Hicks Lodge opened their MTB trails in 2011.  If you want a lot of fun without any fear then it's a good place to go, as there's nothing difficult, just a great fun hard-pack surface built into 4 miles of berms rollers and tabletops. It hosted the first round of the 2012 Midlands XC series, and the whole family raced.  This was a leg stretcher for me as it is officially the off-season but was using it as a benchmark for current form.

Caroline, Jack and I were all racing in the first race of the day and the start list was daunting with a high quality and large field.  Arriving late, we didn't have time for a full practice lap, but we've been there a few times before so this should not have been a problem.  Caroline and I managed just half a practice lap, where we entered an off-piste section in the woods.  Very sticky, icky and slippy mud formed the course and these MTB tyres just don't cut through like the 'cross boots and it was on the edge of being unrideable.  Coming out of the woods I realised that Caroline had gone missing; I turned back to discover that she had fallen victim on a very nasty section that looked OK, but was actually a difficult section to ride.  She had a nasty fall and was not sure whether to start the race.

The start was typical MTB rabble, and quite a change to the better disciplined 'cross starts I've been used to since September.  Once the field spread out my plan was to stay in groups if possible and not to attack hard until the final quarter of the race.  I watched some of my regular competition disappear ahead on lap 1. The woods were chaotic with riders falling and a raft of techniques being chosen to cross the mud.  I chose to run some sections which, in these conditions, didn't lose time and avoided the risk of slipping off.

SiDs worked well

Just after half distance, and an impeccable bottle change (thanks kids!) I lapped Caroline.  I was delighted to see her racing and it must have meant that her leg was good enough to race. 

Caroline's first MTB finish

Ahead those riders that disappeared at the beginning reappeared and I clearly had fresher legs.  Attacking on the final lap I moved to the front of the group and opened a gap on the twisty berms which wasn't challenged, to finish 23rd out of 67 riders, and ahead of several riders that I am always pleased to beat.

Jack worked hard on his new Giant to finish his longest race so far.  Caroline finished well, and still has the bruises to prove it.

Jack berming it on his new Giant

In the kids race, Rosie raced very well as third U8 girl; Lotta was second U10 girl.  Finn had a bad day... don't ask ;-) 

The next round is at Cannock in March.

Photos: Ray Mortlock http://raymortlockimages.wordpress.com/mtb/midlands-xc-round-1/

edit - nice video here:

In Summer 2011 I was mulling over the following problem - I have a perfect commuter/winter bike, a Raleigh AirLite 400 with Planet X wheels, and a hotch potch of upgrades as things have worn out, but I have no decent road bike.  This was brought home when I went to the alps with a posse of friends all of whom had far more suitable rides; whilst I had no problem with pace, this was due to being on top of my fitness rather than being able to efficiently apply power.  A new road bike beconed... the second part of the problem was that I don't road race, preferring to fill my summers with MTB competition, so I could not justify spending hard-earned £x,000 cash on a bike that I would be satisfied with, but not to race it.  Ths third part of the problem was that my beloved Ridley Supercross was showing its age having done four full seasons (now five), and some of the parts were becoming hard to replace as they wore out, and my form was such that I really ought to be running a pair of cross bikes by now.

In the Autumn, I kept close tabs on the crossjunkie and minnellium blogs, who were extolling the virtues of a new bike on the block, the Planet X / On One Dirty Disco.  This ticked every box for a cross bike - full carbon, disc brakes, and build by a British company with expertise in fast niche bikes, including both MTBs and the classic cross frame, Uncle John.  What's not to like.... well, actually I needed a road bike more than a new cross bike, but when the boys reported just how well the discos danced on slick tyres I was sold.

So, in early January I finally clicked on the checkout button, buying a Dirty Disco Rival build with a lot of upgrades.  A couple of weeks later, after some renegotiation of some detailed parts to ensure the stock was available, the big box arrived, and I took my time building it up. 

First impressions?

• The hub sounds lovely. 
• Even bedding-in the brakes it felt quick.
• Disc brakes work.

Now all I need is to source some compatible tubular wheels and I'll be ready for my next few seasons.

 

We all raced at Thornbridge yesterday. It's notorious for mud and it had been raining for the previous two days. The first race (U9) went well, with Rosie riding well in the conditions and Lotta coming in second girl, beating one of her rivals for the first time.

http://www.sportsshots.co.uk/image.php?id=12692

Finn was racing in the U12 and was riding very well until his mech broke and he walked to the pits where we did a bike change, losing any chance of a decent finish.

In the U16 Jack also broke a mech and only completed one lap.

The seniors race (Cat A) had 175 starters including a lot of visitors trying to get national ranking points ready for the gridding at next week's National Championship.  I was running pretty well but pulling out mud from the brakes, pedals and gears when running the banked sections.  I lapped Caroline who had also broken her mech.  3/4 through I rolled a tub (I.e. tubular tyre de-bonds from the rim - a common mechanical in cross) and so had to run to the pits to fit a spare wheel, obviously losing a lot of places.  

Best guesses are that there were about 40-50 retirements, most with mech failures. Considering all of our mechanicals we ended up with some respectable results, which makes it even more galling, as we would have been storming without the bad luck.   Now I need to fix three mechs, and re-glue a tub.  I think that two of the mechs are just hangers, but the other might be a bit more serious.  The tub glueing is just annoying as it takes ages. We just have two more senior races left this season, plus the National schools' for the kids in a few weeks.

This year I had some experience behind me, had trained better, and had more appropriate gearing and more suitable brakes on the bike.  So, I was hoping to take 20 minutes off my previous time of 4:40, and to get to a position where a sub-4 hour time was realistic.  These plans were scuppered by the weather, and the fact that I had been away with work each of the previous four weeks.  The reality is that I peaked on the August Bank Holiday weekend and didn’t quite have my full 3 Peaks mojo come 25th September.

Riding in the Peaks pack at the start is great, even if it is wet cold and you can’t see the hills due to the low cloud.  You’re led out by a car supposedly taking it easy while the bike computers get close to 30 mph, and riders spread across both lanes dodge the oncoming traffic.  I started with two riders who I had ridden with once before a few weeks previously, and had a grand plan for a 4 hour finish glued to their top tubes (Alan Dorrington and Greg May).  If I could stay with them at least for Ingleborough I could maybe still reach my target.  The sensation of turning off the road to start the Ingleborough climb is one of excitement; this is what the past few months of training have been for.  Even my summer trip to the Alps was, in my mind, preparation for the Peaks.  By the time we were ascending into the cloud up the insanely steep bank of the several hundred meters of the infamous Simon Fell that seemingly go on for ever, we had already been ankle deep in mud and walking usually rideable sections.  

Simon Fell in the mist (Photo Andy Holden)

At the summit checkpoint I dibbed my tag with the GPS reading 1:00 - I was on target.  I had lost Alan and Greg, and I expect that their timing plans had been soaked off their bikes by now.  Through the fog I heard the familiar voice of Darrell Bradbury behind me and knowing that he had completed the Peaks 28 times before (yes, 28) decided to follow his wheel for the descent.  Unlike last time, this guide meant that I arrived at the bottom without a crash, and there were the support crew ready to swap my camelbak before I sped off on the road section towards the second peak.

Eventual winner Nick Craig emerging at the summit of Ingleborough (Photo Andy Holden)

Climbing Whernside was an uneventful slog, carrying the bike up the rocky climb, passing the injured Rob Jebb (2010 winner) en route.  Checking in at the summit with GPS time of 2:15 it all seemed to be going well despite the conditions; who needs a grand plan glued to the top tube?  The traverse across the top is high speed - as we encountered a long section of peat bog I felt the bike initially plane across the top but then start to cut into the soft soil.  Speed only reduced gradually but handling plummeted to zero and I was thrown off spectacularly.  It was a big crash and I was at first pleased to realise that apart from a sore head, I was basically OK... then slightly disappointed as I realised that the hardest part of the race was still to come, and I had left a lot of my remaining 3 Peaks mojo buried in the peat.  At least one other rider behind me ended his race there with a busted collarbone and a lot followed the trend of high speed crashes at the same spot.  I have heard that there are some sneaky alternative lines that avoid the thousand slabs of granite that form a large part of the descent.  These rocks would be no problem but for their unpredictability and I simply rode them poorly.  I must investigate those sneaky lines for next time.  

After another camelbak swap from the support team it was on to the final Peak, Pen-y-Ghent.  Compared to 2010 the climb up the lane was excellent.  By this point if you don’t feel physically exhausted you are either not human or not racing, and so wasn’t too worried about the pain.  I had geared the bike specifically for this few miles of rocky lane and was able to make it to the turn up the second part of the climb with no problem.  It has been said that this Peak plays tricks on the mind.  I put this down to the fact that you descend the same way as you climb, and so you are constantly being passed by riders a long way ahead of you; how you wish you were already on the way home to Helwith Bridge.  I saw a lot of familiar faces come past while I was desperately trudging over the rocks, carrying the bike - Dave Haygarth looking strange, Isla Rowntree (riding one of her own Islabikes to a podium finish - chapeau), Renee Saxton (last year’s women’s winner), Alan and Greg.  The top of Pen-y-Ghent is the final on-course checkpoint and a place where the body has already given up screaming in pain and is now just whimpering realising that in the next 30 minutes every last fragment of energy will be used trying to keep control of the bike on the descent.  As I passed the place where Dave Haygarth had just broken his collarbone (yet still completed in 4:10!), I noticed that my GPS was reading 4 hours, and so a decent descent would mean reaching the 4:20 target.  The descent went well until only 200m before the end of the lane where I could feel some tunnel vision coming on.  I was well aware that I had hit my head on Whernside and I have blacked-out before... no, it couldn’t happen, not now.  I had to stop, and realised that I was staring like a waxwork into the faces of some bemused spectators, while I took deep breaths and waited for the vision to return... and then I rode off.  Thanks for the words of support - I don’t know what you said. 

Descent off Pen-y-Ghent, with the summit in the background

The final few miles on road comprise pushing against the cramp, time trialling, and overtaking the odd car.  I turned into the finish, heard the commentator call my name and club and crossed the line.  The GPS said 4:20; I couldn’t believe I had hit target in these conditions...  A few seconds later I had the print out of my official timings and the bottom line read 04:46:32.  My elation disappeared as I realised that the GPS timer had been stopping during the steepest climbs where it could not gain satellite reception.  The conditions had been slow, everyone was slow, and I would have been a lot happier if I hadn’t allowed myself to fantasise that 4:20 was a possibility.  

In the finish area I caught up with the stories of broken bodies and bikes.  The person from the hostel who had stuck his eyebrow back on with gaffer tape, the broken ankle, broken leg, the dislocated collarbone and Dave Haygarth’s already infamous 4:10 with a broken collarbone.  

What I love about the Three Peaks Cyclocross is that it pushes you to the absolute limit with your athletic capability, bike handling, psychology, ability to overcome pain, as well as skill as a mechanic in bike preparation.  However, luck is no respecter of ability and there are broken bikes and bodies both for elites and the slowest.  

As I finish this piece off I just realised that I subliminally inserted the phrase ‘next time’ earlier on.  I am fully aware that, like a Class A drug, this race is so bad for your mental and physical health, and requires substantial financial commitment (for the specific bike components) but I think I’m becoming addicted.  Alan Dorrington’s online persona ‘Crossjunkie’ has just become far more pertinent.  I’m not sure that I want to cold turkey, just yet.  One more try, maybe...