West
Drayton MBC, |
| Report
by:
Aidan Bishop
So, I have been trying to remember the last time I raced at Black Park and I came up with around 1991 or 1992!!! Yep, that’s how long I’ve been racing mountain bikes. In the very early days of xc racing for me, there were a few events held around this area, as they were local we used to have a go. So when I saw there was another race at Black Park, I couldn’t resist entering and going back to where it all began!
First lap came and went quickly at about 13mins, second lap a rider passed me going like a train and so we tried to not let him get away, as it turned out I caught a glimpse of his number board to see he was an elite rider who missed his start and was trying to make up time...thank god for that! So for the rest of the race it was the four of us pushing each other hard, some stronger on the straights, some more comfortable in what technical there was. On the sixth lap one rider (Geoffrey Beetham) started to get a little gap on the rest of us, no one seemed willing or perhaps able to get back on terms with him so it appeared he was going to hold that gap to the finish.
Coming through the start finish and we asked for confirmation that this was our last lap (as we had lost count!), they announced we were coming through for the last lap. I had to dig in hard to stay on the wheel of the two guys in front down the start straight, knowing I couldn’t let them pull any sort of gap if I was to beat them. The rest of the lap was the three of us locked together. Near the end of each lap there was a quick road section that goes into a slow windy technical section followed by a bit more singletrack to the finish arena. It was here I had managed to pull a little time previously, so I set the lap up to attack here if I was close to the other riders. I was on their tail and so as soon as we were on the road I put my head down and went for it! I passed the two riders and kept the pace into the technical, I managed to get a little gap and pushed for the finish.
Nearing the end there was a little slippy section with what mud there was and I stumbled at just the wrong time, this allowed Nick Onslow behind to get right back on my tail, he stayed glued to it right up to till the track widened as it approached the finish arena, coming into the final 90 degree bend he had a go at trying to squeeze up the inside of me but I had managed to keep tight in the corner and so he couldn’t get through. So I crossed the line in anaerobic debt but in second place, eventually only 11secs behind Geoff who won the race, so our last lap battling obviously drew us closer to him but not enough to pass. So the first four riders were Masters out of the mixed Masters/Sport category, not bad for old guys!
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