Mick
Posts 448
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So eight races through the North West Cross League already and a good time to pause for a breather.
Scott has been the best of the dozen or so Wheelers racing so far this year and if he holds his form should be able to sneak a top ten here and there this season, providing he doesn’t decide to chew through any more roots in Liverpool. I’m lying third in the League overall which is great as I’ve raced and finished OK in every race this year, but I’ll be tumbling down the League to maybe top 15 as others get their counting races in this weekend. Still, you’ve got to celebrate success when you get it eh?! I feel as though I’m racing better now than a few weeks ago and I’m really enjoying the racing this year.
Si’s getting used to his bling - white, disc mounted Kinesis, Jay’s been having a few blistering starts and getting higher up the rankings in recent races. Mark has just taken ownership of some tubs so should be puncture free and extra grippy. MTB Trans-Rockies man Neil Evans is enjoying the subtlety of cross, Pete is getting the cross bug, Mike keeps us all smiling, Charles and Jan are getting stuck in, Ian has put in the odd ride and Tom is showing us a muddy ankle.
We’ve been having some massive fields – 146 starters in last week’s race at Weaver Valley’s promotion at Pignut Hill, Northwich, and over 160 starters at the Rapha gig at Windermere. At this rate we'll be splitting out the senior and Vet races next year. New sponsors are coming into the sport Rapha’s Supercross at Windermere and Hope, Champion Systems and more contributing to prize lists and free goodies for all racers; race organisers are really putting on an effort to entertain and reward. Good to ride on new courses up at Barnoldswick and Windermere too, and a return to Ulverston at the end of this month.
Some good links for race write-ups courtesy of Paul Bethell, Giles Drake and the Team Elite boys here: http://www.team-elite.co.uk/
Some nice pics of racing and Ed’s musings here: http://www.edrollasonphotography.co.uk/?page_id=6
And decent write-ups of most races here: http://nwcca.org.uk/
And so to Otterspool in Aigburth tomorrow which was a cracking course last year (second only to Bogart in my opinion, although I may be a bit biased...) and which will probably be another fast, dryish race with real tussles for position each lap. The last one there two weeks ago was my best race so far this year so I’m up for it. And….we get the treat of a seaside trip to the windswept course at Rhyl on Sunday. Til next time…
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Mick
Posts 448
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Well done Liverpool Century!
Great inventive course, amazing goody bag worth well over the £10 entry fee, great buzz with loads of people there and even champagne spraying on the podium after the main race. Setting the standard for other cross organisers! Another big field of over 120 and Giles Drake got a fine scalp winning over Motorpoint pro ( and ex-Century rider) Johnny McEvoy. Wheelers out in force again, not quite troubling the top 20, but getting loads of mentions from the commentators. A consistent 22nd for me and in the Vets prizes but didn't feel on the money today, Scott out with a puncture and the end of a cold, blazin start again from Jay, and a hastily repaired flat put Si back in the race. Mike, Neil, Charles, Tom mixing it up.
What about Rhyl?
16 degrees, sunny and a new course. Bit of a fast crit as we used 500m of the new tarmac crit course, and very dry conditions and some great fast racing. I was battling out in a group of five, then four as Scott dropped off the pace all race, trading lead, great fun, nothing like the freezing conditions of previous years! Mark and Charles getting some fast turns in elsewhere in the field. Maybe a top 15 for me which would make it my best ride yet...
Bit random but just watching an old 'Later' - Lou Reed rockin' out with Metallica. Wow.
Anyway another thing for the cross crew and anyone else who fancies a bit of off-road fun - NEW CROSS RACE ON DECEMBER 10th in Manchester.
New Wheeler Phil Braybrooke is running a Mad Madison Cross race up at Clayton Vale on Saturday 11th December, main race at noon and HQ at Evans at the Velodrome. We'll be there, good fun and not to be taken too seriously!
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