Did my first CX race this morning at Ripley Castle in the novice/go cross category and loved it! The course was great, and you cant get a better location!

Need to get fitter though. Came mid field which I am happy with to say I haven’t done much biking recently. My lungs were empty all the way round but my legs feel fine now, and could ride further.

Very well organised and big turn out too, prob one of the best if not best events Ive done. Good work on the organisers.

http://www.ripleycastlecx.org.uk/

Apparently on Look North too tonight for all you northern folk

Edit: Seniors race is this aft at 2pm with some pretty big names taking part

You got the fine weather, and you chewed up the course 😉
Excellent venue though 🙂

I did actually wonder about entering my ‘proper’ category later in the day, but to be honest given my current fitness and the fact the weather forecast was awful (and turned out to be) I decided to chicken out and do it in the dry and less laps 🙂

What kind of lap times were the fastest getting?

Raced in the vets race, it was a great course, nice and sloppy mud, so mud tyres cleared and the rain lashing down was spot on, kept washing my glasses. Loved it, hope they run it again next year.

Link for results

Enough rain to get a drink, if you stuck your tongue out.

Thanks for results link, I came 1st in category! 😆

Well done FunkyDunc, got to be pleased with that. Riding a mtb or a cross bike?

CX bike. To be honest I think there were only 2 of us in v40.

Would have done better in the proper race than I thought I would ie not last.

Some people turned up looked, and left again, despite having pre-entered 😯

Look forward to seeing you in the v40 race next year.

Small clip here at 3:20

Quite simply one of the best events I have ever ridden in 27 years of racing bikes

Dot forget York on Sunday, never ridden there.

Dot forget York on Sunday, never ridden there.

I’ve not either, but pre-entered already, vet40 in arrows shirt if you fancy saying hi.

I might give it a go as I believe its a flatish course, I ride in an Ilkley top was white but after Ripley it may have changed colour, I’m in the vets 50+ (in fact probably be 60+ now)

Just had a quick look at the Ripley CX site and there is a tweet that BBC1 will be doing an extended piece on the race on Monday 6th. I assume that is in Look North…

Saw from the signing on sheet you were at York Benj was it you in the Orange Cycles top ?

No I was in the red and black arrow cycles top/shorts.

Not a bad course for the space they had. How did your race go? Saw some of the V50 race, the guy who won it was flying.

Fell on the first lap, on the down from the sports centre. finished 12th out of 12 🙁

Guess thats you pasing

Yep thats me, it’s my best side 🙂

You wasn’t the only one to drop it on that section, a couple of fallers in my race there as well.

Race for me, went ok, didn’t get the best starts, finished 9th from 23 riders.

Dales rider
That was me in the Orange top. Only my 5th cyclocross race, but really enjoying it.
Will be back at the York course tomorrow night to do the night cross race.

Close call there, hey its really addictive. Daren’t ride off on holiday Friday so need to stay in one piece 😀

A bit ‘gloopy’ under wheel at that point of the course from what I remember.
Anyone else riding at York tonight?

A bit gloopy sums it up about right! I was there on Sunday and managed to finish in 8th just ahead of Benji. Had a very quick chat to someone who came to grief on the tight turn in front of sports centre, was that you dales rider? I was in light blue VC Beverley kit.

Last one of the series tonight which is a shame but the bike needs some TLC after a few races, brake blocks,jockey wheels etc etc.