Summer CX Season : Final Report.

Overdue : my report on the last round of the Banjo Cycles summer CX series in Newbury.

After the interesting events of round 4  (Race-lead-self pit-lead-crash-win-concussion-ambulance-car breakdown)... I decided, wisely, to NOT race in round 5 and give myself a decent run at recovery from the concussion. This was the right thing to do.. riding ill, or riding hurt isn't a good thing. Especially as you get older and recovery is tougher.

Of course, the upshot of this was that I didn't score any points for round 5..And looking at the points table going into the final round, I was sitting in 3rd place overall but unlikely to move up, even with a win. 3rd place overall, for me, is rather cool...

P was unable to join me, which after round 4, was a bit of a worry.. If I managed to headbutt the planet again. I'd be in serious risk of not being able to get home... solution... DON'T CRASH ... this seemed like a plan.

After work, I drove over to Newbury in glorious sun, parked up, and made an effort to thank all of the organising team personally for the support and help after my last race crash. The course for this week contained the same "up the left, down the right" hill but there was more use made of the woods at the top of the hill and after the down hill the course switched back and forth all over the flat section making it the longest lap yet. I rode a couple of recce laps and said hi to friends, the downhill was good for me, basically the same as the previous round I'd ridden, so I had confidence in the possible lines and knew just how low to duck to get close to the trees we slalomed through. The "flat" section wasn't too bad but did feature a very short off camber chicane, just like the one that claimed me (and others) in round 4, then a long off camber section (we used this in round 1 going the other way)...

Trying to keep up with hydration, I got through most of my water in the car and got ready for the start. I lined up next to Mandy Scott (Cotswold Veldrijden), who has been my closest rival in terms of consistency and points. From the start, I pushed (and got overtaken by most of the senior men) but ended up behind Mandy on the first climb. Get into a rhythm and settle down. I got past Mandy at the top and gapped her on the down hill...but on the long flat sections of the course, she closed up the gap again.. This would be the pattern for the whole race. Mandy overtook on the hill on the 3rd lap saying "don't worry, you'll pass me again, I'm knackered" ... um... yeah... she pulled away a little..

At the top of the hill, there were some very tight 180s and I caught up and passed Mandy just before the woods...and on to the descent, I went as fast as I could (back wheel slid away a little as I turned back across the off camber section that crosses the hill before the fast part of the downhill, caught it... just) and built a gap... I pushed really hard and tried to increase the gap. As we came onto the last lap, I had a steady gap on Mandy.. onto the hill and it dropped a bit... onto the downhill and I stretched it further... I thought I'd broken the elastic this time... onto the flat section... head down.. keep going..

Coming towards the last sets of corners, I looked back and Mandy was catching me fast... there were two corners to go to the finish straight... as we went into the first, a 180 switchback left, Mandy got onto my wheel... the next corner went slightly left before a switching back right... as I went into the corner I let the bike go left to stop her coming past there and then aimed at the apex. I knew this would push me wider on the exit of the last corner giving Mandy the possibility of coming up the inside.. out of the corner, change gear, out of the saddle.... SPRINT...

This was the first time since my first CX race that I have been this close to a rival right at the end of a race..the first time, the organisers hadn't rung the bell, so I didn't realise it WAS the finish and missed the chance to sprint hard....THIS TIME...I knew it was the end... last race, best chance to get points... and sprinting for 3rd in the race...

Where was I ???

Oh yes........ SPRINT.......

In my best "trying to channel Cav from what I've seen on telly" I got as low as possible and just emptied myself...

It was very, very close... the most fun finish in any race I've done..(this doesn't officially include round 4 as I can't remember finishing... ) to be pushed to really HAVE to race...

Very often in the women's races, my placing has been settled well before the end of the race... This was so much better...

I thanked Mandy for the race, she really must have flown over the last section to close the gap..

We all waited around as the organisers tallied up positions and points for the series prizegiving..I thought that I'd done enough to get 3rd overall.. And when it came to the women's trophies... Mark started..."and in 3rd place...Mandy Scott".... oh...damn...maybe not then... 2nd went to Ruby Miller, and then "in 1st place".. Me....um....really? I couldn't see how this worked ...but I went up and got my trophy and prize (£60 of vouchers at Banjo)

A surprise... 

The drive home was lovely, a beautiful sunset and a happy panda.....

When I got home, I got online to thank the organisers again and to confirm the positions... they went away and the following morning confirmed that I was right, somehow, in the push to get the results out, a mistake had been made and Mandy should indeed have been 1st overall and I should have been 3rd, as I expected...

It's taken a little while to organise getting trophies back and forth but... I now have my "legit" 3rd place overall trophy and I'm rather proud of it... it's the first thing I've won since starting CX racing. In the series, I took my first Ladies race win (albeit in a very small field and not against the faster riders) ..

I've learned more about race craft and pacing...and, most importantly, I had a heck of a lot of fun racing Major P in the summer series...

Now it's time for me, Major P and the newly completed Major B to get ready for the CX season proper.. although I will miss the opening round due to Bridesmaid duties in Wales that week.

THANK YOU to everyone at Banjo Cycles for organising the race series, for the race sponsors and all of the riders who made the Summer CX Series such fun. I'll be back next year.... 

My rightful trophy.. Happy with that.

Next for me is Griff's Cycle Lab Opening Event on Saturday 30th August ..... our "Grand Depart" ... Please join us if you can... you can check out the new super light Trek Emonda SLR, Lazer Helmets entire range, BlendaVenda, and the chance to win a £600 bike...  

See you there 

Panda

Clif Bar CrossVegas Announces Strong Women’s Field

World’s #1 and #2 Ranked to Race in Las Vegas

Longmont, Colorado – The organizers of Clif Bar CrossVegas have revealed what could be the strongest women’s field in the 8-year history of the season-opening race.

Squaring off on Wednesday September 10 in Las Vegas will be the number 1 and number 2 ranked riders in the world, Katie Compton of the U.S. and Helen Wyman of Great Britain.

The women’s field will be competing for a prize list equalto the men’s field with almost $9,000 in cash plus valuable UCI points as a result of the Category 1 status of the race.In addition CrossVegas is part of the season long U.S. ProCX Calendar awarding $40,000 in prizes. Women from 6 nations competed in the 2013 version of the race at least that many nations expected for this year.

Compton, ranked number 1 in the world standings, is theoverall winner of the World Cup and a two-time winner of CrossVegas. The Trek Cyclocross Collective rider returns after an absence of several years.  “I'm looking forward to starting my season in Las Vegas this year. I've skipped this race in previous years to delay the start of a long season but decided I couldn't miss it again,” Compton commented.

Compton went on to say, “I'm sure this year will be super hard with fast competition from the mountain bikers coming off their world champs as well as true cross racers dialing it up for the early season. I look forward to some suffering and being cheered on by some creative hecklers!”

Wyman is currently ranked number 2 in the worldstandings following a stellar 2013 season that included a silver medal at the World Championships and a win in the European Championships. Wyman commented on her plans, “I'm really excited to be racing in Las Vegas in 2014. CrossVegas is a standout event on the world calendar.”

Team LUNA Chix brings their usual dominating strength to CrossVegas including Katerina Nash of the Czech Republic. Nash has taken a podium spot every time she lines up at CrossVegas with 3 wins including 2013. Joining Nash will be teammates Catharine Pendrel of Canada who was 3rd in 2013, Georgia Gould of the U.S. who is always among the top finishers, Teal Stetson-Lee and Maghalie Rochette of Canada who was 10th in her first CrossVegas in 2013.

Other notables vying for a win under the lights of Las Vegas will be:

•

  Rising American star Elle Anderson who comes to CrossVegas before departing on a European career with Belgium-based KDL Cycling Team. Anderson finished in the top ten at CrossVegas 2013 and capped her season with a silver medal at the U.S. national championships.

•

  Caroline Mani of France of the Raleigh-Clement squadwho be looking to kick off her cross season using the fast start she is renowned for.

•

  The “ British Invasion” continues with Gabby Durrin who finished in the top ten in CrossVegas 2013 andDiane Lee who finished 3rd in the National Championships in 2013.

•

  Meredith Miller of the U.S. who is a perennial top ten finisher at CrossVegas riding in new colors for Noosa Professional Cyclocross Team.

Race Director Brook Watts adds that more competitor announcements on both the women’s and men’s side will be coming shortly as racing schedules are finalized for the season.

About CrossVegas

Clif® Bar CrossVegas is organized by Watts Marketing Inc. of Longmont Colorado and has become a fixture on the U.S. cyclocross calendar. It is the largest cyclocross race outside of Europe attracting 10,000 spectators to Desert Breeze Soccer Complex in Las Vegas on Wednesday September 10. Complete information including schedule, hotel information, sponsorship and admission is available at www.crossvegas.com. Follow on Twitter @CrossVegas.Sizzle Video: http://youtu.be/HIj7urH0pwo

2013 Clif Bar CrossVegas women’s podium from left Lea Davison (2nd), Katerina Nash (1st) and Catherine Pendrel (3rd)

Photo Credits

Award Podium: Courtesy CrossVegas.com

Project Jake 2 - The Finished Result...

Well.....He's done ....

I spent Sunday afternoon finishing off the Ex-Helen Wyman 2013 Kona Major Jake..

I'm very happy with the result, he looks excellent and, based on a very quick shakedown ride, the narrower bars and the smaller frame size feels just a tad more nimble and aggressive. I will report back once I've done a proper shakedown ride.

Finished..at last 

The final build specification as follows:

2013 Kona Major Jake CX (56cm)

Shimano Ultegra 6700 STI Shifter/Levers

Shimano Ultegra 6700 Rear mech

Shimano Ultegra 6700 Front mech (34.9mm band)

Shimano Ultegra 6700 wheelset

Shimano Ultegra 6700 Cassette 11-28
Shimano Deore XT SPD pedals

FSA Gossamer Pro BB30 chainset 46/36 (CX specific rings)

FSA Headset, Stem, Seatpost, Bars (w/Pro gel bar tape)

TRP EuroX Magnesium cantilever brakes w/SwissStop pads

Challenge Grifo Open Tubular tyres

Selle Italia saddle

Bike Pure headset top cap and spacer

I can't thank Helen enough for the chance to own this frame. He was always going to be built to be ridden and raced...this isn't a wall hanger. I've enjoyed building him up and am really looking forward to putting him through his paces in the coming weeks.... but for now... let's have some pictures.

The most colourful bike I own 

Side By Side - Majors P and B line up for a photo call

A brace of Konas

The two Majors looking purposeful and ready.

Major P has won a round of the Newbury Summer CX Series, and Major B was one of a set of frames that took Helen to victory in races such as the Koppenberg Cross and the European CX Championships.. so they are both winners...

Oh, and I think I owe you all an update on the last round of the Summer CX Series too... stay tuned....

Project Jake 2 - Latest Update on Major B(lue)

Ah, it's been a while, but we are back.

The brief lull in employment meant that I had to be a bit careful with cash for a bit, so the Major B project has been on brief hiatus.

Just before I went off to do support for the RN on a 2 day test event on the first two stages of the 2014 Tour de France, I managed to tweet a tease picture...

A few shiny boxes of shiny bits

I've been waiting until I sourced a suitable FSA Gossamer Pro BB30 chainset (46/36 chainrings) before putting the rest of the drive train parts on.

Tonight, I've spent a little time after work getting the chainset, drive train components and levers on, I've routed the brake cables through (though the TRP EuroX brakes still need to be properly set up) so...here are a couple of shots of Major B looking a tad more "Bike Like". Still got to route and set up the gear cables, adjust the drive train and brakes and I still need to get some pedals (Deore XT as per Major P and I've got some blue Pro Gel bar tape to keep the blue/black theme that Helen had on the bike when it was being raced.

Levers on, some cabling done and .....

...Drivetrain basically in place.

TRP EuroX Magnesium brakes.. not QUITE set up yet.

All this means that, all being well, Major B should be pretty much done and ready for test riding.... Excited...

C

CX Summer Series update - 2 races, 1 crash, 1 ambulance...1 win

Second blog entry for today.....

Time for a racing update:

The first day working at Griff's meant that I had to miss round 2 of the Newbury Summer CX series, by all accounts, a hot and tough evening. The course had been lengthened from the first round to reduce the number of laps and overtakes.

My next chance to race was round 3, P was busy, so this one was solo.. I loaded the car and drove to work, prepped the bike and headed straight over to Newbury from the shop. This time the course was reversed, going up the left side of the hill in a zigzag, going up into the woods and out on to a fast descent which turned it's way through trees and into the flatter park section. I did a couple of recce laps, tentatively at first on the fast descent and tight corners.. bit of a chat and then formed up for the race... I was a little slow at the start. The rest of the women's field was made up of two U23s and a U14, all routinely quicker than me. The first climb up the hill was tight and messy and I tried not to get in anyone's way so I lost positions quickly. After this, it was a lonely race.. I struggled to judge my pace and not get in anyone's way when the fast riders came through, The overtakes were a mix of good, poor and downright dangerous... and I just couldn't get a rhythm going.. actually, my laps were pretty consistent, if slow.. though I did find that I got faster each time on the descent through the corners...

Result - 4th place in the women's race (from 4 starters, no other veterans) and not last overall.

Onto Round 4....

This Thursday.. P collected me after work and we duly headed off to Newbury... in the rain. After the previous week, Mark (the organiser) had apparently asked the parks people to cut the grass...which they duly did the day before the race...and with the steady rain, it meant that the grass pickup on the bikes was really bad..

P came round on the first recce lap.. I ran with my Challenge Chicanes for this... the course was similar to round 3 but with even more back and forth on the flatter area but also the return of the really nasty little off camber kink that caught people out on week 1 (foreshadowing, as @CXhairs would say on the Svenness videos).. I gave the bike a quick clean and changed to the wheels with Challenge Grifos for a second quick recce, though I missed out the hill this time..I pushed a little to get my heart rate up and lined up for the start. the field was a little smaller and the women's race was just me and one other Veteran. I had resolved to start harder than last time and duly pushed hard on lap 1... I gapped my competitor and pushed on..the grass pickup was bad, the course pretty slick.

Mid race - looking focused

First time through the off-camber kink, I kept it as tight and high as possible and carried reasonable speed through it.. keep going... keep extending the gap...towards the end of the second lap, I really felt the bike dragging with the grass, already a couple of riders had pulled out with mechanicals and I'd seen one crash up ahead. On the third time up the climb, it was getting really hard and I heard the rear mech starting to struggle, at the top of the hill, I looked down and couldn't see my rival so jumped off, grabbed as much of the grass out as possible and set off... the Major felt like he was flying... I started to attack the course more... this time through the off-camber kink the bike slid a little and I had to pull hard to get the Major back up onto the course...

Lap 4 and I was pushing and feeling OK.. there were points where I was parallel to other riders and going as fast as the guys I could see. I went quite hard on the descent to keep ahead of a rider coming up to lap and let him by on the flat and hit the park section... as I went into the off-camber kink this time it gets a little blurry... I think the back slipped and then the front broke away, the bike went down and I fell to the right into the crest of the off camber bit..my head hit the ground HARD... it felt like the sky changed colour briefly (best way I can describe it) and it really hurt... I dragged myself up and (apparently) against the suggestion of the photographer who was there, I jumped back on was determined that I would NOT DNF and I would not get beaten after building such a lead (about half a lap)...

Full disclosure: my memory of the next period is hazy and has gaps...but I know I pushed...the last lap I rode was my second fastest of the night..I was fast down the hill through the trees, I know I was worried about the kink... I can't actually remember how I took it on that lap, nor can I clearly remember sprinting over the line (apparently I did) and rolled over to P...

I can remember sitting at the finish and there being concern, I can remember then being back at the car and Mark coming over (I Don't remember not listening to P giving me clear instructions based on his knowledge of head injury care which I duly ignored (sorry)). I was wrapped in a jacket and put in the car, Mark checked out the helmet, apparently intact, but concern for my state meant an ambulance was called. I was duly popped into the back and checked out. The ambulance crew were both professional, amusing (P getting given the hand injury leaflet instead of the head injury one, for example), calming and made sure I was OK. My head hurt a lot and I was starting to feel the impact on my side and shoulders.

After a while getting cleared and doing the paperwork, we exited the ambulance and everyone apart from the organisers had gone.. I thanked Mark and Jamie for sticking with us and keeping an eye on me. And we headed off home.

Result... 1st in the women's race (field of 2), but it was a win.. even if I can't actually remember crossing the line.

Overall ... I'm now sitting second in the overall standings but I may not be racing this coming week, either because I may be away with work, or if not, because concussion is a risky thing and I probably shouldn't race.

All results are here

----

Oh, yes..... just to add "insult" to "injury", our car has been having issues, P had been getting it checked earlier in the day and we'd been told it was OK to drive.... but.....

On the M4 coming to Reading there was a bang and the engine sounded awful..we pulled to the side and left at the junction...pulled into a business park and called the AA..mentioning that I'd just been in an "incident" and an "ambulance" and we needed to get home... I was also starting to really need to use a loo..(I'd been drinking a lot after getting the all clear) we saw someone come out of the Verizon offices so P went and asked the security dudes if I could use a loo, so THANK YOU...not only did I get to use the loo, I stayed in the foyer whilst we waited and was given a cuppa too.. the AA were really quick and the patrol man did a fast, temporary repair to the exhaust downpipe (it had separated) and we were on our way..we got home around 2330... I went straight to bed and proceeded to get not much sleep....

---
UPDATE

After the crash, I've retired my Kask K50 helmet as it hit the ground pretty darned hard.

Here is the replacement...

As of today, I feel stiff and sore, the headache is diminishing (Friday was rather vague at work) and I should be OK for the event that I'm off to support for the next few days.... that I won't be able to discuss until after I return... till then.... take care... and ride safe, people....


P.S There are pics of both races HERE .. including a sequence of my crash, if you really must... I warn you... it's NOT flattering

A New Job and A New Shop

Back in March I heard that my local independent bike shop might be changing ownership. We've been customers off and on for several years and they supplied us with spares when P and I did our LEJOG in 2012. Not long after this I received an email from the manager of the new manager asking if I'd be interested in coming to work with them in the workshop. We then spoke at length about the plans for the shop, particularly the approach to women's cycling and making sure the shop had a full range of bikes and clothing for women and organising specific ladies night events and rides.

The opportunity to work with a team I know, in a shop very local to me, with such a strong focus on women's cycling was tempting enough to say a very positive "yes".

Couple this with a net reduction from 4 hours a day commuting to and from central London to approx 25 minutes total commuting across the woods behind where I live...No longer needing the folding bike, no longer needing to shell out for season tickets and deal with the vagaries of the rail network...and I can use the Cross bike through one of my regular training runs every single day... 

I think the phrase needed at this point is "no-brainer".

This meant that I spent a few weeks at home catching up on things and getting some good riding in, but on the 12 of June, I went in for the first time to the new shop to build stock and we opened on Monday 16th June.... 

So, Ladies and Gents, allow me introduce you all to......

Griff's Cycle Lab 

The first two weeks have been busy and productive, the workshop is getting booked out fast and we are seeing a great range of bikes come through.

The shop has a great mix of road and mtb bikes from Trek, Genesis, Ridley and Saracen, and our location in Crowthorne, Berkshire means that we are not too far from the Surrey hills and just down the road from Swinley Forest and I'm very much looking forward to our proper "formal" opening night event in a few weeks as well as some of the other things we have planned for the future, not least the range of Cyclocross bikes we will be bringing in especially the Treks and Ridleys (but I may be a little biased there)

If you are in the area, please do pop in and say hi...

A Ridley Liz and Trek Lush in the window

Pride of place in the front of the shop for the women's clothing and accessories

Oh, and I really love our logo...

 
Coming next .... Report on my last 2 rounds of the Newbury Summer CX series....

Race Support with Matrix-Vulpine

A few weeks ago, knowing that I was not working for a bit, I asked Matrix-Vulpine DS Stef Wyman if he needed any mechanic help at the London Nocturne (a (obviously) night time crit in central London, around Smithfield Market). He said yes....

It was a little strange heading to the Nocturne as it basically re-enacted my old commute. Cycling to the station, train to Waterloo, cycle up through Smithfield... though leaving at 2 in the afternoon was a weird timeshift (and it's the first time I'd taken the Major into London).

Arriving at Smithfield, the support races were already on the go, and after a brief and confusing conversation with a marshall about getting to the pits (you can't.. you have to sign in.... but you can't cross without accreditation) I spotted the Matrix-Vulpine team car and got a wristband passed over..

A few of the riders were already around, relaxing and enjoying the day. I parked up the Major, next to Helen Wyman's race Kona. and got ready...

The Major in more exalted company 

The day itself was a riot of noise and colour, and I mean RIOT....the PA was kicking out music at ear bleeding levels making any conversation in the pit nigh on impossible though apparently, a quiet word from a world no2 ranked CX rider to someone got the nearest speakers "accidentally" unplugged... nice one.

TV crew grabbing a few words with Baz

The support races were an interesting diversion, none more so than the Boris Bike race which, on the slowing down lap, took a turn when someone (who may or may not be a Radio DJ) decided to sort her hair out, riding no hands.. wobbled and headed straight for us... she missed the car next to us, Emma Borthwick jumped clear, and it hit Stef and the team car.. 1 bike and a few wheels skittled and one DS with a gronked wrist...

The team gathered and we prepped the bikes.. (major front end adjustments for Harriet and Jo's bikes) and then the riders began to warm up. We'd scored a great spot with enough room for the whole team to warm up on rollers/turbos and be seen by the fast growing crowd.

Warm up time

It was good to chat to the riders and learn a few of their set up preferences, and basically be there to catch things, hold stuff and make their evening easier.

"And they are off..." DS Stef Wyman and Nick Hussey of Vulpine make sure online fans are kept up to speed on the race.

The race was fast and hard, it looked like Katie Archibald (Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International) was going to ride off the front until she arrived in the pits having had an off, getting caught in the barrier on the other side of the circuit out of our view. In the end, the team's best finisher was Jessie Walker in 11th.

Not the best results, but a great shop window for the team, with many people taking time to say nice stuff about the team. Penny Rowson mentioned that the NFTO guys had said it was cool that Matrix-Vulpine had a female mechanic (which is nice) and it was good experience for me.

After getting the timing chips off and loading the bikes on to the car, we sat and watched the Elite men's race (won by Tobyn Horton - Madison Genesis) and I set off into the warm london night (around half 10 to head home) A slow trip (with no loos and a half hour wait at Ascot) and The Major and I arrived in Camberley around 01:15 am for the ride home, in shorts and a short sleeved jersey...the roads were quiet.....the moon was out in full... excellent.

The Major sitting on a train at Ascot waiting to get home - ignore the lights, especially the impromptu green "bracket" at the back :)

-----

A few days later and we did it all over again, this time for the Matrix Fitness GP series race in Woking. An easy 30 minute drive from the house. I arrived nice and early, worked out the circuit and chatted to @argyle_panda who invited me over to the WWF offices in Woking for a quick tour.. very impressive building, a lovely space to work and imaginatively constructed for minimal environmental impact. 

I may have picked up a little friend at the WWF offices - He's now in Belgium !

The afternoon wore on and the teams had a major struggle to get down to the pits area. The riders rode down to the circuit, so whilst we waited for Stef and the car, I got the timing chips fitted to each bike (thanks to Rapha Condor-JLT mechanic for the pair of snips I proffed) and FINALLY the cars arrived, it took about an hour to get the cars from the parking round and on to the circuit. Bikes prepped and we were off again.... Helen only needed to secure one point in the sprints competition to secure the overall jersey win, and duly delivered at the first sprint... hereafter she is to be referred to as "Top Sprinter" Helen Wyman...

It did look like the team might get a decent result, but unfortunate timing meant that the front group caught a, as yet unlapped, group right on the final VERY tight hairpin, throwing the group into confusion and allowing Eileen Roe (Starley-Primal) to get a jump and take the win. Frustrating, but... that's bike racing...

The teams had to clear out quickly to allow the men's team cars in, so as soon as we'd got the bikes loaded, Stef shot off (on the long drive back home to Belgium, pausing only to collect Helen after the podium ceremony, and in possession of a small, panda shaped, passenger) and I met up again with Ade (aka @argyle_panda) and we watched the men's race from the Hospitality area by the finish... which was a nice end to the day...... 

Two days later.........New job kicked in..... but we will get to that soon.....

Thank you to DS Stef Wyman for the chance to help out the Matrix Fitness-Vulpine Team 

To (Top Sprinter) Helen, Jo, Penny, Baz, Louise, Jessie, and Sigrid for being a pleasure to work with.

To Nick Hussey of Vulpine for being dapper personified at the Nocturne and a top sponsor chap,

and to Emma Borthwick for the company and chat at the Nocturne.

Thank you also to Ade (@Argyle_Panda) and Adele Mitchell for the great company at Woking.

CX Race blog - I know, I know, It's Summer ....

Hello,

As ever, I finally get around to updating the blog when stuff happens... so.. this should be the start of a short series of entries covering:

1) Summer CX races (this one... the one you are reading now)
2) Job situation (new job... very excited and can finally discuss... will do this one in a day or two)
3) Race support with the fantastic Matrix-Vulpine team at the London Nocturne and final round of the Matrix Fitness GP series in Woking on Tuesday (so... after Tuesday)

Shall we begin ? ...good...

Whilst "between jobs" I've been trying to get a reasonable amount of CX training mileage in. I have a nice loop in Swinley Forest with mixed surfaces, elevation changes and it is VERY susceptible to weather changes...the loop contains mud, gravel, sand, loose, etc... a series of ramps ending in a steep climb. Really useful stuff... as is the ride out and back. The variety of weather we have had recently has made this loop really useful as the changes in surface and condition have given me a huge range of challenges etc.... but not grass....

Each summer, Banjo Cycles in Newbury, organise a summer series in Goldwell Park, Newbury on Thursday evenings. it's a grass park with a stream through it and it rises up a hill at one end (foreshadowing). This is a fun, informal(ish) event organised under the Go-cross rules (no BC licence required) to encourage people to try CX. there are two short under 14 races and then, every one else.. no Senior/vet/women split...just a 40 minute race with all categories, so everything from someone in a British Masters National Champs stripey blue jumper to...well.... me....

The course changes week to week to keep it "fresh", which is a great idea, and for round 1 contained a couple of off camber sections, one of which caught nearly everyone out on their first recce laps... a zig zag up the hill, which made it feel like a bumpy grassy Alp, wooded track at the top, a descent and a little pool of mud, which grew more and more interesting as the race progressed.

P came with me to swanny, as usual, but also took his cross bike and rode the recce laps with me, which he really enjoyed.

P and I on the recce - Picture courtesy of Alastair Jarman

The usual milling about and saying "hi" to friends from the winter Wessex League CX scene followed then we were called to the start.

As usual, I gridded towards the rear and started with my usual pace (not quite fast enough) and, as usual, got caught behind someone having a "moment" on lap 1, in this case it was someone not quite getting the sneaky off camber section right and holding up those behind. After which I got into as close to a rhythm as pandas get... not far ahead of me was another woman, in black and on a white BMC,

She was quicker than me on lap one, but on the second lap, I managed to close her down on the climb.. I am still surprised that the courses with climbs tend to be the ones where I make up ground. Hills and I don't get on... She repassed me on the flat after the start/finish and then I passed her again on the long, zig-zaggy ramp.

OK, so not QUITE Alpe D'Huez, I know - Picture courtesy of Alastair Jarman

The climb gets steeper and the last hairpin would apparently get steeper and steeper as the race went on.... my first few laps were pretty consistent...and I was just stretching my lead on the other woman (Charlotte Kelly, as it transpires) on each climb and she was pegging me back on the descent and flat. The seniors and fast men were lapping us, but our "race within a race" was really motivating for me. as the laps added up , we slowed slightly with each lap, each time I pushed on the climb and each time, Charlotte made some of it back on the descent and mud splash (though I did hear her swear as we went through on the third or fourth lap as it was getting deeper and slicker and it sounded like she almost didn't make the sharp turn after it... in fact, several of the men managed to come off at some point going through there...I had a "moment" a couple of laps later too)...

Coming through there on the seventh lap, P ran over and shouted "finish this lap" .... I had a few seconds on Charlotte, but knew she was closer than ever, so sprinted out of the last corner as if I was actually a racing cyclist and crossed the line 5 seconds ahead... it was brilliant having such a close competitor all race, I don't think we were ever more than 10 seconds apart.. and great to thank her afterwards for such close racing...

The results show that there were 5 women racing, of which, I finished 3rd overall.. and there were three veteran women racing... of which, I finished first.... I'm quite chuffed about that.. even though it was a limited field and not a league race... it's still my best ever result..

The Major (Major P) ran faultlessly throughout, I ran on the Challenge Chicanes which I've been training on and they have coped brilliantly in a really wide mix of conditions...

So... thanks to everyone involved for organising, taking pictures and racing...

The official (and rather funky interactive) results are here

And I'll finish with one of the few race photos where I don't look like I am dazed, bemused or breathing though some orifice other than my mouth !

Lap 1 with Chris Burch (who took the Thruxton race pics) - picture courtesy of Alastair Jarman

And I'll be back soon for 2) and 3)

Ride Safe
Panda

Project Jake 2 - Brief Update

Just a quick update after posting the entry yesterday:

Almost as soon as I'd hit "publish" on the entry yesterday, the door went and the postman handed me the FSA seatpost that I'd ordered the day before. This morning the stem arrived, so... the obvious thing to do was get them on the New Major(tm) and stick one of my sets of wheels in to see how things look.

He's already starting to look good...

For the moment, I'm matching the majority of the components with the current bike, over time, I will probably update and improve on these too.

In the interest of avoiding confusion, I've been thinking about differentiating the two Majors so...

From now on they will be referred to as:

Major P (Purple accents on 2012 Major Jake) and
Major B (Blue accents on the 2013 Major Jake)

Which should avoid confusion although it does sound a bit like Captain Scarlet :)

Panda

A New Project - Major Jake 2

Some time ago I wondered "out loud" on twitter about sourcing a spare bike for the next cross season. Ideally I was hoping to find another 2012 Kona Major Jake to partner The Existing Major. The problem with that idea, is, if you remember, that I got that bike at a reduced price due to it being the last in stock... rethink!!!

I then received a message from Helen Wyman saying that she might have one of her old frames available at the end of the season when they have a clear out.

Cut to a few weeks ago and Helen let me know that she did indeed have a 2013 Major Jake frame if I still wanted it. A very brief exchange of DMs ending with "well, that was easy" and the deal was done. Helen said she'd chucked a "few goodies" in with the frame when she posted it.

The plan is to build it up with :
FSA chainset, seatpost, bars and stem,
Shimano Ultegra (10s) shifters and mechs,
Avid Shorty Ultimate cantilever brakes. (all as per the current Major)
And using one of my existing set of CX wheels running Challenge Open Tubulars,


A note regarding sizing, the existing Major is a 59cm frame, though I am right at the bottom of the size range for that and had been considering going for a 56cm frame for the new one regardless of from where it was sourced. So they will look a slightly different next to each other.

The frame arrived yesterday and true to her word, Helen had chucked a few things in there. Primarily a set of TRP EuroX Magnessium brakes (definitely NOT standard fit equipment) and a Selle Italia SL saddle which is, in Helen's words "not the most comfortable but it just matches so perfectly ha ha" (it does).

2013 Major Jake Frame - Slightly Used

TRP EuroX Magnesium Brakes

One previous, careful, lady owner, only ridden at weekends*

The SL Saddle which matches really well.

My plan is to get the bike built up over the next month or so as I get the remaining parts, and to document it here.

I'm definitely leaving Helen's name on the frame, although, as I will be racing this Major, I need to work out where to put my name decals on there too (if that's not too presumptuous)

And Helen did include the following message in with the frame:

I definitely cannot guarantee the winning but I CAN guarantee the second part, I'm very privileged to have access to the bike and will be proud to race him come the new CX season.

Thank you, Helen.

*OK, when I tweeted the "one careful lady owner" comment, I did get some amused replies... Helen followed up with "It was one of 3 so could easily have been one not crashed! Equally it could have won Koppenberg too #winning"

-----

Coming Soon:

A proper update on my work situation.
An initial review of the SportCrafters Omnium Trainer (with a follow up later in the year).
A few other reviews and hopefully a brief report from stages 1 and 2 of the inaugural Friends Life Women's Tour

Panda
x

The only constant is change

Lots to report in the coming weeks.

Training , Some kit reviews, work news......

stuff....

Be back soon.

Great news for Women's Cyclocross

Now, I'm obviously biased when it comes to my favorite parts of cycle sport, and cyclocross has really moved up there in the last 2 years for me.

As I am, now, a semi regular racer in the discipline, I feel more and more enthused by what I'm seeing at the top and the grass roots of the sport (pun intended)

I'm also a fan, I love to watch the races either streamed from the UCI you tube channel or chasing streams from European broadcasters such as Vier and Sporza. It is great that the UCI World Cup races have the women's race streamed live in it's entirety. This alone is a big step forward in the promotion of women's CX and as it's also the playground of one Marianne Vos, arguably the greatest all round cyclist ever, male OR female, it's a great shop window for the sport. But it's not just about Vos, there is a strong field with riders from the US, the UK and continental Europe. We are seeing great performances from Katie Compton in the World Cup, Eva Lechner getting better and better, leading to second place in the world championships in Hoogerheide, and, with a bit of patriotic glee, the fact that the GB girls, primarily Helen Wyman, Nikki Harris and Gabby Day, are so good that we are the top ranked nation in the world for Women's CX.

All of this is great, even remembering that Helen and Nikki are two of this countries best sportswomen of which the majority of the population have never heard.

It can be better.... and it's getting better.

There are still things that could be so much better. The scheduling of the elite women's races, the treatment of the women's field at some races (no space for parking with the men, etc) and prize fund inequality being some of the key areas.

To this end, it was great to hear in November that the new UCI president, Brian Cookson, had followed up on his promise to include women on each main UCI commission and had appointed Helen Wyman to the CX commision. This is not to say that the commission was not already moving forward. Amongst the members is Geoff Proctor from the US who is instrumental in things like the Euro Cross Camp each year, where young riders, both male and female, are brought across from the US to gain valuable experience in european races during the busiest part of the CX calendar. This is great for the development of young women in the US cross scene.

It is worth noting that the US cross scene is leading the way in many of the areas already mentioned. Equal prize funds and treatment are already commonplace. CX may have it's history in Europe, but the Americans are really showing us a lot of the future of the sport.

It was great to hear Corey Green talking to my friend, Scott Dedenbach, on a recent Bike Shop Show podcast about the fact that the 3rd day of the Cincy3 day CX event next season would be the first "Americas" Continental championship, but for me, the news that they were planning a separate race for the U23 women was the most notable step.

But the final, and most important piece of news in the last week was the, much teased, announcement from Helen Wyman that the iconic KoppenbergCross event , a part of the Bpost Bank Trofee series, is going to have an equal prize fund for both the men's and women's races for the first time at a C1 european CX event. This is massive, and yes, I know it means we are lagging behind the 'mericans. But it shows we are catching up and it's NOT a "top down" thing. this came about with racers and organisers and sponsers simply talking about what could be done. and in the light of recent comments from some quarters of Belgian CX and the SuperPrestige series still refusing to actually have a final classification for the women, it's HUGE that this is a Belgian race, and an iconic one at that.

The full announcement is here on Helen's website. It is worth noting that the title sponsor of the new format event, Twenty20 cycling is a small US business with a couple of bike shops in Baltimore and Columbia,MD but with the commitment of Kris Auer in supporting local CX in Maryland and now sponsoring a Belgian race, it is clear that, once again, we can learn a lot about how CX CAN be from the Americans.

Helen has also given a great interview to Sarah Connolly from Podium Cafe on the background and significance of this announcement and her part in making this happen.

Click through to all the links in this, please, go and read all of the articles, listen to the podcast, support the people who are making the sport a better place for the women that are coming into the sport now. One of the things that I love about MY racing, is the junior and U23 women who I regularly race against, coming out week after week and giving their all in races in all weathers.... I'm a Veteran.. I'm just enjoying myself and my racing, but these girls are the future of the sport, and it is looking like a better and better future.

Postscript:
I also just want to thank Helen Wyman directly. When the announcement was being teased, Helen and Stef Wyman put the word out to podcasters, bloggers, journos, etc to pass details to get the news at the first opportunity. I asked lightly if my little blog counted and got the following response:

Helen Wyman ‏@CXHelen Feb 18

@swordpanda It counts. You counts. Its all important in my eyes. In many ways you are more important than the biggest sites.

This level of care about, and engagement with, the fans of the sport is just one reason why I'm confident about the future of women's CX and, with Stef Wyman and the Matrix Vulpine team, the future of women's cycle sport in general is in great, great hands.

The Planned Plan Update

A fair amount has happened since last we spoke about work.

Holdsworth Cycles has closed it's doors for the last time, and I've moved on. Thankfully, I had already negotiated a new role before the closure announcement so, for those of you who haven't added 2 and 2 together, I'm now working full time as the lead instructor at Cycle Systems Academy. I started in October and have been very busy since. I'm in the middle of teaching my second Level 2 course and have co-led a Level 3 course last year. We also took 6 weeks out to work on a photoshoot to support the new tutorials that we are planning to go online. The pictures, taken by Richard Olivier  are really rather impressive, and it was a pleasure to have some creative input on the shoot. We seemed to work pretty well together.. A tiny bit of Richard's talent must have rubbed off as I spent a bit of time over the Christmas break playing with my own DSLR.. the results follow...( I know, you've seen a couple of these before)

 

I'm enjoying teaching and getting really good feedback from the students so far. There are more tutorial ideas planned in future and I think it's a really interesting time to be a full time part of the CSA family. Sean Lally (boss) and John Galloway are relaunching the Velocast Tech podcast in Feb as the "Cycle Systems Academy" podcast, with the first one being a discussion about Sean's visit to Mallorca to see the Team Sky training camp. (It's worth a look back at the @cyclesystemsAC twitter feed to see his pictures) .

I was also invited to do a spot at a Women's evening at the Specialized Concept Store in Ruislip, the guys at the shop were great, the evening was a success and I really enjoyed chatting to women of all cycling experience levels that night. It would be nice to do this again. Thanks to Paul and the team at the store for a great night.

I'm waiting to see if I am doing any formal support slots for riders this year, but I'm keen to keep doing this and, if nothing else, P is talking about us doing another "bigger" ride. So, I'll be crew for that (and rider)

The Cross season is over for me now, but I'm still getting out on the CX bike most weekends and working on my skills. I have a long way to go.. but I'm enjoying the ride. As you can see in the pictures above, I've fitted both the Major and P's CX bikes with Challenge Grifo Open Tubular tyres. The first mud tests were very promising and I am really impressed with them so far..more to follow.

I'm hoping to be slightly more timely with blog updates (no promises) and I'm also hoping to get some more items recorded for the Bike Shop Show podcast too.

I'm busy, it's mostly about the bikes, and this is a good thing..

Panda

Races 3 and 4 - my CX adventure continues (SEASON REPORT)

I am way behind on updating you all on a few things, so let us start with my continuing adventures in cyclocross

====================

My 3rd race in the Wessex League was the North Hants Club CX at Basingstoke on the 27th October. It was cold and windy but the rain had held off. The circuit itself has a few distinct sections. the start and finish are around the playing fields and "clubhouse" thing in a park, this loops around and then through half of the BMX park (note to self, need to work on pump track training) and then into the woods behind to loop all the way around. The park section- wet grass, BMX track... hardpack with mud at corners and the woods... mostly very wet,slippy mud.

On my 1st recce lap, I was doing OK working out the lines etc until I came to the main obstacle. At the back of the playing field is a big bank, we ride along the top of it... to get there, we ride straight up it and the "ride up" is not even.. lots of chunks out of it. As this was a recce, I could pick my line, attacked into the bottom, got within about a foot of the top and lost speed. As my weight shifted, the front wheel lifted and... Sky/ground/sky/ground/sky/ground/Thud.. All the way back to the bottom, still with my right foot clipped in.. I was a little shaken, but actually, surprisingly OK. I checked the Major out and we resolved that, in the race, we'd run that bit.

I did one more, faster, recce as a warm up (running the hill) and it was time for the off. I got my customary start (not particularly quick) but made up a few spots with good line choices through the switchbacks in the "orchard".. This put me well placed amongst the girls with whom I usually race. The race itself wasn't great.. on the run back from the "start line" we were into the wind and I just didn't have the power. I was also pretty tentative on the wet mud and a couple of off camber drops. I had a good phase in the middle racing directly with one of the Cotswold Veldrijden girls but after a while, couldn't hold her wheel and dropped back. On the second to last lap things were "enlivened" by finding a 5 yr old kid standing mid track as I entered the BMX park section (I may have shouted VERY loudly at this point) and on the last lap, I decided to see if I could "get air" on the first lump in the BMX track (achievement unlocked) .. other than that.. not a great day out, I felt that I got slower and slower. Final position (after a bit of a kerfuffle with results) was 11th out of the 12 women riding. (Season so far 7th, 11th, 11th)

This race also saw the enacting of a pact with a Twitter friend of mine @AccidentoBizarro who is in her 2nd CX season, that we would heckle each other as we were both racing at the same time (at two completely separate venues).. I have started shouting "COME ON AB" in other races/training rides since... pointless really, but it seems to help..

and onwards (I'd put the kettle on and grab a cuppa about now) to my last race of 2013 (and my CX season) at Thruxton on the 24th November.

A grassy hill on the side of the race circuit... a veritable maze of yellow and black tape with switchbacks a plenty and up and down and up and down the bank...  a recce ride showed that there was basically about 20 seconds of "recovery" along the top bank in the whole lap... lots of slippy and steep little climbs and some seriously off camber bits. Oh, and a lot of climbs came after switchbacks to kill any speed..

On the whole, I wasn't mad on the course, but it was sheltered, and dry and the surface wasn't too bad.

Just before the race, I met up with another Twitter chum chap, @ChrisBurch but only just enough to say HI and then dash off to the finish, he takes photographs (Foreshadowing)

At the start the commisaires delighted in gridding almost the entire field so I was even closer to the back than usual (saves time) and off we set... full gas.. downhill... max HR... push... up the other side... pushing... switchback...down, up... damn... legs got nothing.. slowing... argh... *looks down*... *notices that stupid panda may have forgot to change OUT of the big ring after the start* .. *changes down* ...and off we go again...ooops... this cost me a few places...but when I got going, I actually had some speed.. I chased down the first women ahead and got past her on a descent (I'd followed one of the seniors down this in the recce and learned where he was braking..it was MUCH later than I would normally, but damn, did it help) and set about the next girl up the circuit..caught and passed her and pushed on  ("COME ON AB"). other than a few slips on the off camber bits and having to run a few of the "ups" as the grass cut up, I was actually going quite quickly (for me) I crossed the line on the bell lap and P shouted a gap to the next rider, a chap , up ahead... 20 seconds... I closed this in a third of the lap, sat behind then passed him, only to get balked unintentionally on one of the final ramps and he edged away, but I think I'd basically used up everything by this point and could not eat into the gap again... It was only as I got close to the finish that I realised that I hadn't been lapped by any of the women yet... and...then the lead woman rider swept past to lap me... as did 2nd place but only as we were crossing the line (I even pulled out a half decent sprint).. That race actually *whispers* felt good !!! Final position....... 6th ! my best result yet , and my strongest race (with no mechanical issues and I didn't even fall over on the recce)

There might be something in this CX lark....

Oh, and in case you needed proof... here are a few of Chris's photos from the day (thanks, Chris)

A Panda, racing (and almost looking like she knows how)

The barriers, Yes, I run them, No , I don't bunny hop (would end badly)

Action shot... (note how short straight bit is since previous corner)

Bell Lap - Eyes on the target ahead (Note: Niels Albert style zip position)

Oh, and the Major? he's brilliant.. it IS all about the bike, y'know... that bike is waaay better at CX than I am.. so much so, I've bought him some Challenge Grifos for Christmas. Well he HAS been good.

I took these yesterday, I rather like them

Final Season Report  -  4 races , no DNFs , results 7th, 11th, 11th, 6th...

I'm quite proud of that for my first "season" of CX

Panda Note:
I didn't affiliate to the league, had I done so and scored points accordingly, I've just looked at the British Cycling national rankings... and it would have placed me joint 117th in the country..... which is only 116 places behind 7 times British Champion and reigning double European champion, the brilliant, Helen Wyman.

So that's not too shabby really.

MORE TO COME... (yes, I know I was going to tell you about my job, but your tea has gone cold...off you go)