Cotswold Veldrijen Summer Cross Round 4--Newbury Showground.

Last of the Cotswold Veldrijden Summer Series..last hurrah of a pretty up and down summer season..Three weeks of holiday had meant that I had missed race number three but I was still leading the series.

While I managed to sneak my bike on holiday I didn't manage to do any riding, ( except for riding up the Angliru) so the pressure was on for this race.
The day was damp again, heavy rain had passed through in the morning. With a lot of new faces at the race paddock. Sunday racing brings out a different pool of riders, maybe Saturdays are tied up working or family, but it was a much tougher field.
The circuit was the same as my last outing. anticlockwise, no difference to the circuit.
A heavy rain shower passed through just as I started warming up, then I noticed that my rear tub was losing pressure. I quickly swapped over to my spare Fulcrums. and off I went on a warm up lap again, only to hear a loud ping as I applied a bit of welly. Broken spoke... bugger.
so i get back to the car and whip the wheel off my pit bike . Quickly swap over to a ten speed cassette and carry on warming up..
I don't like the feel, so I take a risk and munge a small bottle of sealant into my deflating tub.. it holds.... but by now the start time is fast approaching. I fling the spare wheel back onto the Focus ( 10 speed cassette on 9 speed running gear?) and get ready to race.
I am called up front row again, but really nervous . warming up hadn't gone well, my bike didn't feel dialed in, ah well shit or bust.
The Go comes soon enough and its game on..
Three weeks of relaxing in Northern Spain are not ideal preparation for the intense lunacy of a cross race start.and before the first corner I am already dropping places. I am in about fifth or sixth as we exit the first corner.
Lactic kicks in soon after and the format for the race is set. well in the red , no let up..as I work my way back through the field. Cornering was harder this week, especially as you exited the trees. the first drop off was worn from the last few weeks racing and whereas before I had to run it .. the right hand line through was worn, making it rideable. The second drop was a bit hairier, but nothing too hectic.

Thats Racing!!!

I am totally hammered, the bike holds together, but I cant keep up with my regular peer group, and fall further and further back, my legs simply not obeying as I make little mistakes as I tire but eventually I dial a few lines in again and stop losing ground. Better late than never, but just finish. No sign of cramp, butt my left hip flexor is aching ..

The bike holds out as the rain holds off, and I cross the line totally worn out.
Prize giving arrives and unfortunately I had been pipped for the top spot for the series win, but a credible second overall after a missed round and a poor race is more than enough to feed a training frenzy before the winter.
,.
Turns out that mud comes out the white stuff no problem, lest see how clean the white panels stay this AW1415 season.