Central CX League - 2014/15

StevenDrew · Post by **StevenDrew** » Tue Dec 30, 2014 9:54 am

Astrid Wingler wrote:I'm intending to race at Welwyn too. I haven't entered online, but according to the website, entry on the day should be OK.

Yep, Central League don't turn anyone away. You'll be fine.

StevenDrew · Post by **StevenDrew** » Wed Dec 31, 2014 3:42 pm

StevenDrew wrote:
Astrid Wingler wrote:I'm intending to race at Welwyn too. I haven't entered online, but according to the website, entry on the day should be OK.
Yep, Central League don't turn anyone away. You'll be fine.

I lied. V40 is full, apparently. EOTL for all other races.

DanielMcqueen · Post by **DanielMcqueen** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 1:40 am

StevenDrew wrote:I lied. V40 is full, apparently. EOTL for all other races.

Err so the only option will be to race with the seniors?

StevenDrew · Post by **StevenDrew** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 3:25 pm

DanielMcqueen wrote:
StevenDrew wrote:I lied. V40 is full, apparently. EOTL for all other races.
Err so the only option will be to race with the seniors?

Yep. You can certainly do that. You get an extra 20 mins for your money

DanielMcqueen · Post by **DanielMcqueen** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:48 pm

StevenDrew wrote:
DanielMcqueen wrote:
StevenDrew wrote:I lied. V40 is full, apparently. EOTL for all other races.
Err so the only option will be to race with the seniors?
Yep. You can certainly do that. You get an extra 20 mins for your money

40 minutes is too short anyway.

Damian Robertson · Post by **Damian Robertson** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 8:47 am

Yeh, especially if you're going slowly!

Which is a likely scenario for me today!

Astrid Wingler · Post by **Astrid Wingler** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 4:13 pm

Well - that wasn't too successful for some of us. Chris (broken chain) and I (chain jammed next to jockey wheel) didn't even manage 1 lap. I hope the others had better results.
I really liked the course and felt strong, but didn't even get to the run-up I was looking forward to. I should have replaced the rear mech (instead of trying to bend it back into shape) after the cage got slightly bent when something got stuck behind the jockey wheel on a ride. Lesson learned, new mech ordered...

Chris Clague · Post by **Chris Clague** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 4:42 pm

Was fun while it lasted - I'd forgotten what it was like starting so far back. Somebody blew a whistle in the distance and a while later we all made a rather pedestrian start. I'd made the choice to drop an extra row back on order to be on the high side of the course, above the water table. It turned out to be a wise move as Stven got swept away in the tide of falling riders. I then picked off Dan McQ while he was having a nap and Kev C who'd opted to follow the herd and run up the hill from the bottom when riding proved to be quicker. I knew it couldn't last, and it didn't. Kev got a bit all shoulders and passed me back, followed by Stven as we hit the hurdles. I hung on to the two of them for a short while but was trying to pace myself when Dan reappeared and nipped by without even saying hello - how rude. I was tracking him (from afar

) when Damian started to shout encouragement, causing my chain to break. Thanks Damian.

Still, it looked like it would have been fun, and I was quite pleased with the grip levels I was able to get at low pressures - I seemed to be struggling less than some, so it would have been good to finish (or even finish a lap). And I was home in time to clean my bike in daylight.

PatHayes · Post by **PatHayes** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 4:53 pm

Really enjoyed race at Welwyn super muddy but proper cross course and mud was soupy rather than treacle so having only one bike not a problem . Had felt really ill in the night and nearly didnt get up but after another atrocious start not helped by being towards back of grid and being behind a shopping bike who I erroneously thought would power off on the sloppy starting straight due to the width of his tyres but didn't got in to a groove and think got reasonable finishing place though got passed by too many V40s .

PatHayes · Post by **PatHayes** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 5:06 pm

Down side of muddy cross races is always time it takes to wash bikes , get kit into washing machine and then clean up mud from path , hall , kitchen and bathroom . Even outside of car covered as mud dripped off bikes on drive home . Apparently people crossing road to avoid muddy torrent flowing down pavement from the front garden bike wash area .

Damian Robertson · Post by **Damian Robertson** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 7:37 pm

Well done to those who tried and those who raced well today! Bad luck to Astrid and Chris! For a variety of reasons, including wimpishness no doubt, I saw fit to trade in my place for Dan, and went on to rather enjoy the spectating! Very entertaining! Looked like one of the better courses! Sorry for breaking your chain Chris!

Yeh, you can blame me - for inspiring a surge in power! Ah well. Next time. The pile up at the start of the V40 was quite spectacular. One rider's wheels slipped and sent the bike sliding horizontally, catching out a few in it's wake including Stven, who recovered to ride a solid race. As did Neil taking second in his category I think? Masterclass.

StevenDrew · Post by **StevenDrew** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 1:39 pm

Still trying to decide if those conditions were worse than the under water affair at Ipswich or not. It was certainly colder and way more frustrating. I’ve already grumbled to a number of people about this but I was wholly unimpressed with the way the commissaire started the race. Having told us he’d set us off 3 mins after the V50s, we got no other warning and he just blew the whistle to start the race. I had neither foot clipped in and was holding an asthma spray! No sooner had I got going then someone slipped in the mud and wiped out a good few of the field, me included.

Anyway, once I got going it was good fun. The first lap was hard going as I tried to pick my way through the field, the second was even harder as I was struggling with my asthma. But I really enjoyed the last two laps as I warmed up nicely and the mud got thicker. The Limus did me proud.

Chapeau to everyone for turning out and giving it a go in such atrocious conditions. Mr Simpson much be pretty close to sewing up the V50 League title after that? And well done, Dan who seemed to be going really well.

StevenDrew · Post by **StevenDrew** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 1:55 pm

Oh how we laughed at the hurdles on the hill...

welwyn hurdles-jan15.jpg

Simon Goodwin · Post by **Simon Goodwin** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 4:51 pm

StevenDrew wrote:Oh how we laughed at the hurdles on the hill...

Both down and up options look evil, but I have to ask, which way was the direction of travel?

Simon Goodwin · Post by **Simon Goodwin** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 5:04 pm

Dan McQ and I are signed up for Letchworth on the 18th. Neil and Oren are in too. I was initially considering the Novice race as an easier option but was persuaded otherwise given the unlikely scenario that I did well. I note that the first guy to sign up for the Novice race (Botha) notched up 9 cross races last year (yet is still competing as a Novice) - may be good reasons but anyone know what that's all about?

London Phoenix

Central CX League - 2014/15

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