Author: Dave Haygarth

As someone who didn’t enjoy the best cyclocross season last year, it came as welcome relief to come into round one of the national trophy today feeling a lot more positive and feeling generally a bit fitter.

In terms of results, it probably translated into only a one or two position improvement on last year’s results on the national stage, but I had a bit of a spring in my step, and can truly say I rode it pretty much to the best of my ability. I wasn’t lapped (I was lapped in four out of the five national trophy races last year) and went out of the start really fast (a worry after a fairly slow start a couple of weeks in my first cross race of the season).

It was a day of mixed fortune for Team Wheelbase, with Rob Jebb looking threatening in third place, but Stuard Reid having to retire very early on in the race (tendinitis not recovered) and Lewis Craven’s chances effectively ending when he became entangled in a metal barrier – while in the lead group.

The course was worth all the travelling – fairly well suited to technically precise riders (lots of slow corners and accelerations), but very dry and fast.

I wore the Garmin 305 so I could reflect on the day’s efforts. The average pace is quite interesting – 16mph on a technical, stop-start race like that seems pretty fast – winner Paul Oldham must have been nearer 17mph – that’s quick off road for an hour.

Results and report from British Cycling here

Well… Here I am in Ingleton on the last Saturday in September, the day before the Three Peaks cyclocross. Normally , this would be the day when I focused intensely on what I ate, how I rested, when I slept, and got my head into the details of the 24 hours ahead. Instead, I’m looking up at Ingleborough and contemplating a nice pint of ale. Oh well…. next year, eh?

I’ve been holding out as usual with no planned cyclocross racing activity whilst I built up my bike carrying and endurance for the Three Peaks – the race that never was. I adjusted my mind to faster, shorter races over the last week and realised that I needed to get some fast racing in before the National Trophy races start.

They don’t come much faster than the course today at Silcoates School in Wakefield. The only race on within driving distance, it was a good job as a race to get my 2007/08 account opened. The field was very strong and I was pleased with my eventual 12th place – it could have been 7th if I’d have had a bit in the bag at the end for a sprint, but it was an odd end to the race and the group I’d been locked in from about ten minutes in fought it out in what was a protracted sprint; I came out on the bad side of it! Never mind – a good work out.

What was very encouraging was to see my team mate Rob (Jebb) whipping the pace up and riding off to win the race easily; a course people would drearily say wasn’t suited to Rob (no mud, no run ups, hardly any climbing), but his strength was never in doubt. Team down sides were the no-show of Lewis – also on blistering form – and Stuart – on an enforced lay-off with tendinitis.

The dry, fast grassy circuit meant the bike didn’t even need the slightest wipe down after the race… I’ll enjoy that while it lasts! The Columbuses (the twins) never missed a beat – just got to focus on getting the legs in the same form!!