The cyclocross buzz continues with another perspective on cross this season and the Kilternan race coming from Orwell's John Blennerhassett

 
Speed effects thanks to photographer Richard Cattle

Fixx Kilternan and a little history

John Blennerhassett

It was a lovely start back in August, a sunny evening in Rathfarnham village, “dry” ground and even got to nip off to the Human League in Leopardstown Racecourse afterwards (ohh and beat Michael Hanley). Next race Fixx Grange Castle, Sunny (missed it, man flu), then DCCX Punchestown – dry (lost to Michael Hanley), Fixx Glencullen – Sunny, Fixx Tymon - Muddier with dry sections, DCCX Kilruddery - muddy but injury enforced lay off, Nationals in Swords, very muddy to today, which according to one competitor “nice mud, not too sticky” he said…. Personally “very fecking muddy”.

Problem with this mud, it doesn’t suit me, you need skills, specifically bike skills and the one thing I’ve learned in the last few months is that I don’t have them (going over the handle bars 4 times in 3 weeks will teach you that). But the good news is it hasn’t hurt, Yet!

So back to today’s story, Fixx Kilternan, a lovely muddy field not far from home, cycled up early to do a recce, try out the “1st time in Ireland” obstacle then signed in and supported the Orwell ladies, Breda Horan, Sandra Telford, Orla Hendron, Monica Marconi & Siobhain Duggan. The obstacle was a flyover, which if you approached with some speed was easy enough, but approached tentatively it was a different story. Of the Orwell ladies Breda Horan came home in 4th place (of 22), followed home by Sandra (10th), Orla (14th) and Siobhain (16th), Monica is not listed so may be racing under a pseudonym for contractual purposes

 
Eric looking for his cans of cider under bridge (photograph with thanks to Daniel Keogh)

By the time the B race was ready to start the ground was cutting up very nicely. The starting grid is called out, proven racers to the front, I positioned myself a little further forward then previously but once the bell was rung I was immediately reminded what a coward I am in a crowd (next week I promise to do better). So into the rhythm, go hard but you have to last, through the turns, first technical section; Bottleneck (get a better start!) over four small humps, pedal hitting the ground on each one, managed to stay clipped in and passed a few who didn’t, up to the football pitches, feeling good, then Eddie Lynch passed me, “ahh good this is my race today”, got ahead, then he got ahead, where am I stronger, where is he weaker, so sat in close behind for a while, back to the football pitches, choose the line to the right which had more grip and got ahead. Gained on another target group, over the flyover, down to the twisty muddy sections, hop off, run up the steps, run down the other side while others remounted at the top, got by one, and jump back on before he passed me. Over the 3 large humps, power up, out of saddle, coast down, power up, coast down, power up, use the speed, held my race position, but then after start/finish area took a the wrong line, pedalling but no momentum, “am I on rollers” (note to self, jump off and run in future) and off he went again, damm. Lost more ground to the two ahead through muddy twisty section (ohh for some skills), but managed to get in behind them again then past one and hold. Around the fields, then through the tree path into the right turn before flyover, two options the slightly longer safe one I had been taking, but the guy ahead took the shorter skilful option up a small hump and slightly off camber descent not large but muddy with roots, split second, “I can do it” follow……

…..as I’m sliding in slow motion on my back, legs in the air I watch the guy behind go back in front again, “is he smiling?” (comfort comes in strange ways, as I later see a picture of CX Kingpin Robin Seymour getting it wrong in the same place), back onto the bike and set off in a fruitless pursuit, saw Eddie, closer now keep going, loose it again on an easy corner, tyres clogged, knock over course pole, back on bike, cycling but can’t see through glasses, try to remove while on thick mud, nearly loose it, so I stop, yes stop in the middle of a race, take off my glasses, pocket them and start off again (places lost=0), because one of the other things CX has taught me is that more time is lost “resting” on the ground.

I’m racing on my own now, coming up to the pitches for the last time, a shout from behind, “use outside line”, so I did, a sound, not a good sound, I keep going, it’s a long time before anybody goes by, hope I got the instruction correct! Sorry if I didn’t! I ran the twisty muddy sections the last two times as the tyres are now slicks all the while waiting for (and thankful of) the inevitable lapping mentioned earlier, the last time I had to pick the bike up I nearly fell over, surprised by the weight of it, but then all that mud had to stick somewhere…

A Race

10th Eric Downey 8 Laps in 1:08:54 Total; 07:38, 08:14, 08:49, 08:49, 08:52, 08:50, 08:45, 08:56
37th David Maher 5 laps 1:01:11; 10:10, 11:22, 12:35, 13:46, 13:18

B Race

14th Valdis Andersons 7 Laps 1:02:10; 07:35, 08:02, 08:20, 08:59, 09:18, 09:36, 10:21
35th John Blennerhassett 6 laps 0:59:22; 09:03, 09:09, 09:39, 10:13, 10:43 10:35
39th Eddie Lynch 6 laps 1:01:00; 09:05, 09:19, 09:42, 10:36, 10:53, 11:25
43rd Luke GJ Potter 6 laps 1:03:29; 10:02, 09:37, 09:59, 10:46, 11:16, 11:48
52nd Barry Mooney 5 laps 0:53:44; 10:01, 09:45, 10:29, 11:28, 12:01 (Derailleur bent)
64th Aidan Collins 2 laps 0:16:44; 08:04, 08:39 (Derailleur fault)

While Valdis came home in 14th overall, if I heard commentator correct during the race he had been running in 3 or 4th early on but lost allot of places on a big fall off the flyover.

PS -Have a look at the laps times above, not just tiredness but the cumulative effect of mud, in your derailleur, in your fork, in-between your tyre thread.

 
Eric Downey's bike after the race (photo thanks to Eric Downey)