Playing the Points Game, Lessons Learnt and Todmorden

En route breakfast stop and derailleur in situ.

I wasn't going to comment on my final Yorkshire Points race of 2013 at Todmoden, due it being a rather dismal damp squib of an affair, what with a ripped off rear derailleur and all!  It ripped off at the start of the second lap and my remaining contributions to the race comprised steadily trotting around, stopping and chatting, having breathers and actually watching the race, and eventually crossing the line and declaring myself as DNF.  

However, I've just been perusing the final standings and I've realisied what an idiot I've been!

You see, this was only about 10mins before the winners crossed the line!  In retrospect I'd have been better actually walking more slowly and doing more chatting... or even popping for a coffee and a slab of heavily alcohol laced Jo Allen Tod Brownie (YUM!) before re joining the course and crossing the line as an actual finisher.

Sans derailleur!  Tanks Jo Allen for the Photo

This would amassed me ~50 points (rather than 0) - yes 50!

And would have catapulted me in the final standings from 143rd looser boy/also ran to a top 100 higher roller/mixing it with the big boys finisher of the highest calibre.  The kind of elevated socially acceptable position where I am no longer mocked, no longer pointed at and laugh at, but, instead, people nudge and whisper amongst themselves "hey, there's that John from HCtB... best watch him... he knows what he's doing when he gets his leg over a CX bike... he finished in the top 100 last year!"  That kind of thing!

So the you can go slow and gain lessons was learnt.

Gratuitous and unnecessary photo of a Sweet Centre Chickpea Curry
Breakfast - the breakfast of champions! 

Other useful lessons from the day were:  It is possible to eat a Chickpea Curry Breakfast en route to Tod and not feel wretched for the entire race, and it's best to give it 20mins before driving after eating one of Jo Allen's Tod Brownies!

So not all was lost and remember... Every day is a school day!

Yorkshire Points Round 5 Temple Newsam

Temple Newsam is one of my favourite course.  I seem to go pretty well here, which is surprising really considering the lap has what must be one of the longer climbs of any of the regular venues on the circuit.  However, what goes up must come down, and here I can put my considerable bulk to good use and just let gravity do its thing.  Plenty of rest time before the slog back up to the top.  Also good and varied, so keeps you on your toes and mind off the thumping heart.

A glorious day greeted another bumper Belgian turn out including Alison, Johnny, Mark, Nick, Paul, Rich, Ricky and me, and also official snapper Jo. Although a couple of rainy days preceded race day, the course was essentially dry with a couple of slightly sticky spots under the trees - splatter was minimal.

The whistle went, and everyone bolted for the first corner.  The hard hard toil commenced.  I raced and raced and tussled all of the race with Mark, which, now thinking back, made for a very enjoyable race.  Mark had the measure of me really if I'm honest, but a clogged cleat let Mark down at the crest of the final climb, and I pounced.  Sprint finish and just clung on to 117th!  Now I know I'm not the fittest bloke in the world, but still, I really turned myself inside out during the race and it's only worth 117th!  There are some very fit and fast people out there.

Women/Vets

Richard Allen          14th

Paul Nutton             43rd

Nick Waggat           69th

John Parkinson        117th

Mark Bradley          118th

Alison Crutchley      125th

Johnny Hardiman     129th

Seniors

Ricky Feather          17th

So it was just a great day out.  It had everything... meeting new team mates, sunshine, push bikes, racing in sandals, beer, everything!

*Photos courtesy of Jo Hanglebads.  Thanks

'The Rules', and Their Recent Application

Thanks Jo Allen for the Photo.

I really like the course at Todmorden.  It is great fun with it's famous cobbled climb and generally testing terrain.

However, when the morning of the race dawned, a race that is not only the climax of the Yorkshire Points Series, but also one, if not THE, highlight of my season, I peeped out of the curtains to be greeted with cold, wind and rain!

Now, coping almost daily with harsh outdoor working weather conditions, I have developed a morbid obsession with the weather over the years.  As this obsession has grown, so has the 'fair weather cyclist' in me and, sometimes, I just can't face another drowning! Don't get me wrong - I like mud plugging - it's just the rain falling on my head that I find a little tiresome these days.  Perhaps I'm in the wrong game?

On this occasion, the morning of Tod'cross, the temptation to sneak the curtains back, and slip back into bed was incredibly great...

Then, my mind wondered to to 'The Rules'.  Firstly:

Rule #9

// If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.

Fair-weather riding is a luxury reserved for Sunday afternoons and wide boulevards. Those who ride in foul weather – be it cold, wet, or inordinately hot – are members of a special club of riders who, on the morning of a big ride, pull back the curtain to check the weather and, upon seeing rain falling from the skies, allow a wry smile to spread across their face. This is a rider who loves the work.

And most importantly:

Rule #5

// 

Harden The Fuck Up.

So I got my act together, tried to be a hard man, loaded up, and got off.  I softened the blow of the foul weather some what with a Bradford Curry Breakfast on route... not perhaps wise, and that is going to have to go down on the 'Things I learned Today list' - ie don't have a curry before a race!

Todmorden was wet, muddy and cold... but, rather strangely perhaps, very enjoyable!  The luxury of a fair-weather ride is going to have to wait.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The story of my Yorkshire Points Season so far is a tale of ups and downs to say the least.

Starting with:

The Bad - Oakbank School

Never before experienced suffering

For winter cross proper, the heat of the day at the opening round of the 2012 Yorkshire Points Cyclocross at Oakbank School, Keighley, was incredible oppressive!  I find Oakbank a pretty intense course to start with, without having to battle against the elements too.

Two minutes into the race, following a sprint lap of a playing field and a vicious foot climb up a steep and long grassy bank, I was spent.  Lack of proper prep in the fitness stakes, and warm up, along with in the food, and fluid department, meant a very rapid a spike in heart rate and breathing.  The legs simply went!  All that was left to do for the remainder of the race was just cling on best I could.

Fading fast, and lapped several times by people I don't often see at all in a race, let along get lapped by, was rather embarrassing.  Afterwards all I could do was retreat to the car and drink drink drink!

One round to to put down to experience I feel.

The Good - Thornes Park

The story of my life

The next round I 'competed' in was Thornes Park, Wakefield.  It's a good course for me, and I have done well here in the past.  What with its mix of rooty woodland and open playing field type terrain, it's certainly more my cup of tea, and allows more opportunity to utilise my technical abilities.

I was a lot more at home, and the more autumnal weather was far more refreshing too.  Here I managed to ease my self into the back of the pack with some prolonged duels with the usual crowd.  Good honest fun from start to finish.

The Ugly - Temple Newsam

Buoyed by my performance and enjoyment at Thornes Park, it was now time to properly kick start my season, time to start getting ugly, time to start dishing out the hurt...  no more Mr Nice Guy.  It was time to start letting people know that yes, I had actually turned up this season, and that I wasn't going to be an also ran.  The time for action had arrived. 



Temple Newsam is one of my favourite course, and offered the  perfect place to instigate the above.  From the off I was hunting... chasing down my contemporaries, and yes gaining on some.  As with Thornes park, my ability through the rooty slippery wooded sections allowed me to slowly inch forwards, before being blown out on the open grassed sections.  Two steps forward and one step back so to speak.

Giving it the beans in the bends

For the first time in quite a while I managed to overtake, if only for half a lap, my long time racing partner Chris.  It was a naughty move on my part that involved essentially elbowing Chris out of the way on a particularly slippery hairpin!  I realised my boisterous manoeuver was a little unnecessary, and I did apologise after the race.  Chris had the last laugh, however, by cruising past me half a lap later with apparent ease!  I just can't match his power on the open sections.

My points season continues at Myrtle Park.  Another great course.  See you soon.

War of the Roses…

Photo courtesy of Neil Hendry

Photo courtesy of JoozeD

Sounds and smells akin to a scrabbling team of liniment smeared horse’s waft through the cobbled enclave, as floundering footed racers search for grip.  The essentially simple task of hooking a stud or cleat into a greasy sett, and levering oneself inch by inch up the hill, and ahead of your nearest rival, seems insurmountable at times, and an experience I will not forget in a hurry. 

I refer to the infamous ‘Chimney’ – an approximately 100m long, near vertical (it felt like it to me at least!!) cobbled climb, which was doable for the top boys and girls, but a real test to the rest.  The gruelling course threw everything it could at the riders – I say riders, but for large sectors of the very muddy loop, terms such as joggers, walkers, sloggers or draggers may be more fitting.  It’s difficult not to use the old ‘No Man’s Land’ cliché, but I find it difficult to come by words more fitting.

 

To continue the War theme further, and fully expose my very limited historical knowledge, I understand Todmorden to have had a long history of battles between flamboyantly dressed Lancastrians and Yorkshire People and, judging by the turn  out the other Sunday this, now thankfully peaceful tradition, is set to continue.

Todmorden provided a brilliant course and a brilliant day out, oh and a free Duvel to boot.  Roll on next year.

Cheers

Myrtle Park, Bingley

Rich powering up the banking

A cool and misty afternoon in Bingley could not dilute the overwhelmingly warm and prickly feelings of joy and happiness my insides were experiencing, as I lined up with my fellow Yorkshire Point Series Brethren and Sistren.  Having been away from the CX game for what seemed like too long (getting on for nearly two months - broken only by a brief blast at Mugdock Park, Scotland), Myrtle Park in Bingley seemed like well and truly the right the time to once more put rubber to mud, and race around in circles for ~45mins.

Waggo with another solid performance

The popular course amongst both competitors and spectators alike, comprised the usual grassy slogs and single track, supplemented with a knee high concrete step, a steep banking, and a long stair climb with banister assist.  All this variety resulted in three dismounts per lap - for us mere mortals - or two for those who could bunny hop the concrete step.  I witnessed it during a practice lap - it could be done!!  The fair(ish) weather leading up to race day had resulted in the course being, what I would consider good to soft/soft in places.  There was no ‘slop’ anywhere, but I felt the risk of frame/fork/brake cloggage, due to isolated areas of abundant surface leaf litter, might be a distinct possibility.

Me tackling some grassy section

Feelings of excitement were further whetted, by my anticipation of the next instalment of the fast becoming legendary friendly competition between Belgian John (me) and Chris (WYPCC).  For about 6 months now we have gone hammer and tong at it race after race.  Although I have had my odd moments of glory, Chris has got the better of me on the majority of occasions.  However, the ‘having someone to race/chase’ aspect to our relationship has resulted in a clear PB for me at Temple Newsam.  Cheers for that Chris.

On this, our most recent of bouts however, the unlucky Chris was caught in a pile up during the opening sprint, and went to ground.  Although not injured, and did remount and complete the race, he did not manage to fully close the gap generated.  However, this didn’t stop me from peeping over my shoulder every couple on minutes, expecting the familiar figure to be there breathing down my neck.

The debrief

So, essentially the victory goes to me this time, but it’s a somewhat hollow one.  I may have won the battle on this occasion, due the misfortunes of others, but I doubt I will win the war…….

Photos courtesy of Jo Allen - Thanks

Another Double Header

So after the excitement and enjoyment of the Rapha Super Cross weekend it was back to relatively normal fare the following week. However both events were new venues and the Doncaster race was billed as a 'Super Cross'.
Doncaster Super Cross 22nd October
Jo was off down south for the weekend so no @Hanglebad pictures (just a quick iPhone snap) and a solo drive to Doncaster Keepmoat stadium - not aided by traffic jams on the A1. Once there the set up was excellent and the course most definitely making a Category A standard, three sets of double barriers and lots of steep climbing. Besides the parking, changing etc facilities provided by the stadium there were also a couple of trade tents and a food hospitality tent - not quite up to the high bar set by the preceding weekends festivities (no beer!) but a definite step up from the norm. The course felt very tough, all rideable by the strong boys but involving a one or two dismounts for most of us, plus the barriers. The final steep slope I managed a couple of times before fatigue made running it a more reliable/faster option. Race wise I ended up a bit in no-mans-land and finished mid field in 18th. As Phil Thackry said it was like a big tough Belgian course - if it had been wet it would have been a monster, especially the steep loamy descent! A brilliant race and setting. The turnout was a bit low considering the quality of the event, perhaps suffering with competing events further south and not being a 'points' race. Thoroughly recommended and hopefully next year will see it grow in stature and popularity.

Paul Oldham on the steep bank

Yorkshire Points Round 6: Brighouse 23rd October
After the tough climbing of the previous day it was, joy of joys, another hilly one! Another new course with two steep climbs and descents. The first climb was ridable by most but the second was a heros only affair. I managed it once on a practice lap at a constant 'stalling' pace and on another attempt fell off by pulling the front wheel off the ground! That decided it, I was going to 'run' it in the race. Good to see another race with more technical climbs and descents. I got a good start and stuck to the game plan of running the second climb, not being at home to 'Mr cock-up' on the descents and mashing it on the flat sections. I gained a couple of places as the race progressed eventually finishing 9th. Waggey had a bit of a nightmare time with his chain jumping off and he eventually abandoned in understandable frustration. I'd dropped my chain a couple of times on both days trying the lazy drop it onto the small ring just as you hit the hill (non) technique with all the rapid transitions from fast down/flat to steep up. As a result I reckon I might fit a Dog Fang as extra insurance against fatigue induced sloppy technique. No photos as @Hanglebad was still away. Hats off to the organisers again for a very good, tough course and a very rapid turn around with the results, unlike myself with the race write-ups which seem to be running a week late - I'll try to have Huddersfield up before the weekend!

Round 4 Yorkshire Points : Temple Newsam

With a mixture of grassland, woods and a beautiful Tudor-Jacobean house the Temple Newsam CX has a fantastic backdrop for the racing. This year the weather was in stark contrast to 2010 when the car park was flooded and the course absolutely sodden. I'd enjoyed a good result there in the adverse conditions but todays event promised fast racing and a patina of dust rather than oozing mud.

This race also saw the debut of the new Gin and Trombones frame from Van Dessel and The Bearded Man, I'll be writing a review of the frame in a few weeks after its been raced a bit more but suffice to say that it put a big smile on my face at Temple Newsam on its first outing. The Belgian 'Flanders black with yellow' colour scheme and De Leeuw van Vlaanderen on the top tube were approved by Vlaanderen Nicole (and John) who were there taking high risk photos at the bottom of one of the single track descents.

The vets race saw (what I think is) a record field with 105 riders which made for a 'busy' opening lap. I had a reasonable start but then nearly got taken out as we entered the first taped section (along with several other riders) as people squeezed in or misjudged the room etc. Some emergency braking and dodging avoided collisions but also lost a bunch of places. I get the feeling that with such big fields there is going to be a need to have longer 'spread the field' sections at the start of the vets events. If you're faster enough to get the hole shot then its a non-issue but further back there are some initially very fast riders who get a bit 'lost' after 400m. The rest of the race was lovely with good woody single track and fast open grass as well as a nice off-camber 180 which was later to do for Paperthin Ben's front tub in the senior race!

I gradually made up places passing a fair few riders and as far as I recall not getting passed (a sign of a slow start), never managed to catch up to Wayne (York Cycle Works) though. I eventually finished in 17th which I'm happy enough with on a new build bike and post 3 Peaks. Waggey had a good race with a PB placing of 38th which is excellent post 3 Peaks. John was creeping up the order too (79th) and it was good to see Tim (Velocake) racing in the seniors and Tom spectating (Velocake & HCtB) recovering from an unfortunate broken finger. SportsSunday were there taking pics along with Jo @Hanglebads so photographic coverage was pretty much sewn up - though I reckon my pic of Ben gets the "un moment decisif".

Round 3 Yorkshire Points: Tong

After a somewhat deflating race last weekend Tong proved to be the perfect antidote. Held at Home Farm the course had a great mix of fast grass and technical woodland. Added to this I had new toys to play with as my Major Tom wheelset from Strada Wheels had arrived earlier in the week and a Typhoon/SSC combo had been glued up ready to roll (review to follow after a few more races) but a word to the wise don't use Fabsil Seam Sealant to 'proof' your tub side walls it flakes off like sunburnt skin :-/

After last weeks debacle I wasn't sure where I stood and apparently missed the call up to the gridded start, later being told I was 20th 'last' to be called. A slowish start from about third row was not a huge problem as the course allowed plenty of room to make up places either through fitness or technique. I found I was making time up through the barriers and through the steep wooded section, @greatrock's skills lessons paying off 'chin up'! On the fast grass sections I definitely lacked true CX speed - time for some short sharp intervals after the Three Peaks. A botched dismount with a foot sticking in the pedal coming into the barriers cost places and time especially as I couldn't immediately see the problem jamming the rear wheel (QR had slipped) but other than that it was a trouble free race.

Mr Wagget had a less succesfull time and a couple of dropped chain incidents let Nick E riding in Dirt Wheels colours (splitter! ;-) get ahead of him this time. John P was looking after daughter Izzy and doing sterling supporter duty whilst @Hanglebad and sister Clunis scurried about supporting and getting the photos. Jo apparently heard the event organiser saying "never again" which would be a great shame as it was a great course and event. As we finished we met @FingersK looking resplendent in his new Velocake skinsuit but we had to leave before the senior race and could only imagine the fun that the torrential downpour visited upon them! We experienced it in the warm and dry of the car driving back through Shiply ;-> All photos are now up on Flickr (see sidebar) and I'm just waiting for the results to see if things truely did improve on last week...

Round 2 Yorkshire Points: Northalleton

Another grass crit which should have been fast and fun but turned out rather differently. After a rather odd start with some weird channeled grid compounded by the odd request "Will the top 8 from last weeks race, you know who you are, come to the front"!

The rest of us waited but that was it and those unlucky enough not to have jumped into a channel early were way back:-/ So a desperate start trying to make up places and going well into the red but almost back to a reasonable position as we come through the finish are for the fist time. Unfortunately with such a big field (103 again) a rider stalled just ahead and the ensuing jam led to me tangling with the heavy duty tape (not the stuff you can rip out of). More time lost and another lap of chasing hard. In one way this was good training, lots of overtaking and no places lost until I wiped out. Twice. Both errors caused by just trying to push it too hard on a corner and later a banking. The second one resulted in the rider I recently overtook running me down, not his fault at all as there was nowhere for him to go. So my worst placing in a CX race (33rd) but lessons learned. In contrast Nick W had his best race and beat Nick E by a few places for good measure and rightly so as Mr Elder is defecting to Dirt Wheels before even joining HCtB! I'll lace his wheels up like a set of Osymetric chainrings ;-) John had a good race too creeping up the order on his new tubs.

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?