2010/11 Cyclo Cross Season Results and Finale

The following table charts all my results this season. With just one race to go and all to play for. I am currently 20th in the Veteran National Rankings out of 229 riders. That will change tonight as the Final Round of the National Trophy was held today and I didn't compete. Next week is the Wessex Cyclocross League final. If I have a solid ride, and finish at least 16th in the Veterans, I think? I should take the Veteran overall League. Just gotta make sure I don't slip up! Depending on how I do against Junior Luke Cowley, I may even take the Combined V/J/W league overall as well, but that is slightly more complicated and Luke is going well.


2010/11 Races and Results

National Trophy Series - 22nd Veteran Overall (64 ranked riders)

Date	Event	Pos	Cat
08/01/2011	National Cyclo-Cross Championships(Veteran 40-49 Championship)	16	Veteran
02/01/2011	Behind The Bikeshed's New Year's Revolution / Wessex League(Veterans)	1	Veteran
12/12/2010	Central League Round 9 (Final)(Sen/Jun/Vet/Women)	2	Senior
12/12/2010	Central League Round 9 (Final)(Veterans)	1	Veteran
05/12/2010	South of England Cyclo-Cross Championships/South West League 10(Veterans)	3	Veteran
28/11/2010	National Trophy Series Round 4 (Veteran 40-49 Trophy)	10	Veteran
21/11/2010	Behind The Bikeshed's Thruxton Thanksgiving / Wessex League(Veterans)	1	Veteran
14/11/2010	Pedal On Cross(Veterans)	1	Veteran
07/11/2010	Inter Area Team Championships(Veteran Teams)	15	Veteran
30/10/2010	Bikezone Cycles (Oxford) Cross(Veterans)	1	Veteran
10/10/2010	National Trophy Series Round 1(Veteran 40-49 Trophy)	10	Veteran
26/09/2010	Hargroves Cycles Swindon Cross(Veterans)	1	Veteran
18/09/2010	Oxonian Cross(Veterans)	3	Veteran
18/09/2010	Oxonian Cross(Seniors/Juniors/Veterans/Women)	10	Senior

In one end out the other . . .

Winning Veterans at Thruxton today
Wessex League Cyclocross
Cyclocross image: www.grahamrobins.net

No, I'm not talking about something nasty and possibly catching, I'm talking about Christmas and New year. Mind you, that can be nasty and catching too but it's all about moderation. I'm specifically talking about trying to hold some kind of form over a two week period, drinking, eating, trying to be cheerful to the kids and wife (which I think I managed ok) without collapsing into a Meldrewesque' malady and not even touching the bike, which has been known in the past.  But I'm focussed on the British CycloCross National Champs next week and I really don't need a drop in form.

The last race I did was at Hillingdon, three weeks ago, but I have managed to train, albeit short, but fast interval sessions with just one two hour endurance session between Xmas and NY. I hated that! after one hour I'd had enough, it was cold, damp, dirty and boring as hell. I've been so used to thrashing the Cross bikes in races, and mashing the singlespeed in training at lunch times, that a 'normal' ride just seemed so tedious. All the way through I was trying to think about the five and a half hour, 139km, two mountain  Cycloportif La Madeleine I did in July, in the Alps. Did I really, seriously do that? I think it was all a dream because I am fit now, probably fitter than in July; definitely faster, but I'm only good for an hour. (It's quality that counts, not quantity ;0) and there is no way I could motivate myself to do that summer ride now.

Sean Williams (Wightlink/Offshore RT)
Wessex League Cyclocross
Cyclocross image: www.grahamrobins.net

So, today I did a pre-nationals test at Thruxton 'Grass' Circuit, at the other end of the xmas break. I have to say that they did a great job of totally transforming the lap today, even though it was staged in exactly the same place as last time. The twist and turns, hairpins and lack of boring, flat out sections really made a very big difference. Think that maybe it could have done with a couple of hurdle sections but still, a good course from what is basically a field (such a shame considering there is a motor racing circuit there. A bit of tarmac would have been a nice addition - see Hillingdon/Eastway for tips!!). I think all the training has been good, I won another veteran race and got second overall in the combined Vets/Junior/Women race. Luke Cowley won and rode well, although I wish I had been a bit more aggressive at the start as he made a 20-30 second gap in two laps and that's how it stayed right until the end. My legs felt a bit dead, which I sort of expected after all the real ale, wine and food, and my breathing wasn't great either, but I had a good lead over the chasing Veterans (around a minute and a half to Dave McMullen at the end, so I must have been doing ok.) Rode the spare bike as the bike I have ridden all season has a serious brake judder on the front fork which is getting pretty annoying. Need to fix that.

Sean Williams (Wightlink/Offshore RT)
Wessex League Cyclocross
Cyclocross image: www.grahamrobins.net

Last Wessex league round is going to be tight for the Vet/Junior/Women overall. Luke, I will let you do the math, doesn't take too much to work out the possible outcomes. I think that as long as I finish I should be ok for the Veteran overall, which is very satisfying for first year as a Vet (and one of two season aims achieved; the other being a podium position at the South of England Champs), albeit with a bit of a let off after Keith Sheridan broke his hand last week in the Boxing Day cross at Southampton Sports centre. Hope it heals quickly Keith.

National Champs next week, then an MTB race and after that the final Wessex Cross league round of the 2010/11 season.

Race updates for December

2nd on Podium - South of England Champs
Cyclocross Image: grahamrobins.ne

Its proving hard to keep up with race updates. The mood has top take me before I blog and I'm in the mood now so time to get it all out in one hit.

Last week I went up to Hillingdon Cycle Circuit near Heathrow to ride the last round of the central Cyclo Cross League. This was a bit of a random event for me as it is out of area, but it was a Cat B event which meant more national ranking points for a good placing. As you can see from the results I was second overall in a mixed race  of Senior and Veterans (and only 36secs behind Darren Barclay). I won the vet classification though so got max points, sending me up to 19th in the national Rankings. That'll help my gridding position at the National Champs on the 8th Jan in Derby.

Central CycloCross League - Hillingdon Cycle Circuit
Twickenham CC -  Senior result
56 Finishers

Pos Rider Club / Sponsor Cat No Laps Race Time Lap 1 Lap 2 Lap 3 Lap 4 Lap 5 Lap 6 Lap 7
1 Darren Barclay Arctic Premier RT S 10 7 57:45 06:22 08:28 08:31 08:30 08:41 08:35 08:38
2 Sean Williams Wightlink /Offshore V 49 7 58:21 06:25 08:27 08:40 08:45 08:46 08:42 08:36
3 Paul Sheers Private Member S 15 7 58:40 06:38 08:48 08:42 08:35 08:39 08:40 08:38
4 Nick Onslow Pedal On.CO.UK S 2 7 59:12 06:13 08:40 08:52 08:54 08:47 08:54 08:52
5 Matthew Webber London Phoenix S 23 7 59:48 06:46 08:41 08:39 08:40 08:38 09:42 08:42
6 Wouter Sybrandy Sigma Sport S 19 7 59:59 06:37 08:46 08:52 08:57 08:52 08:59 08:56
7 Jared Spier Cycle Oxford S 8 7 1:00:28 06:23 08:45 08:56 09:01 09:13 09:08 09:02
8 Pete Smith Endura Thule MI Racing V 55 7 1:01:01 06:36 09:06 09:02 09:09 09:08 09:03 08:57
9 Konrad Manning Rapha Condor V 63 7 1:01:08 06:54 09:02 09:03 09:08 09:06 08:59 08:56
10 Ben Summer  J 82 7 1:01:46 06:41 09:02 08:58 09:06 09:18 09:14 09:27

South of england Champs
Cyclocross Image: grahamrobins.net

Two weeks ago was the South of England Championships at Bicton Arena in Devon. This was a great race and excellent venue. As I had predicted (in my head) it was a bit of a scrap between myself, Keith Sheridan, Steve Davies and Luke Cowley. In a mixed race of Vet 40+ and Vet50+  three of rode together off the front for a couple of laps before Luke Cowley joined us from out front in his Junior event that had gone off two minutes before our race. This meant four of us working together which helped us to extend our advantage over Andy Shaw who was chasing hard at about 15seconds. I have to admit that I was struggling to hang onto the pace, and around the midway point it all blew up. Keith broke clear leaving Steve and Luke to chase, and I dropped off a few bike lengths and had to work really hard to get back on. Andy seemed to have slipped back a little further so it made things a little more straightforward. With a lap to go I made contact with Steve and Luke, Keith was about ten seconds off the front and for a moment I felt I may be able to close him down; jumping into second I launched a bit of an attack and managed to drop the other two. It was too much though and they soon brought me back and passed me on the Derby Bank coming into the final section. The finish straight lacked any sprint excitement as Keith rolled across the line as winner, closely followed by Steve Davies, then Luke, then me; all within 15 seconds. Although I was fourth in the combined race, I actually got second Vet 40+. Davies won the Vet 50+ and Luke the Junior event.


Veterans
35 Finishers
1 Keith Sheridan Corinium CC
2 Steven Davies Team Endura-Thule-24/7-Kinesis
3 Sean Williams Wightlink/Offshore Race Team
4 Andrew Shaw Raleigh Racing Team
5 Dave McMullen Evans Cycles Race Team
6 Tim Carpenter Team Empella Cyclo-Cross.Com
7 Antony Green GA Cycles
8 Timothy Fey
9 Peter Dawe Southfork Racing.co.uk
10 Gary Allan GA Cycles

Current Veteran National Rankings (212 riders)

Rank Rider Club Name Region Points
1 Matthew Denby www.zepnat.com RT/Kuota/GSG 260
2 Philip Roach Coventry Road Club 257
3 Darren Atkins Coventry Road Club 252
4 Steven Davies Team Endura-Thule-24/7-Kinesis 232
5 Noel Clough Fietsen Tempo 229
6 Jonathan Watson Charge Bikes 227
7 Gary Lingard Cycling Club Hackney 220
8 Dan Cook Peak Road Club 210
9 Chris Young Team JD Cycles Ilkley 205
10 Kevin Knox Dulwich Paragon CC 172
11 Mike Young Pedalsport Cycling Club 162
12 Tim Carpenter Team Empella Cyclo-Cross.Com 149
13 Keith Sheridan Corinium CC 142
14 Pete Middleton www.zepnat.com RT/Kuota/GSG 137
15 Gary McCrae Team Leslie Bike Shop 130
16 Dave McMullen Evans Cycles Race Team 121
17 Michael Bell London Fire Brigade CC 119
18 Konrad Manning Cyclefit RT 118
19 Sean Williams Wightlink/Offshore RT 117
20 Nicholas Craig Team Scott UK 112

It's a Vampire Weekend!

Parkhurst Forest, Isle of Wight -  earlier today

The daylight seems to have been a bit of a problem for me this weekend, I've ventured outside for all of about thirty minutes just to play in the snow on the cross bike, but really I'm supposed to be racing up in Reading. Instead I'm back indoors listening to Vampire Weekend (which is never a bad thing) and typing this. Two mornings in a row, getting out of bed had been an issue and hiding in the dark under the duvet has been preferable. I think the office Christmas party on Friday night may have had something do do with my malaise, but if I'm honest, I don't really like the snow, apart form when I'm riding in it.

There's been a flurry outside now for nearly an hour and I'm thinking that I made right decision not to race, the journey back may not have been much fun. But I still can't help thinking what the race would have been like. It'll be over now and I'll be refreshing pages all afternoon looking for results and pics for a race that may have really shaken things up. I fully expect Keith Sheridan to have made it there as I think he's quite close to the venue. If he did race, then we will now be on an equal amount of races, and unless he messed up big time, his advantage over me could be six or more points which means I will have a hard time in the last two events trying to win the overall. That's racing though, and why I do it! Wouldn't be any fun if it was too easy.

Both of us are still a race off the league leaders  as we have done fewer events, but after the next race on 2nd Jan everyone will  be on a  level, and it looks likely that Keith and I will be at the top, along with Junior Luke Cowley. The three of us have been head to head all season, and Luke must have already wrapped up the junior overall, but that won't stop him trying to make the remaining races even harder for me, so I suppose it's not surprising that the season will likely end as it started. Which one of us will have a better finish to what has been a great season is anyones guess, but if I have anymore weekends like this one; I would hold your bets for now. :0)