Eastern Cyclocross League 2014/15

[StevenDrew]

One of my new favourite courses easily! Conditions were also favourable yesterday. Great climbs just rideable but for the sandy run up. Slipped on roots on a left hander on the first lap falling into fourth then fifth place and there I stayed for a few laps until pipped into sixth. My handicap this weekend? Beer friday and saturday? Not enough fight or fitness? The latter I'd say. Breathing was vastly improved thankfully, well at least after a few laps letting it settle. Two puffs on my newly prescribed inhaler twenty minutes before the whistle seemed to help! Slighly more optimistic about things in that respect now. Really great course though - worth the trip. Well done to Bruce who came second in his race! The seniors was a hell of a ding dong, neck and neck for Steve James and the ultimate winner Sean Dunlea (a mere youth). Matt stayed with them for half the race until settling into a comfortable third.

Sounds great. Good work. Was sad to miss this but family commitments meant diverting to Hillingdon was a good call.

[BruceMackie]

As Damian says, the Broome Heath course is a bit of a star in the Eastern League consistently getting the vote for best course at the end of the year. With lot of sand, drainage is good so there were odd muddy sections, but nothing that would occasion the use of anything more aggressive than a griffo.

A couple of laps pre riding the course on a 29er with Felix helped sort out the technical aspects, of which there were plenty. It also made a number of people look worried that I might be turning to the dark side. I was hoping the sandy run up might prove ridable due to the low night time temperature but I think it needs a few days to really get the sand to freeze enough, so it was running for that section.

I had an indifferent start but did the usual run round the outside of the first corner and made a couple of places and settled in behind the various Andrews and Geoff Bores. Andy O'Regan crashed in the woods, just before the open section back across the heath, which held us all up and allowed Ian Robson to build a decent lead. This necessitated some action, so I set off with Andrew Roberts in pursuit, dropping him on the tricky but just ridable sandy climb, first used last year and then catching and passing Ian by taking a wide line onto the steep climb just after the finish. I pressed on hard to try and keep both Ian and Richard Muchmore at a distance but my lead was short lived as the inevitable happened on lap 3 and Richard ran past me in the sand. I managed to peg him at about 10 seconds (though more likely Richard pegged me) for a lap but then managed to kick over my rear brake the next time up the sandy run as I failed to clip back in properly. I sorted it fairly quickly but was then reduced to defending my 2nd position from Ian. Fortunately a series of well timed backmarker passes thwarted his progress and in the end I managed to build a decent gap, though 45 seconds adrift of Richard who seems unstoppable and is already Eastern champ.

[PatHayes]

Any views on tyres for WHW as have never ridden there

[Chris Clague]

Surely with this weather only a mud tyre would work?

[StevenDrew]

It's really well drained so you might actually get away with something less than a mud tyre here. They've only run two races but Bruce and Neil have both done it so will have a better view. I went two years ago but didn't race as I was ill...

I will say it's exposed and bluddy freezing... they do, however, have a cafe.

[Neil]

A lot of rain here in Norfolk last night, still unlikely to be heavy mud at WHW.

Nonetheless tradition dictates you should take ALL wheels and decide when you get there.

[Chris Clague]

All wheels. Ha ha ha

[StevenDrew]

Based on the video just posted on Facebook, looks like it might be slightly more sloppy than previous editions.

[Neil]

Now snowing. Bring file treads.

[Neil]

Snow turning to rain now. Bring Limus and Rhino.

[Neil]

Rain easing. Drying wind picking up. Bring Chicane or Pipisqualo.

[BruceMackie]

Has been very slippery before particularly in the far field where the off caber nature of the whole field plays it's part. We've only got the kids on before us but it should be pretty messy by the time we've finished and hand it over to the V40s and Seniors

[andrewnewman]

Neil, Pipisquallos come in four widths. Which one should I bring?

Hang on, I think I know the answer.

[Neil]

Yep. All of them.

[Chris Clague]

Well that was fun (for me at least). After a big crash at the start that took Steven out, along with another guy who needed an ambulance, the front of the field disappeared over the horizon with a string of riders who managed to get by on the left while a load of us were held up on the right. Within the first 200m I knew that xmas had taken it's toll, along with early stage man-flu passed to me by the kids meaning I had a tight chest and was wheezing a bit. The race slipped in to usual form of me feeling like vomiting and quitting on each of the first 3 laps before settling in to some sort of rhythm. Managed to spot a group of 4 up ahead and reeled then in slowly then picked my way through. Then another group of 4 and same again with rather more passing and re-passing this time until it settled down to two of us. I managed to back him up through the stables (fnarr) and clear enough of a gap to hold the sprint finish. Very pleasantly surprised to find myself 18th, so continuing my record of improving at each race, and my second top 20 finish.

The others will be along with their tales shortly.