Hurt at the Haigh

Hurt at the Haigh did exactly what it said on the tin I guess - it was at Haigh Hall, Wigan, and it hurt a bit!

Following news of the demise of the excellent Hit the North, I think everyone was looking for an alternative, so when word spread of a new race of a similar 2hr format MTB/CX format - called Hurt at the Haigh - many jumped at the chance.  It soon filled to capacity once entry was on-line, as the urge to fill the mid winter no racing void was obviously a little too much for many people.  170 entrants apparently.  I'm not quite sure all those tuned up on the day but there was still a bumper line up.  

HtN had built a reputation and delivered a real festival of cycling.  Not sure Hurt at the Haigh was quite there in that department, but it's early days, and the well run event will go from strength to strength year on year I'm sure.

The 4 mile long Hurt at the Haigh lap meandered it's way through the mainly wooded park land of Haigh Hall, and was tough going on CX I thought, and perhaps slightly better suited to MTB.  Indeed the winner, Nick Craig, did his winning on a MTB - I know I got to see him lap me three times!  It comprised mainly loamy soils with some muddy grass and metalled tracks.  It proved a test for many bikes, and some dérailleur groaning and gnashing could be heard towards the end!  Mine thankfully survived!  In fact the X-wing was faultless.

I plodded round in my now time honoured fashion and delivered a top 100 finish and solidly within a group of 3 lappers (approx. 15% of the field) so was reasonably content.  HCtB finishing positions:

Paul Nutton        28th

Emma Osenton   64th

Ali Mills              76th

Ben Parkinson    85th

John Parkinson   91st

Steve Cooper     98th (Mechanical)

(I think that is all....)

A glimmer of a more aggressive attacking me did rear its head at one point during the race.  I got stuck in a group and behind some bloke with his bum crack showing through a bizarre mesh panel in the back of their shorts - quite odd and rather alarming!  It was quickly apparent I was not going to be able to spent much time at all sitting staring at a kinky almost fish net tight clad batty crack - as hypnotic as it was - and summoned the last gasps of air from the bowls of my lungs and elbowed my way by!  Much better - and my reward?  A fully lycra'ed backside.

HCTB Kit Order - Autumn Winter 2013

Seems like its time for another kit order :-) If you have ordered before using Champion systems CS-Direct the procedure is the same as before. Please check your sizing here and if possible borrow a jersey to check from one of our amiable team members at a race, shorts and skinsuits are trickier depending on your chamois fastidiousness;-> If it's your first time then you need to contact me (otleyrich) via the Facebook page and I'll DM you a login. If you are a Facebook abstainer then leave a comment below and we'll work something out.

Currently there is an issue with the Bibb-Tights order button as it seems to go to the Bibb Shorts option so don't order those yet! Orders close on the 09/09/2013. (See work around in the comments below 29/8/13)

Round 1 Yorkshire Points: Oakbank

First race of the winter and I'm lining up with fellow Belgians Nick W and @crossjunkie nervously wondering if I can remember how to do this CX racing lark. Everyone's favourite perennially faux grumpy Yorkshireman Nick E joined us in a very big field (103) of vets and women. Oakbank is one of those classic school playing field grass crits with a bit of added interest. The lack of technical sections suited my lack of technical ability but also punished any mistakes as you had to ride consistently. I got on a good wheel at the start and after the usual shock to the system managed to settle into a steady ride with just one silly mistake. Taptiming's results system allows geeky post race analysis so ignoring the opening 'spread the field' lap can you spot the lap where I wiped out?
Lap 1 : 00:11:50.8
Lap 2 : 00:06:21.7
Lap 3 : 00:06:22.1
Lap 4 : 00:06:23.7
Lap 5 : 00:06:55.7
Lap 6 : 00:06:28.3
Lap 7 : 00:06:28.2
Now if I can just drop about 25 seconds a lap I might be getting somewhere too ;-)

Prior to the Vets race the youngsters of team crossjunkie were in action with Ella wining herself a nice bottle but Jack unfortunately succumbing to a mechanical which surely can be blamed on dad's spannering, 50X34 chainrings on a CX bike come on dad! The rest of the machine is a beauty so don't be too hard on him Jack. Quote of the day goes to Ella when I suggested that she would be the next Marianne Vos resplendent in orange kit and on an orange bike "What's a Marianne Vos?" Answers on a postcard please.
Thanks to Hanglebad for the photos and Nick, Sarah and Max for the tea and scooter biking. See you all for round two?

2 more events this Spring

Hot on the heels of Olly and his Spring in the Peak Audax info, and without wishing to detract from what will be a great day out on the bike, can I offer the following events for your delectation?

First up, and also run by one of our own merry band, Jason Miles, comes Hit the North.



Held on 12th February, I am told entries are almost full for this cross/29er/mtb extravaganza. So hurry!

A new course this year, evenly balanced so as not to favour cross nor mtb, this 2 hour ride/social/race (delete as applicable) offers 2 hours of unfeasibly good off-road fun, with a laidback Northern vibe including local delicacies in the form of Uncle Joe's Mint Balls and a full brass band to play you round the venue. Highly recommended and easy to get to using the Manchester motorway network.

Details for Hit the North are here

Secondly, by way of an advance heads up and plug for my own informal ride, back by popular demand - the Ronde van Oost Lancashire. Born out of the frustrations of not being able to get to Flanders every year, this pays homage to the cobbles and feel of the classic Ronde van Vlaanderen, but without the need for a boat (for UK Belgians at least).





This year it is on the same day as the Ronde Sportive, Sat April 2nd. Turn up, ride, and enjoy the pave. Last year we had 35 or so - this year I am expecting considerably more...

Details here

And big thanks to Duncan for the artwork for the Ronde poster. Class.

National Cyclo-cross Champs - Derby

Team Here Come the Belgians is for me absolutely all about loving riding, whether it be cross, road, track or mountain bike. And it's definitely not about how fast you ride - there are plenty of elite teams and clubs out there to satisfy that sector of the market.

However, it is worth pointing out that many of us take racing, particularly cross, quite seriously. And some, snuck amongst our midst, are quite good at it.

Both of them are way too modest to post anything themselves - indeed they disguise themselves with other kit whilst racing to draw attention away from from their exploits - but there were two Belgians racing at the forefront of a National Champs last weekend. Whilst they ride officially for other clubs/teams, we will claim them as our own.

Dave Haygarth has been riding at Elite level for many years before succumbing to Vets status this year - top ten 3 Peaks finishes, crit wins in gruff Northern towns, a North West Cyclo-cross League title a few years ago, and long time member of an all conquering Wheelbase Cycles cross team.





Gary Lingard apparently rode for the Gary Fisher mountainbike team in a past life and on a different continent, but of late has been upsetting the established order of Veterans British Cyclocross races in his first season as a Vet.





Dave produced a 'solid' ride on a technical and tricky Nationals course at Derby in the Vets race, just outside the top 10, coming home in 12th.

Gary nearly produced a big upset, spending much of the race in 3rd spot, before a late charge by former professional Chris Young nudged him out to 4th. Too quiet to make a fuss, it is fair to say that the media machine at British Cycling has overlooked Gary all season, favouring the old-guard that have been familiar faces for some time. That will change.

Anyway, congratulations to those two for stellar performances. And we look forward to seeing them off-duty in a Belgians shirt sometime soon.

Temple Newsam Cross - Yorkshire League

Action from over the East side of the Pennines - classic cross venue Temple Newsam Park in Leeds. The Yorkshire chapter of the Belgians got stuck into some bibilically wet conditions and Jo Hanglebads took the pics - riders were Rich Allen, Mark Bradley and Ben. As in Paperthin. Not sure how they got on yet, but they all looked stylish.

Full photo set here

Leverhulme Cross, Bolton #1 - NW League

First competitive outing here in Bolton (and over in Leeds too with Rich) for the new kit, including the skinsuit. Tough race, tough conditions.

Appropriately then, your first model is...... Duncan:





Also racing were Mark Turner:






and Richard Knowles.

The essential guide to Belgium

Whilst chatting with Jo, Alan and the rest of the HCTB crew post three peaks, I briefly explained the origins of my (un)healthy obsession with that most bureaucratic of European destinations – and hence what attracted me to the club in the first place – Belgium. According to our family genealogist (my Uncle Bill) the origins of our family name lie in Wallonia, the French speaking region of this great state. At this point I rather unexpectedly encountered some Flemish snobbery (the cheek!) so in the interests of club and nation building, I thought I’d set the record straight and put together a list of some essential Belgian facts(1), thus offering a brief guide to our club’s spiritual homeland. Footnotes have been provided for clarity.

1) Belgium is approximately the same size as an annual area of Amazonian deforestation.

2) Belgium is renowned for its culinary nous with Moules Mariniere and Brussels waffles holding a special place in many European gullets.

3) Belgium gets more hours of sun per year than San Tropez(2).

4) The national sport of Belgium is our very own cyclo-cross with riding over cobbley bits a close second. Football barely gets anyone excited since Jan Ceulemans hung up his studs.

5) Belgium is hillier than the alps(3)

The Koppenberg provides proof positive: They don't fall uphill on the Ventoux.

6) Audrey Hepburn was born in Belgium(4).

7) Belgian cycling kit designs are pretty bloody good but not as good as Duncan’s (Pure class Duncan and I won't be giving away the latest consignment to other family members - I got the sizes right! My mum will have to buy her own).

8) The best beers in Belgium are largely still made by monks(5) and of these beers, Rochefort #10 is generally agreed to be the best.

Monks deliver heaven on earth; the ultimate beer.

9) Walloons are considered to edge the Flemish, being really nice people, great cooks, amazing cross riders and fantastic lovers.(6)

10)The best film ever made in Belgium is ‘In Brugges’ however Colin Farell is quite mean about this beautiful medieval city and frankly, deserves everything he gets.

Really, this is about all you need to know about Belgium other than it gets a rough old time when European superpowers square up around it, that you can get a train at St Pancras and hop off in Brussels two hours and 7mins later and that a night on the Belgium beer should be approached with respect and caution.

With water streaming down my office window, battleship grey clouds overhead and a lunch of bread and cheese in front of me, it feels like I’m in Belgium currently. I’ll try and hold that thought until Sunday for Round 2 of the Welsh Cross league at Risca and see if I can’t find some of those Belgian genes during the race.

Good luck to all HCTB riders this weekend.

1 some of these ‘facts’ have been embellished and/or are lies.

2 bit of a fib.

3 Or at least it feels that way at the end of the Tour of Flanders.

4 true!

5 Monks also make great cheese and if they could ride bikes without catching their habits in the chain, would also probably do cyclo-cross.

6 Ok a bit of bigging up there.