British national cyclocross championships
I warmed up around the course to get prepared. Then sign on had opened to collect my numbers and pit pass for my pit man, which was dad😅, then kit on and ready and straight onto the rollers just a quick warm up 20minutes to get down to the start in time for it about 20minutes before everyone was ready u16 and u14 first the u16 called and gridded and over the basic rules said by commissaries then they called us (u14) up and gridded us I was gridded 3rd row because it was done on the rankings instead of the series which I get but you have to deal with it, I wasn't worried or nervous I was rearing to go the whistle blew flew of the start into the first corner on the tarmac BANG straight transfer from tarmac to grass a quick dismount and run up the hill. Not the start I wished for but no panic
Mid race I jumped onto a group with people I race with I was happy but still a lot of gas left in the tank I jumped to the front our group of about ,4 including me, were fighting for about 9th or 10th. It was always me who took the front into the woods and would always come out infront with about 6 seconds along the Tarmac/start I would extend but they would always catch me on the slippy, off camber, running section where I always took the wrong line. Then suddenly a front flat but it didn't affect or worry me because I've been learning to ride on a flat recently by getting one out on a traning cross ride! Anyway luckily I was at the back of the group so no one noticed I hung on the back and the pits was just round the corner. Changed onto my clean and ready and waiting bike to give some gas! Into the woods first again and this time Christian (my fellow friend) was behind through the whole woods and we stuck together and worked to get away from the rest. DING DING DING 'laaste ronde' as the belgies would say, it was the last lap and coming of the road past the puncture destination up a bank and a run across a 100m section the. A remount and down another little bank and onto Tarmac. Disaster! my chain had threw it self of the rings because the amount of mud on it . The reason of this is I didn't change the last pit section but I was wrong I should have but i didn't I tried to put it on but I could so I ran, the pits weren't far away but I didn't panic. Into the pits and told my dad what the problem was he gave me a new fresh bike and I felt stronger so I pushed until I was dead I caught up 2 u14 boys who have beat me in recent rounds and instead of messing around I went straight past them I grit my teeth and flew along pushed through the sections where I was good, flew through the woods I caught up even more boys and straight past them I ran hard with my bike on my shoulder then down a thick mud downhill onto some Tarmac and into the finish!
I have learnt a lot from my first cyclocross championships like changing bikes at the right time and not to be scared of everyone passing me! You have just got to keep calm.
The course was absolutely superb it was fun all terrain in it! And finally MUD.😉
Thank you to the pit crew and for everyone cheering me on and helping! Well done to team mi racing and the academy!
Bring on the road season I can't wait!
Josh.
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