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ctm - Feedback is always welcome. I'm not versed on the gridding process, I assist with the set up & help marshall on the day, but I can definately pass on your comments to the organisers.
It's a great event for racers and spectators alike at a stunning venue, hopefully progressing & learning along the way.
I'm tempted to go up to Scotland for a holiday if by beach park it means a proper conti-style sand race though!
Irvine should be a good event! The course is going to be used in a few weeks, using a round of the Super Quaich to test it out - i’ll let you know how it runs. The usually Irvine course is a good in anyway. The sand section is a reasonable length, not full Belgian levels of softness (bar a couple of areas) but a good addition to the track
@qwerty, feedback wise, the year I did it I remember thinking they should shift all the races forward by half an hour or so because by the time you'd finished and got changed as a senior you'd missed watching half the world champs.
Can see ctms point, if it's going to be a festival of cx type thing maybe grid on bc points but only give western league placing to those with enough races to qualify for the series?
ctm - Feedback is always welcome...It's a great event for racers and spectators alike at a stunning venue, hopefully progressing & learning along the way.
Thanks for taking it as intended (took me 3 attempts to post due to STW gremlins so got more terse each time). I know Munqe-Chick has mentioned it to Tang. More generally around gridding I've had circular conversations with some organisers saying it is at Commie's discretion, and with some Commies saying it is up to the organiser. I know for Central gridding is by the organisers and pre-entered visiting riders get gridded based on BC points-I've been bumped off the front row by 'interlopers' which I have absolutely no issue with because, guess what, they went on to kick my @rse. I've been gridded as a visitor at a Leics League round and that was after a chat with the commie.
It's a terrific course at a cracking venue, and the whole set up means it deserves to thrive, it's always had a very generous prize purse (my favourite road jerseys are the Lovecrossed winner's jerseys that MC won that fit me 😀 ) but the barrier to it's growth (beyond a few Elite-level prize hunters this year) is the deference to League gridding.
Just a quick one on gridding; I have specifically asked (again) that out of league riders with points be gridded appropriately on the day. This has been supported by league secretary, and will be made a key issue with the chief com when assigned.
Course this year is fairly unchanged except for a good sandpit and gridding/start feed in.
Next year might be a stand alone national A at a different time of the season, with a league race at another date. But nothing decided.
Anyways this year ‘should’ be a lot better! Always trying to improve. Hope to see some of you racing or otherwise. All the best.
Tang, thanks for the reply and for the efforts you're making to resolve the issue - I hope the chief commy on the day is onboard and that the whole event is a success. Munqe-Chick is returning to defend her jersey but the stonking prizes have coaxed some big hitters out of London League so she's managing her expectations 😉
anyone in for abingdon (wessex) on sunday. I'll be there - forecast looks like rain, lots of possibly cold rain. 😯
say hi if your there. green cannondale, green push the cranks kit.
anyone know what facilities it has? showers/ changing rooms? anyone got a reccoemndation for a pub for food afterwards?
Last race of the season this weekend. League position isn't going to improve, so time to have a bit of fun.
Singlespeed ratio is a bit lower than I'd like, but will be a swamp anyway so unlikely to matter. Luckily I'm better suited to push and run rather than a shoulder carry.....
An no it isn't UCI legal 🙂
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Good thinking! Never considered using a radiator as a bike to stay warm!
ThomThumb Abingdon is a great course and drains well but there are NO facilities there its on an airfield with 2 portaloos. There'll be loads of good pubs nearby in Botley and surrounding villages if you google I don't know any specific but it's known to be a nice area for pub grub.
Cheers Munqe-Chick. Good to hear it drains well! My wife suggested it might be cancelled due to the weather - I tried to explain - "This is cyclocross', but i'm not sure that I made any sense (to her)!! 😆
Any experienced hands got any advice for wet weather gear.
I've got loads of kit available: but the crux is there isn't time to change between practice and race.
At the moment i'm thinking of wearing a waterproof jacket and shorts for warm up; leaving them on the line and racing in a waterproof jersey. Short sleeve/ longsleeve and glove choice made sometime tommoroow lunch time.
I've just entered the Euro SSCX champs at Koksidje, should be some good craic.
Might need a bit of help with gear ratios, I've raced SSCX before but can't for the life of me remember what size rings/cogs I used! It'll be a 40t CX1 ring the front, so what rear cog would you lot recommend? I don't mind a bit of grinding, I'd rather do more running than spin out too much anywhere.
The other thing to plan is the outfit. Need maximum comedy value without compromising performance too much. I'm thinking skinsuit, with denim jacket (if it's cold) or brightly coloured shirt (if it's warm) over the top, maybe some bright undies on top superhero style. Anyone got any good ideas?
@thomthumb, you're presumably only racing for a hour max, just get wet to ensure max breathibility, you won't notice when your lungs are burning. Waterproof to practise/ warm up then ditch on start line. Nothing worse than being too hot in a cx race.
@padkinson - good luck! Massive fake moustache would set off that outfit perfectly 😆
I spotted you today MickR, couldn't not notice you on that bike! Horrific conditions, I was marshalling all morning and then racing in the seniors. Brass Monkeys doesn't even describe it. Just about defrosted now, but still got to get the kit washed :(. Well done for getting out today!
Double marshall points in order there BenjiM, Arctic wind and rain over the field.BenjiM - MemberI spotted you today MickR, couldn't not notice you on that bike! Horrific conditions, I was marshalling all morning and then racing in the seniors. Brass Monkeys doesn't even describe it. Just about defrosted now, but still got to get the kit washed :(. Well done for getting out today!
Quite enjoyed getting stuck into the race - had some good battles on the big quagmire loop but was getting rinsed on the open field. Some lads doing well running the whole thing, but that's not my game. Didn't see Mick_r - suspect he's a good runner if he got that SS round four laps!
The cold made everything a logistical nightmare before and after with two kids racing. Like to think I do well with the cold but I was a jibbering wreck getting back to the car after clearing the pits out.
Oooff I'm tired now 🙂 At least it raised a few smiles on a very grim day. I could have done 4 laps but chose to drop one place and tactically loiter at the end of lap 3 - me plodding that thing round for another long lap just makes the day drag out for the organisers and the next race.
The rad bike handles surprisingly well and all the rain at least stopped it clogging (youngest lad's bike was double it's normal weight with jammed snow from 1st race blizzard). My main problem was the ss ratio was a bit high for grinding through that level of uphill sludge. Can't believe I was originally worried 32:17 would be too low!
Generally a happy family with eldest 2nd yoof and Mrs 2nd woman overall / 1st vet. Cleanup and logistics from 4 people racing is pretty bleak - glad that aspect of the season is over. Definitely a year for mud tyres.....
cheers Ferrals.
Well that was wet; probably the muddiest I've ever been! So wet the timing chips didn't work!
Good fun though; the course was fantastic.
Much lower turnout than other rounds! It was the definition of bleak today though I wonder if that had an effect. Looking forward to next week's season finale at Southampton.
@Thomthumb sounds like you had fun! What did you race in the end? We had epic snowy conditions up in Misterton and had a brilliant race.
Double marshall points in order there BenjiM, Arctic wind and rain over the field.
Cheers! I managed to finish 12th which is my best result yet, although the field was somewhat shorter yesterday!
Today's round at Southampton wasn't quite so fun!
Sticky mud + lots of leaves meant bikes were clogging all over the place. I'd seen 4 broken mechs before i'd left the car park.
The start was placed so that it was a run from the line. I'm no runner & this didn't do my asthma any good.
By bike was completely clogged after 30 mins, and i DNF'd. The bike was so heavy by this point I was struggling to lift it to my shoulder.
Second bike & pit crew required i think!
Should have taken my spikes - never even thought about it this morning! Need to improve at running. Need to not have an asthma attack first lap!
Had a great day at round 2 of the filthy cross series in gilwern, Abergavenny. Was really surprised to find the rain we've had didn't seem to have affected there, a bit sludgy in places, a bit slippy in others, but minimal heavy mud. Really good course: some nice hairpinny open field sections, a short run up, a drag climb, some fun offcamber twisty wooded descent and then a steep rolling drop that got rutted and required a fair bit of concentration. Sadly the senior race was pretty poorly attended but still had a good tight duel with another rider, I was getting gaps through the field sections, then he was getting back on the wooded stuff, ended up loosing to him by a second or two when I couldn't shift into the big ring for the final sprint. Good to catch up with shedbrewed and a few of the other Welsh league regulars.
think that's my last cx race of the season, feels a bit disjointed as haven't raced since the end of November. Not really got the results I had hoped for but wasn't as fit as last season and it showed, not had any proper mud races either which is a shame. Great fun though, already looking forward to next season!
First round of the Super Quaich series* yesterday, and I'm burst today! Great course but the weather had fairly taken its toll. Sections that had (apparently) been rapid last year were having to be run this time round. One of the descents even got so thick with mud that running was no slower than trying to plough through - thought i was going to lose my shoes a few times! Think there will be quite a few expensive repair bills after this round, quite a few mechs got eaten.
OTOH, first outing with Vittoria Terreno Wets on the bike and they were very impressive, probably better than the Challenge Limuses I used (in very similar conditions) at the start of the season - braking grip on off-camber descents with the wrong foot unclipped was nothing short of staggering.
Racing CX is turning out to be a great way to keep myself going with a baby in the house......... think i'll go for a snooze now though....
*basically no categories including men/women, you're just in the A or B race depending on how quick you've been at other races
think that’s my last cx race of the season, feels a bit disjointed as haven’t raced since the end of November. Not really got the results I had hoped for but wasn’t as fit as last season and it showed, not had any proper mud races either which is a shame. Great fun though, already looking forward to next season!
No mud in Wales? Quite a heavy season in the NW, with a couple of absolute deluge courses. First time I've seen running be a huge difference-maker, last season I barely ran ten yards total, whereas this year there were 100 yard stretches at a time. Couple of lads in the final race must have ran miles.
First half of my season was a bit of a shambles with equipment problems and injury, but still enjoyed every race pretty much - that's cross for you.
Ran a tubular bike and a tubeless bike for 3 races, which was a good comparison. Tubs definitely better in heavy mud in a straightish line, and uphill. Cornering though I think I preferred the stiffer tubeless carcass. Don't like the way tubs fold a bit in the corners, felt more confident on tubeless. I guess you adapt your technique either way.
Next season I'll try to get some running under the belt - found the actual running OK, it was more the getting back on the bike afterwards. Remounting after an uphill burn was savage, proper breathing out your aris time. Having the fitness to push through this would be worth a few places.
No mud in Wales?
Not really, though I missed two races and I think they were muddier. I only had one race where bike changes were really necessary and a couple of others where i switched at the 3/4 way through mark just to get clean tyres. Sure we had races where it cut up but i didnt race anything where running was required apart from a 10 yard muddy incline yesterday. My favourite is when you get a layer of really liquid gloopy mud like a nice chocolate sauce over the entire course and everying gets a bit vague and we didnt see anything like that.
Anyone got any course updates for LoveCrossed on weekend? Ie conditions can you get away with one bike or is it a 2 biker? Thanks in advance
As Ferrals said, the course at Gilwern as part of the Filthy Cross series was a blinder. Really thought it was the best iteration of that location. Just really disappointing to have such a small Seniors field.
As regards mud in Wales, I'm not sure if Ferrals raced at Bryn Bach Parc? There was definite run/amble sections there and my trusty XTR derailleur died after the finish along with another chain snap. Other than that, the majority of the southern CX league courses weren't very muddy; I can't speak for Newtown or Aberystwyth.
MC - I'll not be up there helping until Friday, but I'd guess at 2 bikes. Just been walking the woods locally, the wet sloppy muds drying out into sticky goop right now. No real rain in the forecast & if it's a heavy frost on the day you can bet it'll have thawed out by the time you race.
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poo - can't post pics
Well the reports I'm hearing suggest the Lovecrossed commies approach to gridding led to a start-line mutiny for one race, and a bunch of visiting riders who'd travelled hours to race who won't be coming back.
I know I'm not the only 2017 competitor who decided not to return due to the gridding fiasco and I'm glad I stuck with my original decision not to waste a day of leave from work. Tang, you really need to sack it being a League round if it's going to grow.
And to illustrate how different commies can be (and not a willywaving exercise) I raced the final Leics League round at Misterton Hall (because it's a terrific course). As it was their final round it was designated their county champs. I asked the chief commy if I could be gridded, and said that I would be happy with something like 3rd row so I was towards the front of the field but not interfering with their champs. He showed me the call-up list and I had already been gridded, FIRST, as they'd planned the gridding based on BC points.
The gridding was justified as I came 2nd, to another visiting rider who'd entered on the day (so he was gridded last-minute) from Scott Factory Racing (who may actually have won Lovecrossed).
The gridding for Western League has been a bit inconsistent over the years. There have certainly been occasions where the likes of Liam Kileen and Simon Richardson have been gridded despite not being league registered. They were at least consistently not gridding non-league riders at lovecrossed today (so Simon Richardson started at the back). I think I've not been gridded when I ought to have been (I turn up enough to have more league points that riders who are much better than me), presumably as the commisaires know I'm rubbish at starts and always end up at the back anyway.
I'm not sure Tang and race organisers in general really have the power to do anything about this (other than not make it a league round). Perhaps complaining to BC to get consistent/sane gridding for all leagues would be a better bet.
Anyway thank you to Tang, Qwerty and anyone else involved for putting on a good event, which was easily the most enjoyable race of the year for me.
As Crashtestmonkey says it was chaos on the start line! The Commissaires wanted to grid the Western league women as per normal in amongst the V50 and all other women at the back... erm you have advertised a £400 prize fund for the winning Senior woman and people have travelled in excess of 2 hours for the event. There was a bit of a kick up by some ladies, the commies then asked the regular western league ladies their opinion.. clearly they weren't going to say anything after the mini mutiny!!! So they agreed to start us all 1 minute behind the V50.
Very disappointing behaviour just before the start, as a result I won't be going back to race Love Crossed until it becomes a stand alone event. Tang does a stirling event along with James Lowsley-Williams, Le Col etc but it isn't growing in size due to the old school manner of running the race that the Western league (which is a small league) has. It's a shame as it has the potential to be an fabulous event.
The organiser does have the power to run gridding how he wants, every league is different and there is nothing in CX rules to say it has to be done X way. At the Central league last race of the season pretty much ALL the normal top 7 riders got bumped down to 2nd row due to loads of high flying interlopers, not one has an issue as quite rightly those top 7 interlopers all finished in the top 10.
Thanks for everything you are trying to do Tang I've enjoyed racing there the last 3 years. Next year Bogense for me (not racing though) 😉
Pah, who cares about gridding? Evie Richards doesn't let it bother her!
PS. thanks Tangwyn, James, Ben et al for a great day out. My non-riding sister commented on how impressive the setup was. Don't be put off by the shouty have-a-go-pros...for everyone who vows never to return you can be sure that many more of us will be back!
so six months ago I stated season aims of:
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px;">Aims:</span><br style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px;">– Not get lapped</span><br style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px;">– Beat friends</span><br style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px;">– Enjoy</span>
I have managed 17 races since then getting lapped in 5, beating some friends week in week out,
I also enjoyed every single race and am now starting the build of the 2018 bike and and settling into some turbo time for a few off road sportives before the summer races lead us nicely into the 2018/2019 season!