liked the course, could ride most of the woods, but it didn't come together for the race. Think I sat up a bit after finding myself in no mans land a couple of laps in. A self releasing boa dial didn't help, had to stop twice to get it tightened.
After the rain/hail before the start made it slippery before our race I think it became the hardest course I remember racing.
Pretty gutted, had half been thinking to call it a season after the champs but don't really want to end on a low after a generally good season so will stick with original plan for a western league race or two in the new year.
Top 20 sounds an excellent result @shedbrewed, well done.
Hard to describe the N of England champs so I'll settle for different. Don't think I'm exaggerating to say we ran 80% of the course. In terms of time it might have been 90%+, total quagmire, blokes shouldering their bike on the start line.
Started at the back and a circuit of the main field had me in the back ten going into the climb, I'm normally pretty good with the head in a race but have to say this was disheartening, miles behind and a prospect of a 5k run through a swamp to look forward to. But I pulled myself together and tried to make the best of it, got into a few battles and made a race of it. Ended up 34th out of 56 starters, which I'm pretty pleased with tbh given the conditions.
The race was hard AF, but in a different way to a normal cross. Prob said before but I like short sharp runs in cross, but proper sustained running is not my game at all. Legs were in legit pain by the end, no way could I have got round another lap.
@Garry_Lager cheers; results in and 14th. I’m pleased enough with that. I’ve seen some insta pics from Towneley park. **** that. I’ve raced in similar slop a few years back at Caerphilly Mountain Ranch and it was horrendous even on a singlespeed. Well done for sticking it.
@ferrals I was surprised to see you to be honest, figured it wasn’t working for you. Apologies for almost collecting you on that Fed descent; in my defence I was descending on the RHS and you were on the left until you weren’t 😄 There were some cheeky dimples on that part.
So finished the last race of the season and the last race of the series. I was the series leader overall on account of being consistently top 5. Our race was delayed and so I missed my roll call at the front row as I was trying to keep warm by riding around. So under the typical German bureaucracy I had to start right at the back. On top of that I had a rear puncture at the start of the second lap so had to change my wheel. Still managed to battle through the field of what was a super technical course in Chemnitz and finished 7th which meant I had enough for 2nd place overall. So I have another tacky trophy to put on the mantle piece 😉.
Well done G_L - I saw you were decently up the results considering the conditions. Junior wanted to race so Mrs wasn't given the option to sack it off. She likes running, just not with a bike. Looking at results, I don't think I've ever seen so many people that entered and didn't race.
I happily did diy in readiness for plasterers on Tuesday 🙂
Nw Champs. I've never run (jogged) so far in a cross race before! Looked across on the start line at the two Robs (Jebb and Hope) and thought "Wonder which one will get it"! No-one else stood a chance in those conditions.
(Jebb got it).
The idea of the course was great (and in super wet conditions last year it was still quite rideable) but today it was just a run. The only rideable bits were the gravel climb through the woods, a couple of sections of the descent (because you were pointing downwards!) and 3/4s of the straight at the bottom of the main field (though speed wise there was little difference to carrying on jogging). And that was with the course being drastically shortened by the (seriously hard working!) organisers.
Everyone that fought on through that deserves some sort of "double hard b*stard" medal 🙂
Really, really hoping York is more rideable next weekend!
@Garry_Lager sounds pretty brutal. Agree short sharp runs are msuch more palatable than long jogs. Sounds like you did well in the conditions.
16th senior for me, which sounds ok but there were only twenty starters.
In general it seems this year the guys I used to race against have got faster (or I,ve got slower!) and the field sizes have dropped a fair bit so fewer mid-pack and tail-Enders racing. Means I've not had as many close races as in the past. Had better racing when I've gone to other leagues.
G
Really need to up my training but am really struggling for time with work and a toddler. Also being a bad workman, I'm getting fed up with my tools. The ultegra RX rear mech seems to refuse to shift down the block when there is the slightest bit of mud, I re-cabled two weeks ago so think it is the mech itself. Also getting frustrated with my frame, finding the focus mares frame is clogging up a lot and realised I actually prefer the steeper head angle of my pit bike. Unfortunately as the bike is still no the paid off yet there is no way I'm changing it!
@ferrals I had similar with the refusal to down shift at the muddy Tredegar round. Found a clod of mud in the shifter causing the issue.
After recabling with an outer the whole run.
I get your work/toddler scenario and have similar. Flexi time has helped me a lot; being able to start and finish early.
Stick at it.
CHeers Thom, am hatching a plan to buy a power meter to improve training quality for what time I have!
The shifting is weird, I was having half lap changes so should ahve been ok, coming out of the pits onto the grass straight it was shifting down fine, but by the time I'd got through the woods, remounting after the run-up onto the road it wouldnt shift down... every bloody lap! it seems to be as soon as the jockey wheels are clogged the shifting fails, but that doesnt make sense to me.
I've just bolted an RX mech to the bike I'm building for next season once my back repairs itself.
Wondered if I would be better just running a cheaper 105 mech for races, would that work with a narrow wide chainring or would I need a guide as well?
Re: pedals, I was using Time Atacs for the last two seasons but see most people run Shimano. Are Shimano pretty clog proof then?
In the family we've got two people running Ultegra RX and one on GRX. Constantly foul conditions and no pitting or bike changes with no problems at all. The change to RX was because of repeated chain drops on certain bumpy courses with NW, front guide and std road rear mechs. No chain drops at all in the year since swapping to clutch and ditching the front guide.
Great, was worried also about the cost of replacing RX if I ripped it off but touch wood this has never happened to me so far...
I was one of the non-starters yesterday up at Townley Park, it wasn't the conditions that put me off, I've contracted the seasonal child borne winter disease that's circulating our house at the moment and thought it wise not to race, decision was made on the way there. The programme for the day was set when the U16 girls race was shortened to 2 laps due to the conditions and they only got worse from there on in.
So I spent the day pitting for the rest of our team that was racing / running the course, so a different day for me.
One of our ladies was 2nd in V40, she happens to be a former fell runner and top level off-road du-athlete in a race that was won by another (apparent) fell runner type.
Big respect to those who finished yesterday, I was frankly amazed how fast the Rob's were with a bike attached to their shoulders.
@mick_r agreed the clutch really hleps with bumpy courses. If you guys have had no shifting issues with the mech I'll have to have another look at my set-up. I guess something might be sticking in the shifter itself or maybe I need to tweak the cable routing to reduce friction as much as possible as shifitng with increasing cable pull is fine, but with mud the shift when cable should be pulled back with the mech spring just isnt happening. Seems a consistent issue too.
Thinking about it, I have had sticky rear STI shifter issues with the lad's road bike (11spd 105). He managed to snap the cable where it bends inside the ratchet mechanism. Had lots of issues after that which were a few tiny strands jamming it up preventing it ratcheting / releasing properly.
I had to strip the lever down to get it cleared out and working again. By some miracle it worked after rebuild 🙂 The ratchet internals are very very lightly spring loaded and don't work if gummed up or anything is in the way. I think the rubber of the hood can also occasionally jam it. So maybe it is a shifter issue?
Thanks Mick. My shifters are also 105, I would be shocked if they arent half full of mud! I will try stripping down the shifter - was it a pain to do? Sometihng to look at on youtube and try over chrsitmas!
Yes and YouTube was no help....
In your case will probably get away with removing all the plastic covers and flushing out / lubing with a very light oil (I had a few wire strands buried in there so had to pull apart). Also on first rebuild had an undersized cable nipple that didn't stay put and would jam things up (so only use Shimano inner cable).
Anyone manage to get a podium? Got meself a gong in the SE England champs at Cyclopark in Kent.
After three bronzes in the V50s I finally struck 'gold' in the V60s. OK the field was rather sparse and it might not have been a good idea to beat my club chairman but it was a good day nonetheless. :0)
Well done plop-pants.
Good work Plop-pants, well done.
Thanks @Mick_r I'll give that a crack and hopefully it will be ok. I had another look last high and I am pretty sure it is something in the shifter end as if I push the mech up with my hand and then release it shifts down instantly and all the cable goes back up housing quickly, but if I use the shifter it is still sticking, even when clean.
Don't know about you @shedbrewed but my legs are in agony today after all that running. Also developed a stinking cold yesterday arvo whcih probably explains why Sunday wasnt as good as I'd been hoping.
Probably worth a new cable whilst you have the shifter off. I can't remember when we last (ever?) broke a cable in the shifter so maybe there is a tight bend in there that makes them prone.
I was convinced that we'd broken one of the pawl return springs because it was so weak / floppy causing the malfunction. But once cleaned out it worked properly again.
@ferrals yup legs definitely complaining but all done now. Time to get prepped for Audax season 👍
Good race in the N Wales league yesterday at Ros on Sea in Colwyn Bay. One of the harder courses I've done this season - one side of it snaked up and down a steepish bank, 5 run ups in close succession followed by a 6th once the ride out got too muddy. Definitely asked some questions but managed to stay positive by looking at the agony etched in the faces of my competitors 🙂
Felt decent and had some good battles, but dropped a few places with a jammed chain - everyone's in the same boat there though, trying to nurse the drivetrain round in these races given the winter we're having. Been coming 11-15th in these races so expect similar when the results are out.
Legs are starting to properly complain now with the CX running - both ankles and a calf sore this morning. How do other people find it? Resolve to do more jogging next year to condition the legs, although being a teeny tiny bit overweight is prob the root cause.
First season of the NW I did must have been a very dry winter (about 4 or 5 years back) - reckon I ran 100 yards tops all season. I remember looking at the pits and not understanding what the point of them was, why are people bringing two bikes?
I watched a video of the north of england cahmps over the weekend and thoguht of you 🙂
I also struggle with the running. I'm planning on running once a week from now on. I also think working on flexibility and the supproting muscles probably helps - my back and knees hurt when I run which I'm sure is glute related. I probably need to chuck in some running up steep hills with the bike on my shoulder too.
I saw that vid - guy did a great job at capturing the atmosphere.
I do try and go out and run 20 or 30 min steady once a week in season, but have struggled this time with niggling aches and pains, and haven't wanted to push it in case it affects the cycling. Think I need to make it a normal thing year round and patiently work through any issues ahead of the season starting.
Interesting chat re: running, I am not one of nature's runners, but have the whole year to prepare for next season so am thinking of starting running as soon as doctor allows (recovering from lower back surgery) with a gentle half hour off road run every week. 8 weeks out I'd start with some CX specific running as per this link
https://fascatcoaching.com/tips/cyclocross-running/
Different question: can anyone compare running Limus Open tubulars with latex tubes vs. Limus TLR?
I like the suppleness of open tubulars with latex tubes, but wonder if I would benefit from the lower pressures of tubeless. Have seen pals suffer blowouts etc. with tubeless so wonder what a practical lower pressure limit is for my svelte 85kg...
I ran 23psi yesterday in limus TLR, at 100 kg. Standard for me in muddy conditions - been amazed at tubeless reliability tbh - only had a single problem in prob 30 races and that was caused by a badly dinged rim.
Tubes just sound like a non-starter for a heavier rider (I mean given the choice, we prob all started on tubes). You'd prob need 30psi plus which is a huge disadvantage in heavy conditions regardless of how supple the sidewall is.
Wow, awesome.
You're bang on, I run 40psi minimum, and can rim the wheel quite easily e.g. bunnyhopping on tarmac to try and shed mud.
What wheels do you have? I'll be running pacenti rims probably which I hear are pretty good tubeless.
I was on Stans grail which were great for tubeless but got dinged to hell in one season. Now on a set of Hunts 4 season and they've been trouble-free, and seem more dent-resistant. Certainly the rim must be critical as plenty of folk report problems with burping etc.
I do run a set of tubs as well, but need to be a bit more careful as I've punctured a few in my time (painful on the wallet). The courses in the N Wales league tend to be more mixed terrain so I don't like to risk them there.
Yeah, I assume burping relates to how tight the fit is and how wide the rim is. The Pacenti rims are as wide as I could find for a clincher road rim, same width as Grails apparently (20mm) so that's good. I wonder if taller rim brake sidewalls are a good or a bad thing, you'd think good, bead needs to lift further before it can burp.
I feel like I've seen more issues at races with tubs than tubeless; whether punctures or rolled tubs.
Personally, I have not had any issues tubeless but I am quite light.
@shedbrewed told me he thought tubeless vittoria wets had more grip than Limus tubulars, but as this was mid-mud-race I have no idea if he was just trying to confuse me 🙂
Nope I wasn’t messing around with you @ferrals I genuinely found the terreno wet tyre run tubeless to have more grip in that mud that the limus/baby limus tubulars on my spare bike. I’m no lightweight at 85kg and run pressure at around 30psi. The tubulars had more feel in them; I could get what the ground underneath was doing; mostly slipping and slopping, whereas the tubeless tyres were stiffer but they were both still dinging at the same points around the course.
An interesting choice of course for the under 8's in Cheshire this morning! @Steve_b77, my wife said Tommy wasn't so well after the race is he OK?
An interesting choice of course for the under 8’s in Cheshire this morning! @Steve_b77, my wife said Tommy wasn’t so well after the race is he OK?
Just a bit, although he loved it and wasn't happy they didn't get to do another lap!!
Yeah he's fine now, it wasn't bike related. He hooked a bungee chord round a branch and walked backwards to see how far it would stretch, unfortunately it stretched rather a lot and then pinged off the branch and into his head just above his eye!
The first aid chaps did a sterling job in sorting him out and having him under observation for a bit, he's gonna have a corker of a black eye for his return to school on Monday 🤣🤣
@BenjiM Hi, I was the organiser at Tabley yesterday, I hope the under 8's gained valuable experience for longer races when they move up an age group. 😀
I was walking back from the sign-on after sorting out another little problem, and thought, I wonder if anyone thought to alter that gate? Just in time to see them on the zig-zags in the distance. 🤔
@steve_b77 glad your lad wasn't badly hurt, didn't realise it was self inflicted, the story I got from the medic was it pinged off while loading a car.
He's fine now, just a lovely black eye in the making. Thanks
@tthew Thanks for organising yesterday's racing. A longer course is great for those kids who are a bit more advanced and ready to move up, but seriously off putting to the younger kids whose first race it might be and they only manage to get one lap in. I may have missed them but I didn't see any course plans anywhere either? This might have saved the extended loop for the ones with little legs as someone might have noticed sooner. Just a thought 🙂
@steve_b77 Good to hear and he had a great race again! Big wheels doing well 😉
Thanks for organising yesterday @tthew, a considerable undetaking and a new venue always brings some uncertainties. I was marshalling so will have said hello.
Did the last race for some exercise - track like that should be right up my street but it certainly didn't feel that way. Tests your focus.
Will you use the showgrounds again? I would prefer that then doing Blakemere twice, but most people seem to like Blakemere AFAICT.
Sorry to miss you boys in the last couple of races. Got ill before Christmas and just got a bit jaded / loss of interest after a long season. Alison similar but more that Burnley crushed all motivation, so finally get rid of the trophy we've had to dust for the last 4 years 🙂
Hell we even went for a much needed family mtb around Rivvy! (which was absolutely rammed low down with walkers and dogs - busier than summer)
Will you do Rossendale mick? New course must be worth a gander, and can't be far from you?
I have an entry for the Nat champs next week in Shrewesbury - surprised to get a place tbh. The lanterne rouge is a real possibility but looking forward to it all the same.
Good luck with Shrewsbury if it is wet - our one experience was a swamp by first thing Saturday and only getting worse after that 🙂
I should really pull my finger out for the last race. Rossendale has a reputation as a mudfest for xc running so can't imagine it will be any different on a bike. Salford was good singlespeed last year (just the radiator frame, tyres and vee brakes that didn't work) so could be tempted to try a new setup.
Will you use the showgrounds again? I would prefer that then doing Blakemere twice, but most people seem to like Blakemere AFAICT
I'm handing my organisers hat over next year, but it's a possibility as the move from Blakemere for us was enforced, not by choice. The owners were concerned about the field getting seriously muddy and taking too long to recover. Don't know if this will affect Cudd Cross, but one of the organisers of that is mates with the owner, so he may get a bit more accommodation. Delamere Forest is a venue I'd considered, but they turned us down because of the building of a new visitor centre, but that should be finished by next year so again a possibility.
I may have missed them but I didn’t see any course plans anywhere either? This might have saved the extended loop for the ones with little legs as someone might have noticed sooner.
Publishing the course wouldn't have made a lot of difference, we just forgot to alter the end of the loop to stop them exiting onto the field! I hope it didn't put any of the young racers off, they all looked pretty determined to finish.
Good luck at Shrewsbury @Garry_Lager - does anyone know if the nat champs are being televised this year like they have in the past?
I raced Western League yesterday after a few weeks of overindulgence, although the gluttony didnt seem to affect racing that much. Had a cracking day out on a really fun course in the cotswolds, a bit greasy to start becomming very slippery when a misty rain started to fall. Increasingly I'm of the opinion that racing other leagues is the best way to have fun, with no pressure to match past results its nice jut to race whats in front of you. Not gridded but a wide start line meant a second row (last row) start, didnt have a great start but picked quite a few people off and was in a nice postion towards the end of the first lap, before sliding out one corner after a drop, getting my chain badly jammed and loosing all the ground I'd made up. Kept things steady and slowly overtook a few people again, was starting to get into a groove and speed up towards the last quarter of the race untiln my mech got too clogged and was stuck in the easiest gear. Luckily it didnt snap and I nursed it to the pits to grab my spare bike for the last half lap.
Don't think i can make the mid-jan western league race so one more race for me now at the start of feb and that will be it for the season.
does anyone know if the nat champs are being televised this year like they have in the past?
Seems like the answer is no 🙁
https://twitter.com/VeloUK/status/1214450493868650497
Is the lack of TV coverage due to BC not trying to sort of the broadcast rights or a lack of broadcasters being interested in televising it?
Either way it's a real shame and a backward step after it being on the BBC (albeit on the red button) in previous years.
On a cheerier note, woo hoo, National Champs this weekend 🙂
No TV/streaming for a national Champs is pretty poor. What are BC doing with our money? Other countries seem to manage. Not fit for purpose. Shambles....
When my membership is up, I'm not renewing.... and switching to Cycling UK.
Shrewsbury was good today in the vets - not done a national course before but thought it was a good mix of challenging stuff and open straights over different terrain. Some testing off-camber, a substantial bridge (with massive steps that I crashed hard on) and plenty of short dismount sections - but overall the course seemed to hold up reasonably well and there were no really sustained running sections.
Was gridded 99 out of 101 blokes and going over the start/finish line on the opening straight I was literally DFL, so excellent scope for improving one's position 🙂 Managed to make up a few places (not seen the results out yet) and had a good battle with another rider for most of the course, so overall was pretty happy with it.
Staying with family not too far away so will go down to spectate the senior races tomorrow. The rain has come in (but is due to clear tomorrow afternoon) so course may deteriorate a fair bit.
Nice one G_L. Course looks in much better state than the year we went so should be some good racing on Sunday. How did TD do? Also some other NW folks getting wins / podiums.
Very poor there was no race coverage for nationals. Will have to check out Trinity Racing's vid on youtube...
We were down there on both days, pitting in the V40 mens & ladies races and the U16 girls race, which was good fun and a great experience for Tommy, plus he got to meet his hero, Mr. Pidcock.
On Sunday we were spectators on a massively different course and saw some excellent racing.
Well, Shrewsbury reminded me just how much the phrase CROSS IS BOSS is accurate 🙂
Mainly due to the community spirit through which the whole thing survives - from friends pitting for each other all weekend to the organising club and all their heroic volunteers who got very little (nothing? certainly not a lot...) for their effort from the governing body. I won't turn this into a rant/grump about any of that, because it shows just how well people who love the sport can do and it put a smile on my face for the whole weekend 🙂
The racing was ace too. They've had practice running big races at that location and it showed - the course design was suitably "tricky even though it didn't look like it should be" to reward the best riders while still offering plenty of opportunity to race closely.
Very much glad the V40s were on the Saturday when the course was still...well, green in places! The steps on that bridge were hilarious, I don't know how some of the smaller juniors got up them at all!
I noticed the Belgian champs course went right out to sea along a pontoon...maybe next year the UK could find somewhere coastal and have the race go along a pier or something 🤣
They’ve had practice running big races at that location and it showed
i read that as 'They've had big running races at that location and it showed' 🙂
The videos and photos make it look epic. In a couple of years when I'm a Vet and no longer bound by the 80% rule I'm definitely planning on a riding a few more national events as all the courses have looked so good.
The Belgian course looked amazing. Good racing too.
The 80% rule was harsh on Sunday when a world level pro shows up to race - fair to say the field got stretched out. Lads down the field who would be considered strong at an amateur level only getting three laps in.
I fancy trying some trophy races next season - good courses, different atmosphere. I just need to work on the gridding a little bit 😉 Ten rows back with barriers - it didn't feel like the start of a regional race where you can ride through half the field, or take a canny line by the bushes.
I heard an interview with TP afterwards and his goal had been to lap everyone but the top ten and he was a bit disappointed he'd not managed that!
I'm hoping there is something at Pembrey again next season since its close enough its worth racing even being pulled after 3 laps. Guess they will announce next seasons dates in the next couple of weeks.
The 80% rule was harsh on Sunday when a world level pro shows up to race
Even with it in place we pulled out some riders who were properly lapped - going from 70-75% down one lap to over 100% the next. Mechanicals play a part sometimes but this was simply down to the speed up front.
Then again it is the national championships and everyone knows the score when they enter, with the current crop of riders competing it means that the majority of the field (who are very solid riders in most cases) get hammered.
All set for the last race of the NW season tomorrow? Was a very good course last year in Salford - been mizzley sort of weather all week so ground might not be in too bad shape. League standings are up to date on the website - I had a poor result in the very first race with a mechanical, and need to race tomorrow if I want to drop that. Congrats to @twinklydave at the sharp end who looks to have won the V40 series.
Been a long season with some extremely heavy racing - the N of Eng champs setting a new benchmark for me in defining the word MUD. I'm feeling alright on the bike but really noticing the recovery is getting hard, be good to take a break from the weekend intensity.