Cyclocross Season Starts
Re: Cyclocross Season Starts
Well done lads. Good to see cyclo expanding out in the club,
Re: Cyclocross Season Starts
Rd 3 today in Ballawley Park Sandyford
Got there in good time with Frank for company, a couple of practice laps.Lovely course, grassy (later muddy) and some bits in a small wood. Nice and twisty and turny,110% concentration needed! One short tarmac section at the start - a narrow path.
So up we lined,me Frank and DC together..and that's more or less the way it stayed! At the start it wasn;t so hectic as usual I thought..it was a short fast dash up hill then onto the grass. Usual story DC about half a dozen places in front, Frank about the same behind. me the meat in the 795 sandwich...
So the heart attack of lap 1 over,time to settle down. Normally for me this means seeing DC disappear off into the distance. But not today,I was holding the gap fairly well. Only problem now was Frank was closing!
More or less the same for the next few laps. Frank got uncomfortably close on lap 3 or 4 but thankfully some lad brought him down on a tight corner. But he eventually got me around the end of lap 5. I managed to pass him back but he got me again. Meanwhile DC was coming back to us as we were putting in a big effort. I was on Franks wheel as he was about to catch DC.Up a sharp kicker and Frank passes a lad who stalls in front of me. Game over for me.
So for the last quarter lap I had an armchair view of the two boys. Frank caught and passed DC who stuck on his wheel. I think he crashed into him a few times trying to pass!.But the Tank stuck his elbows out and held on. As we all rounded the last corner it was unbelievable that in a field of 80 odd we were more or less together. Finishing order Frank,DC,me. As Frank said you'd throw a blanket over the three of us at the finish
For me I think it's probably the best cx race I've had. I made very few mistakes on a tricky course, used what I've learned in previous races. My average HR was 166 which is the highest I can remember in a race since I started mtb/cx racing. So for me,to maintain that HR and ride smoothly is a triumph in itself. To race in such close quarters with your clubmates is something to behold as well and doesn;t happen every day! I can't explain what good craic this cx racing is!
Haven't seen any results yet so no idea where we placed
All in all a great day out,thanks to the lads, also to Helen, Robyn and Jamie for the support and also to Gwen and Peter from GP Cycles in Ballon.
Got there in good time with Frank for company, a couple of practice laps.Lovely course, grassy (later muddy) and some bits in a small wood. Nice and twisty and turny,110% concentration needed! One short tarmac section at the start - a narrow path.
So up we lined,me Frank and DC together..and that's more or less the way it stayed! At the start it wasn;t so hectic as usual I thought..it was a short fast dash up hill then onto the grass. Usual story DC about half a dozen places in front, Frank about the same behind. me the meat in the 795 sandwich...
So the heart attack of lap 1 over,time to settle down. Normally for me this means seeing DC disappear off into the distance. But not today,I was holding the gap fairly well. Only problem now was Frank was closing!
More or less the same for the next few laps. Frank got uncomfortably close on lap 3 or 4 but thankfully some lad brought him down on a tight corner. But he eventually got me around the end of lap 5. I managed to pass him back but he got me again. Meanwhile DC was coming back to us as we were putting in a big effort. I was on Franks wheel as he was about to catch DC.Up a sharp kicker and Frank passes a lad who stalls in front of me. Game over for me.
So for the last quarter lap I had an armchair view of the two boys. Frank caught and passed DC who stuck on his wheel. I think he crashed into him a few times trying to pass!.But the Tank stuck his elbows out and held on. As we all rounded the last corner it was unbelievable that in a field of 80 odd we were more or less together. Finishing order Frank,DC,me. As Frank said you'd throw a blanket over the three of us at the finish
For me I think it's probably the best cx race I've had. I made very few mistakes on a tricky course, used what I've learned in previous races. My average HR was 166 which is the highest I can remember in a race since I started mtb/cx racing. So for me,to maintain that HR and ride smoothly is a triumph in itself. To race in such close quarters with your clubmates is something to behold as well and doesn;t happen every day! I can't explain what good craic this cx racing is!
Haven't seen any results yet so no idea where we placed
All in all a great day out,thanks to the lads, also to Helen, Robyn and Jamie for the support and also to Gwen and Peter from GP Cycles in Ballon.
Re: Cyclocross Season Starts
Nice report DF, that's pretty much how it played out.
Frank declared it was the hardest thing he ever did. And he an Iron man! And don't think I didn't hear you two plotting behind me
Just to add, they also had the best little kids course I've ever seen, and easily 100 kids from 3yr olds on balance bikes to 12 year olds on mini cx bikes. One young lad was ready for anything, had a football on his carrier and a sword hanging off his handlebars!
Frank declared it was the hardest thing he ever did. And he an Iron man! And don't think I didn't hear you two plotting behind me
Just to add, they also had the best little kids course I've ever seen, and easily 100 kids from 3yr olds on balance bikes to 12 year olds on mini cx bikes. One young lad was ready for anything, had a football on his carrier and a sword hanging off his handlebars!
Re: Cyclocross Season Starts
Fair play lads, sounds like a good day out
Re: Cyclocross Season Starts
Amazing guys, a club brawl. Nothing like it. Have a feeling Frank will have to sharpen the elbows for the next round...
Re: Cyclocross Season Starts
Well done lads , well up in the results too .
Re: Cyclocross Season Starts
A very tough but enjoyable fun event. The two red jerseys were nearby today but these boyos got round the course with skill, finesse and great bike handling. My efforts were not so graceful - think "Bull in a china shop". In my innocence i brought a drink but never had time to even consider drinking out of it! Full on and a level of concentration required that i never experienced in a race before.
Thanks to the Conway clan for the support again and the two boyos for the tips - stuff like "Grass is king" - i.e. aim your wheel for the green stuff for grip. I think we dragged the best efforts out of each other yesterday - nothing left in the tank at the end. To describe the battle between us today - Johnny Cash put it best "Kicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer" - the beer will have to wait til the Xmas Party!
BTW did i mention before that cyclocross bikes are deadly
Thanks to the Conway clan for the support again and the two boyos for the tips - stuff like "Grass is king" - i.e. aim your wheel for the green stuff for grip. I think we dragged the best efforts out of each other yesterday - nothing left in the tank at the end. To describe the battle between us today - Johnny Cash put it best "Kicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer" - the beer will have to wait til the Xmas Party!
BTW did i mention before that cyclocross bikes are deadly
Re: Cyclocross Season Starts
Well done lads. Report please