Milton Keynes World Cup weekend: A cxmagazine.com Racing
Team special
Well at last we’re here at a Cyclo-Cross World Cup in the UK
and more specifically MK. We were one of the first to arrive to get our Junior
club-mate Dylan Flesher (Harrogate Nova) signed on and ready for his race in the morning, ahead
of Sven, Nikki, Helen, Kevin, Sanne and the rest of the World Cup racers in the
afternoon. What a sight greeted us, not unlike our experience of visiting
Hoogerheide last year! It was massive: Trucks, TV, overhead gantry, dual language
commentary (American and English), basically the works. And as Dylan was about
to find out, a super technical world class course, not for the feint hearted.
As we mere mortals were not allowed on the course there was nothing I could say
to advise our youngster, he just needed to go out there and do it. Clearly the
first off camber mud/grass drop-off at the end of the tarmac the start straight
was critical, and it proved decisive in every race. It was also clear that
pitting and bike changing were also going to be decisive, as the mud was of the
“I’m gonna clog your bike” variety. Edwyn joined me in the pits to take care of
bike cleaning and having two of us made the job swift, but still challenging,
and by the end of the race we were spent and a highly credible 30th
place shows what a talent Dylan is.
Then we cleaned the bikes and headed back to the van, parked
up next to a Belgian motor home which turned out to be HQ for USA legend
Jonathan Page, who had an excellent weekend both in the World Cup (14th)
and the following days National Trophy (3rd). His Belgian mechanic
gave me the low down on tyres and pressures (low and down).
So now it was time to enjoy the show. We wandered around
among the Telenet, Sunweb, Crelan motorhomes and warm up zones. What a great
day: the whole UK ‘cross community seemed to be there, plus some overseas pals
like Angus Edmond the one-man marketing machine for Malteni beer, a top guy and
great rider (that’s gotta be worth a slab?), all making for a non-stop social.
First up was the women’s race. My money went on Sanne Cant
which was maybe a bit un-patriotic but there was an overpriced beer riding on
it. What a race, the lead changing so many times on the last lap and it seemed
certain Katie Compton would win when she arrived on the tarmac first
(foreshadowing #1, #2 and #3).
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| photo: Ian Davidson CXNE |
Then it was the men and again my cash went
double or nothing on the cool ruler himself Kevin Pauwels. Finally we saw how
he does it, on lap 3 as he drives along the finishing straight the glasses
coolly come off and are pegged onto the helmet. All riders note: this is KP
saying he doesn’t need to keep the mud spray out of his eyes anymore. Another
close sprint (foreshadowing #1) but KP kept his cool and took the win, and
behind him our own Ian Field pulled out a fantastic 12th spot, just
beating our new neighbour Jonathan. Day 1 complete, onto Day 2.
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| KP - The Cool Ruler photo: Phil Ingham |
Day 2: National Trophy (on the World Cup course)
Once again we were almost first on scene as my race was top
of the schedule, and we got parked next to the finish, more or less less where
the oversize Crelan motor home was the day before. Bikes out and pressures set
as per the Belgian instructions. Today was also about testing out the new
Vittoria Cross XL 33mm tubulars, so I took my Scott CX Addict out for a
practice lap with the new tyres on. First up was the off camber drop off. It
seemed there is no tyre yet made that could cope with this terrain and the race
organisers quickly set about a course change to take the now un-ridedable and
un-walkable section out for safety reasons. I love serious technical
challenges, but here the race organisers got it spot on.
So onto the rest of the World Cup lap and one thing was
obvious: bike changes were going to be decisive. I rode round the rest of the
course, doubling back just to check sight lines into the pits. Then onto the
now super greasy amphitheatre rises. I figured if Kevin wasn’t riding the
corners I didn’t have to but with the Vittoria’s I was easily able to ride up
with grip to spare it seemed. They were hooking up nicely. Another decision
made. We had also decided to use the on-site jet washers but they had dried up
(literally run out of water) and there was no more to be found. So it was plan
B: our own petrol versions and the water we’d brought from home, with extra
top-ups from the nearby pond, all masterfully organised by the DS: Steve,
Heather and Dave & Sally Morris. (But BC please note: No water at a
National Trophy, again!).
At the start and a decent gridding for me, but still
two-thirds down the field so carnage ahead was likely and so it proved. Riders
were falling in places I couldn’t imagine it was possible to fall, as well as
those I could. It was a warning that conditions were testing. Past the first
pit and onto the second pit, still on the first lap and bike swap #1 completed.
Then the two running climbs, but with a clean bike on my shoulder I was in an
advantageous position.
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| Clean bike on the shoulder. Photo: Andy Whitehouse |
Three climbs meant three greasy descents, but all managed
with minimal slides, then onto the amphitheatre to show Kevin how to ride it
(in slow motion). Up the stairs and lap #1 complete. The course was so thick
with mud in places that rides became runs but I stuck with the one-lap bike
swaps and it proved good. I’d promised the DS I would stop grabbing the fenceposts
on the 180 degree corners due to an incident in practice at Durham resulting in
a new rear shifter, but in the race I just couldn’t resist it, and I made up
time too.
The two drops over the footpaths were catching a lot of
riders out and finally it caught me too on the last lap and I came crashing
down helmet first. After a moment of stunned hesitation, I confirmed to the
marshal I was OK (I had no idea if I was) and back I went to finish my race.
Then my moment of stupidity or whatever (foreshadowing #2). I got onto the
tarmac, looked behind and had a decent gap to the next rider. But not wanting
to take anything for granted I set to until I thought I’d done enough. Another
glance round and I got a shock, the rider behind was coming full bore and without
enough tarmac left he got past me. Schoolboy error after 40 odd mins of getting
everything mostly right. I should know better. I hope Kevin wasn’t watching.
But overall a hugely enjoyable race and once again the support from the
side-lines was tremendous too. I tried to glance up to see who everyone was,
and thank all of you.
Next up for our team (and family) was the women’s race. With
a few of the big guns staying on for this race including, on the start sheet,
Katherine Compton this was going to be interesting for our riders Sarah and
Joanna. Also going today was my wife Alison and conditions were so tricky I set
up both her bikes with my best tubs, a dangerous precedent. As usual by now there
was another great start by Sarah with Joanna not far behind. Our view of the
race was from the pits and we were next to KC’s pit crew holding three
sparkling Treks with pink FMBs.
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| Sarah drives through the mud, photo: Richard Bennet |
With our three riders on the course the bikes were coming in
thick and fast, thick with mud and needed cleaning fast. No problem for the DS:
we managed to get most bikes back out on the short side of the lap (which was
very short) and with Dylan acting as spotter, all our riders knew when their
bike was ready. Not much more we could do to help, out on the course it was up
to them. Sarah’s race was packed with thrills and a lot of spills while Joanna
was in full on chase mode as she closed the gap, drafted, caught and passed
Claire Beaumont (Vicious Velo) only for her to rip her rear mech off as she hit
the tarmac finish (foreshadowing #3). Seriously bad luck, but that’s ‘cross.
Final result: winner Katherine Compton
Trek Factory Racing Team, 14th Sarah Murray www.cxmagazine.com and 20th
Joanna Rycroft www.cxmagazine.com with
both our riders comfortably surviving the dreaded 80% cut-off rule. Alison also
survived the race but not the cut-off, getting in three laps to Katie’s five.
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Joanna and Claire Beaumont, photo: Andy Whitehouse
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Final race of the day and I was able to mainly watch as Dave
Morris (Harrogate Nova), Angus Edmond (Malteni) (now 2 slabs?) and Simon
Maudsley (Team Vertex) were all given the cxmagazine.com Racing Team red-carpet,
pond-water bike wash treatment. It was a cruel race with Marcel Wildhaber,
David van der Poel and that man Jonathan Page again culling riders from the
large Senior field. Ian Field placed behind these three in fourth spot. Overall
a great weekend of top class cyclo-cross racing and there’s much more for the
team to look forward to with Bradford, Derby and Ripley Castle Cyclo Cross all
coming up.
Well that just about wraps it up, but if you’ve got this far
you probably are interested in comments of the new Vittoria Cross XL 33mm tubulars. I had FMB Super Muds (same as Katie Compton, mine were not pink
though) on the other bike so tough competition in any test. In the heat of the
race I can’t say I noticed a great deal of difference between the two, both
tyres squirmed on the tarmac at super low pressure and hooked up in the mud on
the greasy corners, cambers and chutes suggesting that the Vittoria offering is
a great tubular for these kinds of conditions. I’m greatly looking forward to
more testing next weekend in South Shields.
Finally, if you’ve noticed that this blog is occasionally quite readable, it’s generally due to the brilliant advice I get from a real
writers like Phil Ingham and Andrew Yee and if you want to read some of their work you’d do
well to get your computer onto the free issue of Cyclocross Magazine which
contains a full article about the MK race bid and other top CX stuff. Go to www.cxmagazine.com/ukfree
