Cyclocross Report – Week ending 13 October

What a week it’s been for us all, there has been so much going on with the Wheelers Cyclocross family, repairing bikes so that it’s still possible to race, training hard so that racing is potentially easier and of course remodelling the track at West Stow to enhance it for our race in December.

There wasn’t a race in the Eastern League calendar this weekend, but there were races for the Central and Leicestershire Leagues on Sunday, so the ‘Wheelers’ Cross collective hasd two choices, either the Central League race at Hemel Hempstead or the Leicestershire League at Misterton Hall near Lutterworth. Some of the Eastern League racers selected Hemel, but all of the available Wheelers chose Misterton, which is located at the Western End of the A14 only a couple of minutes of the M1. So it is a straightforward journey of about 90 minutes from BSE to park your vehicle at the venue. Several of our team have raced there before and have always enjoyed the course and the friendliness of the neighbouring league.

Megan Free made the trip to take part in the Ladies race, to report that she had been surprised by the MTB style single tracks which link the wider sections of the course. Yet despite her post race reaction she still managed to finish 7th Senior Lady, so a really good effort on her come back after illness and then she provided support to the team during the next 2 races, thank you Megan.

The V50/V60 race at Misterton Hall is always a very popular one, Sunday was no exception, it certainly pays to join the league in advance as this guarantees those who enter a better position on the grid., especially as there were 94 starters in the combined race, which would mean 12 rows of 8, well almost. So Karl Hale, Stephen Brook, Nick Rush, Paul Chapman, Tony Read and I, plus we were joined by Adi Grimwood in the ‘call up area, whilst we all waited expectedly for our names to be called, early if possible on one of the rows towards the front.

No such luck for any of us, I think Karl was called on row 5, Stephen on 6, I was on 7, then Nick & Paul Tony and Adi all made the back row. In Cross a good start is all important, especially on a course like Misterton, which has an uphill start of about a 100m then a 90° left turn and another 100m of wide grass track, before entering the first very narrow single track where passing was almost impossible. This was followed by a wide uphill, when it was possible to make up places, then a fast level bit before a twisting single track plummet downhill, followed by a 180° turn and another climb, back downhill to a tricky rooty twisty climb which was quicker to run (in my opinion) then we had a tight turn to negotiate, otherwise we were in the lake ! Some tarmac led to another climb, more single track, before the final climb to the finish arena, then out on some single track again, before coming back into the arena for the end of the lap. Fast and furious racing for all of us, having ‘sharp elbows’ and or broad shoulders helped us keep a position before the single tracks.

Karl led the ‘Wheelers’ for most of the first lap, Stephen and I were really close to each other, then came Nick, Tony, Paul and Adi, starting at the back meant being a long way behind the leaders, lots to follow. At the finish I finished 7th V60, Stephen was 24th and Karl 32nd V50, Nick got a better start than Tony but Tony whittled away each lap for them both to cross the line one behind each other in 23rd & 24th in the V60’s, Adi was 59th in the V50’s riding for Maglia Rosso and Paul came home 31st and certainly not last in the V60 class, what a race we all had, great to here the Clubs name being called over the loud speakers.

Sam Brook was our sole representative in the combined V40/Senior & Junior men’s race and what a start he had, he was over 2 minutes faster than any of us, and only 40 seconds behind the winner Kieran Jarvis from Diss, wow, what a future Sam has. Sadly he wasn’t feeling his best during the race and decided to call it a day during the 3rd lap. We’re looking forward to seeing his progress throughout the season, he’s the youngest in the division.

A big thanks to all our supporters, who came over to watch and cheer us on and to Sara Hale for the photos.

Next week we’re back to the Eastern League with a race near Bures hosted by VC Revolution, it should be epic, it will be the second time at the venue, David Hales can always be relied to out on a great event.