the Cyclo cross racing post

DavidBelcher

hammerite wrote:

Did Central League yesterday in Oxford. Different course to January, they didn't use the wooded section at all, so it was just really around the fields. Pretty full on effort the whole way as a result.

Did they make you jump over the ditch this time or had that section gone as well?

The Reading race was windy, warm and quite slippery in places - there looked to have been a few falls in the Vets/Women/Juniors event with one rider needing a visit from an ambulance. I finished the Senior event, absolutely done for, amongst the back markers as usual but thankfully not last. Started well and in a decent position in the pack but this was probably a mistake for me; should have gone off at my own pace rather than flogging myself silly to keep up with the main bunch - the former tactic seems to work better for me although counter-intuitive.

David

Monty Dog

I rode the V/W/J event at Reading yesterday - because of the big field of 70 starters they did give us an extra length of the lower field to string it out a bit. After a fairly decent result last week I expected to be gridded but wasn't and therefore had about 40-50 riders in front. Rode like a complete loon for the first 2 laps to get myself up to about 6th or 7th - I've never used my big-ring so much in a CX race. However, I was too good a target for the three chasers who were working as a group and pulled me back by lap 4 - by which time I was trying to suck air through every orifice. Hung on for 10th Vet with no crashes, slips or falls. My mate required paramedic attention for his sprained ankle and there did appear to be a few fallers. Last year I crashed 3 times, ripped my rear brake lever off and finished with only one working brake. With the rain forecast for this week, I might finally get the chance to use my mud-tubs this weekend?

BeaconRuth

Monty Dog wrote:

I rode the V/W/J event at Reading yesterday - because of the big field of 70 starters..........

Is that all? In the West Mids League event at Misterton Hall yesterday there were 159 finishers in the V/W/J race. :shock: Not sure what they're doing so right in the West Mids but 'cross ain't half popular!

Ruth

BeaconRuth

ps. and congratulations to Alex Welburn, who started this very thread, who won that race of 159 mixed-age, mixed gender people! (Although he did have a headstart over all the women and V50s.)

Ruth

MikeWW

Hi Ruth
Are you doing the National round at the weekend?

MikeWW

and well done yesterday-only just off the podium

hammerite

DavidBelcher wrote:

hammerite wrote:

Did Central League yesterday in Oxford. Different course to January, they didn't use the wooded section at all, so it was just really around the fields. Pretty full on effort the whole way as a result.

Did they make you jump over the ditch this time or had that section gone as well?

The Reading race was windy, warm and quite slippery in places - there looked to have been a few falls in the Vets/Women/Juniors event with one rider needing a visit from an ambulance. I finished the Senior event, absolutely done for, amongst the back markers as usual but thankfully not last. Started well and in a decent position in the pack but this was probably a mistake for me; should have gone off at my own pace rather than flogging myself silly to keep up with the main bunch - the former tactic seems to work better for me although counter-intuitive.

David

Nope, they took the ditch out altogether. On the warm up laps I rode past it disappointed, hoping that wooded section might help me out to keep up with some of the less technically able riders (not like I have mad skillz , but there are worse out there than me). I did hear someone say something about UCI legal and they set it up like a proper cross course should be.

So the race was round the playing field/pitch and putt course, mainly fast except into the wind and a few bumpy leg sappy sections. There was one mound we had to get up and over, short and sharp. Most people ran it, as did I when I was in a group, towards the end when I had no one near me I rode it though. I was scared of coming a cropper in a group, but wish I'd tried riding it as it was a lot quicker.

There were a load of races where I barely made double figures last year, even the really twisty one where I went 5 mins down due to getting snarled up on tape in the first lap was well above 10mph ave this season. Looking forward to a bit of mud.

DavidBelcher

hammerite wrote:

DavidBelcher wrote:

hammerite wrote:

Did Central League yesterday in Oxford. Different course to January, they didn't use the wooded section at all, so it was just really around the fields. Pretty full on effort the whole way as a result.

Did they make you jump over the ditch this time or had that section gone as well?

The Reading race was windy, warm and quite slippery in places - there looked to have been a few falls in the Vets/Women/Juniors event with one rider needing a visit from an ambulance. I finished the Senior event, absolutely done for, amongst the back markers as usual but thankfully not last. Started well and in a decent position in the pack but this was probably a mistake for me; should have gone off at my own pace rather than flogging myself silly to keep up with the main bunch - the former tactic seems to work better for me although counter-intuitive.

David

Nope, they took the ditch out altogether. On the warm up laps I rode past it disappointed, hoping that wooded section might help me out to keep up with some of the less technically able riders (not like I have mad skillz , but there are worse out there than me). I did hear someone say something about UCI legal and they set it up like a proper cross course should be.

So the race was round the playing field/pitch and putt course, mainly fast except into the wind and a few bumpy leg sappy sections. There was one mound we had to get up and over, short and sharp. Most people ran it, as did I when I was in a group, towards the end when I had no one near me I rode it though. I was scared of coming a cropper in a group, but wish I'd tried riding it as it was a lot quicker.

There were a load of races where I barely made double figures last year, even the really twisty one where I went 5 mins down due to getting snarled up on tape in the first lap was well above 10mph ave this season. Looking forward to a bit of mud.

Are you doing Oxford again next Sunday or going to Hillingdon instead? I guess there's a chance that the next Oxford outing might be different as the Central and Wessex Leagues seem to have rather different ideas about course design. Given the weather of late it looks as though mud could well be the order of the day come the weekend!

David

VamP

BeaconRuth wrote:

Monty Dog wrote:

I rode the V/W/J event at Reading yesterday - because of the big field of 70 starters..........

Is that all? In the West Mids League event at Misterton Hall yesterday there were 159 finishers in the V/W/J race. :shock: Not sure what they're doing so right in the West Mids but 'cross ain't half popular!

Ruth

Likewise in the London League this year the field is always over 100, ranging up to about 150.

hammerite

DavidBelcher wrote:

Are you doing Oxford again next Sunday or going to Hillingdon instead? I guess there's a chance that the next Oxford outing might be different as the Central and Wessex Leagues seem to have rather different ideas about course design. Given the weather of late it looks as though mud could well be the order of the day come the weekend!

David

I'll be at Hillingdon. Didn't like either race there last year particularly, but I want to make sure I get the minimum number of league races in, and have a couple spare after my mechanical at Hitchin.

FransJacques

No one seems to like Hillingdon, on road or off-road. What's the issue with it? Dangerous? Do I need to bring my ice-hockey pads or similar?

DavidBelcher

FransJacques wrote:

No one seems to like Hillingdon, on road or off-road. What's the issue with it? Dangerous? Do I need to bring my ice-hockey pads or similar?

I must be in a very small minority - despite having trashed a bike there (fortunately it was repaired in the end) last season I do actually enjoy racing at Hillingdon! Probably not there this weekend though as it clashes with another event I'm pencilled in there.

The thing about racing cross at Hillingdon is that the long grass tends to stick in the drivetrain leading to broken rear mechs and the like. The actual design of the courses there is good though - plenty of short but stiff climbs to get stuck into.

David

hammerite

The first race last year was just a complete mud bath. No problem with that I suppose apart from we ended up running for most of the time in the last 15 mins. It gets a bit hairy going off the banks straight on to tarmac too when they're covered in mud and debris, I saw a few heavy falls.

The second race there only last half a lap for me. They usually strim the course a few days before but don't move the long grass. Got caught in everything jammed up and tore my rear mech off. Saw quite a few mechanicals at both races. Still I avoided the queue for the hose from finishing early.

I've only raced on the road there once, and didn't mind it really. There were no crashes, which I think is why it has a bad reputation it *seems* to have more than it's fair share, but I think this is probably more to do with the volume of racing that goes on on the circuit..

hammerite

x-post with David, started writing that a while ago then got caught up on a call.

DavidBelcher

hammerite wrote:

I've only raced on the road there once, and didn't mind it really. There were no crashes, which I think is why it has a bad reputation it *seems* to have more than it's fair share, but I think this is probably more to do with the volume of racing that goes on on the circuit..

The other crash-related problem the road circuit allegedly has (so I've heard & read) is that some events have a notable proportion of riders (often from a tri background although this is not intended as a sweeping criticism of all triathletes) with plenty of strength and hence speed but insufficient "roadcraft", thus lacking in handling skills and causing problems for the rest of the bunch as a result.

David

choufflard

DavidBelcher wrote:

The thing about racing cross at Hillingdon is that the long grass tends to stick in the drivetrain leading to broken rear mechs and the like. The actual design of the courses there is good though - plenty of short but stiff climbs to get stuck into.

Yep - snapped a Dura Ace rear mech literally in two in last year's quagmire. Not had a proper muddy round of LL so far and kind of longing for it ( !), but I could do with it staying dry for Hillingdon - agree it's a good cross course.

FransJacques

Did I hear Quagmire? Check this out: http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/ ... a=Hounslow

There's nothing giggidy about that.

Re passing: is Hillingdon like Herne H where there's absolutely no passing lanes except the infield? This is why I liked Chainhurst, Fowlmead, & Hog Hill (well, to a lesser extent), lots of passing room. As an unseeded (still) rider I really need it.

BeaconRuth

MikeWW wrote:

Hi Ruth
Are you doing the National round at the weekend?

I'll pm you, Mike.

Ruth

andyp

FransJacques wrote:

Re passing: is Hillingdon like Herne H where there's absolutely no passing lanes except the infield at HH? This is why I liked Chainhurst, Fowlmead, & Hog Hill (well, to a lesser extent), lots of passing room. As an unseeded (still) rider I really need it.

There's a lot more passing opportunities than at Herne Hill (although there are plenty at HH if you know where to commit).

FransJacques

Andy, will we see your Ti everti at Hiilingdon this weekend? How do I know thee you ask, I was the guy talking about cutting a block of, ahem, clay, with a wire.

hammerite

I reckon it'll still be fairly dry on Sunday, we've had quite a long time with very little at all.

I think there were a fair number of passing places. That said no course has been the same this year compared to last even at the same venue.

andyp

FransJacques wrote:

Andy, will we see your Ti everti at Hiilingdon this weekend? How do I know thee you ask, I was the guy talking about cutting a block of, ahem, clay, with a wire.

I'm planning on being there.

I'd already worked out who you were, btw.

DavidBelcher

hammerite wrote:

I reckon it'll still be fairly dry on Sunday, we've had quite a long time with very little at all.

I think there were a fair number of passing places. That said no course has been the same this year compared to last even at the same venue.

I've a feeling that in the Wessex League, the Reading event was near-identical to last year right down to the weather on the day!!
Due to a change in slot to a slightly warmer time of year plus a lack of rain, Basingstoke was an entirely different kettle of fish to the 2010 edition even though the course was exactly the same.

David

Monty Dog

Reading was noticeably different for me this year - I was running tyres that provided some degree of lateral grip and didn't have any problems on the off-camber, grassy corners - last year my front wheel was slipping sideways and on lap 4 I crashed on the downhill which tore-off my rear brake lever!
I might also get the chance to use my 'mud tubs' at Oxford this weekend?

DavidBelcher

Monty Dog wrote:

I might also get the chance to use my 'mud tubs' at Oxford this weekend?

Rain, rain and more rain so far this week, meaning the odds are looking good!

It'll be the first time I've raced my Nokian clinchers in mud, although based on how they've been in wet-weather training I don't think I've much to worry about.

David

G-Wiz

I went and had a look at the Hillingdon race today to see what it's all about before I try to beg, borrow or buy a suitable ride over the winter.

There's a handful of Photos up here is anyone fancies looking for themselves:

https://picasaweb.google.com/1175747986 ... directlink

I hope that #14 who I helped off the ground after his crash was OK, it looked pretty unpleasant.

ddraver

Some photos I took of the CX in Leiden today. Should have my licence sorted out by next time so I ll be able to join in!

(I'm in no way a professional, so don't expect too much!)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidkneen ... 012465618/

hammerite

Still no results from the Hillingdon race. I found the start a bit interesting, with 180 riders sprinting, weaving all over the shop, then braking heavily to go into the first off road section.

VamP

hammerite wrote:

Still no results from the Hillingdon race. I found the start a bit interesting, with 180 riders sprinting, weaving all over the shop, then braking heavily to go into the first off road section.

Haha, yes Hillingdon was carnage. I have heard it said that duplicate numbers were used by some of the field, hence the long delay in sorting it out.

Roll on Brighton I have put in an order for my first set of tubs, so am half hoping for mud :shock:

DavidBelcher

hammerite wrote:

Still no results from the Hillingdon race. I found the start a bit interesting, with 180 riders sprinting, weaving all over the shop, then braking heavily to go into the first off road section.

180 riders?? :shock: Glad I raced at Harcourt Hill instead! Even so, tough going there through the woods (started raining just prior to the Senior event, just to complicate matters) and 4 laps out of 6 I utterly failed to tackle the ditch without any smooth technique in evidence, including landing flat on my face whilst carrying the bike on one lap - I'd forgotten that it's actually 2 ditches not one big one. No damage done though, picked off a few fellow back markers as the race went on and thanks to a fair amount of carnage (presumably the usual diet of punctures and rear mechs breaking after swallowing too many dead leaves) wound up 24th with 40 League points in the bag - I was sorry that the race was over so soon; I reckon I had a lap or two left in me and could have gained a few extra places. Also got over the two steep mounds by the pitch-and-putt course without any grief although the potential was certainly there to go over the bars if not judged correctly. Currently a whopping 79 points clear of my nearest challenger for the club trophy so a successful defence of the title is shaping up nicely.

Lots of potential to go wrong that day as I was wearing a pair of new and untried shoes which thankfully fitted and worked well. My Diadora ones were already starting to fall to bits at the sole after only 9 months with the toe spikes threatening to pull themselves out of their threads (and looking decidedly wonky as a result).

No problems with tyres on the day, although my "self-sealing" tubes seem to have developed a slow puncture on the rear wheel since then. Could be a dodgy valve core.

David