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Post by chamoniards on Jan 13, 2010 22:54:15 GMT
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2010 13:28:08 GMT
If BC is so excited about this, why don't they have a trophy race in Kent to attract more continental riders over?
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Post by andyw on Jan 14, 2010 17:51:39 GMT
Because no-one in Kent has tendered for one I guess.
I'm not bothered about the Belgians. I won't be bothering them, so why should they bother me?
It's going to be an absolute quagmire on Sunday isn't it?
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Post by Nigel Wood on Jan 16, 2010 17:22:14 GMT
Good luck tomorrow guys - it's going to be muddy!
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Post by chamoniards on Jan 18, 2010 11:47:09 GMT
It was very muddy Nigel. But we both did quite well. I was first up in the vets race but expectations were low as I'd caught a cold and hadn't trained all week and felt like I had nothing in my legs to start with, I wondered if I could even finish the race. Once the gun went off I went into race mode and after a poor start I was making up places and found myself up in 7th/8th place. Andy was pitting for me and it was time for a bike change, it all went smoothly although my number 2 bike didn't have such good grip in the mud leading me to come off a couple of times, loose confidence and loose places. So it was quickly back onto my first bike with the Dugast Rhinos and I was happy again although by now I was starting to feel the effect of no training in my legs. First one zepnat ride passed me shortly followed by his team mate half a lap later. I held on to that place for the final lap and finished 10th. It was further down the field than I would have liked as I really wanted to improve on Bradfords 7th place but probably the best I could have hoped for given the fact that I didn't feel confident that I could even start the race the day before. The seniors Elite race had a proper international feel with Fidea sending over Rob Peeters (4th in the Belgian Nationals) and a half dozen Belgian pros from the Sunweb team. Andy finally had a taste of Belgian racing without having to go to Belgium. It was a nervous start with a rider coming down on the greasy tarmac on the first corner at the start. Andy was just behind the crash but managed to steer his way out of trouble. Pitting for Andy was great fun and after an initial mess-up with handing over the bikes caused by congestion in the pit lane we had the pit change sussed. Three clean bike handovers and Andy managed to beat a few riders that had been ahead of him in previous races and to only get lapped by the Belgians with a lap to go, so plenty of progress on last years performance where he went out with a mechanical on the first lap. That was the last National Trophy race of the season, just the Nationals left now. Such a shame that Andy will miss them. We really could do we some more of the stronger riders in the club getting into cyclo-cross next season. It's a fantastic work out (one hour flat out, no sitting in a bunch and taking it easy!) and you bike handling skills will come on massively. Can't recommend it enough. Full report, video, results etc on BC: new.britishcycling.org.uk/cyclocross/article/cyx20100116--Report--Cyclo-Cross-National-Trophy-Round-6-0 |
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Post by andyw on Jan 18, 2010 12:55:32 GMT
Can't echo Kevin's comments loudly enough.
I pitted for Kevin and like he said, it was actually good fun. All the excitement of being in the race, without having to get out of breath.
Seeing someone sliding sideways for what seemed like 50m at the start of my race was a bit off putting — for some reason people take way more risks riding at 25mph on tarmac in a cross race than they ever would in a road race. Very strange.
The Belgians were a totally different class though.
Man of the day must be Nick Craig though who came second in Kevin's Vets race, had a quick wash, then came back and raced the senior event to come 15th. Amazing.
"We really could do we some more of the stronger riders in the club getting into cyclo-cross next season. It's a fantastic work out (one hour flat out, no sitting in a bunch and taking it easy!) and you bike handling skills will come on massively. Can't recommend it enough."
Hear hear!
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