Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

No-one appears to have asked this of you yet @fizzy.bleach, but did the brakes work before the race?

Is this the one where it’s up a massive hill then down again?

Can we all agree that Crockett cable routing is horse shit and not made for cable discs?

where in my story do readers feel I lapsed into fiction?

You'll have to be more specific.
This one features punctures or heavy mud.

it's fine on mine. no idea what you're talking about

hmm cant see a pic of you on podium

From about "barreling" onwards.

It’s the one with all the punctures

podiuming is actually a very individualist act and im no tory.

perhaps you'd like to be my cross coach? i believe you've only ever failed to win two races ever, is that right?

I did wonder if you raced, seemed a good course for no gears? I’ve moved up to v50 and only just managed to avoid finishing last!

That must have been the race you came barrelling past me on the scarily greasy muddy descent.....and to think I thought you were just showing off your skillz and tekkers

you didn't ride with a fixed sprocket???????

Yeah my lack.of gears wasn't too much of an issue, though I probably wanted a 20 or 21 on the back instead of 38/19

I looked for you but guess you were a good boy and scarpered quickly like you were told

yes, was off as soon as packed. would have been good to hang around for a bit the weather was great.

I assume the same course for the other rounds or will Dave switch it around I wonder

I asked on twitter and he said they'd move bits around as needed, but next time would be shorter. I managed three laps

Thanks by the way to @atz for the brake adapter, without which I'd have skimmed across to Calais like a smooth pebble

Oh that one I remember that one I think I punctured and ran a whole lap

You’d remember if you’d run a whole lap. Vividly. Just ask @Chalfie

Triggered.

Buried it to the back of my subconscious where it belongs!

Glad you got it.

the guys from CXHairs have launched a new mailing list, which will be behind a paywall soon, but currently isn't. IMO it's brilliant, and I'll be paying for it, and not just because of their take on Denise Betsema

DENISE BETSEMA: Not really a name people are unfamiliar with, but one that always gets a strong response every time she’s mentioned. If you’re not sure why, here’s the quick run down (you can always Google for more): Betsema tested positive twice, in early 2019, for a banned anabolic steroid. She claimed the substance was part of a contaminated supplement provided to her by a Belgian pharmacist and that she had no idea she had ingested it. A normal suspension for a similar positive test is four years. Betsema surprised everyone by showing up and racing at Zonnebeke on January 25, 2020. UCI released a statement basically saying “the case was resolved by acceptance of consequences in accordance with the WADA code.” Betsema maintained she “never intended to use doping” and claimed she was innocent. She received a six-month backdated suspension from April 2019 to October 2019. For those unfamiliar with the cyclocross calendar, this is a time period when cyclocross races are not happening. For all intents and purposes, she served the suspension during the offseason. Our journalistic take on Betsema is that we will talk about her because she’s racing and her participation affects the race. Our editorial take on Betsema is that we don’t think she should be racing, competitors are responsible for what goes into their bodies no matter the intention, and the ban was not close to long enough.

https://www.cxhairs.com/2020/12/01/the-cxhairs-bulletin/

I've also been going back and watching the Sveness series and they're so fucking good. GCN really need to cough up and pay to have them made as highlights for their race coverage

https://vimeo.com/148756834

Superb - what a great production. Thanks for sharing.

That and behind the barriers
with Jeremy Powers got me into following cyclocross, it's a shame they're both finished.