Lucky seven

Well that was a shock to the system. I have a new local loop on the road bike. It consists of seven climbs (three ridden twice plus a bonus one in the middle) over 35 miles. Short and sweet.

The main pinches are up Whiteleaf and Kop hills that reach the same point above Princes Risborough. Chiltern road climbs are nearly always short (1/2 mile or so), but often steep. Good for a quick, hurty spin. A light shower was forecast so I wasn't too fussed when a fine drizzle fell as I left the house. What I hadn't bargained for was the freezing downpour that fell for the entirety of the ride. Roads transformed as I looped back through them into coffee-coloured lakes - Kop Hill a river (with waves!) on the second attempt up.

Extremities froze making descending interesting with wooden, disembodied fingers and the temptation of only ever being five miles or so from home somehow averted with the knowledge that the promised bacon and egg muffins would be appreciated less if all seven boxes were not ticked.

Post-hot-aches tea and biscuits consumed and that nice fizzy-warm feeling is filling the frozen appendages.

The sun's out now, damnit!

It Depends on the Weather

I haven't been able to face the mountain bike for the last couple of weeks, It's not like me but a combination of poor weather and months of plugging through mud and snow has taken it's toll.

So graced with a lovely spring day i took to the hills in search of that elusive dry trail.



Starting at sea level the Yankee pier is the furthest out into the Cromarty firth you can get without actually getting wet! The pier was used by the Americans during WW I to transport ordanance to their mine base which is now home to the World famous Dalmore Distillery. Semi submersible oil rigs now occupy the firth rather than the Navy fleet of that time.

My destination for the ride was an old favorite of Cnoc Fyrish a prominent local landmark. With a multitude of routes to chose from I took the most direct route up the Jubilee path, Rising from 175m to 450m in 2.6km it offers a good workout no matter how fit the rider.

The Monument is always a welcome rest after the tech fest of the climb.

Constructed in 1792 it was the brainchild of Sir Hector Munro to provide work for unemployed locals and is an imitation of a gateway to the costal city of Nagapatnam in India. The hill offers commanding views of the Cromarty firth, East coast and the Mountains of Wester Ross.

After the pain of the climb comes the fun of the descent back to sea level through a myriad of trails which thankfully were riding extremly well in the early spring conditions. I ended up being out far longer than anticipated but I was taking full advantage of the vital component of a good bike ride.......... The weather.

97% CX

For the most part I have spent the last 6 months mainly riding cyclocross bikes. Various reasons for this; training for the 3 peaks and regular cross races plus the chainstays on my old 853 road bike rusted right through just behind the bb shell; a sad day but the old Raleigh isn't dead yet, she'll be back to worry the carbon bikes on the local club run one day soon.

For the first time I managed a whole season of cyclocross, finishing up fourth in the Eastern League, not bad but the top three were always just out of reach, a tad frustrating but the races were always close and fun. Hopefully more cyclocross this year and a top 3 overall. Getting into the cross races taught me much about tactics and racecraft- hopefully some useful skills that can be carried over into other forms of bike racing. Plan for the coming year is to get back to some serious XC racing after a few years of fun endurance type events. So no long stuff this year, focus on getting the results and racking up some points. Here are a few pictures to sum up my cyclocross exploits...



My car failed it's MOT and buying another would have had a big impact on the bike fund so trips home are now mainly done by train from Peterborough up to Edinburgh. Luckily it seems no worries taking a bike on this line and instead of hammering it up the motorway I can read a book and take it easy, all good.



Training ride round the Tala loop; my favourite training ride back home.



Up the top of the Old Man of Coniston getting some practise in for the 3 Peaks.







3 pictures taken riding down off Helvellyn, some of this was fairly hairy on the 'cross bike, hopefully get back on the mtb.



The Corsa packed with spare wheels for the 3 Peaks, thankfully none were needed. Thanks to Emma for letting me use her car as a bike van for the whole 'cross season.



Not a great start to the regular cross season, half way into the race and my left hand crank fell off. Thankfully this was the only mechanical of the year and after this poor results could only be atributed to a lack of fittness!

So that was the last few months of 2010.

Roll on the first races of 2011.

Doubling Up

With the cross season closing out I wanted to take full advantage of any remaining events left to race the cross bike before it gets hung up till probably September.. with this in mind I opted to do a back to back weekend of racing ... but not only double up on the racing but double up on the normal distance :)

Saturday would see Hit the North in Manchester.. Sunday the Super Enduro at Hetton Lyons.

Hit the North is a CX vs MTB 2 hour race organised by Jason Miles of JMC racing... the course was a mix of cross style riding but with mtb singletrack and technical descending thrown in... add a large field of riders (near 200) and you have yourself a fantastic event.

My Saturday started at 5:30am .. up for breakfast then out the door by 6am for the 2.5 hour drive to Manchester from Newcastle.. Ipod full of tunes in the car and some energy drink and life was good.

The weather started in the North East as wet and miserable but gradually got better as I headed West.. by the time I got to the race venue the conditions were mild and the sun was trying to come out... after signing on and catching up with friends I got changed and did a lap of the course... there were some fast flowing singletrack sections, rock gardens, hellish bike carries and even a stream crossing to contend with.. dull this course wasn't and it kept you on your toes the whole time.

At the startline I assumed my usually rubbish position of 4 or 5 rows back .. we started up a tarmac climb .. I picked off as many places as possible before the inevitable bottle neck and then the procession through the first singletrack... out onto the wider trail I was out the saddle sprinting to make up some lost ground before a dismount and carry up some steps.

My first off of the race came quickly heading down the 'chute' of mud.. as it kicked into a steeper drop I wiped out the front end and into the dirt.. straight back up into a climb. Into the fast flowing singletrack it wasn't long before I came across Rich Rothwell with a mechanical and not longer after that Ian Leitch with a nasty looking broken seatpost :(

As the first lap ended the order had been sorted seeing me back in the back half of the top 10 ... a few people around me constantly exchanging places.. the mountain bikers would drop me on the descents then I would take ground back on the flat and the climbs.. I was so focussed on the constant exchange of places we were 80 minutes into the race before I had taken any food or a great deal of water :(







By 90 minutes I was fading.. I had a gel and before it could kick in I dropped a few more places just clinging onto the top 10... the gel kicked in and it was 'Go' time... I retook 3 places and approaching another racer my high of the gel turned into a low and it was back into limp mode.




By the start of the 6th lap I was fading.. luckily the nearest racer to me was also and an agreement was made that if I didn't turn the last lap into a head kicking competition he would concede the place... sensing no further need for survival my body really gave in and I struggled round the last night driven by the thought of finishline snacks.

6 laps in 2 hours and a 10th overall..




I think I could have finished nearer the top 5 but I learn't the lesson of nutrition the hard way after a fair few months of 50 minute races needing no food or water.

Sunday was an easier start to the day with the event being local and already having driven 300 plus miles to Manchester and back the previous day.

The Super Enduro is a cross race to see out the end of the local TLI cross races.. a one off non league event there was no pressure.. the legs definately felt jaded after the combo of the previous days racing and driving so expectations were low.

Unfortunately the field of riders was low with the extra distance to be covered and the rubbish wet weather only bringing out 20 riders or so to start the race.

The race started down a stretch of tarmac into the wind and it wasn't long before I realised that my position at the front of the field was one of a windbreak for everyone else so I eased up and rolled onto the first dirt of the course.. Unlike Hit the North this was more a true CX cross.. no need to dismount and nothing too technical.. a horrible long drag to the top of the course being the worst section and a dicey straight muddy descent into a sharp left hander being the highest risk manouevre of the course.

Very early on in the first lap I had to watch Steven Ward ride comfortably away into the lead... I then similarly had to watch 2nd and 3rd spot leave me fighting for 4th.. there was no snap in my legs so I had to look to play the longer game.. I was caught up with 2 other riders in the battle for 4th.. every chance I got I put in a little dig just to test the other guys.

As the hour mark passed I took on a gel and took the lead to our group of three riders.. on a sharp short climb I pulled out a few metres so decided it was a good time to get going if i could.. I pushed on the pedals a bit harder into a flat section then as I got out of the saddle for another short climb I felt my bars shift.. as I looked down my bars had bent.. I stopped and as i took hold of the bars they snapped :( disappointed that my race was over was being balanced by relief that they had gone on a climb and not a descent.. the race was over.. as it was Steven Ward won comfortably lapping the whole field!!

Thats the cross season done and dusted for good.. this week should see the arrival of my new sponsor mountain bike frame for 2011.. pictures as soon as it gets here :)

HTN pictures courtesy of Ed Rollason

happy valentines

if you can't be good be bad.

Goatee of Filth

Often referred to as La Doyenne of the VCM Monument rides (rest of VCM Monument rides to follow), Goatee of Filth is back again for it's third edition in 2011.

Date - 3rd April 2011

What will happen this year:

* will be 80ish miles of Fife roads and lanes
* will be as many cheeky cobbled sections as we can find (hoping for at least one new secteur)
* will be soup, coffee, cakes (and a maybe a cold refreshing beverage) whilst watching the pointy end of the Ronde van Vlaanderen back at GoF HQ

What won't happen this year:
* won't be rain
* won't get lost in Saline
* Jon won't wheelsuck Maddy for the last 15 miles

Start time and exact route tbc. Pace brisk to middling. Sprints to be contested.

Anyone interested in a still to be named offroad ride soon?

fabrication

Oh my:

FROM STEEL: The Making of a Soulcraft from michael evans on Vimeo.

NECCL RD 7 - Eston Hills

After finishing the Christmas cross period with an 11th at the CXNE RD10 Gateshead race completeing 3 cross races in 7 days I was ready to take it a little easier.

I reigned back training to every other day and looked forward to the next round of the TLI ran NECCL cross league... we have the luxury in the North East of 2 leagues.. where I couldn't place in the BCF ran CXNE series due to my provisional license I could place overall in the TLI ran NECCL league.

Sundays race was at a classic North East mountain bike destination.. pretty sure maybe 15 years ago I raced mountain bikes here.. the course was altered slightly due to plenty black ice clinging to any piece of tarmac it could find but what was run as the course was plenty challenging enough.

With some wooded sections.. a cheeky climb and some horrible drags in grassy mud to bring your speed down to a crawl it was a tough offering.

The start was uphill and unusually I got on the front line... the field had a few big names mising due to the Nationals on the same day so it was an opportunity to shift up the field and claim some extra points.

From the off Tony Fawcett was gone.. gapping the field by 20m at the end of the first descent.. Darren Binks in pursuit with the rest of us a good 10m back from Darren. I sat in 4th and after a bit of jostling for position.. I was strong on the straight boggy sections and Alex Mcclean from Hetton Hawks would gap me in the woods.. I saw myself into 3rd with a good 20m gap.



As the race progressed I eased out my gap while Alex and Vince Potter (Blackhawkbikes.com) battled for 4th.

I equalled my seasons best finish with another 3rd place... still half a lap down on claiming a top spot but I feel I know where the improvements need to be made.

Best news is I am now firmly in the 3rd spot overall for the season... last race on Sunday and a minor miracle could see me creep into 2nd but as it stands i'm very happy.

Before I forget...

The year that was...

Dearie me - having had a rummage through the VCM archives for 2010 it would appear that I barely managed to blog a word.

Shameful, I know but it was a busy and fulfilling 12 months.

Kicking off almost a year to the day when I put a plaintive last ditch Facebook request for a Strathpuffer 4th man - answered in the affirmative by Oregon local Mr Tom Letsinger thanks to his BA airmile collection and penchant for doing slightly silly things. Somehow [and with no small contribution from Chops-Options & Mr Darwood we picked up our snowdomes for 3rd place in the 4 man team.





I had met Tom while doing the TransPortugal the previous year and had kept in touch with one of the Organisers / Cheif Mechanic - Jose Carlos. One of the many hats he wears is as occasional guide for Saddle Skedaddle tours in Portugal. That company, based in Penrith, have an annual off-season guides get-together [a jamboree?]. Anyhoo - Jose Martin needed someone to pick him up from Manchester Airport and I happened not to be working that week - cue a mini-road trip to tick off some midwinter classics and cheek in the Peaks and Lakes. Ace!



Jac and I belatedly celebrated our birthdays at the start of March with a 2-dayer along the Fife Coastal Path. If you get a chance you should do this route - not much in the way of climbing, and a fat tyre bike would not be out of place. Is there anywhere else in the UK where you can get almost 100 miles of costal riding? If so please let me know...



An interlude of new-kitchen disruption followed and a post easter trip to Portugal to test mettle against the first Geo-Raid pairs-only, 2 dayer enduro race weekend of the year. Based in mid-north Portugal we had a frantic 5hour drive from Madrid to get to the race site. A Truly Brutal 100km day followed 4100m of ascent in 30 Deg C heat was too much - Both Jac and I suffered from being out in that furnace too long. This had been my first mtb ride that had not featured snow or ice for 5 months... we decided to bail the easier second day and see the tourist sights . A shame as the course and location were stunning. The descent to and resulting climb out of Drave were a highlight. I will be back.



Then followed some pit bitching at 24hr Solo and Puffer lite for Jac. July's Singletrack weekender was a great event and format [July] - although some over exhuberant descending on the first lap led to double pinch flats and plenty time for heckling.



The Welsh SSUKs was tip top in August. Amazing venue for riding and camping. And we were led out on a classic Doethie Valley loop by the lovely Goonster. We followed this up with a frantic drive back up to the lakes and a cracking North Lakes [North High Street] the next day.





All to soon it was cross season - Dan and I had received agreement from all the season orgainsers to run an electronic lapcounting system. We co-located our money and mouths and jumped on a steep learning curve to get our system up and running in time. Thankfully we found some children to test on and all was well...



A brief cross season interlude and 1st Wedding anniversary spend crumpled up in an airplane jetting off to NZ for the SSWC2010 - more stunning riding, the SSWC seemed a little less firey this year but that is more likely me than it...




Rotorua Trails! Oh my - hero dirt flowing goodness.




The Queen Charlotte Track - 75km of buff quiet seaside and ridgetop trail in the Marlborough Sounds - inspirational stuff. And the steak and cheese pies from any dairy in town... dribble.







Then it was back to minor calamity for the cross season: controversy and cancellations. Although the Scottish Cross series is made of sterner stuff - keeping calm and carrying on through to the series finale in Mull.



Roll on the 2011 good times!

happy new year

Tervuren vrouwen  2-1-2011 from jef cleemput on Vimeo.



its quiet out there, a big end of season posting coming up..

To the Moulineers!

Christmas Cross

With a 'forced' weeks holiday from work nothing left to do but ride and race.. not quite a Belgium Holiday calender of races over the Christmas period but so far i've managed 2.. CXNE RD 9 on Boxing day and Macclesfield Monster on 28th..

CXNE RD9 was a local affair.. only 10 miles from my house.. the event had been upgraded from a fun race to a league event and I had convinced a visiting friend, Ian, to race on a borrowed bike.

The course I had pretty much ridden a few months prior but the sloppy mud had been replaced snow and Ice... the car park was filled with riders having ridden a lap putting more pressure into their tyres.

The start was one of the best I have ever had.. although the front rows were gridded I found a cheecky hole in the middle and was up into the top 10 off the start and holding the pace well.. by the end of the first lap the top boys superior bike handling had seen gaps opened.. a rushed mount after a short run up saw my unship my chain and lose 5 places trying to wrestle it free from the chain device :(

The rest of the race saw me clawing back the places I had lost seeing me finish back in 12th ... Paul Oldham took the win chased by Steven Ward.. Ian Bibby after a heavy first lap fall was back in 6th.

After the race I packed up the car.. fired home.. put more bags and the whippet in the car and drove to meet Grace at her parents in Manchester.. as well as the excellent meals and coffee's on offer at her parents it gave me chance to fit another race in just a few days later.

The Macclesfield Monster is the first race in the North West leauge after Christmas so the turn out was good... as well as a leg stretching it offered a chance to catch up with a friend I hadn't seen for 10 years.. Duncan Astle.. creator of Here Come the Belgians.. after a quick chat we lined up for another kicking.

The conditions at Macc were the opposite of CXNE race.. raining, sloppy mud and greasy corners... the course was fantastic.. some great little climbs.. boards up for dismounts and run ups and some off camber corners from hell :)

The gridding at this race went league top riders first then national points leeaders so I was a fair bit back... with the National Cross Champs looming alot of the big hitters were out.. Oldham, Bibby and Craig to name but a few.

Straight into the race I was into a battle with 4 other riders as we switched places so many times I lost count.. and when I thought I was clear the slightest mistake and a rider would pop past..






My first mistake was a late dismount before a board and I slid shin first into it.. ouch!! ... I still maintained contact with the little group I was riding with.. next I washed out my front wheel on a corner and unshipped my chain again although this time it went on quicker but a gap had opened.

As the race progressed I noticed that I was running wider and wider into the turns t bottoms of descents.. my brakes were almost non existent.. with 3 laps to go and just before I was lapped by Nick Craig as he rode to 3rd place I started a little descent that went into an off camber 45 degree left.. Nick Craig railed it.. I went for some brakes to check my speed and both levers came to the bar and I accelerated into the corner.. I briefly held the drift before the front wheel washed and I was left comically sliding down the hill on my back.. wet grass offering no resistance to slow me down.

At that point I called it a day and accepted my second DNF of the season.. too many cheeky descents to ride with no brakes.

Not the most productive races with a 12th and a DNF but entertaining all the same.. the only downside being a sore throat and cough I have so training will be minimal and hopefully I will be good to race again on Sunday 2nd :)

NECCL RD 6 - First top 3 :)

Its been 2 weeks since my last race... I was entered to race the Northern Champs race but after a Christmas party incident in a Paris bathroom left me with a very sore head I had to give it a miss.

Wasn't sure how I was feeling before this one... training is going pretty well.

The venue, Dalton Park, was almost free from snow but in leaving it left behind a pretty soggy mess so full mud tyres were perfect.

The course wound its way front and back of a big hill feature with a section along an exposed top... the climbs were pretty short, the descents nicely off camber or slippy.. all good cyclocross elements.

The start was on a narrow path on a slope only a few riders wide so the field spilled onto the grass either side and as we set off I was nicely cut up by a guy that came from above me.. with the anger of that move I was out the saddle on the first short climb and up into the top 5.. by the back half of the lap I had moved into 3rd with a clear view of 1st and 2nd riding away.. the severity of the start strung the field out quickly leaving myself and 4th place to battle out most of the race with 5th a comfortable distance behind and the guys in front now out of reach.

I love the intensity of cross racing... its something you don't get in endurance events... you ride the whole race with people breathing down your neck.. the pressure never lets up.




Towards the end of the race I notice 4th place wasn't there anymore and I got to relax a little and just maintain a gap... then the bell lap came and then it was done.. first top 3... now i just have to do it when there is no national on and the field is at its strongest.

Race Video

Bingo!

Shamelessly pinched from 104Bronson [and so it goes...]

Print out and take to a cross race near you this weekend.

isle of mull cyclocross

I'm sorry I'm going to miss Mull this year (please Davie move it further from Christmas)
Good luck to all the team who are going, look forward to hearing tales of courage and victory.
Simon, behave yourself, you are warned!

And for all those attending the dance on Saturday night, you've still got time to practise.

Racing Daze

It seems a while ago now since we had a good race, Snow eh. Happier times when we managed to have a race.

PSA- Scottish CX Champs Postponed : (

Roobaish...

www.scottishcyclocross.org.uk/

Go do something else instead...

Snow Cross

Lying in bed with the phone constantly refreshing the event website.. no change... it was still on.

The recent cold weather had seen a good foot of snow dumped over the week and there was no more putting off my first snow cross experience.

The first challenge was digging out the car... the next negotiating the various driving styles I encountered on the hour drive to the race venue.. afterthis nothing would be a problem.

The car showed todays was racing would be in a very manly -5 degrees ... the event car park park was already filling up as I arrived... you can never underestimate peoples desire to get out and ride :)


Near 60 riders and a few fields wiith 8" of snow covering the race was going to be amazing... made better still as although last week was my first sign on for Velo Club Moulin this was my first week wearing the colours...

.. and almost as good as that my new wheels had been finished so I would get to race on new tufo tubs :)

The course had some really tough sections but on the flipside also had some compacted sections were you could get good speed up but overtaking would mean coming off the good line and fishtailing through deeper snow... doesn't get any more fun than this.

My start was less than ideal... 50 metres of clambering to get both feet in the pedals then riding squarely into a plastic marker post saw me distinctly mid field with lots of work to do.. seems like this is becoming the norm for me every week so it didn't worry me.

The racing went... sit in on the deeper snow sections into everyone elses groove... pop out on the wider compacted sections and steal a few places.... repeat.. any foot down on the floor would lead to you not being able to clip back in so running any sections was avoided.

I cut my way up through the field and could see a group of 4 riders ahead.. then I heard the commentator announce they were fighting for 4th place so the chase was on to get across to them... when I did we had a great battle.. everytime I got up and past I would panic a corner and dab loosing the ground and places I had made... I ended up sat in 5th place on the bell lap.. just behind 4th place.. as we got to a steep climb 4th place went to the side to look for the better line and I gambled and smacked it straight up the middle through the crap of mud and snow... both of us coming to the top close but I had a half wheel and nipped through... a quick blast out the saddle and a few turns later saw my best result so far with 4th place.

The power of Velo colours is strong :)

Next week Northen CX champs.. weather and roads allowing i'm hoping to break the top quarter of the field.

CXNE RD 7.. Stainton

With much trepidation here goes my first Velo Club Moulin Blog post....

A week after the Gateshead race and an £80 parts repair bill later I was back at another cross race.

The Stainton venue was windy and cold... watching the Junior race from the comfort of a warm van the motivation to get changed and get riding was low.

With no National Trophy race on the field was stacked with some top quality rider... Oldham, Ward, Collins, Murray, Moss, Nixon.. the list was extensive so today wasn't gonna be easy.... as I walked the car park checking out who had turned up my top 5 hope went to top 10 then to a more realistic top 15... I'm not frightened to admit I still have alot to learn and it was obvious that I was about to get taught a few new tricks.

First sign on for Velo team :)

After a quick change Ipedalled out onto the course... to not long after turn around and head back to the van.. I had changed rear wheels and forgot to fit a spacer to inside of freehub so cassette was rattling.. luckily I had the other wheel with spacer with me and was able to borrow tools and sort it.

The course looked pretty awful but once on it it rode really well... plenty of turns, a nice climb, transitions from dirt to tarmac which were only surpassed in their bike sliding ability by a set of off camber bends which were really tricky made more so by having to slide up and though a gate only a rider wide :)

I was mid field on the start line and spent the first lap executing some high risk dubious cornering overtakes to cut my way up towards the top 10.

On a set of low boards that could be bunny hopped I saw new team mate Dave Crawley standing with his bike, later found out a snapped rear mech... I feel your pain Dave!!!

The race was excellent... I had a great battle for most of the race with the same Malton Wheeler rider as we exchanged places two or three times a lap.. he still had the memories of me overtaking him last lap a few weeks earlier... He would be a little quicker through the turns but I would get on the gas on the climbs and take position back.

About 45 minutes in I was overtaken by the leader ... Paul Oldham... no great shame as the form he has at the moment I was surprised it didn't come earlier... another 40 seconds later then Steven Ward came through... a North East rider having a great battle with Oldham and squeezing out the other Hope factory boys for the second place spot.

A lap to go I was just behind my Malton Wheelers rival on the start finish climb so I rode hard past and then buried myself for the rest of the lap.. one final out the saddle effort and the race was done... 13th place in a good field of riders... I know I have both more to give and to learn so looking forward to North of England CX champs in a few weeks.





Picture courtesy of Lee Adeola (http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeandamanda/)

Videos of the race can be seen here;

Video 1
Video 2

Velo jersey arrived yesterday so will be fully representing from now on in :)

Wearing the colours

Having not particularly been in a cycling team before (well, not since the Mint Sauce Race and Flowers team back in 1994 or so...) I thought I might as well make the plunge as I often found myself in the company of VCM riders at many of the races I went to. And being one of the non-Scottish lot, I figured that it might be cheery to ride in the colours in the well-organised Yorkshire Cyclocross league. Besides, it was a cheap way of getting a 'cross skinsuit.

My last three races have been good, bad, then good again as I snatched a good start at the first race in Huddersfield and valiantly battled for 30-oddth with my pal Simon on a smooth and very fast playing field course.

Pic by 'Here Come the Belgians'...

Next time out was the Bradley Woods round that featured a lot of woody singletrack. A real mountain bikers' course. Unfortunately, after a bad start and some frankly rubbish legs and lungs, I was presented with an excuse in the form of rolling first my front tub, then, as I was limping back to the finish and waiting for the winner to lap me, my rear. Don't rely on last year's glue folks!

And then this weekend: Bingley - a race where I've had mixed success. Two years ago I crashed my car on the way to the race, just made it there on time and then my crank fell off - but not before I'd worked my way into last place. This year, fate was a little kinder to me. I showed up to sign-on eight minutes before the start, just managed to pin my number on and get to the start for the start - which went well and I found my way somewhere up the top half. Then a combination of low tyre pressures and low (34T) gearing kept me riding when others were bumbling, giving me my first top 30 for a long time (out of a sizeable 81 in Vets)

Anyway, here's to the next lot... Oh, and my own race that I'm running on January 2nd if anyone's looking for some New Year resolution riding to do in Yorkshire...