It’s quite satisfying that the fit lads have to race after 150 ale tanks have rolled over the course 🙂
Loved the Otterspool race, really tough – my bike just about made it to the end as a functioning machine. That run up at the top of the course was a beast, would have liked to have seen how fast the leaders were going up it. Turned into a bit of a trudge around me.

So, Western Leagues Forest of Dean round today, a stark contrast from last weeks Keynsham, a night of constant rain set us up for a day of cold, muddy, rooty & a lengthy run which made for a brutal course – i loved it 🙂 it worked well that after i’d collected a load of mud on my tyres after the start section i managed to fling it all off on the fire road descent. Excellent.

[/url]Forest of Dean cyclocross by martinddd, on Flickr[/img]

[/url]2016-11-20_05-53-01 by martinddd, on Flickr[/img]

Bryn Bach report – it was grippy and fast after all; but it was also very wet, and bitterly cold.

Fantastic course, with a bit of everything except off camber … or claggy mud.

I got off to an unusually good start, managed to get towards the front guys and not get swamped by the following herd. Made the mistake of sitting on somebody`s wheel all the way before going into the single track sections, this had me soaking wet (and muddy)straight away. From then onwards I just got colder and colder … half way around 2nd lap my fingers were so cold I couldnt change gear or brake properly.
I started losing sight of the front guys and dropping positions … then guy in front decided to take short cut to miss section of course … which had me falling off to avoid him as he detoured; dropped more positions and got wetter as a result.

Managed to take back a couple positions, but finished a couple positions off the guys I usually in front of.
Great course – sending off for winter warm/waterproof gloves ready for the Caerphilly course which is likely to be similar … but muddier!

Cold got to me pre-race I think. I just could not get going off the start. Yet again out in a no-mans land of late mid-pack. Did mean my face was a lot cleaner than others though! Only had one small mud wallow this week, and after going a bit too quick over the kickers the first or second lap, I didn’t fully commit the next time around and ended up in a tree.
Anyway I think purely by small field I got a better position than some earlier efforts. Oh and my bloody cleats came loose.
My kit is in for it’s third wash…
Ant, you looked to be riding well today mate. Good work. Iain, good to see you again. Thought something must have been up when I saw you at the finish.

I think it will be my worse finish position of the season this week Thom. Even though it was the course that suited me the best.

Thats CX!

Pembrey should be good. Sees you there.

When I parked up yesterday I spent the first few minutes helping parents parked either side of me thaw their cold and tearful kids out – my down jacket went round one of them while the other drank some hot drink out of my flask.

Fairly decent race for me, although I was much stronger in the later stages than early on, not helped by a a freewheel that didn’t like the cold and was slow to engage – changed bikes after two laps and went better after that as I also got the hang of the course. Finished 6th, which is a season’s best in Welsh League.

Some of the toughest conditions, if not the toughest, conditions I’ve experienced in 10 seasons of ‘cross. I think only the races at Parc cwm Darran a few years back come close.

Well done on having a go – but just so you know gopros are banned from all BC races. If spotted using one you’ll get a slapped wrist or a DQ depending what mood the commissaire is in.

There is a UCI directive which is included in the BC rule book. If you ride at a Central or London / South East League race you won’t be allowed to do so if you have a camera mounted either on you or the bike.
I’ll dig out the directive that we’ve been given later.

From the BC Technical Regulations:

Good fast open course at Pembrey. My summer fitness, and lack of riding last few weeks really taking its toll now. Managed 8th position … so hopefully it’ll last a bit longer till end of season.

Not really sure what worked yesterday but clearly something did. I’d only done a couple of rides in the week, had to use a spare rear wheel with file tread (which I was thinking of using anyway) and had spent the day preceding sawing and splitting wood. I don’t think there were many places to brake at all on the course. It was definitely a quick one. 16 miles we raced for. I had probably my best start ever and just managed to keep going. There were plenty of places to ride tactically, so I did. That said, looking at my hr and I was firmly in threshold for the whole race. With the exception of the first lap moves by the very fast boys I tried to jump on every attack.
Good swapping places with ferrals more times than I can recall, along with another lad, Keelan, who’s been strong this year. I managed to snap my chain on the final sprint to the line but made enough gap on the following rider to coast and not lose a place.
I hurt today

Ah, which league is this in? He Local league used to be the Western leaguein Bristol. Proper rapid..think he beat Simon richardson in 1 race.

I’m guessing he’s gone to uni now

You not racing Welsh Champs this weekend? Me and crashtestmonkey are coming back for some fun and games!

The Xmas-x at Caerphilly not motivating many this year. Fingers crossed it not rain between now & then … it may not be too muddy then!!

Come on Ant, it’s ‘cross, mud is all part of it and we’ve had an exceptionally dry series of races relative to a normal season. And as somebody who goes best when ploughing through the slop I’ve been at a disadvantage all season!

Mtn View Ranch is a great venue too, lots of course-side hard standing and a nice warm cafe to hide in after.

Come on Ant, it’s ‘cross, mud is all part of it and we’ve had an exceptionally dry series of races relative to a normal season. And as somebody who goes best when ploughing through the slop I’ve been at a disadvantage all season!

Mtn View Ranch is a great venue too, lots of course-side hard standing and a nice warm cafe to hide in after.

I raced it year before last – I did 2 laps, and quit. It just didnt feel like a race … though to be fair, last years course had one or two little changes that looked a bit better (although still had all the bad bits too).

Even Ross the Boss is thinking of giving it a miss. And he like a pig in mud.