Derby reflection and looking ahead to the next adventure

I can’t say things have fallen into place as smoothly as I had hoped for, after two weeks off the bike as a mini off season before the start of the cross season I got a big knock down by catching COVID. I was very fortunate that the effects were not too bad compared to some of the stories I have heard, still my training took a big knock and it took another week or so until I was able to start riding my bike properly again, albeit that my heart rate was now way above what it should be for the power I have been able to put out. But still it’s progress and that’s what I am most happy about.

Photo by Mick Bradley

That meant coming into Derby I had to hold a different mentality, I would have loved to be right up at the front competing for some of the top places but with time the form to do that will come instead my focus switched to the things I could control. Getting a good clean, fast start, clipping in straight away and cornering smoothly, carrying speed where I can as well as pedalling and keeping the power down all the way round to hold some sort of consistency with my riding over the duration of the race.

Driving up in the warmth of the car with the rain lashing down outside had me questioning my choice of tyres, I was hoping to use my EFS wheels with a fast rolling summer clincher on but as I rocked up to some slimy, slippery grass things were looking doubtful. Still 5 hours of waiting meant there was plenty of time to question my decision about what tyres to run and also for the ground to dry out. After a lot of hack and forth of what to do I stuck with my original plan to run the summer tyres and rolled down to the start line ready to get the series under way.

Photo by VeloUK

It’s been a long time since I have last down a cross race and I have to say as we stood there on the start line my heart rate was absolutely racing. The spectators watching, the uncertainty of where my form was at all playing with my mind but it was time to race and to focus.

I think I did a pretty good job at executing my first goals, my start I would have said was pretty solid, from the second row I managed to make it up to about 7th wheel as we hit the first technical, single track section of the course. The pace as expected was fierce, dust being thrown up into the air, drying out the airways and making it even harder to breath, I had actually debated about going for a bottle and in the end opted to put it onto my spare bike in the pits if things really got that bad. With the pace being so unbelievably fast I didn’t have the chance to even think about wanting a bottle or being able to change bikes and well even if I did I don’t think there would have been anywhere appropriate to take a sip. With corners flowing from one apex to another, diving down into off camber corners and up over the bridges the first lap saw the race split to pieces. With any lack of intensity in the lead up to the race I really had to put myself into the red to stay up there and try and hang onto the group, looking back I may have gone a little too far into the red as I soon skidded off as I attempted to cut into a corner far too late with far too much speed. Luckily everything was all okay and after a very brief look over the bike and remount I was off again.

The laps then flew by, the effort I was putting in to just keep on going was immense, it felt like I was doing the sort of effort you would expect on the last half of a lap of a race, just I still had 5 laps to go. I think I was pretty sensible and actually took a rawvelo gel with me which I took at the halfway point, the little energy kick it gave really helped me to get to that finish line as riders were slowly starting to catch me and I was doing everything in my power to hold the wheel but I was just lacking that extra kick and speed to hold them. The laps soon ticked by and before I knew it there it was the checkered flag, much to my relief but at the same time I had been enjoying myself so much getting back racing on the cross bike again I was a little sad.

Photo by velouk

The race ended in my finishing 14th which I think I have to be pretty happy about with the lack of training and certainty of form heading into it and has given me lots of motivation to get some really good quality training in over the next few weeks ready for the next round in Milnthorpe.

But now it’s time to start the next chapter, I have been very lucky the past year to experience some incredible opportunities, from living and racing in Italy with three racing team, to coming back to the uk and racing cross across Europe with the Montezumas Race team and even having the opportunity to race for Great Britain at the European Championships, then being lucky enough to ride for the Spirit Racing team and race in the tour series which has always been amnesia ambition for me. My parents and everyone around me including all my sponsors and pedal potential have played a massive part in me being able to concentrate on racing my bike pretty much full time the past year but it’s now time to add in another adventure.

Don’t worry I am not giving up racing or training, think that may truly drive me insane, but I am starting an apprenticeship in Quantity Surveying with P H Plasterers, this means I will be moving up to Yorkshire and will have to fend for myself which is quite a scary but exciting thought. For me I always find my training and racing goes better when I have other distractions away from cycling so I am hoping a balance between the cycling and my apprenticeship will do me good and I will be working towards a qualification in the meantime which is an added bonus. So bring on the adventure