Central Cyclocross League - Icknield Sun 18th November 2012

With the rest of the North Road Cylocross Gang headed to wilds of North Norfolk, I took the slightly shorter option of a spin up the A1 towards Bedford and round six of the 2012/13 Central Cyclocross League season, this edition hosted at Icknield High School. It was also round six of my CX career to date.

 

Conditions were considerably sunnier and drier than last week's foray to Grafham Water, although mid-week rain had softened up the terrain to give meaning and twist to the many negative cambers strung around the course. At approximately 3 km in length, it felt the longest I'd ridden. Or rather, perhaps, it was the longest for the square footage of ground on which it ran. The hosts, Icknield Road Club, had done a superb job in their construction. Tens of man hours must have gone in, twisting tape up and down the school fields' length, using every inch of space to maximum effect. The show didn't stop there. Live commentary was relayed around the ground of the course. Catering was top notch. There were even warm up bikes in the gym and chocolate cake to die for at the end.

 

I began my induction of the course on what was to be its Belcher’s Brook. Teetering on the edge, my first sight was that of a rider being picked up off the floor having failed to "make the jump". Just like the real thing, what was tricky wasn't so much what lay directly in front of you. It was what lay behind. The Brook, in fact not a fence at all, but rather a steep, downward ramp , required a perilous traversing trajectory across its length if one was to avoid going head first into the dark side: an unforgiving steel wall located two metres from the exit. Build up too much speed and you would surely hit it; go too slowly, and you would surely come a cropper. It took me a few moments to gather my nerves before dropping in. Thankfully I managed to come out of that and subsequent attempts unscathed. Not everyone was so fortunate.

 

Unlike the Eastern Cross League, Central Cross races mix together the seniors, vets, both vets and "elite vets", together with women in one race. I have to say I prefer the format. It gives me some people I can actually beat! Sunday was no exception. As proceedings got underway I took my customary position behind the last of the grid. This time, however, instead of dropping to the back and staying there, I gritted my teeth - quite literally as my lungs threatened to come out through my mouth - and began the steady job of trying to work up the field. I kept this up for the full hour.

 

The course wove its away up into the school playing fields, down through sidings and out behind bike sheds, going full length to the front of the school, seeking out every piece of elevation change there was. There were some truly "brick wall" like ramps to negotiate. The worst of these thankfully was placed such that you hit it full speed with the November sun, low in the sky, aimed right in the eyes. The fact you couldn't really see what you were doing definitely helped calm the nerves. I survived, but not everyone did.

 

I kept this up and while I was inevitable lapped by the eventual winners, perhaps not once, and maybe not even twice, I nevertheless surprised myself with the number of people I did manage to come up upon, and ultimately overtake. In my initial blood-sugar-depleted state of post-race euphoria, I even imagined I might have lapped one or two myself. I'm now not so sure. But what I do know is that I had a great race, thoroughly enjoyed myself and that I continue to fall in love with this genre of cycling. I've ridden thousands of miles on the road, during which I can count the number of times I've fallen off, thankfully, on two digits. With cyclo-cross you can come a cropper at any moment. It's that thrill of being on the edge, of mastering the course, whether you're fast or not, of being scared witless on your recce lap, of what it portents; thrilled when you finish, alive and safe from the experience, endorphins transfused. It is all of these things that combine to make this sport so very enjoyable, and so very addictive.

 

If only I had a little more time… I highly recommend it to anyone who might want to try.

Report by Matt Harris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright: Jackie Perry