John 'Shaggy' Ross

John "Shaggy" Ross has made the multi-email transfer to join VCM in time for the 2011/12 'Cyclo Cross season. A relatively local boy, hailing from Aberdeen, who, in preparation for a move to the professional circuit, moved away to the tropical environs of Bristol in the '80s. Having managed to get school and such formalities out of the way, he has begun racing his bike seriously. For a decade. Highlights are winning Strathpuffer Solo on a single speed, and setting the 3 Peaks Cyclocross single speed course record. He fills his recovery hours eating, collecting skinsuits, sleeping, icing his knees and designing commercial airliners.

If you follow mountainbike endurance racing in the UK, you will have stumbled across the beardy legend that is John 'Shaggy' Ross. One of the nicest blokes you will meet he is also a demon on a bike, big wheels, little wheels, and dumb wheels. I am so happy to have John join us just in time for cross season to bolster the south western crew, that's you Jez.

here he is racing at Peebles SCX a couple of years back. Pic by naegears

roundup.

Under grey and manky skies over 300 riders (or thereabouts) took to their one speeds and battled it out on Drumlanrigs finest slippy and slimey singletrack. The race quickly thinned out and everyone was talking about whether Shaggy sixty niner could hold on for the win, meanwhile I was busy watching the womens race! No offence Shaggy but this was the action was.

After a good start VC Moulin rider Anja McDonald found her self behind a previous SSUK winner Alison Rushton, it was looking promising going through lap 1 but Alison is a strong rider. Lap 2 came around and there out in the lead was Anja, riding strong with a big smile to prove just how much she was enjoying the trail. After depositing her outer baggy shorts at the beer stop she went on to win the womens category pretty convincingly, a great start wearing the new strip and even with enough energy left to down a Grimbergen at the end. Jac Strachan was back too after her recent illness and I'm sure her form is just around the corner.

Well done Anja and everyone else who slogged it out in difficult conditions. 

Meanwhile, over in Dalbeattie at the SXC round 2 battle John McCallum found himself penetrating the top 10 once more, he had been sitting good in around 4rth place but blew spectacularly(allegedly) on the last lap, good effort, conditions and humidity were particularly nasty today, it's only a matter of time for John, go buddy go.