the Cyclo cross racing post

lfcquin

I was supposed to be at Boggart Hole Clough last weekend, but spent the entire weekend in bed in a very poor state.

Hopefully be in Northwich this weekend though. Bring it on!!!

APIII

Went and watched the central league cross today at Icknield. Photos here if anyone was riding.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51617596@N02/sets/72157625231330956/show/

Surfr

I was spectating this week down at Carmarthen Park. I saw Mark Alexander having a good go. No pedal problems this week then? Course looked good and was fun to use the velodrome banking too. First lap used a full lap and a half of the track so was fast and furious. Hope the fallen rider who needed an ambulance was OK. We left just after the chequered flag so not sure how things went.

bigpikle

APIII wrote:

Went and watched the central league cross today at Icknield. Photos here if anyone was riding.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51617596@N02/sets/72157625231330956/show/

great pictures but you only photographed the fast guys obviously as there were no pics of me! Those Corley guys were blisteringly fast!

APIII

Bigpikle wrote:

APIII wrote:

Went and watched the central league cross today at Icknield. Photos here if anyone was riding.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51617596@N02/sets/72157625231330956/show/

great pictures but you only photographed the fast guys obviously as there were no pics of me! Those Corley guys were blisteringly fast!

Yeah, they were certainly moving!
Let me know what kit you were wearing. I've got quite a lot of pics, but only posted a few of them on flickr.

bigpikle

APIII wrote:

Yeah, they were certainly moving!
Let me know what kit you were wearing. I've got quite a lot of pics, but only posted a few of them on flickr.

red/black/white 'Here Come the Belgians' jersey
#87

thanks

APIII

Here you go.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51617596@N02/5111519089/

I remember the jersey, it's great kit.

hammerite

Bigpikle wrote:

APIII wrote:

Yeah, they were certainly moving!
Let me know what kit you were wearing. I've got quite a lot of pics, but only posted a few of them on flickr.

red/black/white 'Here Come the Belgians' jersey
#87

thanks

I was at the Icknield race today, you came past me and we spoke about whether we might have a massage, coffee and cake waiting for us in the pit

Enjoyed it today, that's all I can do given my ability

Any photos of me APIII? Beds Road kit (there were only two of us), red helmet and sunglasses - cheers!

Paul Douglas was also there taking photos - not online yet though http://www.photoboxgallery.com/gallery?vendor_id=1976

bigpikle

hammerite wrote:

I was at the Icknield race today, you came past me and we spoke about whether we might have a massage, coffee and cake waiting for us in the pit

Enjoyed it today, that's all I can do given my ability

Any photos of me APIII? Beds Road kit (there were only two of us), red helmet and sunglasses - cheers!

Paul Douglas was also there taking photos - not online yet though http://www.photoboxgallery.com/gallery?vendor_id=1976

I remember - hope you enjoyed the race!

My first time out and I had a great time so maybe I'll bump into you again? Will be at Hillingdon I hope and certainly MK on 6/11 and as many more as I can make, all things being well. I badly need to get out training though!

bigpikle

APIII wrote:

Here you go.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51617596@N02/5111519089/

I remember the jersey, it's great kit.

thanks - great pic. PM sent.

APIII

Is this you? Didn't get a 'front on' I'm afraid.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51617596@N02/5111586233/

Oh dear, I don't seem to have done very well on capturing the BR faithful! That's why it's best left to the professionals I guess

Bronzie

I was at the Icknield event as well (helping with signing-on) and took a few pics as well:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bronzie/se ... 233123438/

Thought that might be you in the BRCC kit Paul, but didn't get chance to chat after the race.

Must say I quite tempted to have a go........it looks like a good workout. Might have to see if I borrow a CX bike or coble something together from an old Cannondale MTB residing in the loft.

hammerite

Bigpikle will hopefully be at as many of these as I can. I know what you mean about the fitness levels, at the moment this seems to be the only riding I'm doing for various reasons (I guess it shows based on performance!).

APIII yep that's me. Still not a proper cyclist, need to get those legs shaved!


Bronzie you should give it a go, I think the effort required is probably worth a good 2-3 hours on the road - at least for someone like me. MTBs are fine, this was my first outing on a CX (and 3rd CX race) bike as I only collected it on Friday.

streako

Weaver valley Northwich yesterday. Pretty boring track, apart from a steepish, slippery descent, couple nice bits of singletrack and the usual push-up slopes. Most of it was zig-zag traversing over playing fields though.

Usual brutal pace, a case of trying to keep your place in the pecking order and not make any mistakes. The decent had a few falls, including a guy right in front of me, and a girl was injured.

Lovely weather though.

bigpikle

Bronzie wrote:

I was at the Icknield event as well (helping with signing-on) and took a few pics as well:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bronzie/se ... 233123438/

Thought that might be you in the BRCC kit Paul, but didn't get chance to chat after the race.

Must say I quite tempted to have a go........it looks like a good workout. Might have to see if I borrow a CX bike or coble something together from an old Cannondale MTB residing in the loft.

good pics - I obviously need to get more photogenic somehow as there's only 1 of me LOL

You should have a go as its great fun. Yesterday was my first race and it was very welcoming and inclusive.

hammerite

Icknield printed out the results on the day and handed out copies, with lap times etc... Some of the names were missing, but they had all the race numbers so you could work out your position and times.

I guess it's just a case of getting the results to the right person to upload the results and reports. I know the results still aren't up for the Hemel race on the CX website, but by the middle of the week the results had appeared on the BC website (without race report).

hammerite

Oooohh the post above mine has gone! Results are here: http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/29562/Icknield-Cross--Central-League-Round-4

bigpikle

^^ thanks - I found them so deleted my post as it was me moaning when I didnt know where to find the results.

Central League do appear a little 'hesitant' with updates to their website. It was the start of Oct before I saw anything about 2010 dates and they had already been published elsewhere before the leagues own site.

I guess its all volunteers doing this for free and its well appreciated by those of us enjoying the racing so I'll shut up

bigpikle

who's going to Hillingdon tomorrow and can anyone tell me anything about what the course is like and what to expect? I found a Vimeo vid of last year and it doesnt look too technical but anyone care to share some first hand experience?

I was told its going to be a pretty busy event with a big entry so am a little nervous for only my 2nd time out....

cycling_snapper

andyp wrote:

Anyone riding Muddy Hell II on the 30th? There'll be guaranteed mud from what I hear...

I'll be there, be nice to have some mud after the dry race on the 17th!

In fact, just off there now to get some practice laps in.

bigpikle

Hillingdon was a nightmare!

Muddy as hell and a challenge to stay upright on half the course (and I frequently didnt) and after 1 hr 2 mins I came across the finish line to see the board showing 2 more laps. Laps were 10-11 mins each so WTF was that all about? No sooner had I started the last lap when my rear mech decided it couldnt take any more and sheared off on one of the steep muddy banks sending me into a spectacular and painful crash and leaving me with very sore bruised ribs and a nice repair bill... If only they had actually run a 60 min race as they were supposed to

On the bright side it was the toughest cycling experience I've ever had and I learned to MTFU, so went home caked in mud, battered and bruised and with a broken bike but having had a laugh with several people I raced last week and looking forward to the next race :twisted:

cycling_snapper

You noticed a board saying last two laps? Didn't see that, just heard the bell for the last one!

Thought it was absolutely awesome, even if my light was no where near bright enough and I did a lot of falling off on the slippery bits. Best bit was the ramp after the bridge, spent plenty of time in the air.

Worst bit was the queue in the beer tent and some of the music they were playing...

hammerite

cycling_snapper I think it was a different race. I don't remember a beer tent at Hillingdon.


Bigpikle ouch sorry to hear about you and your bike. I did see you walking off with the bile looking worse for wear. Hope you get it sorted quick and the bruises don't hurt too much.

Enjoyed the race, bit of mudfest, nightmare with all the loose grass clogging everything up!

bigpikle

hammerite wrote:

cycling_snapper I think it was a different race. I don't remember a beer tent at Hillingdon.

think so...

Bigpikle ouch sorry to hear about you and your bike. I did see you walking off with the bile looking worse for wear. Hope you get it sorted quick and the bruises don't hurt too much.

Enjoyed the race, bit of mudfest, nightmare with all the loose grass clogging everything up!

hurts tonight and I must have had 10lbs of mud on me, the bike and my clothes! That grass was just a nightmare :evil:

cycling_snapper

hammerite wrote:

cycling_snapper I think it was a different race. I don't remember a beer tent at Hillingdon.

Ah it was, I was talking about the Herne Hill Muddy Hell - doh!

mjs110

Muddy Hell shots here... couldn't spot any of the beer tent, though!

bigpikle

^^ that looks like fun, but Hillingdon was MUCH muddier

mjs110

The Herne Hill grass held up!

Croxted Avenger

Bigpikle - by your description of your mechanical I was chatting to you at the end of the Hillingdon race (in Brixton Kit). I was slightly luckier and ended up with two gears working (the lowest two though:(). That was my second CX race and certainly a baptismo del fuego after a dry HH.

bigpikle

Croxted Avenger wrote:

Bigpikle - by your description of your mechanical I was chatting to you at the end of the Hillingdon race (in Brixton Kit). I was slightly luckier and ended up with two gears working (the lowest two though:(). That was my second CX race and certainly a baptismo del fuego after a dry HH.

sounds familiar - was that by the hosepipe in the corner?

Only my 2nd race too, so my average cost per race is pretty high now! Hopeully will be all fixed and ready to roll at Milton Keynes on Saturday