The Cyclocross Season has Finally Arrived!!!

After a long waited hiatus, the cyclocross season has finally arrived.

Cyclocross races are well known for being held in cold and wet conditions but somehow today was an exception.  

During the week, New Zealand was hit by one of the worst storms in 40 years with trees, roofs and roads torn up in the Wellington area.

Image from Google of Petone foreshore

Image from Google of Lyall Bay

I was keen to race B grade but went against better judgement and raced A grade.  With four races already held on the course, it was always going to be a matter of survival and keeping the bike moving forward.  A lot / all of the competitors decided running the switch backs was faster than trying to ride.

Not sure on the final number in A grade, maybe 15 - 20 people.  I was extremely happy to only get lapped by Alex Revell (no shame in that) and not come last.

 

Photo taken by Danielle 

Photo taken by Danielle 

  

Photo taken by Danielle 

RACE VIDEO

Here is the information for the following races.

Start times and categories:

D Grade 20 mins plus 1 lap 9:00am

Kids 2 laps 0945am

C Grade 30 mins plus 1 lap 10:15am

B Grade 40 mins plus 1 lap 11:15am

A(lex Revell) Grade 50 mins 12:15pm

Venues:

23 June Harcourt Park

30 June California Park

7 July Moonshine Park

14 July California Park

21 July Moonshine Park

28 July California Park

4 August Moonshine Park

11 August Harcourt Park 

Nothing Wrong With Coming Last....Or Is There?

Even though we are technically still in winter, yesterday's weather was absolutely beautiful, you would be forgiven for thinking it's late spring.   Today was a different story, the low cloud and heavy rain was reminder that it is not spring yet.

I rocked up to the 5th round of the Bike Hutt's Cyclocross Race Series only to find a select few had turned up to race A grade.  As the track was so muddy, I chose not to pre ride the course to ensure my bike would work properly, at least for the first lap.  Mike (the organiser) has a habit throwing in a surprise or two on the start line and this week was no different.  As everyone was lining up guessing what the surprise would be, there was some talk about riding topless; Ken seemed keener on the idea than the rest of us. As we were ready to set off, the starter asked us to all turn around and told us we were going to ride the course in the opposite direction because "the course was getting cut up."  It made no difference to me; I took my position at the back of the bunch and stayed there.  I was duelling it out with Gary (on a 29er mtb with cyclocross tyres) until half a lap to go when my legs finally gave up.  I rolled across the finish line in dead last with a much better understanding of cyclocross racing.

It's nothing like road racing where you can hide in a bunch until the finish line or mountain biking where you can recover on the downhills. It's certainly nothing like triathlon where you save your legs on the bike for the run.  Looking at how the fast people race, I think it's closer to BMX racing on road bikes with mountain bike skills. 

WHAT A FANTASTIC SPORT.  I'll definitely be back next year!!!

Full results here

No video this week as the camera lens cover got a few drops of mud on it.

Thanks to Danielle for the great photos.