Eastern Cyclocross League 2014/15

[Chris Clague]

Damian - thanks for the offer, but Hugo's racing so we'll be going early and with a bunch more kit - another time!

Bruce - your failure to block on that section with a carried bike demonstrates perhaps the difference in quality of the opposition. I was pretty successful with the run/block at my level. A couple of guys snuck through on the last ramp but I was able to force them wide enough that they lost momentum and had to dismount on the last part enabling me to re-pass. Only problem was by then my cleats were so clogged it always took an eternity to clip in. May need to rethink for next week.

[PatHayes]

Because I had guy from Colchester rovers coming up behind me on last lap and knowing he gained time on me in the wooded section the lap before due to my inability to ride single track sensibly I got off and ran and with a serious sprint managed to extend gap enough to hold it to line . A sort of reverse svenness

[StevenDrew]

Because I had guy from Colchester rovers coming up behind me on last lap and knowing he gained time on me in the wooded section the lap before due to my inability to ride single track sensibly I got off and ran and with a serious sprint managed to extend gap enough to hold it to line . A sort of reverse svenness

If there'd been a Strava segment across the mud section you'd definitely have the KOM on it. from what I saw, no one rode or ran as fast as you covered it on foot. Definite Svenness points for that

[PatHayes]

Back to Ipswich again on Sunday fortunately is a good venue. hopefully complete my 11th ride so can get a league position though results at Basildon where had a puncture and Davey down where was sick have to count. Might get on front row of grid again depending who turns up .

Haven't entered for Madison team event as not sure can be bothered , though C wants to do it so will have to go and therefore might decide may as well even if only get a couple of laps . Apparently girls will be paired with women and boys with old gits for our race

[Chris Clague]

Do it - should be a laugh. You might get paired with Hugo and only have to do 1 lap

[PatHayes]

Last race of the season at Ipswich had disastrous start , managed to unclip both feet ! recovered position on the one technical bit with some judicious running but ran out of steam with two laps to go and lost two positions to people I beat the week before . Course had dried out from last week and was big ring all the way round , only a small section to run and nothing to fatigue the faster riders which never helps me but a few more BC points .Perhaps 20 cross races has finally had taken its toll .

Looking back over season the worse the conditions the better my results which is perversely satisfying

[Chris Clague]

This week, Kev Carter & I sneakily stole Mr Drew's training plan in his absence and for the first time for both of us, could be found warming up on our turbos before the race. Seemed to help as I was warm on the grid. I started in exactly the same place on the end of row 3 (last man called) but this time managed to clip in successfully and made a rather tasty run down to the first corner. I've had some mixed experiences with the discs this year (which surprised me) but they were worth everything for the first 2 minutes of todays race. I think I might briefly have sniffed the air in about 6th place for a few metres after the second corner - totally unfamiliar territory for me - I passed the Hackney GT posse who started in front of me and settled into 8th place as we went round. On the first switchback I nearly crapped myself when I saw just how many people there were behind me. Race settled a bit for the next 3 laps and I managed to hold my place, but my poor remounts were meaning that I was working harder than I should to sustain the position and after that I lost a bit of ground, being passed by the 2 HGT and another guy, but not without a fair amount of to-ing and fro-ing in between. Was quite tired on the last lap and nearly crashed all on my own on an innocuous corner as a result. The guy behind was approaching fast but I managed to hold him off to the line to finish an amazing (for me) 11th place.

And so ends my first full season of cross. I started the season with a 37th place finish and improved every race bar my food poisoned one, culminating in this which I'm frankly bloody delighted with. Really should have started doing this years ago.

Just the fun race left to go next week and I actually don't care if I come last in that.

[StevenDrew]

Nice one, chaps. Top job!

DNS for me. Was a shame not to make it but, on reflection, probably the right decision. I developed a sore throat yesterday but was keen to race so got up and packed the car. Molly then complained of not feeling well and whilst we discussed whether to go, it dawned on me that I didn't feel very good at all and trailing to Ipswich seemed a bit daft.

So a disappointing end to a great season. Well done, all. Some great LP results and a lot of fun. I think the underwater race at Trinity Park in November was my favourite.

[Damian Robertson]

Brilliant Chris!

[PatHayes]

Well done Chris you did get a great start and were in sixth , top ride as were some decent riders behind you .

My best race was Cyclopark but wet Ipswich and Welwyn in the central league were great , the Milton Keynes killer mud fest probably best in retrospect though unpleasant at time .

[Simon Goodwin]

Congratulations and well deserved Chris!

[BruceMackie]

Both Cal and I were on our 11th counting race of the series and a good result was crucial with Cal having a chance of winning the league, but he had to win today, and I, a chance to scrape onto the podium if I could take 2nd place ahead of Simon Hime of Finchley RT.

No trip to the turbo to warm up for me, just a panic, as suitably warmed up, I arrived back at the car to find Cal had ridden of with the wheels I wanted. Managed to track him down and sort that, but the distraction meant like an idiot I forgot to take my Asthma inhaler. Lined up on the front row handily next to Phil Roach who'd decided to pay the Eastern a visit. On the whistle we set off at some speed and I positioned myself on the outside of Phil as we hit the first wide RH corner. There was plenty of space so I was able to run wide and hold speed thus bringing myself neatly onto Phil's wheel and we cleared off into the distance. I managed to hold on for about half a lap before the elastic broke but I was well away from the rest of the pack and a good result should have been possible but a slip on the slow speed entrance to the 4 wheel drive obstacles put me on the ground and though I was back up quickly the chain was jammed in behind front ring which is difficult to sort due to the down tube of the Blue being so wide. I managed to unjam it but lost 3 much needed places. I did a bike change as I'd gone down on the drive side and had to put quite a lot of force into extracting the chain but after that the Asthma started to cause problems so I had to pit again and make use of an inhaler. I chased hard but though I got back past Geoff Bores I only got to within 20 seconds of Simon and would have needed another couple of laps to reel him in and even then I would still have needed to catch Andy who was another 20 seconds up the road so no bronze for me just 5th in the league, 1 place worse than my V40 result last year.

Cal's provided plenty of reason to stick to the rule that you shouldn't race when ill. He's been sick since mid December and with National events and Coach training had missed too many league fixtures to drop any and get well. So each race ill, with consequent lacklustre result put his recovery back, further compounding the issue. In the end he had to win today's race to win the Junior title which looked frankly unlikely and he coughed his way round to a 3rd place which was a disappointing end as before getting ill he'd looked like a dead cert for the title.

[Chris Clague]

Saw Cal riding round and coughing his guts up - not nice to watch. Season's over now, so let him rest and come back stronger. Shame as he looked rock solid earlier in the season.

[PatHayes]

got bike out to adjust discs for Sunday and have some how lost a whole disc pad retaining clip must have got knocked out

[PatHayes]

Actually really enjoyed the Eastern end of season race. The madision format actually worked quite well despite fact actually raced for less than 20minutes. Was random draw so some pairings lot stronger than others . I got one of the slower veteran women so had to work hard to try and gain back time . Really pleased to actually make up time on lad who won eastern junior series on my third lap , though lap before had in heat of moment handed him off when running past him.

Going full out then hanging around for 5 minutes really hard and actually felt like I had been in a race afterwards .

Was only half full Mistley course but would have still been nightmare with a full field in a competive race as swampy narrow decents through trees . Not sure should be allowed as a X course for normal races.

Shame turnout was poor as was really good atmosphere and a CC Ashwell bloke in V40s who was taking himself far too seriously enlivened matters by loosing the plot with some obvious novice who he claimed had blocked him