‘Cross Gets Cold & Muddy!

As Belgian ‘cross superstar Sven Nys was racing to his fiftieth World Cup Cyclo-Cross win on the sand dunes of the iconic Koksijde course in Belgium, local riders were battling snow and mud in the fields of Whiteley Woods, Sheffield.

First up was Louis Mason in the Youth race. A strong start and a solid race, with support from the pit crew saw Louis claim 18th place Under-16 from a field of over 50 riders.

In the Senior event, Dave Morris and Edwyn Oliver-Evans put the pit crew through their paces with bike changes every lap, as furious competition had turned the snowy surface muddy.  Slipping, sliding and running through the final lap, Ed finished as 3rd Under-23 and Dave as 6th Vet-40 – both excellent results.

With the pit crew and riders swapping places for the final event, the Vet-45/Women’s event, Louis was dispatched on an urgent mission to replenish the water supplies, exhausted by the first two muddy races.

By now the course was a slow mud crawl all the way round, leaving little room for error.  Nick Mason slithered round to claim 5th place Vet-50, with Tim Evans in 16th (a mis-timed remount after negotiating the hurdles cruelly allowed three riders to squeeze ahead of Tim).  Mike Bowman claimed 5th place Vet-60.

Special shout out and thanks to Sally Morris, pit crew team leader, for keeping everyone going!

British Cycling National Trophy Cyclo-Cross Series – Round 4 – Ipswich

On an extremely windy Sunday in Suffolk, Tim Evans battled to 36th placed Vet-50 and Ted Sarmiento to 51st placed Vet-40 at Round 4 of the National Trophy Series.  It was unlucky for some 13th placed Under-23 for Edwyn Oliver-Evans in the Senior event.  Round 5 takes place at Peel Park in Bradford on Sunday 13 December.