There was a slightly smaller squad than usual at Welwyn for Round 4 of the Eastern League on 27 September. The course at Stanborough Park certainly hadn’t recovered from the drought this summer, being bone dry, hard and dusty – and hence very fast.
First Wheeler to race was Ed Tipper, in the M40 category that now races alongside the Open Senior and Junior riders. Apparently this was Ed’s first CX race in some years – and the day after he rode a 25 mile TT – chapeau !
The rest of the Wheelers were in the final race for M50 and M60 riders. Stephen Brook and Iain Milligan managed to dodge a crash shortly after the start to finish 14th and 19th in the M50 category. Paul Watson passed Stephen at speed on the last lap while pursuing Phil Roach (MI Racing Townsend Vehicle Hire), eventually finishing 4th M60, with Martin Archer and Nick Rush finishing 11th and 18th.
The next Eastern League race is on the hilly course at Bures, hosted by VC Revolution on 11 October.
There was no Eastern League race the following weekend, so Karl Hale decided to keep up the cyclocross momentum, put on his big boy pants being the only Wheeler to compete and venture up the A14 and M1 to round 1 of the Leicestershire Cyclocross League held at Western Park, Leicester, hosted by Leicester Forest Cycle Club. Here’s Karl’s report:
The day was bright and sunny, the course was dry and fast. It pretty much followed the same route as previous years but did miss out the section where there was a nasty sharp bump which had caused me to go airborne and part with my bike for a while a few years ago when i competed there. Instead they included a mini version of the Box Valley race which we did at Edwardstone in the Eastern League a few weeks ago with a series of adverse inclines and decents but unlike Box Valley there were places to catch your breath. Tree roots a plenty, single track through the twisty woods and nice fast open sections on the green. I hadn’t joined the league this year so entered as a guest ( but will be joining as a friend of the this league as I do like to support them as they are a friendly bunch) which meant I was gridded at the back of around 48 other competitors in my age category. It was a fast start and I managed to make up a few places but even by the second turn I could see the leaders getting away. I didnt really mind as this was fun. I had a few battles with other riders, places were swapped initially and I got muscled out in a few corners which I managed to get back on the straights and the Box Hill’ section ( thanks Simon Wilson for setting up that a few weeks ago it did help) . It felt like I was racing for ages then found out it was still four laps to go. A few of the M60’s ( who started a few minutes behind my catagory) passed me but by then I only had two laps to go. I passed the lap board then a short time later whilst on the other side of the start finish field I heard the final lap bell, I then knew the leader of the race was honing in and would pass me before I got the bell for myself so didn’t ease the pace. He got me 2/3 into this lap but I managed another scalp ( there’s always races within a race) before I got the chequered flag. At the time of writing this I have no idea where I came in this race, it doesn’t really matter to me as my intention was to do what I could and enjoy myself ( oh and not fall off) , this was achieved so success all round.