Hogg Hill Cyclocross - 22/23 September 2012

 Hogg Hill Cyclocross - 22/23 September 2012

This weekend's cycle cross was a bit depleted with only 3 riders in 3 different races. Steve James did the Eastern League V45+ event at Hogg Hill on Saturday. He did it nursing the mother of all man flu bugs which provided a convenient excuse for an indifferent performance. Pre-race nutrition was a couple of Boots max strength flu tabs. The course was totally different to last year and the longest straight bit was about 30 meters. There was the "spiral of doom" affair on in the infield opposite the clubhouse which goes on forever and then some more going round in circles before a couple of (high) hurdles on an up slope before you finally get on to some more interesting bits down near the lower RR circuit which was quite good fun. A couple of very short near vertical climbs and descents provided the entertainment highlights and good overtaking opportunities. Steve started from the dizzy heights of the 2nd row and did OK for a couple of laps before he began to fade and eventually rolled in 22nd from 49 starters and 4:53 behind the winner Dave McMullen of Team GWR, the sprightly sexagenarian taking his 3rd win from 3 starts this season.

Bryan Holland rode the later race at Hogg Hill for the V40+ and Seniors. A more manly affair of 60 minutes compared to 40 for the older chaps. Bryan clearly had his eyes on his London Triathlon assault the next day so was using this as merely as a mild warm up. He again lined up in the third row of the grid and after going backwards initially worked his way back through the aforementioned spiral and settled in to a relatively quiet race, taking station near the middle of the pack.
Bryan finished 40th from 73 starters but there was 8 DNFs, a high figure for a cross race, perhaps reflecting how tough this course was. He was a lap and 2:20 behind the winner, Matt Webber of London Phoenix who won by 30 seconds.
Dave Kiely did Hogg Hill on the Sunday, same course - different federation. London League rules applying to this one and Dave had to man up and do a full hour to play in this company. Saturday's race was run in sunny dry conditions but Sunday brought heavy rain, wind and leaden skies and had made the course quite treacherous. Dave was a bit apprehensive as during the practice laps quite a few people come a cropper.


Ungridded DK made no rush to fight his way to the front during the initial crowded lap, except where he made a several spaces up by running around a few riders queing patiently to go around a slippy as hell off-camber corner. After that it went concentrate - concentrate- pedal really hard - concentrate some more- try not to fall off - for an hour. By the end, the course was really rutted and slippy and the concentration factor increased as inversely the pedaling really hard decreased. One rear wheel slide out with bike downing where Dave stayed on his feet, and one proper head over hells commando roll were par for the course with most other riders, just a normal day out for Dave. Decanted to a position somewhere in the lower orders, but all that concentrating made the hour seem less than some of the 40 minute races said Dave. General verdict: Great course. Well done Lea Valley!

Final mention again goes to Joe Kiely who podiumed in the Under 10s, taking 3rd place. Fantastic result for our young Sven Nys in the making. Dave was a very proud dad indeed.