XMTB Spring League Rd 1 - by Claire Oakley U23 Elite

So this was the first race of the series, and my first of the season, it's mainly suited towards introducing new people to the sport but with some top riders joining in the mix as well. With the series being the only mtb races before Sherwood Pines I felt I had to race anyway, so I brought out the winter hack bike and set about getting ready to race


The women were being set off 1 minute behind the men so at least there was some motivation to see how many I could catch and hopefully get the win in the women's at the same time.


I didn't get the best of starts but managed to get into the single track first and never looked back from then, got caught up in a fair bit of traffic but then that was to be expected.


Was happy enough with the lap times, between my quickest lap and slowest there was only 15 seconds difference, so not that bad over 6 laps, though my last few laps were the quickest once the traffic began to clear.


Out of the 48 male starters in front I made my way up to 17th. I probably should have made it up to a higher placing but think I need to work on shouting at people to move, since I didn't do it at all, next weeks task! Anyway took the win in the women's category. 

Midlands XC Ashby - 19th February 2012

Hi, this is my first post of the season for my new team WXC World Racing. My name is Joanne Clay, I am 26 years old and live in the Peak District in Staffordshire. I'm an Elite category XC rider.

First race of the season and i was itching to get going, It was great to see a large field of 33 female riders at Hicks Lodge. It was all a bit off a squeeze at the start line, i didnt have the best start i could have had, missed a pedal  and had to pick my way though the field on the first lap. I was feeling fresh and stronger than last year so was pleased to find myself in second place on the first lap, which is where finished. Things were flowing ok, stumbled on the third lap a couple of times and got some mud jammed in my wheel on the last lap where i had to get of and free it up but first race of the year and i was happy with the result.

My next race is in two weeks time, im looking forward to really building some race form. Winter training has served me well and my base fitness is good.

Joanne Clay

Spring Time Pursuit R1

With the Mountain Bike Season drawing very close it was time to give my lungs a bit of a blast in a Pursuit Race on the road! To be honest I didn’t really have an action plan but just to see what will happen. I was feeling pretty good, after some long winter months of good quality training with Elite Velo I was expecting to do quite well.

The weather forecast wasn’t looking very good for the Womens or Mens Race so jackets were thrown in just in case. However it managed to stay dry, with only one patch of drizzle so we were very lucky indeed! The course was mainly flat with a couple of undulating sections so I assumed it was going to be pretty fast. 

A good turnout for the Women’s field; 14 riders in total split into two groups, setting of 2 minutes apart. I was in the second group which went off at 10.32am. The first couple of laps we were working really well together, keeping up a nice even pace. Primes were on lap 2 and 4 so was hoping to get in a good position for these. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough sprint in me on the 2^nd prime so eased up a bit.

Once we caught the first group things started to get a little messy. With a mixture of newbies and racers some were unknown to the formalities in racing. It was quite frustrating not knowing where people were wanting to position themselves I got boxed in a couple of times.

The final lap the pace started to pick up slightly and a couple of women trying to break away. There were quite strong headwinds which lead up to the finish line which did make it a lot more difficult for everyone; as long as you were tucked in you were fine.

I was in just the right position for the final sprint; although we were still in quite a heavy bunch at the front it was a bit of a squash for the riders behind. Myself and Miriam (Hope Factory Racing) were pretty much level when sprinting for the final 10m; but she just got it by a fraction.

I was a bit gutted but happy with 2^nd position for my first road race of the season and now knowing what exactly what the course is like I will have a much clearer mind on how to properly race it. Two more of the series left, fingers crossed it’s a top 3!

British Cycling Annual Awards 2012

BRITISH CYCLING ANNUAL AWARDS 2012

                       After receiving tickets for the British Cycling Awards I was quite excited! It’s not something that I would normally get invited to but being the 2011 U23 National Mountain Bike Champion it was expected. I have been before; 3 years ago when I won the National Mountain Bike Series as a Junior rider.

The awards ceremony was held at the Hilton Hotel in Birmingham, so not a hard place to get to…..so I thought!! The weather conditions in Plymouth compared to Birmingham was out of this world!! It took 2 hours to get from Bromsgrove (where my parents and I were staying) to The Hilton at the NEC; what was meant to be a 20minute journey turned out a lot longer than anticipated. We got stuck in the snow on a hill and then crashed in to a curb on another road; things weren’t looking too great!

To be honest I was expecting to miss getting my award and turning up all hot and bothered. Luckily the call up for National winners was after the main meal; which we arrived just in time for! I was really nervous about walking up in front of all the other cyclists on to the stage, where EVERYONE could see you. When it was my turn, all I kept saying to myself was ‘please don’t fall over in these heels!’, I just kept smiling and walking as best as I could!

All the award winners had there photo taken around the back of the main hall (as shown above); most riders looked different without their  kit on- it was quite strange seeing familiar faces scrubbed up nicely in suits and dresses!

It was a really nice evening and enjoyed mixing in with other cyclists I only see in photos or on the BC website.

Even after driving through the traitorous conditions to and from the awards, it was well worth the journey.

By Carla Haines

2011 U23 National Mountain Bike Champion

WXC World Racing.

Circus of Dirt South West Series R5- Combe Sydenham, Somerset (Including South West Champs)

CIRCUS OF DIRT ROUND 5, COMBE SYDENHAM

(INCLUDING SOUTH WEST CHAMPS)

RACE REPORT BY

CARLA HAINES-ELITE FEMALE

  The Circus of Dirt series came to an end on the 3^rd & 4^th September. Some great courses over the 4 rounds but Jay & Maddie certainly did save the best until last! It was a weekend to remember; smiles and laughter and also pain and broken bones!

For me I wanted to win the South West Champions Title a second year running but I knew it was going to be a battle between myself and Jane Cummings of South Fork. From other riders opinions it seemed like a pretty good course, some hills and techy sections. I realise now that these hills were not just any old hills, they were climbs that tested riders ability not to lose traction and were completely draining after so many laps!

Race was due to start at 1pm but was delayed for another 30minutes as there was an accident on the motorway. This gave me extra time to fully warm up and get ready to beast it up the many of climbs awaiting.

The women started off at the rear after the men’s categories had gone. Myself and Jane lead out together. The first climb started of pretty well but got steeper. I was trying to sit on her wheel at the last part of the hills before we hit some single track. She had slowly pulled away but I managed to gain a bit of time on the single track.

The last steep descent prior to more long steep climbs was pretty sketchy. Managing to descend down it in one piece I took a deep breath before a long journey to the top! The final down hill section all the way to the finish was definitely worth the pain and effort to get there.

We had a total of 3 laps to complete, which in theory doesn’t seem a lot at all, but trust me it was enough! With Jane still in the lead, I was behind trying to chase more time. By the third lap I was comfortable in 2^nd place but completely drained and exhausted.

I was pleased with how it went, although I did wish I won but it couldn’t have gone to a better rider. Even though I didn’t win the race, I was the Elite Female Series winner.

UCI Mountain Bike World Cup-Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic

UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD CUP

NOVA MESTO NA MORAVE, CZECH REPUBLIC

RACE REPORT BY CARLA HAINES U23  

All ready my final World Cup of the Year had come around so fast. It only seemed like yesterday I was competing in my first International Race at Dalby Forest, Yorkshire in May!

I had quite a lot of mixed emotions for this race. For a start I was wearing the National Jersey for the first time; not just in any race but a World Cup! It was going to be recognised by many people such as other riders, Teams and also the public who were there watching and on the TV. In a way this made me very nervous but also a feeling of achievement that I won this jersey for a reason and proud to wear it, which I was.

Flying to Prague was a good and not so good idea. Travelling to Gatwick on the train with a bike bag plus 2 other bags to carry was pretty tiring. Whoever invented the trolleys at airports for luggage THANK YOU, it saved my shoulders big time!

Thursday night I had accommodation booked so Friday myself and team managers could drive to the event, sign on and pre ride the course. It took an hour to get out of Prague. We got lost so many times I don’t actually think we really knew where we were!

Arriving safely and in good time for sign on I pre rode the course. It was fantastic, I absolutely loved it. I did 3  laps which was  just enough. First to familiar myself with the course, second to chose my lines on technical sections and third a full lap without stopping at a faster pace.

At the rider confirmation I entered myself for the Eliminator Friday evening. This is where riders sprint round a set track within the arena and battle to be the Eliminator Champion. However, after pre riding the course and feeling very tired I decided not to do it and save myself for Sundays Race. Team mate Cait Elliot, 2x Irish National Champion, was still up for doing it so I watched her to see how she got on.

Saturday I did another lap to keep my mind fresh and just to tick my legs over for a little bit. The rest of the day was spent watching the Junior Males and Females and the U23 mens race. It was such a great atmosphere; the crowds were buzzing and so encouraging I was getting more and more excited to race the next day! Myself, Cait and Team Managers met one of our sponsors who created Sportique. It was great having the chance to meet Jan; it gave me an insight of how he came to produce some really good products. Sportique is based on body and skin care merchandise, not just for cyclists but a whole range of sports pre, during and post competitions.

 

Saturday evening I got a good meal inside me and prepared bottles tools and my bike ready to race.

It was an earlyish start Sunday; timing chips had to be collected between 8.30-9.30am. Wit spectators arriving it was getting very busy.

Race start was 10:07am. The weather had been off and on rainy and sunny leading up to the event but it did dry up a lot by Sunday. I was hoping for mud and rain but this time it came to late.

Riders were called up for gridding at the start. Elite females went off first followed by us U23’s a few minutes after. I was so nervous; my heart was beating so hard it made me more nervous! On the start line I stayed as focussed as possible.

It was a very fast start which was quite hard to stick with after a while. A few riders including myself were fading away from the main group, but I still kept going whether I gained positions or not.

When entering the single track and descents I caught up other riders. This I was very strong at and was able to gain a few more positions. The climbs I struggled with and felt quite tired, but I rode as hard as I could to keep a good pace going. My goal was not to get pulled. Knowing it fast race I concentrated on riding harder on the climbs and even harder on the descents. By lap 3 I ended up getting pulled. I was a little disappointed but happy to be able to competed at this level for my first year.

The spectators were amazing throughout the whole race which really kept me going. Whatever position you were in they encouraged and cheered so much it was great. The Europeans really know how to put on a race!

My final position was 23^rd my best result this year in the World Cup Series.

Now that I have the experience of International racing I know what I need to do to develop as an athlete and to get results next year. I will still be competing in the U23 category for the next 2 years and hopefully see progression before I move up to Senior Level. 

DARE2B BRITISH NATIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011

BRITISH NATIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011

RICHMOND, YORKSHIRE

RACE REPORT BY CARLA HAINES U23 FEMALE

The National Mountain Bike Championships is probably the most important competition in the racing calendar. It is a race where the UKs best riders battle to be the Champion and win the National Jersey.

For me I wanted to win it. It was a chance to show that I am the best and how much I wanted it. I was in the U23 female category and was up against 5 other riders. The prospect of me winning was high but I didn’t want to go into the race over confident.

Sunday was race day. I had Saturday to pre ride the course and Sunday morning as well. The weather leading up to it hadn’t been great but this was a good thing for me. Racing in the rain and mud is a strength for me so I was already looking forward to it.

Saturday morning I pre rode 3 laps of the course. My first lap was just riding to become familiar with it. My 2^nd lap I picked my lines and went over sections I wasn’t sure about. My 3^rd lap was rode at a faster pace and using the lines I had chosen in my 2^nd lap. It was very wet and muddy which was great. I enjoyed every minute of it.

In the afternoon the sun came out. The course dried up a little bit but I knew more rain was due to decided I would wait until race morning to do another lap.

As expected there was rain during the early hours of race morning. Practice was only at 9am and that was it until my race. I just did the one lap at a steady pace and see if anything had changed. Due to the rain it had got more wet and muddy but was similar to when I last rode it on Saturday.

My race wasn’t until 2pm so rested up and chilled out for most of the day. I’m used to racing in the morning so it did drag. I prepared all my bottles kit and tools in good time to take over to the Team Tent where I did my warm up.

I was very focused and knew what I had to do to win the race. After a good warm up and being called for gridding I got very nervous but also excited. The Senior and U23 Males went off first. Then it was the Senior Females and finally off last it was us.

My heart was beating on the start line and could feel it thumping in my chest. With 30 seconds to go I was ready to race my socks off. The gun went and I powered through the pedals as much as I could. I had a great start- I leading out if the field and up most of the climb. My team mate Jessie was with me and she passed me on the steeper climb. I hung on as much as I could but she was very strong and gained some time. When it came to the first descent I caught up. Out of the woods and up another steep climb it was myself and Jessie together.

I was stronger on the muddy single track and descents and she was much stronger on the climbs so we used this to take in turns leading each other around the course.

The long fire track leading into the arena for the second lap was very muddy. We had already caught some of the Senior female riders and used them to work our way up the field.

When it came to the long grass climb Jessie lead. This time I was right on her wheel and was working hard to stay with her.

Half way round the course there was an open fire track before it lead into the long muddy single track in the woods. I planned where I was going to over take her and try and gain some time.

The plan went accordingly and stepped up the pace a bit. This time I was on my own. So many emotions were going through my mind. But I stayed so focussed and concentrated on my riding.

The last and final lap I came through the arena. Grabbed my bottle though the feed station and powered on up the climb. I did take a look back just to see how far I was ahead. It was enough for me to keep leading for the lap. Nothing was going to stop me. I was literally in a zone I had never been before and it felt great!

The final single track I gained so much that I knew I had won it. As long as I went as hard as I could on the fire track to the finish I could do  it.

In the woods which lead  into the arena I was so happy. I could feel myself beginning to cry but laugh at the same time! I had the best race ever and I was so proud!!

My very first National Title. It felt amazing. I couldn’t actually believe it! I was covered in mud but didn’t care and went straight up to my parents and gave them a big hurt and burst into tears. It was the best ever moment in my racing career!

When Jessie came into the finish picking up the silver medal I went and gave her a big hug. We had worked so well together and was very proud of her. In bronze position came Anna Buik, who also had the ride of her life. It couldn’t have been a better podium then that.

Putting on the National Champs Jersey and the Gold medal around my neck was very emotional! Something I had worked hard for which paid off.  This will be something to remember.

A huge Thank You to WXC World Racing for the amazing support through out the race and to all the sponsors of the team.