Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

There's a Rapha Cross ride tomorrow in Epping Forest which finishes at the Cycle Club to meet US Champ Jeremy Powers fresh after his race at the World Cup today.

He didn't do amazingly well today but he did hop up a whole thing of stairs like a boss every single lap for which he deserves much rep.

Sign up for the cross ride here (leaves from Viccy Park at 9.30am): http://bit.ly/CX_JPOW

Or if you just fancy meeting him you can come to the Cycle Club between 12-1.30pm tomorrow.

He did pretty well given that today's course was not something he'll have encountered much in racing in the US.

He can usually match Ian Field but today Field had home advantage and it showed.

Yep

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I'll have some pics to put up tgis evening. In the meantime, lets see how the course looks for the National Trophy and whether Chris Young can overcome his dislike of running

the Flemish Sporza commenters were full of praise for the Milton Keynes CX course, said it would be suitable for the world championships. it looked proper hard to me anyway

Best of luck to your girlfriend in today's race. It's not often you get to race against Katie Compton.

Confirmed, they're taking out the killer camber.

Booo

Hopefully yesterday's exerrions will slow her enough Andy won't get lapped out too soon

Rubbish. Must have been drying out somewhat now anyway. Regretting not getting an entry in after seeing the course yesterday - would have been good to give it a go.

I think drying out was part of the problem

Couple of nasty shunts in training meant a quick rethink & Mr Burney & crew pulling posts like mofos....
Still a great course and nice to see me mucker Tim Gould coming back into form in the over 50's- a podium place and looks like the promise of more to come. Chris Young a complete beast tho' (even though he likes it wet & windy...)

Bit of a disappointment in the Women's race. The 80% rule meant that all but three of the veteran women got pulled out at three laps meaning that most riders only had 30 minutes to contend for important finishing places in both the V40 and V50 categories before being pulled out.

Following a lot of work being done with BC and a large commitment being made by riders as well as a thrilling National Champs race at the end of the last season, it was agreed that veteran women deserved to have their own full length race for the full National Trophy series. Alas, as soon as a few international riders turn up in the seniors category the UCI decided to shit all over that and appointed an American chief commissaire to run a national British event (as opposed to the World event that had gone on the day before).

That commissiare cited the calibre of the entrants as the reason for implementing the rule. Not realy sure how that works because I know that the intenational riders weren't having any difficulty when they did pass other riders. Cyclocross is circuits and racing means passing, maybe the UCI don't really get this.

Have we had this yet? Footage from Sven Nys' onboard camera;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q477woJeVA

http://www.cyclocrossrider.com/action/cross-talk-cross-legend-sven-nys-talks-to-btb-tv

Not sure if this is the right place to ask but I happen to be in Belgium at the start of January and would like to go see this

http://www.sport.be/cyclocrossclassics/1415/leuven/nl/tickets/

How can I buy tickets - are they only available from physical locations or is there somewhere I can buy tickets from online?

I went to Soudal classic in Antwerp last year and just bought them on the gate, they weren't expensive

One of my fellow Vets is selling a Crux, with a mix of Dura-Ace, Ultegra and 105, with Dugast Rhinos, for £500. It's a 58 cm.

PM me if you want his details.

Anyone racing London League this Sunday? I'd like to join, but Rider HQ is being funny - won't let me have the membership

There are 0 different memberships, please choose one

I've emailed the organisers, but heard nothing back from them yet. Does anyone know if I can enter on location? Last year it was fine, as far as I remember.

Entry on the line is fine, Dimi. To use RiderHQ you have to affiliate for £5, as a deposit for your league timing chip, and quite a few people have had trouble with registering.

Just turn up an hour or so before your race and you'll have no trouble getting an entry.

thanks +andyp

What will the course be like on Sunday?
I'm going to turn up and get smashed to bits.

I've never ridden it (and won't be this year either - 5th birthday party for Edie) but @biarittz rode it last year, so he should be able to give you a good idea.

It's on the side of a valley so I imagine it's got some elevation per lap.

I rode it last year. It was raining and muddy. Been dry for the past few weeks though so it shouldn't be too bad.

Steepish fireroad climb and singletrack in the woods. The descent was pretty tricky in the wet last year, there's a small bombhole somewhere too. Some roots, brambles and bricks (on the fireroads) so I wouldn't run super-low pressures. Good course though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmXqhmDnnNs

Thanks. I'll be huffing and puffing around on one gear. At the back.

Happy birthday Edie!

Happy birthday Edie!!

I second everything that J.Dennis said. It was my first race and I loved it. Very well organized too with a jet wash for a small donation.