Central CX League - Standalone Farm, Sun 18th January 2015

Written by John McDowall 

The last round of the Central Cross League on a bitter and cold day was at a new venue, Standalone Farm, Hitchin.  The general consensus was that the layout was ‘bleak’ with a flat farmers field with no features other than the relentless hellish slog of it all.  However, an outstanding set of results from the North Road riders made the best of it.

First off, and in a switch from usual, was the Vets 40-49 race.  Bryan Holland was heroically flying the NR flag with some more bullish riding as he bossed his way round the course like a Spanish bull lining up porky tourists in Pamplona.  A final battle with one of the top league dogs  pleasingly went our mans way for his best result of the season.

John McDowall’s race was a non-event with his starting sprint completely negated by  his chosen starting position on the grid coinciding with a bottomless mud quciksand  pit last seen in a Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan film .  This led to the longest timed three meter sprint in cycling history.  From there, incredibly, things got worse.  Some slapdash work led to his rear tub deflating too completely flat with two hellish laps of toll going backwards through the field not quite comprehending what was happening.    He packed, possibly the only sensible thing he did that day.

Steve James was racing in the Vets plus 50 on a recently overhauled bike with some freshly glued on Dugast Rhinos, the connoisseurs choice of mud tire. Surprisingly grided on the front row he took full advantage of that and got a great start unexpectedly finding himself leading the race.  He held onto the lead until just before the start of lap two.   He continued to ride strongly, only blotting his copy book by careering through the course tape to take out a marshall with his back to the course.  Steve reports that he ‘didn’t fell him’ and probably ‘just winded him.‘  At the finish, with a bike barely recognizable under the mud, Steve had achieved his best ever CX result with a podium placing third.

A  truly well ploughed course greeted the seniors race for Matt ‘Van Der’ Crees and Paul McGrath.    Paul McGrath started very strongly but at half distance his legs felt empty and he started to lose places.  A coming together with another rider caused a dead leg and a damaged skinsuit but he was happy with the result beating some notable riders on a testing and muddy course without the advantage enjoyed by the top guns of a spare, mud free, pit bike.

Matt was picking his way steadily through the field, pushing a low cadence and big gear to get some traction and displaying a willingness to run where others tried to ride. With two laps to go Matt was lapping riders without getting lapped himself but started to suffer from a bike which had gained a significant extra couple of Kgs of mud.   Matt held on to get the bell without being lapped by a strong field, and kept position on a largely parade final lap. 

Third place and on the podium for Steve in the Vets +50.  Bryan Holland best placing CX result for sixth in the Vets 40-49 with Paul McGrath also sixth in the Seniors race.  Matt’s highest placing on a season long upwards curve in 22nd completed a terrific set of results for the North Roaders.