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
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