 |
| Around Dark Star corner |
 |
| Exiting the Spiral of Doom |
 |
| Exit Stage left |
 |
| Wrecking the lawns |
 |
| Spiral of DOOOOOM |
Thursday, 28 November 2013
More Pics from CityCross
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Racing Wessex CX Rnd 10 Thruxton
After the glamour of the flood lit colonnades and stage bombing , with the added terror of the off camber cobbles, Citycross was now few weeks ago, so its time to get back to local racing with the Wessex League , this time Behind the Bikeshed event at Thruxton.
As a road rider, Thruxton was the setting for the last win of my road career, with a long solo break... fond memories indeed.. But I wasn't kidding myself.. while the weather was very similar. ( freezing northerly wind) I had no illusions that today's result was going to be different.
This was to be first outing with my 'new ' carbon wheels and first ride on tubs.
I know I know, I bought them weeks ago..but I have been faffing with brakes.. I needed some pads, so I had a choice. Do I go for the standard size road cartridges or swap to the longer V brake (RX) cartridges off the Tektro720s.
I opted for more brake block with the V pads. But after a three week wait for yellow swissstops carbon pads I was informed that they don't do them anymore!! so small pads it is then...( which I could have gotten weeks ago)
Trying to set the CX8.4 mini Vs up was a pain I just couldn't get them right.. The rear wheel has a tiny wobble on it and as the pads run so close to the rim I faffed and faffed, but in the end I got up early on race day and swapped back to my Tekros. nothing like last minute changes.
I travelling up with Phil Chinn of Fareham Wheelers in his well kitted out LT relaxed, babbling the whole way and talking about The Fareham Wheelers Cross race on the 5th Jan next year.
Parking was easy and soon we were bimbling down the hill to sign on.
A sea of tape, on the side of an amphitheatre, greeted us..what a cracking venue for spectators...
it was impossible to trace the course standing at the bottom the hurdles were right in front of the sign on and the majority of the crowd. but the only other obvious feature was the regular vertical lines climbing the banks,.again and again.sweeping out to the right and back again into the grim headwind.
So here it is... a tidied up GPX track:
The starting straight was pretty long and went stright up the hill
and by the first hairpin, things were spaced out reasonably. I would describe it but basically it was a long series of sharp turns in a sea of tape. once you were on it it was fine though, off camber corners, 180s into another hill.
The course was well drained with no muddy patches. A few of teh corners got progressivly torn up throughoutthe race, but mainly it was damp grass. A few long straights were welcome respite and a well built set of barriers. Basically an excercise in off camber riding, switchbacks and short sharp uphills.!! definitly the most corners in any race yet. The hardest part was a really sharp off camber left hander, down on the southerm part of teh course. steep and very slippy....
This pic shows the pits barriers and a few of the steep bank switchbacks. ------------------>>
( it doesnt really give the impression of how steep they were!)
Racing.
Commisaires called up riders to the grid, but this race instead of the top 20 or so they called everyone on the Wessex database forward in turn, As I am not affiliated this year I was in the remaining few riders a long way back, I estimate at least 50-60 or so riders ahead..
A minutes silence was held for the passing of Wessex cyclocross stalwart Geoff Shergold . The quiet only punctuated by the wind and garmins chirping threshold alarms.
The whistle went, but instead of caning it straight away, a lackadaisical meander started, I didn't really really shift a gear until we dived into the first series of chicanes.,. then that was it Hammer time. heart rate nicely elevated, time to start picking off. corner, accelerate, pick off a rider, no aggression, but by either accelerating on a short straight bit, or by out cornering. I was soon moving up through the field.
My mate Phil came a cropper on one of the steep uphills, so as riders cursed and had to ease up in the bottle neck, I was off running and sprinted up the hill, making around 15 places in one go. steep switchback,, out of the saddle and accelerate up the next part of the bank. the course was always variable and there was only one section where you could shift it to the big ring. I had a good ding dong with an Army CU guy, Ed of VC Venta was passed and things were going pretty well.
I sprinted as hard as I possibly could along that top bit, as other riders seemed to be taking a bit of a breather, knowing that the wiggly bit at the bottom was easily defendable.,
The trickiest part of the course came way off to the right of the course. (Yellow circle) a short climb, offcamber> followed by a very off camber switch back, that was very slippy and really hard to find a clean line through. I nervously crept through this segment each lap.
By now I was up to near my usual rivals, Army CU guy , and a pale blue Wesbury Wheelrs rider were close. I was passing Phil Boarer of South Downs passing on the opposite side of the switch back. Keeping the pressure on I blundered and accelerating into a rise I dropped the chain.. Off the bike as riders started to pass, I lifted the chain back on and span the pedals to make sure it didn't drop again. Tried to remount ... (Blunder!) dismounted and then ran up the bank careful not to remount too early. I had lost about 10 or so places, and was livid.
I spent the rest of the race chasing those down who I had already passed once... picking them off one by one, and gaining all the time. Phil yelling encouragement where we passed.
On the Bell lap I over cooked it a bit on that nasty corner I mentioned and I went over the bars and over the tape. The bars dug deeply into my left thigh giving me a good dead leg.. My most recent passed opponent (Wight Mountain guy) quickly and smartly accelerated past as I remounted and limped off, slow to get back up to speed. I was still chasing him down, as we approached teh finish, both getting out of the saddle to sprint for the line... he did manage it, but it was a good race..Turns out that I managed to wind back up to 21st. so overall not bad from such a shit start and mishaps. Somehow I managed to lose a contact lense in teh melee as well!
Post race diagnosis and catching up with a few familiar faces.. A warm cup of tea and a sausage sandwich from the superb grill that had been put on,
We watched about half of the Seniors, where I did a bit of gentle heckling of Ben, who was out on his first race for a long while.
What went well:
Raced very hard, made a lot of places up. really worked through the bunch . Pretty pleased about that.
Raced on tubs..even though they were a bit too hard, the wheels seemed to accelerate quickly.
Not so good.
Out partying the night before..Spanish Ex-pats night out...I volunteered to drive so got away with a baggy head, but it was a late night...
Tubs a bit too hard
Not being gridded and starting at the back.. while its a good workout, ultimately I really want a top ten.
Dropped chain.. No idea why, its never done it on that bike, or since.. should I buy a chainkeeper?
Crashed.. ahh well that racing.. but my thigh is still bruised and feels dead.
Bad prep of spare bike. Yet again I forgot to check tyre pressure. so they were well flat ( Latex tubes!)
As a road rider, Thruxton was the setting for the last win of my road career, with a long solo break... fond memories indeed.. But I wasn't kidding myself.. while the weather was very similar. ( freezing northerly wind) I had no illusions that today's result was going to be different.
This was to be first outing with my 'new ' carbon wheels and first ride on tubs.
I know I know, I bought them weeks ago..but I have been faffing with brakes.. I needed some pads, so I had a choice. Do I go for the standard size road cartridges or swap to the longer V brake (RX) cartridges off the Tektro720s.
I opted for more brake block with the V pads. But after a three week wait for yellow swissstops carbon pads I was informed that they don't do them anymore!! so small pads it is then...( which I could have gotten weeks ago)
Trying to set the CX8.4 mini Vs up was a pain I just couldn't get them right.. The rear wheel has a tiny wobble on it and as the pads run so close to the rim I faffed and faffed, but in the end I got up early on race day and swapped back to my Tekros. nothing like last minute changes.
I travelling up with Phil Chinn of Fareham Wheelers in his well kitted out LT relaxed, babbling the whole way and talking about The Fareham Wheelers Cross race on the 5th Jan next year.
Parking was easy and soon we were bimbling down the hill to sign on.
A sea of tape, on the side of an amphitheatre, greeted us..what a cracking venue for spectators...
it was impossible to trace the course standing at the bottom the hurdles were right in front of the sign on and the majority of the crowd. but the only other obvious feature was the regular vertical lines climbing the banks,.again and again.sweeping out to the right and back again into the grim headwind.
So here it is... a tidied up GPX track:
 |
| Twisty then:... |
The starting straight was pretty long and went stright up the hill
and by the first hairpin, things were spaced out reasonably. I would describe it but basically it was a long series of sharp turns in a sea of tape. once you were on it it was fine though, off camber corners, 180s into another hill.
The course was well drained with no muddy patches. A few of teh corners got progressivly torn up throughoutthe race, but mainly it was damp grass. A few long straights were welcome respite and a well built set of barriers. Basically an excercise in off camber riding, switchbacks and short sharp uphills.!! definitly the most corners in any race yet. The hardest part was a really sharp off camber left hander, down on the southerm part of teh course. steep and very slippy....
This pic shows the pits barriers and a few of the steep bank switchbacks. ------------------>>
( it doesnt really give the impression of how steep they were!)
Racing.
Commisaires called up riders to the grid, but this race instead of the top 20 or so they called everyone on the Wessex database forward in turn, As I am not affiliated this year I was in the remaining few riders a long way back, I estimate at least 50-60 or so riders ahead..
 |
| Graham Robbins |
A minutes silence was held for the passing of Wessex cyclocross stalwart Geoff Shergold . The quiet only punctuated by the wind and garmins chirping threshold alarms.
The whistle went, but instead of caning it straight away, a lackadaisical meander started, I didn't really really shift a gear until we dived into the first series of chicanes.,. then that was it Hammer time. heart rate nicely elevated, time to start picking off. corner, accelerate, pick off a rider, no aggression, but by either accelerating on a short straight bit, or by out cornering. I was soon moving up through the field.
My mate Phil came a cropper on one of the steep uphills, so as riders cursed and had to ease up in the bottle neck, I was off running and sprinted up the hill, making around 15 places in one go. steep switchback,, out of the saddle and accelerate up the next part of the bank. the course was always variable and there was only one section where you could shift it to the big ring. I had a good ding dong with an Army CU guy, Ed of VC Venta was passed and things were going pretty well.
I sprinted as hard as I possibly could along that top bit, as other riders seemed to be taking a bit of a breather, knowing that the wiggly bit at the bottom was easily defendable.,
The trickiest part of the course came way off to the right of the course. (Yellow circle) a short climb, offcamber> followed by a very off camber switch back, that was very slippy and really hard to find a clean line through. I nervously crept through this segment each lap.
By now I was up to near my usual rivals, Army CU guy , and a pale blue Wesbury Wheelrs rider were close. I was passing Phil Boarer of South Downs passing on the opposite side of the switch back. Keeping the pressure on I blundered and accelerating into a rise I dropped the chain.. Off the bike as riders started to pass, I lifted the chain back on and span the pedals to make sure it didn't drop again. Tried to remount ... (Blunder!) dismounted and then ran up the bank careful not to remount too early. I had lost about 10 or so places, and was livid.
I spent the rest of the race chasing those down who I had already passed once... picking them off one by one, and gaining all the time. Phil yelling encouragement where we passed.
On the Bell lap I over cooked it a bit on that nasty corner I mentioned and I went over the bars and over the tape. The bars dug deeply into my left thigh giving me a good dead leg.. My most recent passed opponent (Wight Mountain guy) quickly and smartly accelerated past as I remounted and limped off, slow to get back up to speed. I was still chasing him down, as we approached teh finish, both getting out of the saddle to sprint for the line... he did manage it, but it was a good race..Turns out that I managed to wind back up to 21st. so overall not bad from such a shit start and mishaps. Somehow I managed to lose a contact lense in teh melee as well!
Post race diagnosis and catching up with a few familiar faces.. A warm cup of tea and a sausage sandwich from the superb grill that had been put on,
We watched about half of the Seniors, where I did a bit of gentle heckling of Ben, who was out on his first race for a long while.
What went well:
Raced very hard, made a lot of places up. really worked through the bunch . Pretty pleased about that.
Raced on tubs..even though they were a bit too hard, the wheels seemed to accelerate quickly.
Not so good.
Out partying the night before..Spanish Ex-pats night out...I volunteered to drive so got away with a baggy head, but it was a late night...
Tubs a bit too hard
Not being gridded and starting at the back.. while its a good workout, ultimately I really want a top ten.
Dropped chain.. No idea why, its never done it on that bike, or since.. should I buy a chainkeeper?
Crashed.. ahh well that racing.. but my thigh is still bruised and feels dead.
Bad prep of spare bike. Yet again I forgot to check tyre pressure. so they were well flat ( Latex tubes!)
Monday, 25 November 2013
Monday, 18 November 2013
Morvelo City Cross...As much fun as you can have on a bike.
City Cross One was excellent, but this weekends running of City Cross 2 managed to top it.
The impressive Piece hall was the venue, with the awesome galleries framing the days racing.
Saturday we were greeted by threatening clouds and as we pulled into the square we were both gobsmacked. Emma and her team had been busy indeed.
After some discussion we set up the SCS gazebo and rigs right next to the main stage. The usual faffing setting up, Craig losing the van keys when it came to move the waggon, and going back to the car park a few times due to forgotten odds and sods.
We were ready. The Frogs were set up ready to go, however it didn't quite work out that way for us.
As the first races got underway the rain started and drove the crowds into the shelter of the galleries. It turns out that we were set up in a kind of island and with no foot fall, we were so quiet that we subsequently shut down shop and just enjoyed the racing.
The course was brilliant.
A short cobbled uphill sprint before turning through the massive gates and a sweeping left hander up more cobbles to a right turn and through the deep sandpit.
Grounding a pedal here, filled the cleat with sand and meant clipping back in was a challenge for at least half a lap. Out of the sand pit and into the Spiral of Doom. clockwise on the way in ever decreasing circles on off camber cobbles. To be honest the cobbles were not too bad, the flagstones were worse, but the gaps between them were the hidden danger, ready to snatch at the front wheel and drag you well off line.
Into the centre of the tapes a sharp turn back on yourself and anti clockwise on the way out, as the curves got less tight and the bends more sweeping you could gradually gather speed as you exited. foot out flat out, on the edge of control until you were ejected from the cobbled lunacy into a sharp right hand hairpin and ducked under the Lezyne Bridge. This first berm, slightly off camber change from flagstones/kerb/grass was the start of the squirrel slalom. torn up lawn. with a thin skein of liquid like mud with sharp fast corners.
More than a fair few riders,including myself ,went down sliding in the mud. another corner before a short scoot and you were already unclipping ready for the metal stairs.
Up the steps and a quick dashacross the back of the main stage. Billowing smoke, loud music and a steep exit ramp greeting you..
The next two very slippy corners were the scene of many a slip up
during the
day.drop off the kerb and a hard sprint up to the Lezyne flyover...building speed up for the exit and back onto the relief of cobbles again.
Downhill to the bottom part of Piece Hall holding as much speed as you corner through the noisy Morvelo Heckling ( beer hand up) corner.( where we spent most of our non racing time) A fast dash on a straight a few curbs and back across the lawns. two hairpins to negotiate and as you dropped of the kerb, it was attack as hard as possible into the rise, to complete a lap and line up to launch yourself into the sand pit again.
Laps were around the 3.20 minute mark, so it was a tight very technical course. With a fair spread of riders on cross bikes and 29ers it was impossible to say which was the better vehicle. out braking and sharper turns on the 29ers but outpace on any running and straights on the cross bikes. More importantly was tyre choice. I deliberated for ages and kicked myself for not buying Small Block 8s on the way up, but 5 mins in the mud demonstrated that Mud2s were a good choice given the squirelly conditions.
Racing started mid morning withthe tiny under eights. and as the rain came and went the under 12's and youths racing unfolded.
Rob was signed on for the first Novice Moto; pinning a number on since a brief dabble in BMX as a six year old.
It wasnt long before the rag tag band of novices careered into the square. A mix of casual MTBers casual cross riders, and a few sandbaggers on full carbon with disks and deepsections...( Novice really?)
I made my way to the Morvelo / Dark Star beer handups and spent the full 20 minute moto heckling and taking photos of thirsty rider after thirsty rider enjoying the excellent Belgian IPA being handed up along th e bottom cobbled section. Rob uphelp honour by partaking in a swift glug every lap... Darkstar IPA is too good to pass an opportunity..
Two o clock was approaching so i pinned my number on and got changed in the warm green room toilet ( once used by 'Bob Carolgees') ... and braved the persistent drizzle to warm up. I meandered down to the old church and line up, somewhere second row ish.. The ususal race nerves , repeatedly checking my gearing ( small ring , three down at the back.)
"I will start you in the next 10 seconds ... "
@Waterrat blew her whistle
"PEEEEP" the surge forward, the click and daft sprint for that first right hander. Despite my roller racing cadence I don't seem to be able to get my cross race starts sorted. Entering the square and attacked into that first hill. for the first taste of wet cobbles at race speed. Sandpit hard and fast.. just point and shoot , and into that Spiral, already snipping at the rider in fronts heels.
Unclipping and tripodding around the sweeping bottom of the bends , nervously clipping back in to put the power back down..
As the turns got tighter... riders got bunched, I took the decision to run it... porting the bike through a narrower gap and overtaking riders through that apex.
good remount. heart rate already near max. sprinting again, and very nervous at the bottom off camber bit where the flags had a some bigger 'divits' between them.
The hairpin and under the bridge.. someone goes down in front, and I manage to negotiate a line around them. I attack the stairs, and rush another rider, remounting and hammering past the DJ. another rider miscalculates the traction n the grass and goes down.
on such a tight course any opportunities to move up are opportunistic. crashes, forced errors, or capitalising on someones bad line. Regular racing has given me the nerve to go for it and run where most others are slowing to a crawl. Attack them.. run, sprint in front and remount, it is racing after all. Just be fast.....
Unfortunatley the Vets races didn't have hand ups, but I was being pushed for half the race , so I don't know if I would have taken one till the last lap where I had managed to get a decent 15 second gap .
Sprint from every corner, desperately concerned on the cobbles, avoiding the trenches that opened u p as the rain washed out their 'grout' and running through the skittish grassy bits..
Moto ...done I finished 2nd to Guy Kesteven who won by a very convincing margin, observers say he was screaming along.. but we did high five each other as we passed in the Spiral.
I quickly changed out of my soaked kit and enjoyed a quick ale as a suitable recovery drink.
The afternoons racing was brilliant fun. The SCS Megaphones were used to full effect as riders bore the brunt of our schoolboy humour and the warming effect of drinking as much IPA as was being handed up during the Novice races.
During the Last Chance race, drama unfolded before us , as Singular Sam ground to a halt right in front of us with a bust wheel. ( 20mm carbon tubs on cobbles!!!) I quickly donated my rear wheel, but spent the rest of his race, cheering him but secretly hoping that he didn't trash it or puncture.. those latex tubes are a bitch to get on)
As darkness fell the Piece hall lights came up and with the music and reflections off the ground the party atmosphere really kicked in. Brant Richards ( he of Planet X fame) kicked up the volume and the finals started.
For the finals, the forever inventive course designers had cut out the bottom sprint of the square. As riders exited the bridge, a short sprint followed by a dismount and a run up a few steps.
Accelerating again and Barrelling down the three concourses of the Piece Halls at race speed was a phenomenal experience. Pillars flashed past, lights music, punctuated by hard 90' corners, before being ejected out ready for the sand pit.
The Vets final was at seven, . Warming up a bit by circling on the cobbles outside, the jovial party atmosphere from inside the Hall didn't reach this far.. things were serious now.
I udged forward into the front row, as that's where I figured I should be gridded. Again repeatedly checking the gearing, same as before.
Emma's whistle signalled our start , but I fluffed my clip and was immediately swamped, blasting into the square in around tenth place.
The Spiral was easier by now as the sand from the pit had been well distributed , though I still tripodded and ran through the central coil. The grass was well and truly carved up but take it steady and I pushed hard out on every straight.. pushing hard, no free wheeling.
I pushed up to riders and made a lot of places up by being direct in the transitions... even asking one rider to let me pass.. The flood lights made the mud glisten, and it was a case of aim for the shadowy ruts through, stay smooth and upright. Just as I was settling into the groove I heard the bell and after one last blast along the corridors, taking the corners on the limit of traction, before sprinting again.( Wall rides for next year Guys?) and smashing through the sand pit, the commissaire waved that it was all over...Finishing the finla in Sixth.
What a truly brilliant race, I could have done it again and again just for the sheer terror of the cobbles..and the inventive malevolence of the run ups and swirling grass sections. Fitness had very little to do with it, except for a few sharp accelerations.. All technique and holding your nerve on thhose flagstones.
We hung around for a little while to watch the seniors flying past, and prize giving..and then it was off out ;The lights of Halifax beckoned ... Weatherspoons at nine...... but that's another blog...
Packing up the next morning was a very grim affair... an overnight frost did its best to clear the hangovers and still buzzing the SCS waggon rolled off back south, full of discussions of " Where can we find a suitable venue in Southampton?"
A massive thanks to Oli, Emma and Dave and all the team involved in putting on such a terrific event...
Now where can we find one to try and top that down here in the South?
More Pics over on the SCS website:
http://www.southcoastsprints.co.uk
during the
day.drop off the kerb and a hard sprint up to the Lezyne flyover...building speed up for the exit and back onto the relief of cobbles again.
Downhill to the bottom part of Piece Hall holding as much speed as you corner through the noisy Morvelo Heckling ( beer hand up) corner.( where we spent most of our non racing time) A fast dash on a straight a few curbs and back across the lawns. two hairpins to negotiate and as you dropped of the kerb, it was attack as hard as possible into the rise, to complete a lap and line up to launch yourself into the sand pit again.
Laps were around the 3.20 minute mark, so it was a tight very technical course. With a fair spread of riders on cross bikes and 29ers it was impossible to say which was the better vehicle. out braking and sharper turns on the 29ers but outpace on any running and straights on the cross bikes. More importantly was tyre choice. I deliberated for ages and kicked myself for not buying Small Block 8s on the way up, but 5 mins in the mud demonstrated that Mud2s were a good choice given the squirelly conditions.
Racing started mid morning withthe tiny under eights. and as the rain came and went the under 12's and youths racing unfolded.Rob was signed on for the first Novice Moto; pinning a number on since a brief dabble in BMX as a six year old.
It wasnt long before the rag tag band of novices careered into the square. A mix of casual MTBers casual cross riders, and a few sandbaggers on full carbon with disks and deepsections...( Novice really?)
I made my way to the Morvelo / Dark Star beer handups and spent the full 20 minute moto heckling and taking photos of thirsty rider after thirsty rider enjoying the excellent Belgian IPA being handed up along th e bottom cobbled section. Rob uphelp honour by partaking in a swift glug every lap... Darkstar IPA is too good to pass an opportunity..
Two o clock was approaching so i pinned my number on and got changed in the warm green room toilet ( once used by 'Bob Carolgees') ... and braved the persistent drizzle to warm up. I meandered down to the old church and line up, somewhere second row ish.. The ususal race nerves , repeatedly checking my gearing ( small ring , three down at the back.)"I will start you in the next 10 seconds ... "
@Waterrat blew her whistle
"PEEEEP" the surge forward, the click and daft sprint for that first right hander. Despite my roller racing cadence I don't seem to be able to get my cross race starts sorted. Entering the square and attacked into that first hill. for the first taste of wet cobbles at race speed. Sandpit hard and fast.. just point and shoot , and into that Spiral, already snipping at the rider in fronts heels.
Unclipping and tripodding around the sweeping bottom of the bends , nervously clipping back in to put the power back down..
As the turns got tighter... riders got bunched, I took the decision to run it... porting the bike through a narrower gap and overtaking riders through that apex.
good remount. heart rate already near max. sprinting again, and very nervous at the bottom off camber bit where the flags had a some bigger 'divits' between them.
The hairpin and under the bridge.. someone goes down in front, and I manage to negotiate a line around them. I attack the stairs, and rush another rider, remounting and hammering past the DJ. another rider miscalculates the traction n the grass and goes down.
on such a tight course any opportunities to move up are opportunistic. crashes, forced errors, or capitalising on someones bad line. Regular racing has given me the nerve to go for it and run where most others are slowing to a crawl. Attack them.. run, sprint in front and remount, it is racing after all. Just be fast.....
Unfortunatley the Vets races didn't have hand ups, but I was being pushed for half the race , so I don't know if I would have taken one till the last lap where I had managed to get a decent 15 second gap .
Sprint from every corner, desperately concerned on the cobbles, avoiding the trenches that opened u p as the rain washed out their 'grout' and running through the skittish grassy bits..
Moto ...done I finished 2nd to Guy Kesteven who won by a very convincing margin, observers say he was screaming along.. but we did high five each other as we passed in the Spiral.I quickly changed out of my soaked kit and enjoyed a quick ale as a suitable recovery drink.
The afternoons racing was brilliant fun. The SCS Megaphones were used to full effect as riders bore the brunt of our schoolboy humour and the warming effect of drinking as much IPA as was being handed up during the Novice races.
During the Last Chance race, drama unfolded before us , as Singular Sam ground to a halt right in front of us with a bust wheel. ( 20mm carbon tubs on cobbles!!!) I quickly donated my rear wheel, but spent the rest of his race, cheering him but secretly hoping that he didn't trash it or puncture.. those latex tubes are a bitch to get on)
As darkness fell the Piece hall lights came up and with the music and reflections off the ground the party atmosphere really kicked in. Brant Richards ( he of Planet X fame) kicked up the volume and the finals started.
 |
| Joolze Dymonds Twitter feed |
Accelerating again and Barrelling down the three concourses of the Piece Halls at race speed was a phenomenal experience. Pillars flashed past, lights music, punctuated by hard 90' corners, before being ejected out ready for the sand pit.
The Vets final was at seven, . Warming up a bit by circling on the cobbles outside, the jovial party atmosphere from inside the Hall didn't reach this far.. things were serious now.
I udged forward into the front row, as that's where I figured I should be gridded. Again repeatedly checking the gearing, same as before.
Emma's whistle signalled our start , but I fluffed my clip and was immediately swamped, blasting into the square in around tenth place.
The Spiral was easier by now as the sand from the pit had been well distributed , though I still tripodded and ran through the central coil. The grass was well and truly carved up but take it steady and I pushed hard out on every straight.. pushing hard, no free wheeling.
I pushed up to riders and made a lot of places up by being direct in the transitions... even asking one rider to let me pass.. The flood lights made the mud glisten, and it was a case of aim for the shadowy ruts through, stay smooth and upright. Just as I was settling into the groove I heard the bell and after one last blast along the corridors, taking the corners on the limit of traction, before sprinting again.( Wall rides for next year Guys?) and smashing through the sand pit, the commissaire waved that it was all over...Finishing the finla in Sixth.
What a truly brilliant race, I could have done it again and again just for the sheer terror of the cobbles..and the inventive malevolence of the run ups and swirling grass sections. Fitness had very little to do with it, except for a few sharp accelerations.. All technique and holding your nerve on thhose flagstones.
We hung around for a little while to watch the seniors flying past, and prize giving..and then it was off out ;The lights of Halifax beckoned ... Weatherspoons at nine...... but that's another blog...
Packing up the next morning was a very grim affair... an overnight frost did its best to clear the hangovers and still buzzing the SCS waggon rolled off back south, full of discussions of " Where can we find a suitable venue in Southampton?"
A massive thanks to Oli, Emma and Dave and all the team involved in putting on such a terrific event...
Now where can we find one to try and top that down here in the South?
More Pics over on the SCS website:
http://www.southcoastsprints.co.uk
Heres a link to "Cyclings Jo Burts" much better write up on RoadCC
http://road.cc/content/news/98962-morv%C3%A9lo-citycross-2-%E2%80%93-racing-cross-breed
And to Singular Sams Facebook write up..
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152364967159447&l=2376dd4675
http://road.cc/content/news/98962-morv%C3%A9lo-citycross-2-%E2%80%93-racing-cross-breed
And to Singular Sams Facebook write up..
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152364967159447&l=2376dd4675
Friday, 1 November 2013
City Cross... Hell yeah ...!!!
They are at it again.. City Cross is back.
Oli and Dave of Morvelo with Emma and her team up in Halifax are in the final throes of planning City Cross 2.
If you remember from previous comments over on the SouthCoast Sprints site , the first City Cross was my first racing outing for a very long time, and was undoubtedly what inspired me to start racing again. I surpassed any expectation and had a good old battle with Russ Stout of Shand Cycles> write up here:
While it wasn't particularly urban, we had a great weekend of beer, racing , heckling and of course roller racing.
Well its back..
Next weekend Rob and I will be packing the SCS waggon and heading up to Halifax again. Roller racing at the Piece Hall will be more raucous than last time and we have been working on new heckles.
In between roller racing, I have managed to convince Rob to ride the novice class and I will be racing in the Vets again.
While its not Wessex league, it looks like it is going to be a crit on cobbles.
Emma the course designer has promised, a Spiral of doom, stairs, tearing along galleries floodlit racing , all on a tight course within the walls of the Piece Hall site. With such little space overtaking, the start andelbowing cornering are going to be crucial.
Now what tyres to run?
http://www.citycross.co.uk/
Oli and Dave of Morvelo with Emma and her team up in Halifax are in the final throes of planning City Cross 2.
If you remember from previous comments over on the SouthCoast Sprints site , the first City Cross was my first racing outing for a very long time, and was undoubtedly what inspired me to start racing again. I surpassed any expectation and had a good old battle with Russ Stout of Shand Cycles> write up here:
While it wasn't particularly urban, we had a great weekend of beer, racing , heckling and of course roller racing.
Well its back..
Next weekend Rob and I will be packing the SCS waggon and heading up to Halifax again. Roller racing at the Piece Hall will be more raucous than last time and we have been working on new heckles.
In between roller racing, I have managed to convince Rob to ride the novice class and I will be racing in the Vets again.
While its not Wessex league, it looks like it is going to be a crit on cobbles.
Emma the course designer has promised, a Spiral of doom, stairs, tearing along galleries floodlit racing , all on a tight course within the walls of the Piece Hall site. With such little space overtaking, the start and
Now what tyres to run?
http://www.citycross.co.uk/
October Stats...Is 'Tempo ride' a euphemism for Strava bagging?
October has been a good month..
404 miles
27 hours
Which is the highest mileage of the year so far and luckily most of them have been good quality miles with regular hill sprints and hard tempo rides. (Is Tempo ride a euphemism for Strava bagging?)
Regular lunchtime activities are still the mainstay of my riding with Friday and Saturday rest days before racing on Sunday. I suppose I should do a gentle spin out or openers on Fridays...
Double headers on Wednesdays bump up Trimp, ( the two 'fangs' on the chart) but have been leaving me feeling bonked and very tired on Thursdays.. cant quite get that balance right.
Only one run though...so I really should try and be getting out at least once a week. While I love longer runs, I know it is intervals that I need to be doing, so I need to find a decent sharp hill with lights to be able to train on. Glen road would be ideal, but it is very dark and the water has really torn it up. Headlight> woods> just get on with it.
Racing has been good, with my confidence growing and my placings getting better. I am still just outside the top ten but I know that on a good day I will be contesting. Marginal gains are in order.. New wheels running tubs may help, but I am nervous about their first outing ( fear change)
A slower start to the month This months PMC some ATL spikes from the double headers on Wednesdays. That first weekend was the Cycle show.
Racing every weekend has had an impact as I cant quite get the training/ racing /rest balance right yet. but I have stayed snot/ injury free.
Building CTL is becoming harder on the training budget that I have. With CTL already in the low 70s. I need my Trimp for any session to be over that.. which is borderline for a lunchtime or very hard with the Hard day/softer day that I am currently working with.
Looking forward to November: Racing is a bit more Sporadic, but that may suit me
Run at least once a week.
Pick up my core work again ( I have been rather lazy in the morning.. to much 'curating ' my Tumblr blog Crossthrash.)
Think about peaking for the Southern Champs on 8th December.
404 miles
27 hours
Which is the highest mileage of the year so far and luckily most of them have been good quality miles with regular hill sprints and hard tempo rides. (Is Tempo ride a euphemism for Strava bagging?)
Regular lunchtime activities are still the mainstay of my riding with Friday and Saturday rest days before racing on Sunday. I suppose I should do a gentle spin out or openers on Fridays...
Double headers on Wednesdays bump up Trimp, ( the two 'fangs' on the chart) but have been leaving me feeling bonked and very tired on Thursdays.. cant quite get that balance right.
Only one run though...so I really should try and be getting out at least once a week. While I love longer runs, I know it is intervals that I need to be doing, so I need to find a decent sharp hill with lights to be able to train on. Glen road would be ideal, but it is very dark and the water has really torn it up. Headlight> woods> just get on with it.
Racing has been good, with my confidence growing and my placings getting better. I am still just outside the top ten but I know that on a good day I will be contesting. Marginal gains are in order.. New wheels running tubs may help, but I am nervous about their first outing ( fear change)
A slower start to the month This months PMC some ATL spikes from the double headers on Wednesdays. That first weekend was the Cycle show.
Racing every weekend has had an impact as I cant quite get the training/ racing /rest balance right yet. but I have stayed snot/ injury free.
Building CTL is becoming harder on the training budget that I have. With CTL already in the low 70s. I need my Trimp for any session to be over that.. which is borderline for a lunchtime or very hard with the Hard day/softer day that I am currently working with.
Looking forward to November: Racing is a bit more Sporadic, but that may suit me
Run at least once a week.
Pick up my core work again ( I have been rather lazy in the morning.. to much 'curating ' my Tumblr blog Crossthrash.)
Think about peaking for the Southern Champs on 8th December.
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