Round 3 Cyclo Cross – Windmill Park, Dungannon

CX Race Report – From a Girl

I’ve spared you the race reports until now. How could I possibly top those from Messrs Kellett and McGuigan? But as I rode round Windmill Park, Dungannon I thought to myself,”this is so class I’ll do a race report”. So here it is, from a female perspective.

Until now, cyclocross racing, for me, has been about staying on the bike and finishing. In a race of three girls, two of whom are consistently faster than me, there isn’t much pressure – just finish without looking like too much of a prat. Until now. This year has seen an increase of up to 100% and more, in some races, in the number of women racing. The first two rounds went well for me, with a podium in each.

This week, I had low expectations. All day Saturday I was loaded with a head cold and knew from the practice laps that I still wasn’t 100%. But I can’t DNS just because I’m feeling a bit under the weather. Rule #5.

The problem with just finishing a race and being at the back of the field is that you don’t really learn much about racing. A combination of the bigger field of women and starting with the B men means that I now have people to race, men and women, but two years of not really having anyone to race and being the Lanterne Rouge hasn’t taught me much about starts. Cyclocross starts are frantic and it’s all about gaining position. I knew this but haven’t had much opportunity to practise it. My start today was dreadful. At the first turn I looked ahead and most of the the other girls were maybe 30 seconds in front of me. Mental blow #1.

I ploughed (literally) on, telling myself that anything can happen, particularly in a cyclocross race. One of the other girls could puncture or rip off a rear mech or be abducted by aliens. So, I kept going. I even ramped it up a notch. Then I fell off and off came my chain. Mental blow #2.

Got back on the bike and carried on but it took a while to get back up to speed as I was being overly cautious after the fall. Then, somehow, I saw a flash of yellow ahead. I’d made up some ground on the excellent young Banbridge rider, Shenna McKiverigan. I passed her on a greasy, rooty climb. I like climbing.

“Phew, at least I’m in a podium place now”, I thought. A couple of folk around the course informed me that I wasn’t far off second, so I needed no more encouragement and put the boot down. Julie came into view on the last grassy section before the timing tent and finish area (by now I think I was on lap 3 or 4). This is where the course went from suiting the mountain bikers (not me) to the true cyclocrossers (me!). The first grassy drag was rideable but it was quicker to just run it. And that’s what I did. Wee bit closer. Then the boards… What I have developed over the last couple of years is ‘cross technique. Many underestimate how important this is. I gained another few vital seconds here.

So I caught 2nd place and sat on her wheel for a bit. Should I just sit there and try to gain seconds on the cyclocross bit of the next lap? Nah! Held back a wee bit and didn’t do anything stupid that could have landed me in a heap in the mud and built up a gap that I was happy I could maintain (as it happens, Julie punctured in the last lap). I crossed the line in second, behind my good friend Gill.

The real point of me writing this isn’t to big up my result but to highlight the difference actually having someone to race makes to my performance. I played cat and mouse with a few of the boys, which was great fun but having other women racing is what gives me that extra push. My improvements this season have been down to a lot of training but also that podium (where there are more than three finishers) shaped carrot dangling in front of me!

One result that does deserve bigging up is that of Barry VanKellett. 5th in the seniors (despite a start as bad as mine), behind a couple of national champs. Well done to all the other DCC riders (sorry, I haven’t seen results yet so I don’t know who finished where), plenty of white jerseys out there today.
Yes, 5th, should be happy with that. Especially as this is only cyclocross, you know, just a bit of fun.

Report from BVK

Couldn’t get clipped in off the start line and was getting muscled and bumped off line by bigger boys. With only one foot in it was tough trying to lean them off. I decided in a flash of mental brilliance to dive towards the inside of the approaching bend and try to cut off anyone else who was playing sneaky buggers up the inside. Needless to say this was the slowest route, I was also already somewhat unbalanced and a bit nose heavy. The back of the bike was coming up and an over the bars was on the cards. Managed to right it but once I actually got going I think I must have been pretty much the last person off the field.

Spent the first two laps trying to pass people which was tough, as taking a passing line was definitely not the line you wished to be riding. Caught up to XMTBs Graham Boyd who i know to be a whizz on this kind of terrain so I thought if I could hang on to him I’d be alright. We broke clear of most of the others, couple of phoenix lads rode into each other making our job easier 😉

Managed to shake Graham off and continue on and up to 5th place. I could see 3rd and 4th ahead at about 30seconds. Which is a lifetime in Cyclocross. But I gave it a go to bridge it back and rode my worst lap, losing time rather than gaining. Consolidated 5th place and just made it to the line without risking being caught.

A podium chance missed but sure, its only for fun. Or something.

Well done Lisa on a brilliant result, Diane Wilson 2nd in the MTB and Alwynne Shannon 3rd. Superb results from the prettier side of Dromara CC. Great results from the young ones too, notably Ben and Kelly wilson both with excellent 2nd places in U12’s

Martin was our sole B race representative after John’s mishap in practise. Great performance and a proper fighting finish pipping Shane Elder on the line with a nice inside move.

Bryce had a good 8th place, so happy making the top 10 and is making big progress it seems, amazing what carbon and 29″ wheels can do. Only a minute and a bit off the top step of the podium now. Gibson Chambers return to open racing was a welcome site. Robert Davison and Mike Barton also doing well in in the MTB.
Well done all.

Also well done to Island Wheelers for putting on a great days racing. Very smooth event. And the results were up in record time!