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Imagine mud and then image riding on mud that feels like a slick frozen pond except with the added bonus of filth spraying on your legs, in your hair and all over the bike. That was the course at Derby.
The frost and hard frozen bike lines were melted within a lap of the first race on the course and by the time the gun went for the Elite Women's race the lines I was going to use were non-existent. The the mud's favourite task was to wrap itself in clumps around very part of the frame. Every gap, every hole, plugged by mud.
The canti brake bike went straight back in the boot of the car. It was go disc brakes or go home kinda scenario. The disc brakes ensured that for at least half a lap the wheel could spin freely. The instant a canti brake bike touched the mud, it gravitated towards the brake stopping on the brake arm and resisting the wheel.
I fell on the opening lap and lost a few places. By the 3rd and 4th lap I was most running the originally ride-able sections. My running ability enabled me to take back a chunk of places (thank-goodness for Tooting Common Tabata runs).
For a final two laps I was locked in battle of being chased by the former Junior Champion, Hannah Payton and trying to catch up to the former World Champion Tracey Moseley. I could run the sections faster than Moseley but she definitely had the edge riding in the mud. Where I started to slide sideways she would continue straight, when I got off to run, she would ride a couple bike lengths more before dismounting.
Happy to get back to 11th, but annoying I couldn't make the top 10 spot. It was a tough race but the transitioned into one where soft light pedalling, pointing the bike against the camber was the only way to get around. Hope, try and glide, I didn't feel my physical fitness was coming into it. Another lap I think I might have got another place back or perhaps if I hadn't fallen within the first three minutes of the race, maybe I'd have been better placed?
Huge thank-you to the Barnes family. Graham, Emily and David help pretty much ensured I was 11th and without their help I wouldn't have had a nice clean bike ready every half lap!
Another huge thanks to ViCiOUS Velo crew, especially Paul and Delia for coming with me on my silly Belgium whims! We've had some great times over the tunnel.
1 Helen Wyman Kona FSA Factory Team 41 14 0 0
2 Nikki Harris Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team 1 143 Ffion James (J) Abergavenny RC/Lane/Govilon 5 37
4 Abby-Mae Parkinson (J) RST Racing Team 5 54
5 Amira Mellor (J) Paul Milnes/Bradford Olympic RC 6 32
6 Diane Lee Team Mulebar Girl – Sigma Sport 6 58
7 Alice Barnes Scott Contessa Epic 8 24
8 Bethany Crumpton Hargroves Cycles/Specialized/Trant 9 2
9 Delia Beddis Vicious Velo 9 8
10 Tracy Moseley Malvern Cycle Sport 9 28
11 Claire Beaumont Vicious Velo 10 11
12 Hannah Payton The Kinesis Morvelo Project 10 30
13 Sarah Murray www.cxmagazine.com 12 56
14 Sarah Lomas (J) Scott Contessa Epic 13 15
15 Tamina Oliver Team CTC 14 2
16 Isla Short (J) Team Thomsons Cycles at 1 lap
17 Rachel Fenton Trek Bicycle Coventry at 1 lap
18 Rebecca Womersley Scott Contessa Epic at 1 lap
19 Anna Cipullo Hargroves Cycles/Specialized/Trant at 1 lap
20 Jessica Wilkinson (J) Birkenhead North End CC at 1 lap
35 riders
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