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Where were you? You got gridded by the way, missed out on your 15 seconds 😉
I got gridded? I never even entered 😀
Didnt fancy it as it’s so flat it just felt like a 1hr grassy TT last year. Also being picky due to terribly aged children issues!
I really enjoyed yesterdays race 22nd (only 2 seconds from 21st!) lots of back and forth, it was like an interval session. First time I've managed to do the same number of laps as the front runners too, so not that far behind! By the time we started the rain had set in and it made for a slippery course, and those steps, last lap was a killer! Really good venue too.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1919234436
My little girl managed to finish the U8's this time (first outing was at Chipping last year) and really enjoyed it, the sunshine and Haribo at the end helped though!
Scottish round 3 at Lochore in Fife yesterday with the much-loved/loathed Spiral of Doom, which left this pretty pattern on the ground:
Not my best result but didn't expect anything that much better on a course that really doesn't suit me in conditions that were too pleasant to be a factor. Spent most of the race in a close battle with three of my own team mates, which must have looked a bit curious to those watching! A rare sprint-and-bike-throw at the line saw me stay in the top 10 at the expense of my team-mate but there's no teamwork in cross, right?
National Trophy at Irvine next weekend, racing both days before the calendar goes quiet for a month. Anyone else making the trip to, err, lovely Ayrshire?
Racing at Leighton buzzard on Sunday. It's only my second race . Thankfully I'll be gridded this time. Really loved my first race and so did my 13yo son. I can see how people look forward to the season. Although technically I fared pretty well, my mounts and dismounts were dreadful. I've been practicing those. I'd love to improve my bunny hopping. Do any mortals actually do this in a race?
First race this year in yorks league last sunday. Been training hard & managed to drop some weight. First lap, third corner, everyone bunches up at a hairpin & some bumhole runs into me & snaps my rear mech off at the hanger. Brilliant.
Oh, and why the Eff can planet-x sell multi-tools for a fiver but a crappy monkey metal derailleur hanger is £25?
first ever race on Sunday for me !
Haven't been practising any skillz so it's lucky that I'm entering on the gate and will be starting last
My awesome natural pow should see me podiuming at the end though, right ?
For the sake of your testicles, at least practice remounts a couple of times!
Oh, and why the Eff can planet-x sell multi-tools for a fiver but a crappy monkey metal derailleur hanger is £25?
Try gearmechhanger.com, they may have a cheaper compatible one.
hoping to start my first cx race for oooh...., about 25 years , next weekend at a round of the Scottish Cycling North series. Should be “interesting”! Just fitted some Clement MXP 650x33 tyres to my gravel bike, went up tubeless no problem. Will be practising mounts/dismounts etc this weekend, and getting used to skinny tyres again.
Ferrals or indeed anyone else; I've got a couple of file tread tubs to go. Tufo dry 34c and grifo xs 32c. Could do them for £17.50 each posted
For the sake of your testicles, at least practice remounts a couple of times!
🙂
Funnily enough I thought much the same and had a quick go in the garden. I can get off no bother (when not doing my max heart rate anyway) and getting on, well, I'm safe but about as quick as yer gran getting back onto her shopper after a trip down to the SPAR. Don't think that's going to be what determines my overall result though
I found remounts quite easy actually, just start by keeping your legs slightly together (oo-er missus etc. etc.) so that you land on your thighs. Once you realise you're not going to come down on anything delicate you get more confident. Only took a few goes in the local park for me to be race confident.
Well, fingers crossed I don't really need it - haven't time for more playing
(watched a vid of last year's course on youtube :blush: and the rider didn't appear to get off at any point anyway)
Tough race but mighty good fun - may even do another, though I'd have to buy some grippier tyres (today was very much the last chance for a crossboss I suspect)
Greasy rather than mudbath but there were 2 pinch-points that resulted in walking on lap 1 (note to self; next time you're wondering whether to fit the studs to your shoes: YES)
Started at the back and made steady progress upwards. Nobody passed me, other than after a comedy fail on "the greasy bank of death with the sun in your eyes" and then I found myself on the wrong side of the bike to remount #hadntthoughtofthat. Lost about 4 places and 100 yards getting unclipped, staggering up the bank and then getting back on like a city gent outside the train station. Got 'em all back before the end though so not too bad.
Liked the fact you can recover when stuck behind on the twisty bits and then batter it when you come out the other end. Could've gone harder overall though, I think. I reckon I'll be back.
Was only my second race, so the first time I was gridded. Was pretty hard off the start. I decided I'd go hard and then try and defend places. Was sunny and windy (Leighton buzzard ccxl race) so the course dried loads. Later laps were quicker. Will certainly be back!
did your tactics work out then Adam ?
(my mate's just sent me a video of the start. I thought I'd gone steady and stayed lower mid-pack, turns out I was 3 from the back after 100 yards 🙄 )
Tactics kinda worked. I was gridded 44 from 99 and was probably in 20th by the end of the first few corners by going crazy off the line. I finished the first lap in 24th. It was good not to be slowed too much by traffic on the busy first lap. From there I slipped to 31st gradually over the remaining 6 laps but made people work to get by me and tried to stick with them. I preferred this approach Vs trying to ride through the field. In my last race I started 97 from 97 due to entry on the day and it was tough to get through the field.
Is British Cycling as anal as BDR (German Cycling Federation)? I’m just in the process of getting a German racing license mainly for racing cross. A lot of my riding friends refuse to get one because of all the politics surrounding it. Firstly you have to belong to a club ( with the resulting subs to pay etc) then you get your license through your club. Now on the club front they have to register their club jerseys complete with what logos, size and position for each category and age group at a cost of something like 170 euros for each registered cat. For the rider they are only allowed to race in certified races approved by the state federation. For example there was a cross eliminator organized a few weeks ago ( a kind of BMX style event where the riders ride one lap of a course and the first four go through to the next round) . Now this was organized by the competition series to the state series and so didn’t get certification. Any licensed rider that took part was given a hefty fine as well as their club! This is also the case if you race in another series out of your state when there is a race in your state at the same time. And apparently there is someone (and this is typical German) who spends their free time sifting through online results sheets looking for people who shouldn’t be there and reporting them to their state federations. This is a hobby for 99.9% of the people involved and in my case I live in Lepzig which is near the border to two other Federal States and so for me I would prefer to race somewhere within a one hour car journey in a different state as opposed to a 2.5 hour car journey in the same state.
44 from 99
'kinell - 99 !
mine had 50 and lap1 was still carnage
I'm riding in the V40 category of the central CX League. The only 2 races I've done were about 100 in that category. The German situation up there /\ sounds dreadful. I think for ccxl you need to be affiliated if you want to be considered for League placing, but otherwise just turn up. I found the whole scene really inclusive and easy to get into. Really great atmosphere and great for kids too. (Probably everyone on this thread knows this! 👍 )
Raced the N Wales event in Wrexham today - another aerobic evisceration, quite short laps of a grassy banked park that was running fast, one adult race for all categories. Defo one where you needed to measure it a bit as smashing fast laps out for 1hr+ would have most cracking by the end. Some nice features, a fast descent with a bit of a drop that you could launch off [a few iffy landings for me with the tyres squirming], some boards, plus a split in the course where you could run a steep bank or ride a steadier climb [ran it lap one - no mate].
Had a good battle with a guy with just a couple of metres between us for 10 laps. Came to an abrupt end when I was passing a lapped rider and we had a 'coming together' [me and the lapped rider] that put me through the tape! Got it wrapped around my mech so was fearing a last lap leg it but managed to rip it out and get rolling. Retrieved a couple of places and I think came in just behind the lad I was racing with. So not the best conclusion but great racing in the main - legs are smashed.
Well, my season is over. Racing Saturday, not my normal league, and went over on a fast downhill off camber. Broken collarbone.
On the plus side, Tramadol is good!
‘kinell – 99 !
mine had 50 and lap1 was still carnage
I actively avoid the races that I think will have a smaller field! Over 70 riders ftw! Super Quaichs are 100+ on the line - it's awesome!
Germany sounds a nightmare.
UK league racing has just about the correct level of officialdom.
You can enter any league race with a just a small day licence surcharge (so no BC membership needed).
Next step up is fairly basic BC membership for insurance and a free provisional licence. You can also be a private member so no need for a club. That then lets you join the local league if you want to score some points and make sign-on quicker and cheaper (think you need a full £ race licence to do Nationals).
NW league now grids top 20 - 30 on average points, plus option for out of area hotshots to ask for inclusion in gridding if they feel the need.
As a private member think I'm supposed to ride in plain kit, but I've never had any issues with"branded" kit from my Italian mate's company (complete with fake sponsor logos doctored in local Italian slang....).
‘kinell – 99 !
mine had 50 and lap1 was still carnage
We ran the non-points, YCCA race at Pateley Bridge on Sunday and had 99 riders in the afternoon senior race, split on three whistles to avoid carnage. We also had about the same number of riders again in the youth and U12 races in the morning, which is about a typical showing for a non-points race around here. Clean starts and race, and it was great to be involved in the execution of it, even though I was bloody knackered by the end of the weekend!
Not sure if anyone here races in the YCCA series, but hello to all of you and I hope you enjoyed our course! 🙂
Bad luck warton.
Scotland's first ever round of the National Trophy at the weekend, and it was just brilliant! Wonderful course, cracking weather, superb atmosphere and brutal racing, what more could you want? Raced V40 on Saturday then Elite on Sunday, figured I may as well make the most of it.
Bit of misfortune on the Saturday when riding right on the line of the tape, a marshal attempting to secure a stake somehow managed to push it outwards and wedge it inside my handlebar, sending me OTB. It was on an off-camber climb so not a disaster, but I'd just spent two laps putting myself clear of a whole group of people and latching onto two guys I'd targeted. I ride SS, with a QR rear wheel and I think the crash must have moved the wheel in the dropout slightly, as my chain tension was far too loose after that. Unfortunately I only noticed half a lap later when the chain flew off riding over a bumpy section. Happened three times in all, off the bike to fix each time, Annoying because I was going well. Retrieved something on the final lap by making up five or six places from timing an attack on group who'd caught and passed me each time I was off the bike, so that was a reasonable way to end it. Finished inside the top 30, probably 8th or so among the guys I usually race so not bad, but frustrating to know I was capable of more on the day.
Elite race on Sunday was a different kettle of fish altogether. Sinking feeling in the hours leading up to the start that there were quite a few DNSes and I was most definitely one of the crap folk! No Grant Ferguson so it was left to Ian Field and his team mate to set about the race with a quite blistering pace. Being a UCI race there was no prospect of being left in to get lapped and sure enough I got pulled with 4 to go. Didn't come last but I was WAY down. Fun though.
First time I've raced a National Trophy, loved it. Just wish more of them were a bit nearer.
Bad luck Warton.
@2tyred - the NT sounds epic. I've a real hankering to try one, though I know I'd also get pulled pretty swiftly. Do you think it was worth entering even though you got pulled? None are within 3 hrs of me this year, but still toying with entering shrewsbury for shits and giggles. Bit initimidating just being the elite race with no ability banding like in XC mtb but the courses look a step up and I like the more technical or 'proper cross' courses.
Our round of the wlesh league this w/e and I've come down with a stinker of a cough and cold thanks to my toddler, bit gutted but hoping with a large amount of oranges I'll be OK. More concerned about being fit to enjoy a saturday spent setting up than with the actual race to be honest.
ferrals - definitely worth it. Gridded right at the back and a bit stunned with the pace off the line (on a SS with a long flat start straight that was always going to happen) I did start thinking midway through the first lap that I should watch how hard I was going, as hour long races aren't the norm for me. That was daft though, as no way would I be lasting the hour! Should have just gone at it full gas for as long as I could, might have survived another lap, who knows? Great fun to be in a race of that level though. Next one I can get to, I'll do the same again, race both days.
So how does the getting pulled work and what percentage of people get pulled?
I'm increasingly down in the dumps about my CX season. Only managed three races of our league, currently stinking ill and can't see me managing to even do enough races to qualify for a series position. So getting an embarrasing beasting at Shrewsbury is looking increasingly likely as I'm going to have to travel a bit to get races in anyway.
Also anyone any recommendations for tubless tyres that actually measure 33mm as I guess they will have to be legal width for an NT and all reviews I've read for the various brands have said they come up big: my 33mm clements certainly do (around 35mm). One option would be to get a set of 31mm vittorias so to have wiggle room
On the plus side, it was our clubs race last weekend, and while I was gutted not to be able to race, I was delighted at how well the course seemed to be working after spending a lot of time fine-tuning it the last few months. In particular, for the first time there we had some running on the steep banks: its been too dry in past years for it to come into play so I was pleased it was finally slippery enough that the run was needed. 🙂
@ferrals ah that bloody running section!! My back did not thank you. Toughest course yet this season so well done. Now if you could just have the car park covered with something that doesn't leave grey cement marks everywhere when wet that'd suit nicely!
Hope you mend fast; this autumn my boy has passed on to me colds, chicken pox and hand foot and mouth. Kids eh, they're shit.
oh and my 33c vittoria Terreno come up 35mm
Haha yep, who needs biological warfare just set some toddlers loose!
Re. the running section, I had imagined people would be able to ride to the bottom of the first 'u' and then run up the bank and down and up the second 'u'. Depending on weather, think next year might switch the 2 'u's to one wider 'v' to make it a bit more of a run-ride choice.
Hopefully see you at Pembrey, toddler germ dependent
In particular, for the first time there we had some running on the steep banks: its been too dry in past years for it to come into play so I was pleased it was finally slippery enough that the run was needed. 🙂
I was looking forward to the fast dry and deceptively hard course that Singleton has provided for the last two years. I rode the course during my warm-up and thought “Jeez, this will be hard.”, then rode off to warm up elsewhere, trying to ignore thoughts of heart attacks, mental collapse etc.
And yes, it was hard, but seriously entertaining. Nowhere to ease off or relax. Perfect for an hour long race. (Forty minutes for me cos I’m old.) Now, let’s hope that Pembrey on Sunday has plenty of places to relax and none of the death drops that Matt loves to include. 😁
Enjoyed the NW course at Beacon Park last Sunday - more of a mixed, on and off course than we've had recently, which I prefer. Balmy conditions compared to last year, when it was raced in Jan in savage mud and cold - new route worked pretty well I thought.
Actually placed lower than I thought, as I got a strong start and thought I was doing better than usual but rolled in high 30s as per. Wasn't paying enough attention to the laps as I thought it was the penultimate and was riding steady, but it was actually the last and got passed at the end by a few lads emptying the tank - hate it when that happens.
Race legs are feeling solid now - done 7 races, but on a bit of a downer as I've had a dull sort of chest pain after the last 2 races [feels worse when I go for a jog]. Not what you want - having next weekend off and saw the Doc today and will have an ECG test next week with some follow ups. Hopefully it is nowt but I guess better safe than sorry.
Hope you are ok @Garry_Lager
@IdleJon - Craig said it would be like Matt Pages, but a bit more cyclocrossy. Which I take to mean a few more tight grassy bits. As I understand it, they aren't using the ski slope area as it's being used for a running race on the sat, so no time to set up.
Hope things go OK with the doc Garry - are you skipping Ulverston? I've had some fun races but do seem to be going backwards in the finishing positions. I think the shorter lap made Beacon a bit more manageable this year. And not racing through a freezing swamp on a singlespeed bike derived from a radiator 🙂
Ulverston is a bit of a drive for me, think I'd be more inclined to do the Yorkshire one that weekend which is S side of Bradford. See how things go, would like to race the N of England champs at Bradford as I've never ridden that Peel park course and it sounds highly regarded.
So how does the getting pulled work and what percentage of people get pulled?
All the UCI category races at the Trophies (Elite men, Elite women, Junior men) are operating on the 80% rule so that backmarkers don't interfere with the front of the race. Trophies tend to attract faster riders of course but there's still quite a few that get pulled out, depending on the course and conditions it might vary between 30 and 50% of the starters in Elite men.
You still get your correct finishing position and any points - the only issue is that you can't predict how long your race will last and exactly which lap you'll get pulled.
80% is very simple but a lot of people either can't fathom it or make it sound far more complex than it is - the leader's lap time for lap 1 is recorded and 80% of that time taken. From the end of lap 2 (usually), a stopwatch is started when the race leader passes the designated point and once the 80% time is reached, riders getting to the same point after that are pulled out. This continues until the leader's last lap when 80% is disabled as obviously the leader can't catch riders after he or she has finished!
Thanks LS, makes sense. Think at some point i’m going to look at our league results and see how I compare time wise to the guys that race trophies. If I think I can get 1/2hr or more of racing i’ll give it a crack.
Edit. I've worked it out... dumb question originally!
Anyone raced the superlockleaze event of the western league? Whats the course like? Will it be a crazy mud fest or could I be lazy and just bring one bike? Thinking of giving it a crack if i recover from my lurgy in time as the welsh league that day is cancelled
Also how are people finding the terreno wets as the season progresses? my mud tytres cnetre blocks are worn to sub 1 mm so I probably need something new. think its either them or maxxis mud wrestlers, concerned about the edge blocks on the terrenos, seem like no much grip on cambers?
Also how are people finding the terreno wets as the season progresses? my mud tytres cnetre blocks are worn to sub 1 mm so I probably need something new. think its either them or maxxis mud wrestlers, concerned about the edge blocks on the terrenos, seem like no much grip on cambers?
Loads of greasy, mud and grass, off-camber last time out. More grip than I had bravery at times. There are plenty of blocks on the tyre to help with cornering imo
Anyone raced the superlockleaze event of the western league? Whats the course like? Will it be a crazy mud fest or could I be lazy and just bring one bike?
Lockleaze is mostly open, grassly parkland. It's not flat, but there's nothing particularly steep. There's usually one rutted, rooty section that will be a run-up. It can be very muddy there and there was some mud at Purdown (just over the hedge from Lockleaze) a couple of weeks ago, but I'm guessing it'll be a bit muddy rather than a full on mud fest.
I made it to the CX NE race at Middlesbrough yesterday. First CX race in 5 years and it was good to give it another go especially after a mad year with twins turning up. It's tough joining in late in the season (that was race#9) so I got roasted off the line but managed to gain a few places through the race so got a good fast ride out of it. The main thing is it really helped me get my fitness up a bit by doing some training through October.
The venue was good and had a friendly atmosphere but the course was a bit of slog with no real elevation changes at all or technical sections / corners.
Certainly inspired me to maybe do another one this year but will aim to do the series next year. Does anyone know which of the CX NE venues are the most "fun" / interesting?
@legend - nice one!
@hoopyfrood - cheers, more of a power course than technical? I looked on strava and the summer cx lap doesnt look to have many corners? Been too ill to ride for a couple of weeks so not sure whether going straight into a race would be dumb or just what i need to kick-start the engine 🙂
National Trophy at Ardingly this weekend was incredible - excellent course and a really good atmosphere, especially down at the bomb.
Raced V40s on Saturday and was literally the last rider called up, managed to finished 20 or so places higher and was just pipped on the line by Nick Craig (obviously a lap up on me!).
Course held up really well considering how much rain there was overnight on Friday and Saturday.