Beastway 2015

[MaxReuter]

... have tweaked a muscle in my arse

Bummer!

[Chris Clague]

Thought we were going to have a drop off last week? Would there be a b-line alternative? I'm reverting to the CX bike next week - looks like I might be testing my dismounts/remounts...

[Stuart]

Stuart is also scheduled to make a first appearance and to demonstrate how the mighty Moots *should* be ridden...

Excuses in early - I haven't ridden an MTB for at least 2 years and haven't raced since Feb. So can't wait

PS what is all this A-line, B-line stuff? Is it what used to be called a chicken run?

[Steve Hanks]

Yup. michaels been reading Dirt mag a bit too much, rad dude...

I am assuming of course here is a gentlemans agreement here in that, should it happen by some freak accident that these guest appearance CX riders end up in front of us riders going for league table glory and therefore in a position to take points away, team orders apply?

[Stuart]

Ha ha, I sense some misplaced anxiety

[Steve Hanks]

I'm just loaning you a false sense of security.

[Chris Clague]

The only way I'm gonna be in front of you on a CX bike is either at the start (maybe) or if you're lapping me.

[Steve Hanks]

Another tough - and long - course at Beastway tonight, with myself Stuart and Chris representing LP. I feel for Chris on his cross bike, the ground was terribly dry and rutted, I can't think it'll have been much fun. Myself and Stuart took 9th and 10th Vets respectfully, a great performance for Stuart having been away from MTB for some time and not having raced since February this year.

I've mentioned before how a write up about Stuart and his Moots many years ago inspired me to MTB endurance racing and to eventually buy a Ti racer to do it on (my Enigma), so it was a little life-highlight for me to race with, and have a small tussle with Stuart and the Moots today

Note to self: Not a good idea to eat a Pad Thai before an MTB race, I felt it grumbling for every minute of that race.

[Chris Clague]

That course was crazy, but fortunately not over-technical. I was relatively relieved to finish on the lead lap all things considered - looks like I came in 17th, so just outside the points.

At some point I may have to accept that a CX bike just isn't tough enough for these events, but at least I finished this time. There were 3 CX bikes there and Ben Lewis darted past at the start and into the distance - was a bit confused when he flew past me again about 15 minutes later - don't know what happened to him but he DNFd so I'm guessing something mechanical. The other guy, an American whose name I didn't get was suffering really badly and I lapped him - I'm not sure if he finished or not but he looked like he'd had enough. I had to stop twice and adjust my gears as they were jumping all over the place under pressure (there's something going on there that I still haven't got to the bottom of), and I rode the last lap with the front brake on - no idea what caused that (heat?) - but I couldn't understand how 2 of the juniors(?) I'd passed comfortably were both able to re pass me. Probably explains it.

I managed to yell 'assassin' at Michael when I passed him which seemed to amuse him greatly. On the upside I passed, Stuart, Stan, Andy O'R and many others on the Tarmac climb at the start (and obvs lost the position almost immediately) - Stuart's commitment into the first grassy hairpin really was a thing to behold from somebody who's not ridden MTB for a while... Somehow I managed to keep Stan in view for the the first lap - he was about 4 places ahead. But given that my first and second laps didn't follow the same path, I think we (there were many of us) may have got lost somewhere, so perhaps a false dawn.

Next week? - dunno, have to think about it.

[Steve Hanks]

Stuart's commitment into the first grassy hairpin really was a thing to behold from somebody who's not ridden MTB for a while...

Tell me about it. I think he came through on my inside in the second corner in quite a sublime move. With Stuart in front of me on the road climb at the back, I thought I use my strengths to get past him on the shallow climb, turning a big gear over the top of the cranks and past I was... ...only to enter the berms at the top of the hill and see the bars of that bloody Moots edging through on the inside - I think Stuart had braked later than I and turned in harder - thats experience and skill for you. I need to close down and defend the corners more than I do - lesson learned!

We got separated by other riders but I didn't get tempted to force it and stuck to my own game plan, knowing that I'd catch riders later in the race rather than going red for the 1st lap immediately. I caught up with Stuart about 1/2 hour later, he spotted me behind with a shout of "wahey!" at the bottom of the circuit.

Good times!

[Stuart]

Thanks guys, enjoyed reading your posts

Well I had mixed feelings about that. It was fun to race/ride my MTB again but I didn't really like the course and the lap was stupidly long. I remain far from convinced of the suitability of Hog Hill for any kind of off-road racing. To my mind it almost inevitably turns into a test of who is the best climber. MTB racing and cross should be much more about pure racing. But anyway...

I did a fast warm-up lap and reacquainted myself with fat tyres and suspension. It felt good. God knows how you lasted an hour on a CX Chris or even on a rigid MTB Stan. I got a good start but was held up by a coming together on the Hoggenberg which undid the good work and I was towards the back when I crested the brow. But as is often the case riders seemed to be forming an orderly queue on the approach and entry point to the first real corner - the grassy hairpin. So I sailed up the extreme left where no-one else was going and made up at least 20 places, going by Chris and popping in just behind Stan who I think I overtook on the twisty descent before the tarmac climb up. Stan then came past me but I sat on his wheel and took the inside line again as we came off the tarmac, overtaking before the berm section. I then gave it everything on that descent to see if I could gap Stan, which I did. Of course, he was playing a far more wily and patient game but Ive never been able to curtail my natural exuberance on the first lap. I was happy to stay ahead of Stan for approx 2 laps but I could see him inexorably catching. It would only be a matter of time. Then disaster struck as the 2 juniors I had caught took a wrong turn where some tape was down and we headed into a dead end. Stan avoided that error and put 10 secs into me which I was not able to make up.

The second half of the race I was in survival mode as my lack of fitness began to show and I slowed right down on the many climbs. My back was aching (a sure sign of absence of race fitness) and my bad knee started complaining. I tried to keep a fair pace going and rode a bit with Andy O Regan, slightly surprised he hadn't caught me earlier. But he eventually put in a gap and I finally finished 1 1/2 minutes behind Stan. Not sure I was 10th Vet but awaiting the cat results.

Slightly disappointed with how unfit I felt but the first half of the race was a blast. I'd forgotten how intense Beastway is. Hopefully that would improve if I kept it up but I can't afford to take Wednesday afternoons off work so thats probably it.

Thanks to Bruce et al for all the hard work in making it happen. Not so grateful to Michael for designing a course that could happily keep riders going til midnight just because it's midsummer

[Chris Clague]

If only it *was* just an hour. I don't know what time we started - maybe 7:45 - when I finished and walked into the cafe the clock said 9:15.

For me it's all about trying to improve my fitness for the CX season. I still have a way to go.

[Steve Hanks]

Rigid? I have at least 100mm without sag*

*story of my life

[Stuart]

I forgot I made this video - Beastway team race 2010

https://vimeo.com/14071767

[Steve Hanks]

Todays Race report:

F*****g H**l!

The end.