Eastern Cyclocross League 2016/17

[CarolineReuter]

Wow! Well done Damian! Great racing!


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[Damian Robertson]

Thanks! I've now realized however that not one but at least three of my better rivals were away! Best crack on with the training.

[LeonardDelicaet]

Normal service resumed at a fast grassy Basildon course . Took a chance on riding with fairly hard chicanes knowing wasn't going to be smashing it through the corners anyway. A few quick London leaguers on the start line including my historic nemesis Nick Walsh . Strangely gridded on 2nd row behind some people I usually beat but had a good start and was in front four up the hill . Slipped back to 6th and dualed with Nick Walsh for rest of race getting past him when he fell off but being caught in last few hundred meters despite a cheeky dismount on a ridable bank to try and hold him off at end. Lap times pretty good and would assuming could survive another 20 mins which is big if have been enough for top 25 in senior race.

Connie going really well for first 3 laps holding third place in women's race but cracked in last third though still second junior and tenth overall

Pat, was the venue not the standard Gloucester Park with the really excellent climbs that break things up? Was this course further east?

[WillBeresford]

Superb Damian! Bet you're chuffed!

[StevenDrew]

Normal service resumed at a fast grassy Basildon course . Took a chance on riding with fairly hard chicanes knowing wasn't going to be smashing it through the corners anyway. A few quick London leaguers on the start line including my historic nemesis Nick Walsh . Strangely gridded on 2nd row behind some people I usually beat but had a good start and was in front four up the hill . Slipped back to 6th and dualed with Nick Walsh for rest of race getting past him when he fell off but being caught in last few hundred meters despite a cheeky dismount on a ridable bank to try and hold him off at end. Lap times pretty good and would assuming could survive another 20 mins which is big if have been enough for top 25 in senior race.

Connie going really well for first 3 laps holding third place in women's race but cracked in last third though still second junior and tenth overall

Pat, was the venue not the standard Gloucester Park with the really excellent climbs that break things up? Was this course further east?

Len - this is a new course that was introduced last season by Ford CC as a replacement for Davy Down (sob). We raced the other Basildon course last season but for whatever reason Essex Roads didn't run it this year. Not sure but I think they're struggling for volunteers.

[StevenDrew]

Heads-up... It's a fiver to park your car at Welwyn on Sunday.

http://www.apcoa.co.uk/parking-in/welwy ... -park.html

[StevenDrew]

Ah, that was the best race of the season so far. I’d not done that side of Stanborough Park before but there something about the place that I really like. Welwyn do know how to build a course too so whilst all those 180 degree turns were a pain in the ass I thought it all worked really well.

For once, I managed to turn up for gridding on time today which was nice and I got away okay. I wasn’t too far behind Damian as we crested the first climb but then got a nudge from Bryan Holland on one of the 180s, lost my balance and had to dismount and run. I probably lost three of four places but made them up on the faster, bottom part of the circuit. Settled into the race and a bit of rhythm and had a battle with a Maldon rider for a couple of laps before he blew and then set about trying to catch Russ Jones and Kevin Knox up ahead. At the same time Keith Stockwell from the Welwyns was doing doing his best “Sven-en” impression on me and seem to be closing too rapidly to think I’d stay with him.

That went on for the next couple of laps and Keith still hadn't gone past. As we hit the bell, Keith’s son told him he was 12th and I thought that would be my finish. However, when he passed me, he seemed to blow a bit so I shot straight past again. I then reeled in Kevin (for the first time EVER in the history of there world) and nipped past Russ as we headed for the hurdles. i was pretty sure that if I got over the hurdles before the others then I could hold them and so it proved. 9th, just off 8th, a minute behind Damian who did a great 4th and only 1m 50 off the winner.

Very pleased with that as Eastern definitely feels like a step up from the Central League. Really good day out.

[Chris Clague]

I was just pleased to race again and not be lapped. Too timid at the start (plus took too long to clip in) so got a bit swamped and should have held my ground more assertively.

Started on row 3 which for my form was a bit of a joke so I spent the whole race going backwards. Ended up with what was probably the first time I've failed to finish in the front half, but given what's gone on this year, I'm actually just massively grateful to be able to get on a bike and get out there. 3 months ago I couldn't even walk.

Onwards and upwards.

[StevenDrew]

I was just pleased to race again and not be lapped. Too timid at the start (plus took too long to clip in) so got a bit swamped and should have held my ground more assertively.

Started on row 3 which for my form was a bit of a joke so I spent the whole race going backwards. Ended up with what was probably the first time I've failed to finish in the front half, but given what's gone on this year, I'm actually just massively grateful to be able to get on a bike and get out there. 3 months ago I couldn't even walk.

Onwards and upwards.

[Chris Clague]

For one reason or another events have always conspired against me racing at Grafham, and everyone tells me it's a fantastic course. Today finally I found out for myself.

Given my current fitness levels I elected to start dead last in the hope of actually overtaking some people. About 500m in, having made no discernible progress thanks to volume of riders, I began to wonder about the wisdom of this. First time down to the beach and the route was blocked by riders, so got off and ran the entire beach which at least meant I started to move up. Up the step, back on the bike and head down. The course was fantastic, everyone was right.

By lap 3 I started to feel the vomit in my mouth - always a sign that you're on it. I can't imagine the pics will be pleasant but that's the first time I've ridden that hard in a very long time. Found myself riding the bumpy stuff in the drops - for some reason I never do that - it really worked and I jumped from group to group. Nobody I passed managed to re-pass so progress was good. Even managed to pip the guy gridded one place ahead of my 'gridded position' at the end last lap.

Feeling a bit destroyed now and this will hurt tomorrow. Brilliant!

[StevenDrew]

Nice one, Chris. Part of me still thinks you’re weird for asking to start at the back. But then I recall doing a London League race from dead last and it was a genuinely great day out.

I didn’t start at the back but, as usual, I might as well have done. At least I turned up on time today but from the 2nd row, I failed to clip in and ended up in about 20th as we got to the hurdles. Fortunately, everyone got through there pretty nicely and I got past a few more before we hit the first beach section; so was able to get a clear run at the jump off the sand back onto the grass section on the reservoir shoreline. From there I spent the next couple of laps leap frogging groups of riders and made it up to Russ Jones and a couple of others about half way through.

On about lap four, I tried to drop Russ and the other two riders I was with between the beach sections but they latched back on and I thought I was done. Next lap Russ seemed to blow so I pushed on and gapped them when one of the other lads lost it on an up/down zig zag section next to the car park. As the bell went for the last lap I managed to bridge to the next group in front and, when I saw Russ getting a second wind, pushed on and got past a group of three thinking that we could at least keep Russ at bay and I’d bag a top ten. Hitting the zig zags for the last time, I made an accidental genius move by pulling my foot out the cleat and almost came to a halt. Whilst I managed to keep rolling, Nick Cook from Ipswich had to stop and I managed to gap him and the others behind. Sven would’ve been proud Once I got to the pits I knew getting past me would be hard and so it proved. And I bagged 7th.

Very pleased with that although, for the effort involved, I do sometimes wonder if it’s worth it*. I was absolutely spent at the end and could hardly walk for 5 mins. I assume the lads at the front train all week and never go to the pub?!

* I should add the beer is currently tasting terrific so it probably is worth it

[BruceMackie]

Usual levels of slackness meant no V50 entry for me but I least I got a nice lie in as seniors not off until 2:30. The hour seems to suit me more at the moment anyway. Massively changed course to usual plus dry so no mudfest. I though that would blow any chances of a decent placing as it turned into a grass crit but strangely I seemed to be able to make headway it what technical stuff there was and seemed to spend a lot of time well off the course half under the tape. Anyway for the first time in a long time I managed to not be lapped, though Grant was coming up fast. I did a big effort on the last 1/2 lap to 1: Stay away from Robi who'd been continually ahead, teasing me with encouragement, but then dropped his chain 2: not get lapped, the problem was my meagre success meant I then had to do another lap, absolutely cooked now.

[StevenDrew]

Nice work, Bruce. You looked like you were going pretty well.

[BruceMackie]

I might have looked fast but that was only because I put in special effort to do so when passing you lot cheering/jeering, it's a trick I've learn't from the youth riders. Proof is in the result and coming in 7 1/2 minutes down on Grant gives the true picture. By the time I got to the finish everyone had gone home, so I retired to the cafe for a pasty, like you do. Not patch on those sold up at Carl's tea hut I have to say.

[BruceMackie]

Mad Skillz...