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.

Vet 40 at Ardingly for me too. Cracking course with some proper tech to deal with. Managed 36th.

I pitted for my V60 dad on the Saturday at Ardingly and raced the seniors on Sunday. What a difference a night of rain and a few hundred more riders churning up the course made! My race was brutal with so much running. I can’t run to save my life so hit the redline early on and couldn’t recover. I was sitting around mid-field (40th) after a few laps when my handlebars rotated in the first bombhole and I took it as a sign to pull out and watch the suffering instead!

Hope you came and had a beer and some fries with us!

Think the most impressive racing for me was the Junior/U18s – proper skillz and fast.

more of a power course than technical? I looked on strava and the summer cx lap doesnt look to have many corners?

I would say it’s more of a power course. There’s a short bit of single track/woods, a very rutted/rooty climb that I don’t think I’ve seen anyone ride and a ditch, but the rest is slow turns around trees.

I haven’t ridden it in the summer, but I think they have used a different course some of the time. The last couple of winter rounds have been something along the lines of https://www.strava.com/segments/13600733

Out of the CXNE races that are left 12 and 13 should be good. Gypsies Green is an old Velodrome and there is sure to be some running up the steps. Not sure what they use for Gallagher park but there is some good wooded sections in there. The other two might be good but it is ages since I’ve done them. My memory of Herrington is a fast flat grass crit.

There is another league, NECCL. Not bound by the same rules as BC events as it is run under the TLI saturdays had a deep mud descent, water splash, singletrack through trees and a very long run up some stairs. Next round is Hardwick which is normally grassy with one testing hill. Gypsies Green being run by my team (Reifen Racing) will be hosting in December. Much the same as CXNE as space is so limited. Hetton, the final round of the season will mostly be wooded single and double track. Probably hilly.

NECCL tends to be more old school and a lot less formal (gridded by reputation, not fully taped, most people on one bike etc.). CXNE is proper cross racing if you want to get the true experience. I’ve missed most of the CXNE but did marshal one, hopefully will make it to round 10! Done the NECCL as I have the dubious honour of being the league secretary.

Has anyone seen a challenge tubeless ready tyre in the wild? I believe they have released a TLR range this year but I can’t see anywhere to buy them in the UK – limus tubeless would have to be tried.

I had a look for these too. They are on Upgrade bikes as back order with no delivery date.

I think they are pretty pricy (£54) so would be good to read some reviews of them before buying!

I’m a proud Crawley Wheeler, the club that helped organise the NT at Ardingly. It seems it all went down rather well! I raced in the v50s on Saturday and I think we had the best conditions tbh. Loved it. Came back the next day to marshal and clear up and we were all buzzing from the experience. John_l, I hope you had the amount of business we were hoping for you! I think it might have helped if there were some signs directing spectators to the ‘Bombhole and Beer’ but there did seems to be plenty of people there when I was climbing the north face each lap in my race.

Re ne Cx courses:  they ebb and flow depending on what we get chucked off. Flusco and the trophy course at Durham were favourites of mine now gone. Herrington and Darlington I like but maybe too similar to boro for your taste. Gypsies green velodrome is good. As it’s next to the beach it’s sandy even in Jan.  Ponteland Is getting better and better but Hetton probably the best. Held the nationals last year which was well received.  Recent lindtz farm neccl round was very different. Hopefully we get to keep it.

Jonba and Eddie – thanks for the info. Interested in the race at Hardwick, it’s localish and date is good. Gypsies Green sounds interesting, as does Hetton.

@ferrals I’m not sold on tubeless over tubular for cross racing. The sidewalls are still too stiff compared to a tubular for those conditions where you want lower pressure for more grip and tyre flexibility. Fine if it’s a fast and firm course and you can rely on the tread to bite but otherwise I think there’s still development needed. I fear that to make a supple cross tyre that would replicate a tubular at lower pressures would necessitate a bead so tight it would be an absolute nightmare to fit.

Good luck if you go over the water Sunday.

Pembrey Sunday was fun but hard. Tom D road very well. If he can improve his starts he’s going to be superb

I spent the whole race being chased by my old club with each person taking turns to attack. Certainly made it into a good race.

Tom’s been training too hard this season! I used to have good races against him and Chris D and looking at the results they are both smashing it!

Sounds a fun race. I was gutted to have missed Pembrey – love all the sandy singletrack even if it does make passing a pain. On sat eve I felt fine and was convinced I’d be racing, woke up sunday and didnt even consider it. Ah well, at least I’ll be fresh and frothing for the end of the season 🙂

You any idea what the Gilestone Farm course will be like? Figure you should have insider info now!

I just can’t bring myself to make the switch to tubular, the cost outlay is too much. I read the islabikes tubeless tyre is much more supple than others.

Afraid I’ve no info on Gilestone. I’m going to guess it’ll be like the champs course last year in style and conditions but that’s only a guess.

Good day out yesterday at the Western League event in Lockleaze in blazing sun. Nice low key, relaxed race. Really enjoyed the course, flat and fast but with a couple of slippery turns to make you think and a nice short wooded section. First time at a western league event aside from Lovecrossed a few years ago and think I’ll be doing a few more.

Good way to get back into racing having not raced since early October, without having the pressure of knowing where I ‘should’ be in the field. A couple of other welsh interlopers so to start with I tried to chase them but getting stuck the wrong side of a crash meant that boat sailed. Probably a good thing having only recovered from three weeks of virus, so without the carrot I toned it down to not quite race pace, used it as a training excersize and actually enjoyed myself trying to get the lines right round the tighter corners rather than just using them as gasps of recovery.

Position-wise not a good result for me (unsurprisingly), always disappointing to be a lap down on a fair few riders. However my time gap back to one of the other welsh guys wasnt as bad as I’d expected so pretty happy and looking forward to getting back into the racing from now on.

Tough course yesterday at Gilestone farm for round 10 of Welsh league. I managed a good start, in fact my starts have improved through the year which is a positive, then commenced racing. There were a couple of bottleneck sections but only on the first lap then the field spread out. The course was quite sappy ground with some steep off camber turns and a couple of sharp lips and drops. I came a cropper on the latter when my front washed out which lost me two places as I picked myself back up. Also lost a shoe when a corner stake popped the BOA releases undone on the shoe. Try as I might to tighten it back up whilst riding I couldn’t get it done and then the shoe came off on another bend so I had to stop, losing another 3 places.

Disappointed to be 17th as I had the power to counter any attacks from the bunch I was in and before the incidents I’d been pleased with how I was riding. Had some nice tussles with a few boys through the first 45 minutes before the issues. Shame to see @ferrals not have a good race.

Champs and league finals and then that’s my last year as a senior done.

I had entered the race yesterday but caught the most virulent, waterfall-snot, chesty bug off my kids and spent the whole weekend (and today) complaining about dying. So that’s a fourth weekend kiboshed because of illness. (Three weeks of sinusitis in September/October.) This is also the reason that I really don’t like pre-entering cx races. £14 down the drain. There’s no point me entering the last round now as I can’t do enough races to qualify for the league. I might just ride down to Pembrey.

Also how are people finding the terreno wets as the season progresses

Oooooh, I have one of those on the back (now, after ditching the crossboss pair).  Was pretty good on a fairly dry but with some odd, dampish, and very off-camber turns across a hillside in my second race*.  Not really any sliding to be felt on what was a section that everyone around me was very wary of and caused a few tumbles.  I obvz wasn’t pushing hard enough.

Schwalbe x1-bitey thing on the front, that seemed OK too.  Does anyone know much about them ?

*Beat 5 riders who beat me the first time around and nobody managed to do that to me, so good enough 🙂 .  I think I’ve one or two more lined up for this year but likely a full season next year

Shame to hear that Jon, I’ve been the same. Still worth racing Pembrey though, I’ve only got three finished races too so far so won’t get a league position but will still race. Also planning on the western league at Odda’s chapel and the one in the stately home (not love crossed, a new venue). Think they are doing a race/worlds showing too in Bristol.

i thought Gilestone was a cracking course. Like a micro koppenbergcross with the steep double track up to the finish (albeit only about 10m uphill) and then the bumpy offcamber pasture return. The pinchpoint so soon after the start wasn’t ideal but I reckon if they use it again it wouldn’t take more than an hour with a scythe and a shovel to widen it.

As shedbrewed said I had a dire race. Came into it over-tired and over-stressed, but determined to race so I could get five races. 10 minutes before the start I snapped my chain on my good bike; grabbed my pit bike which I’d Switched from turbo duties the night before, went to do a practise lap and found the brakes were rubbing, the gears were skipping and it’s geo is so different it felt bizarre. Head fully in the shed before the start. Whistle went, tried to sprint but my legs said no. Ended up near the back, managed to put a bit of power into the first lap to get  within sight of shedbreweds group but then my body just shut the power off. By the third lap I was down to z2, then went over the handlebars getting tangled on a straight, tried to push on but I was thinking about everything apart from riding my bike so called it a day. Frustrating as if I’d been on form I’d have loved to race that course. Had this stress-induced leg blocking before in an xc race and it’s a bizarre feeling. On the plus side a few nights decent sleep and de-stressing should fix it. Thankfully was out of the office all day today so already feeling more relaxed 😂

https://instagram.com/p/BqqEiOjFXgW/

Sorry to hear you had snot torrents @IdleJon hope to see you and @ferrals at Pembrey anyhow. Look forward to racing you next year too.

<span style=”display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: ‘Open Sans’; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;”> Look forward to racing you next year too.</span>

I’m in the V50s so always a different race! 🙂