The 5th and therefore confusingly-named Hit the North 2.5 took place on Saturday 12th February and according to all who took part, it was another big success.
The unique ‘mountain bikes mixing it with cyclocross bikes’ format for two hours on a very varied four mile course is now becoming a firm favourite, with many of the riders taking part saying that it was the ‘best ever’ and vowing to return next year. As ever, riders are drawn to Hit the North by the great atmosphere of the event, with the rather large Radcliffe Brass Band, home-cooked catering and support from British Cycling, The Forestry Commission, Bury Council, Ragley Bikes, JMC IT, Great Rock, Edmond DT, Cookson Cycles, Marmalades B&B and many others.
Almost 200 riders lined up in the sunshine for the mass start and battled through tough conditions following the persistent rain of the previous week – unrideable climbs favouring the cyclocross racers and steep downhills and fast, bermed Forestry Commission-built MTB trails favouring those riding mountain bikes.
The race was won by a cyclocross racer and recent 3rd place 3 Peaks Cyclocross finisher Ian Taylor (Craven Energy Tri), followed by another renowned cyclocross racer and 3 Peaks stalwart Dave Haygarth (Wheelbase.co.uk / Cannondale). Chris Purt (Revolution Bikes), riding a mountain bike, claimed 3rd place, narrowly beating Dave Powell (Team JMC / Ragley) who finished 4th.
Amy Baron-Hall (Cookson Cycles) won the ladies event with Emma Peasland (unattached) and Pauline Griffin (Manchester Tri) claiming 2nd and 3rd places on the ‘two wooden pallets and the spare wheel from the van’ podium.
Profits from the race (once all the bills have been paid) will be donated to Stand Pre-School Nursery for outdoor play equipment.
Planning for the next HTN will start in the autumn. Watch this space www.hitthenorth.net
Pics from the entertaining blog of Ed Rollason
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Liking the MFTU motivator.
Goddamn it.
MTFU I meant…..looks like I need to SPELLTFU.
why are those people walking on the flat bit before the climb?
It’s pretty hard riding through ankle deep slop. Especially when you are knackered!
It isn’t flat. Flatter than the steep bit, but stepper than a flat bit.
That should say steeper, not stepper. Gah.
The stepper bit was about a mile further on… and they couldn’t ride up that either.
Brilliant event.
When people who’ve just torn their rear mech off are still grinning and praising it, it’s got to be a good race!
Grass roots racing that puts a lot of The Big Races to shame 🙂
It was quicker to walk the flat up hill bit than try to ride through it
ace event! the course was a really good mix – loved it.
as mentioned – the bit in the pic above was far quicker to walk/run/jump through than to try and ride.
plus you had to get through the clay pit of doom first (through the Rhoddies) before reaching the Somme and then MTFU hill. But I really enjoyed it. Cant wait for next year
i can see the back of my head! That hill was not fun!