Hey mate, that’s massively appreciated.

I’ll see, but thanks tonnes.

I did get paranoid about it being just me MrsButcher but when there were five of us stood in a clearing without the foggiest idea where to go, I knew it wasn’t a mistake. It was better on my sighting lap immediately before the race- they had restored the tape and put out loads of new logs but the two guys coming flat out head on towards us on lap 1 was crazy!

Looking on the Strava Flyby, a few guys went way of course on lap one too and had to backtrack to rejoin.

As I say, the Crits they put on at Hillingdon ran very smoothly but for the huge amount of team members they had present, I think they could have been a bit more proactive with the morning checks.

Kudos to them for prompt results though- always a big thumbs up for that 🙂

Yup, I’m in – went up on Friday to refresh my memory of it, rumour has it that Medusa is in but Worry Gill out.
See you there I hope.

I’m in, testing the new bike on a proper course!

Hoping it doesn’t rain…

Bit of a late update from last weekends race due to a long weekend celebrating Sweden’s national day yesterday.

It was the 3rd round of the X-cup at Vallåsen last Saturday, a course based at the DH venue which was pretty much half a lap up (150m evlivation) and half a lap down. For the hours race time I managed 4 laps.

Due to the high amount of climbing I didn’t expect to do so well but it went better than planned and I actually won! Important to point out this was start 2 race, start 1 being the fastest for Elite riders etc. So I won start 2 for men with 108 racers, and placed 41st overall from 304 racers.

Even my son enjoyed himself:

So to be honest I felt rather proud of myself given this was my best result for some time and the hard training had made a difference. Then I took a look at my heart rate during the race and it’s scared me a bit, I turn 45 next week, is this kind of heart profile normal for a short course racer? Is this similar to any other racers on here?

Nice! will make that bloody rocky gulley a bit more enjoyable! hated that bit of Dalby. Enjoy the climb 😉

Well done Bream! What a great result.

The gearing’s lower (praise be to 11 speed!), the weights about the same and it’s got lockouts! Hopefully it should be about the same speed if not a little bit quicker, especially since climbing is my strong point.

What happened to you today jimbob? I saw you make a great start – 2nd into the singletrack was nice nice and then heard the commentator (while I was bike cleaning!) say that you must have had a problem as you were running lower than normal. Hope you’re okay?
Blooming wet at Dalby today, hoping it will dry out a bit for tomorrow.

Oh dear, I’m really hoping it will dry up tonight! Well done for getting round.

Crikey, those conditions look challenging to say the least 😯 At least you got round and finished well placed.

r8jimbob88 I recognise that kit, I was the Commisaire doing grinding over the weekend, although it was slightly cleaner when the race was started. The rain on Saturday was awful, I can only compare it to Sherwood 2 years ago for similar levels of grimness….
Sadly, the rain wasn’t the only water I saw that weekend, a broken cold water valve in the b&b meant I had a flood at 4:30am on Sunday, making it a long old day with the best part of 300 miles too drive home…

Fair play too James and the Nutcracker Team, they put in another great event.

Really appreciate how much work the Dalby organisers and Commisaires etc put in – thanks folks!

Kids did OK (still finding their feet at Nationals level). Alison had another storming vets race with Maddie and really enjoying this year.

Glad we didn’t have to ride on Saturday (just camped in the damp), but I’ve seen a race in far worse conditions at Dalby. Early season NPS in 1995 when it dumped hail & sleet during the Elite / Expert race. Conditions were OK at the start so nobody was really dressed for the change in the weather…. I think this was Alison’s second ever Elite race BITD:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlM268D614o&t=387s

I’m trying to work where the old course went. Pretty sure the finish straight is running along the edge of the field where the main camping was. Think the bit just before the finish was along the embankment between the car park and road.

Is that the climb off the bottom of medusa’s drop? Hell of a way to run in disco slippers, fair play!

Welsh champs at Builth showground for me this w/e. Somewhat ambivalent about this one, its a great course for tight racing on and I’ve had good battles every time I’ve raced there.. but I can’t help wishing it was at the more picturesque venue of Fforest fields. I’m also apprehensive about one of the a-lines (pic off facebook below) as its just the sort of thing that I’m good at hurting myself on.

Bizarrely, if the start lists from the article on British Cycling is too be believed, only 4 of us are contesting the Masters cat. I’m hoping that’s a mistake because at the moment we’re all in sports cat so definitely not the fastest masters in Wales!! Although if it is the case and I end up on the podium I won’t complain 😆

yeah, plus while the drop looks like it is only a couple of foot, its the sort of thing you find yourself 6ft up in the air if you hit it at more than walking pace!

Kudos for finishing.

I more or less take the view that a mechanical on XC is endex. Then again I don’t travel for them nor do I tend to do a series.

I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike after 2weeks illness. First day I’ve felt OK. At least I managed to stick to project eat well June. No booze, no snacks, small portions etc. Down to 72kg with another 2kg to go. 6 foot and 11 stone….

First race tomorrow after a month off, although ive a week and a half of riding in me. Ive picked a warm one 😯

Ive put on weight, just under six foot and 11st 13. I was 11.11 risen from 11st 8 race weight until instarted myfp again a week ago so i think my body is short term compensating!