well the season is now a few weeks old and i have done one very wet and muddy race already and the prospect of the next two being the same is looking highly likely…great!
my first proper ranking race of the year was the welsh xc series rd1 in south wales.after getting well and truly lost right outside the venue we arrived at the top of a welsh mountain to sideways rain,near freezing temperatures,and a very muddy field.we parked up and reluctantly unpacked the car and quickly made our way to sign-on.we got back to the car wet through and got changed into our kit and headed out to do a practice lap around the very grassy hilly and off-camber course.the lap was short,which to be honest was good as i did not fancy spending ages plodding round trying to get all the lines sorted in my head.
race time came and i left the rather soggy inside if the car and went upto the start line.since my practice there had been the youth,women and vets race and it was obvious the course was ruined…and i had a slick tyre on the rear which was the main talking point of the guys on the grid.the gun went and i struggled with the conditions/tyres right from the word go….i ambled round best i could and got 5th in the elite race with 8 starters….points in the bag,sweet!
will cheaney was also 5th in the youth race after crashing on the first corner and new team member gaz fearn in his first ever race came home mid field in the sport race so well done gaz,they can only get better from here.
the next few weeks see’s the start of my main focus of the year,the midlands xc series(starts 20th march,cannock chase) and the british cross country series(starts 27th march,sherwood pines). reports to follow.
this weekend i start road racing to gain some speed,first race is 5th march at darley moor ashbourne.
