The second round of the Dublin City Cyclocross series took the riders to Kilruddery Estate in Bray, Co. Wicklow. The Orwell contingent was once again represented very well in all three races. This weeks report details the mano a mano battle between Luke GJ Potter and Barry Mooney.

DCCX Kalas Superleague Round 2

Luke GJ Potter

The low lying winter sun blinded my eyes as I tried to navigate the non-existent car park. I didn’t know how to park. Being the third car at the event, I was going to be the car parking trend setter. The guy who handled the sign on arrived and told me there was a better car park around the corner, which I availed of. I went in to sign-on, where I encountered Barry Mooney, Breda Horan and our latest debutant, Luke Keating.

I was the second person on the course. I did three laps. The first two laps I rode on the sides of the course, to discover where best to avoid the bumpy and soft sections. The third lap, I put the lap together, I knew the lines I’d be taking and the sides of the course I’d be elbowing to occupy at the start. The most important line of the course would be the entry to, and avoidance of, the water covered tractor tyre tracks. Whilst cleaning the muck out of my shoes and pedals using a tyre level, I watched everyone trying that watery section. Everyone hugged the inside of the corner. I was going to ride the middle of the track and swerve across before the water.

That line, would mesh nicely with the requirement to “just smash it” across the preceding section where John Blennerhasset was marshalling.

The women’s race was delayed by fifteen minutes. I watched their start to cheer on Naoise Sheridan and Breda. I also wanted to see what would happen at the first obstacle. I noted that the field was half the size of the previous week’s field.

I headed back to the car to prepare for my race. I met Richard Cattle, Valdis and Fionn Sheridan (whom I believe was making his debut in the cauldron of the A-race, fair play for not sandbagging). I lent my pump to Valdis to adjust his tyre pressures. He was going with 50psi in both tyres. I opted to go with 30psi. I should’ve gone down to 20psi, as the course evolved, it would request more grip. I didn’t anticipate this. Michael Handley and Barry Keogh also showed up. I consumed a gel and sank 750ml of water with a High5 Extreme Caffeine tablet dissolved in it. I couldn’t sleep until 2am that night.

I struggled to pin on the fourth pin, and needed help from some nice Australian/New Zealand people. I joined up to the grid. I wanted to be on the right hand side of the grid. It would allow me to access my planned line and the surface was more compacted there. I was about half way back in the grid of 71. Valdis was directly in front of me, Richard was to my left. Luke was diagonally behind me. Mike and both Barrys were buried in the scrum behind.

The countdown expired and we accelerated off. Most riders went to the left of the track. I made up lots of places by using the centre channel. Two lads came a cropper in front of me just before the water. I navigated between them and asserted my dominance over the point of track I wanted to use to cut across. Traversing this soupy section I was the lead Orwell rider.

Water finds its level, and I was soon passed by Valdis, Richard, Barry Keogh and Mike. They powered along the bumpier, right side of the track in front of the hay bales. I occupied the smoother left side. After a few more corners, a guy on a mountain bike crashed, forcing me to lose momentum. I ceded places to Barry Mooney and Luke Keating. I looked back as I climbed the corn field section. I was about eighth last.

I was very weak on that climbing section. But I was much stronger and braver on the grass field downhill section. I made up a lot of positions on this section. It was just a case of holding position through the mucky woods by going through a rut. After dismounting to jump the ditch, the lap brought us around to the timing mats. This was a nice part of the track. It allowed the tyres to shed muck, in the early laps anyway. From there it was about being brave through the wooden bridges and carrying as much speed, using a big gear, as possible through the John’s mucky section. I was getting bounced around, like a rag doll, but I was heading in the right direction. But if you’re not in danger of slipping a disk in your back, you’re not going hard enough.

Richard in action (photograph thanks to Sean Rowe).

Another lad binned it just as I was about to make my cut across to avoid the water. I let him know I was displeased with his actions, as I dismounted and ran the following section. It was beginning to look like a Tesco Chow Mein, the one in the red box. It probably tasted nicer than its food counterpart. The rest of the lap passed of nicely.

I caught up to Barry Mooney in the corn field section of lap three, he said that it would not be his day. Next I caught sight of Luke Keating. He, like many others, was paying for a fast start. John was cheering me on each time as I exited the forest section. I gave him a “Two ‘Go Luke’s for the price of one” deal as I made the pass on, nine years my junior, Luke.

Some guy rubbed tyres with me through the soupy section. I could feel the thread of the tyres jar. Then they gave way as he went down. He didn’t look as much like Harvey Dent as I expected, as he ran past me, nudging my shoulder with his back wheel. I made up another place on section in front of the bales. The guy almost lost it on the corner and clipped me. I was OK with this. I let him know that I was of the opinion that CX is a full contact sport. After my left hip coming in contact with tyres in the last three races, I could not opine differently. I encountered Michael in the corn field, we traded places twice as he sped off. The next time I saw Mike, he was standing at the side of the road.

The last lap of the race passed without incident, if you call getting skunked on the line by Barry Mooney “without incident”. After I made the pass on Barry, he was always within striking distance, just like at PunchesCross. We were able to fend off the leaders lapping us until the last lap. I sensed Barry’s presence through the corn field. I backed off through the greasy grassy downhill section, as more leaders lapped me. Any time I looked back Barry was looming larger. After transcending the ditch I had a few meters on Barry. I was on the drops giving it everything I had. There was a spec of dirt on my Garmin screen, it was obscuring my speed, I thought it read 36kmh, but it was 26kmh. I thought I had done enough, but Barry just appeared on the inside and beat me to the line by a bike length. I passionately voiced my feelings, which drew a few chuckles from the crowd. I lost the sprint for Fifty-first.

I missed the whole A-race, as I waited in-line to use the hose and get my clothes changed. The complimentary beer was really nice. The presentation of the prizes took place and most people filtered out after that. I stayed to watch the last lap of the World Cup race that they were streaming. Everyone enjoyed Sven Nys pulling out the victory.

Luke GJ's Giant before being hosed (photograph thanks to Luke GJ Potter)

Barry Mooney

With this weekend's race within biking distance and still feeling uneasy about throwing a mud caked bike into the back of a new car, I opted to cycle out to the race. I was hoping to have a leisurely spin down to Bray but when you’re in the company of riders that have completed the Race Around Ireland and the other is always towards the front of this years cx races, you soon find any thoughts of a leisurely spin a distant memory.

We arrived just as registration was opening, signed on and got the number pinned. Headed out to have a look at what today's course had in store. Straight away I knew it was going to be wet and muddy. A tough drag up through two fields were going to take a toll on the legs. The course came back down towards another mud-filled section. No clean lines here and it was going to get worse as the day went on. Met and had a quick chat with Sean Rowe while he was scouting out the course looking for the best spots for the action shots he delivers without fail. After two practice laps I’d had enough to know it was going to be a tough race. I met Michael Hanley and John Blennerhasset just before the women’s race kicked off. John wasn’t racing but gave up his time to help out the organisers by marshalling. He was also a good source of encouragement through out the races.

I think Orwell only had two entries for the women’s race Breda Horan and Naoise Sheridan. After the first lap it was clear to see the field was strung out by the challenging nature of the course. A few laps in and the course conditions getting tougher, it was showing on riders' faces but still the odd smile was to be seen in response to the friendly shouts from bystanders. Great result for Orwell with Breda getting 4th place and Naoise coming home in 10th place. I can only dream of getting a similar result.

Naoise after the women's race (photograph with thanks to Sean Rowe).

Onto the B race and as usual I missed the mad rush for a good grid position and took my customary position towards the rear. Orwell again had a large presence assembled with Valdis Andersons, Michael Hanley, Richard Cattle, Luke GJ Potter, Barry Keogh, Luke Keating and yours truly.

As the race started the mad dash was on to get through the first corner cleanly, this was quickly dealt a blow as someone slid out forcing most behind to hit the brakes and unclip.There was no option but to dismount and run through the slop. Back on the bike and on towards the uphill fields. The going was very heavy on these sections but I was keeping pace with most of the rest of the team. Valdis was already streaking ahead and I wasn’t going to see him again.

Onto lap two and most of the Orwell crew were still close together. I passed Richard heading up through the fields. He was having none of it and came past me with Michael hot on his heels, maybe too hot. Some skilful avoidance on Michael's part prevented an awkward moment of taking your team mate out. Both pulled away from me and I wouldn’t see them again till the end. Luke GJ passed me on lap three and pulled away while Luke K was closing in behind me. I was just trying to survive at this stage, the thoughts of pulling up were strong. The morning's fast pace along the N11 towards Bray was taking it’s toll.

Barry Keogh (photograph thanks to Sean Rowe).

Lap four was just trying to keep Luke GJ in sight and Luke K at bay. There’s plenty of racing out on course, not just at the sharp end of the pack. Lap five, one of those days when you’re happy to be lapped by the leaders. It’s one less lap of suffering. Thinking I’d just ride around to the finish line, I saw the gap to Luke in front closing. Coming back down through the now slick bottom field I was closing in even more, by the time we reached the dismount at the ditch, it was wheel to wheel. Luke GJ got a quick remount and was off, I remounted but my right foot just wouldn’t clip in. Started chasing while still banging my foot against the pedal but I couldn’t get any power down with just one foot. Eventually it engaged and I went full gas after Luke GJ. Took the worst line along the track hitting every pothole and rut along the way. How I didn’t come off the bike is a beyond me. Just managed to squeeze past Luke at the finish line.

Barry and Luke crossing the line after the sprint for fifty-first place (photograph thanks to Sean Rowe).

An exciting end to a tough but highly enjoyable day.

Watched the A race with the gang while enjoying a well-earned beer and talking about how each other got on during the race.  

Orwell's lone representative in the A race Fionn (photograph with thanks to Sean Rowe).