A great feeling to have a race live up to everything I anticipated it to be – my favourite course of the National Trophy series at Peel Park in Bradford. The autumn rain’s always going to have made this one muddy – but the course design this year also contributed towards an excellent challenge. My team Wheelbase mates Rob and Lewis did the business with 3rd and 6th respectively, and I got my best ever finish in a national trophy race, in 20th.
The sharp but painful climbs were frequent enough to make this the hardest circuit so far this year, when combined with the sticky mud – meaning bike changes every lap were a necessity. I again managed to stay upright whilst all around me tumbled. My weight helps on the thicker mud courses. The bikes were ultra reliable once again, and the pit crew were just awesome – all done so professionally when we really needed it. The training’s gone brilliantly in recent weeks, but more than that, the race day preparation is sown to a tee now… I’m lucky to be part of this set up and I’m really enjoying it… I love it when a plan works out.