Central Cyclo-Cross League - Hillingdon Sun 15th Dec 2013

 return to the Hillingdon Circuit for the penultimate round of the Central Cyclocross League.   With the last visit to this venue raced in unseasonably hot weather earlier in the season, the outlook this time was decidedly more foreboding with dark skies and a biting wind.    The course had taken a battering already and had cut up as if the 4th Hussars had been on maneuvers.  There was plenty of off-camber naughtiness, with lots of short-sharp up-and-over twisting type riding leading to some tricky ‘shall-I-run-this-or-ride-it‘ selections    By the end the course had been so sliced up it looked less like a setting for a bike race and more like agricultural preparation for a mass planting of winter cabbage.

Bryan Holland, Dave Kiely and John McDowall lined up in the Vets +40  race and where all gridded side by side on row two.  Hanna Ormesher was off just after the men in the Women’s race with David Vaughan racing the hour long Senior race.

All three of the North Road vets  lined up together on the second row. A little slow off the line, Bryan saw gaps open up in front of him in the road start and pushed on while the tarmac allowed. passing John and Dave and taking the corner onto the grass in about  sixth place. Bryan's plan to miss the bottlenecks on the first lap but to race his own race and not go to fast after the initial sprint was working as he could see others stuck on the muddy hilly turns behind him and this week he was managing to control the speed and not push to hard too soon. 

Through the second lap a battle commenced with another rider (who usually passes Bryan in the second half of the race). As usual in cross, gaps were created and bridged, mistakes made, different sections favouring one of the other. This time though Bryan was holding is own and in lap three after a fall from the other rider he pushed past and put an extra effort in an attempt to break the elastic. it worked and the gap stuck. With the bell ringing Bryan entered the last lap chasing a Vet+50 rider. While catching up on the road section, he dropped back through the rest of the course. With a small road sprint at the final corner available, Bryan pushed on the last section of mud to get the wheel of the rider and duly got the advantage across the line, which was a fitting close to what felt like his best race of the season. This proved to be correct  with his first top ten (er...inclusive!) finish in his category.

Bryan, Dave and John finished in 14th, 24th and 29th in the combined Vets/Juniors/Women results (race times of 46.02, 47.29 and 48.59 respectively) This was 10th, 13th and 17th in the Vets +40 category won by Roy Chamberlin in 41.47

Hannah got a good start off the first row of the grid and was leading the race on the tarmac into what she thought was the first corner. However, the organisers had amended the start of the course to avoid a pinch point which wasn't clear on the recce lap and so Hannah hit the brakes in confusion as her competitors carried on past her.  This put her into about fifth position into the grassy section of the course but these places were quickly regained on the slippy cambers as she found grip on the green grass where others were riding on the brown mud. Hannah led the race for a lap (they were long laps) before being passed and held second position for the following 2 laps before being passed by another rider. 

Hannah felt like she was tiring during the race which her lap times confirmed as the course conditions deteriorated and was grateful when the chequered flag appeared as she, like John, suffered from a bad back in the race. The short sharp hills taking their toll, her fourth and final lap was spent getting round as best she could and trying to preserve her podium position. Crossing the line in third Hannah was pleased with the result despite being a bit disappointed at having slipped down from first. 

Hannah came 35th overall in 50.24, and was third women home.

The last race of the day was the seniors race and David Vaughan rode under North Road colours on what was a thoroughly 'prepared' course. He got a good start off the first row of the grid but a couple of first lap slip n slides saw him lose a few positions. The seniors race is however a long game. The regular North Road team stuck around after their race to cheer Dave on, favouring the trickiest parts of the course to offer their support. We watched Dave make his way steadily up the field seemingly gaining places  on each lap. On the penultimate lap he was engaged in a battle for fifth place with a rider he was reeling in. A game of cat-and-mouse ensued, whilst up ahead the second place rider had rolled a tub, meaning the field behind him jumped up a place.  In the closing stages of his sixth and final lap David put some time into his competitor and established a healthy enough lead to secure his position and take a well earned fourth place in 1-03.33 (+2.24 down on the winner)