Why I love racing 'cross
ravey1981
Posts: 1,111
I'm halfway into my first season of (summer) cross racing and after a shaky start where I didn't really know what to do or how to pace the race I'm now absolutely loving it...
Last nights race was my best ever. I got a good start and managed to avoid being held up into the first tight section and did my usual fast as possible first lap followed by letting off the pressure a little to allow my legs to recover. By the third lap in the leaders had gone on ahead but I found myself in a nice little pack, going at a decent pace. There was one particular rider who was pretty much matching my pace exactly and we ended up as a two, swapping positions, trying to shake each other with no success. This carried on for a few more laps. We started the bell lap together and about half way around we caught another rider on a tight switchback, he got through and I didn't. He had a few metres gap on me and he knew it. He put the power down and tried to get away. I was having none of that! I gave it everything I had and pulled myself back onto his wheel. There was about a minute of racing still to go. I overtook him into a downhill bend, overshot slightly, and he cut back in front. Blocking my line out of the corner he got a slight jump again. I pushed hard and got back on terms. With 2 corners to go, he was in front and there was no way around him. It was going to be a sprint. We exited the last corner, i gave every single thing I had and pulled alongside him just as we crossed the line. I think I had him but I cant be sure, by about 3 inches i think.... Results aren't out yet so I can't be sure.
After pretty much falling off the bike and almost vomiting, I got myself together. We shook hands and talked about what a cracking battle we had.
All this was for about 70th place! (all over 14s race together). Great race, great sporstmanship, great people, great sport. I can't recommend it enough.
Last nights race was my best ever. I got a good start and managed to avoid being held up into the first tight section and did my usual fast as possible first lap followed by letting off the pressure a little to allow my legs to recover. By the third lap in the leaders had gone on ahead but I found myself in a nice little pack, going at a decent pace. There was one particular rider who was pretty much matching my pace exactly and we ended up as a two, swapping positions, trying to shake each other with no success. This carried on for a few more laps. We started the bell lap together and about half way around we caught another rider on a tight switchback, he got through and I didn't. He had a few metres gap on me and he knew it. He put the power down and tried to get away. I was having none of that! I gave it everything I had and pulled myself back onto his wheel. There was about a minute of racing still to go. I overtook him into a downhill bend, overshot slightly, and he cut back in front. Blocking my line out of the corner he got a slight jump again. I pushed hard and got back on terms. With 2 corners to go, he was in front and there was no way around him. It was going to be a sprint. We exited the last corner, i gave every single thing I had and pulled alongside him just as we crossed the line. I think I had him but I cant be sure, by about 3 inches i think.... Results aren't out yet so I can't be sure.
After pretty much falling off the bike and almost vomiting, I got myself together. We shook hands and talked about what a cracking battle we had.
All this was for about 70th place! (all over 14s race together). Great race, great sporstmanship, great people, great sport. I can't recommend it enough.
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Comments
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Excellent! Great to see another newcomer discovering what it's all about :-)I'm halfway into my first season of (summer) cross racing and after a shaky start where I didn't really know what to do or how to pace the race I'm now absolutely loving it...
Last nights race was my best ever. I got a good start and managed to avoid being held up into the first tight section and did my usual fast as possible first lap followed by letting off the pressure a little to allow my legs to recover. By the third lap in the leaders had gone on ahead but I found myself in a nice little pack, going at a decent pace. There was one particular rider who was pretty much matching my pace exactly and we ended up as a two, swapping positions, trying to shake each other with no success. This carried on for a few more laps. We started the bell lap together and about half way around we caught another rider on a tight switchback, he got through and I didn't. He had a few metres gap on me and he knew it. He put the power down and tried to get away. I was having none of that! I gave it everything I had and pulled myself back onto his wheel. There was about a minute of racing still to go. I overtook him into a downhill bend, overshot slightly, and he cut back in front. Blocking my line out of the corner he got a slight jump again. I pushed hard and got back on terms. With 2 corners to go, he was in front and there was no way around him. It was going to be a sprint. We exited the last corner, i gave every single thing I had and pulled alongside him just as we crossed the line. I think I had him but I cant be sure, by about 3 inches i think.... Results aren't out yet so I can't be sure.
After pretty much falling off the bike and almost vomiting, I got myself together. We shook hands and talked about what a cracking battle we had.
All this was for about 70th place! (all over 14s race together). Great race, great sporstmanship, great people, great sport. I can't recommend it enough.Pannier, 120rpm.0 -
Yep, had a little promotion race today and three of us were battling it out for 6 laps with under cutting and blocking, all handshakes at the end. Such great fun, can't wait for September.0
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Just an update, I won that sprint by 100th of a second according to the timing chip....every little counts! It was for 77th place haha0
