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| The Muddy Season of Cyclo-Cross 2006/07 |
| Report by Rob Gray |
It all started in September with a new venue for the Wessex League at Swindon. A fast flat field type track with only the woods to hide in, where a couple of planks 40 cm high lay in wait for the quick dismount and short run. But the lack of technical going didn’t help me on what was to become one of the only dry and sunny races of the season.
The following week was in complete contrast. As we waited on the line for the starters whistle the heavens opened and I was soaked to the skin within 500 yards of the start. Two laps in and I’m all ready running up the 6th steep bank with my bike on my shoulder on a course that had turned into a mud bath, making the tight wooded section very slippery. This is the other side of Cyclo-Cross. A muddy winter sport where great skill is needed to ride what looks like a road racing bike to the uneducated, with skinny knobbly tyres over a variety of terrain, which includes running with the bike when it’s the quickest way to lap a typical 3km course as many times as possible in a time nearest to the hour. |
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This of course can be ridden on a mountain bike for those without a cross bike, and on a few courses it can be just as quick. One of those courses was Crow Hill where there was plenty of technical going, and also plenty of ankle deep mud. It was here I punctured on the last half lap, but with the soft peaty ground in the woods I kept it going, knowing that the tyre would stay on the rim as it was such a pig to get on the rim in first place. Although I wasn’t passed whilst I had the flat tyre I was never going to catch Ken Farwell who was too quick for me on his mtb finishing a place in front.
Moving on through the season to November, we come to the first of the Southampton races at the city’s sports ground. The hilly side is where the first race took place. Every body has a best side and this is mine. There are lots of woods, fast down hills, tight turns and slippery roots.
Three weeks later and we’re back at Southampton for the South of England Champs. Like I said every one has their best side and this was not mine. But Luke Gray rode a blinder here to retain his SoE youth title on what was basically to be the National Champs course in 4 weeks time. |
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The12th Wessex league round was in the New Forest. And yes, another ankle deep bog race. I really did enjoy this one and thought I had another 2 laps to go, but was quite disappointed when the chequered flag came out to greet me.
There’s no rest for the wicked on the customary Boxing Day event. It’s back to my best side at Southampton to pick up some much needed points in an attempt to over take Ken in the Wessex league. It’s also become an annual pilgrimage for Steve Bowers who normally comes to watch his son Stuart, a winner many times of this local race.
The final league event for me was at Tatchbury Mount, Totton. Another real test of stamina through boggy fields and strength sapping climbs. Ian Field who was just flying across the boggy fields passed me here. Everybody else had to run. A few weeks later he came a respectable 15th in the u23 world Champs in Belgium.
Of course this is only a snippet of the full Cyclo-Cross season. Whilst the Wessex league has been going on I’ve been tramping round the country with my son Luke to all the National Trophy Series rounds at Cheltenham, Ipswich, Leicester, Bradford, with the final at Derby where there was huge man made bridge of scaffold. And for the record he came 3rd in the series in his first year as a youth under 16.
Click on images to see full size.
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