Southern XC rd 4
Race report for Southern XC round 4 at Bordon
The AW team was once again down on numbers at a crucial race, Mark Hutt had a stomach upset, Simon was road racing and for Chris and Jon I presume it was way too far South.
So he honours were down to Steve and Mark Cracknell in the ultra competitive vets race. The top vets this year could all comfortably race Elite and those chasing them have all upped their game as well. With new younger top class vets like our Mark Hutt in the pack this year its getting very hard to get in the top 10 even.
Bordon is a very flat fast course with a few short hills, its one of them courses you never come off the big ring and you pedal hard everywhere even on the downhills. You have to maintain momentum through the corners and kicker climbs or those chasing will be on you. You can't make mistakes or you lose places, the downhills are not steep so you have to pedal especially as it was so dry and sandy it made it tough going. That all makes for very fast exciting and close racing.
The Vets race had the usual mad rush and was on tarmac for 150 yards or so but there was a very tight left hand corner at the end into the trees. Mark and I arrived here in the top 10 and quickly found 5 abreast was not going to fit through. I had taken tight line close to the tree and Mark had gone wide through the bushes to the right. Other than the top 4 I don't think anyone got a good run into here and afterwards we just joined the procession although it was a fast train. You have to hang on and there is little space or opportunity to pass. The adrenaline never seems to stop and if you can keep the pace up it seems to keep coming pumping through your arms and legs keeping you going.
The four leaders had got away and Mark made a few moves and got into a battle in the chasing pack eventually coming in 7th at 1hr12. Steve had better time than of late no doubt a result of not having to set out the course this time as West Drayton MBC had built this course. There was a group of 7 riders behind Mark all on about 1hr14 - 15 so a very close finish. Steve should have been up with them but hopefully returning to some fitness was in the next group of 5 riders at 1 hr 16. He nearly got the best of this bunch just 6 seconds off a slowing Andy Parsons who took 15th but Steve held off the others for 16th place.
The series is best 4 from 5 rounds so some top places are already sorted, Steve despite being off form has been a consistent finisher and is holding 10th overall. A good result at the final at Alton in August should see a top 10 overall. Mark Cracknell having crashed out of round 1 and suffering with a crash damaged back at round 3 is in an uncharacteristic 21st. Mark Hutt having missed the last 2 rounds now is 16th and with 4 to count is now out of the running for the top spot that clearly could have been his.
The focus now for Mark Hutt is next weekends National Championship where he wants to go one better than last year where he got a Gold medal for winning the 35+ group. The time he is out for the Gold medal and Jersey for the 40+ age group. Having comfortably beat Paul Hopkins on the Pippingford course back in May he has got to be favourite for the title.
Steve |
