NPS # 6 - Dromara - 27th June 2010

Up to the north again, this time to last years Nationals venue in Dromara. I didn’t race the nationals last year, so I didn’t know what to expect. The course description was a bit loose, farm land, grassy hills, would this be another repeat of the cow trodden course of Killarney? Thankfully no! I actually enjoyed the course, great staged kicker climbs, dusty trails through high ferns and bushes, wonderful flowey corners…..a real test. Oh, and sunshine too.

The Elite field was missing a couple of key riders from round 5, Robin, Evan and Ryan, but Peter was there so this was not going to be easy. I lead the first lap, then Peter put the hammer down and really made me suffer on laps 2 and 3. Just 15-20 seconds away and couldn’t get back on! Then on the 5^th lap, I rode up to him on the climb and passed him straight away. He then punctured and that was that! Win number 3 in the series, back to leading too, good stuffoooooooooo. The Raven was excellent, didn’t miss a beat, and I was able to stay in the big ring for the whole race (XX is class).

Well done to my chauffeur for the day, Vinny. He took an easy win in the Vets, should be a good nationals for him.

Southern XC - Crow Hill - 13th June 2010

A flying trip to the UK, quite why, we don’t know! Adrian invited us over to round 3 of the Southern XC series in the new forest. Bob has raced there last year and promised a great course with great racing. Bob picked me up 30 mins late, on Saturday afternoon, let the stress begin. Loading Evan into the back was easy (30kg), and off we go to the airport.

Jez, getting to the UK is so easy now. We were off the plane and in the car so quick! A little scare on the way to the rent-a-car when Bob decided to take a short cut down a bank and ended up over the bars on an airport trolley, a worlds first surely! All carbon intact, we load the car and 1.5 hours in the Skoda and we checked into the ‘Swan Inn’ for good food, beer, and just in time to watch the Engerland goalie fumble the ball to end up 1:1 with the USA in the world cup….would they lose to the Irish tomorrow?

A fine breakfast and sunny weather and a short hop in the car we were at the race venue. Stunning countryside and uber dry trails awaited us. I really was a super casual day. Sign-on, unloaded and build the bikes, pre lap and relax in the sun. The course was great, a 20min loop on singletrack, kickers, corners, dip, yumps, lumps the lot.

Probably 600 riders in total, but less than 20 in the elite field meant not much traffic. At 2pm we line up, 2^nd row grid beside legend Nick Craig, gulp. Bang, off we go, into the SPuDs and I’m away, fast fast fast, up the first kick, a couple of elbows and I’m on Bobs wheel…..in the first ST and I’m 3^rd, deadly…..kicks and sprints ahoy and its real fast. After ¼ lap I decide its job done regarding the start and I settle in to the race….a couple of guys pass, Stu Bowers, Nick and Chris Minter, I stick with Chris and hope for the best….

4 laps pass and I am still with Chris, good racing. I dig a little more and I pull about 15 secs, but I am suffering, real hard! I hold it going into the last lap but ½ way around, Chris digs and passes me, I have no response, the back is gone, the legs are gone…..real hard. 7^th it was then, not too shabby at all. The icing on the cake, Robin makes it to losses in a row for England, taking 1^st place, an easy win for him on a course that has his name written all over it! Adrian 2^nd, good on ya. Evan came home in a fine 10^th, not too bad at all. Load the bikes, drive back to the airport, a couple of hours later I am in my bed, nice one!

Thanks to Adrian for the invite and Amber for doing the bottles, I hope to come back for more SXC races, great setup and atmosphere.

Good video of the race

Bob goes over the bars in the airport, not a good start!

Robin, Evan and I on a practive lap

Robin leads Adrian

Great singletrack

Tough kicker climbs

Packing the bikes just after the finish, grief!

NPS # 5 - Limerick - 6th June 2010

Good racing on Sunday, a long climb followed by a long single track descent awaited us. A good NPS turnout too, Robin, Peter returning from his broken foot, Ryan fresh from his RAS success. visiting candian pro Mike Garrigan and all the usual heads. Off from the gun the pace was steady and controlled. Evan put a dig in near the top and I dug too to get ito the singletrack ahead. Slippin n slidin on the I was a bit all over the shop, but still pulling away from the pack! I let Robin past and we finished lap 1 with just a few seconds between us, the rest were about 15 seconds down.....race on.

Ryan and Peter passed me on the 2nd lap and I made a mess of the descent on this lap and the 3rd, but I got my head around it o the forth and started to reel them in. I caugth ryan on the descent on the 4th and passed him on the climb on the fifth, and cauth Peter on the descent too! I led our group on the last lap up the climb, but near the top Peter and Ryan started attacking and I had no response.....4th it was! Mike came in 5th, after suffering a puncture on the 1st lap, a shame we may have had another rider in the group dicing for 2nd. Well done to Bob, too easy. New bike was excellent, climbed like a dream!

Next day Bob and I took Mike on some trails around Djouce, happy days......

Off to Southampton this weekend for a Southern XC race, should be fun.

Joe

Up the fireroad from the start

Robin took the win

Ryan roed well to take 2nd

Me in 4th

Booting it on the last descent!

Over from Canada, Mike garrigan took 5th. Sound bloke!

New (upgraded) Race Hartail, Raven Extreme

Just built the new Raven Extreme, wow, what a bike. Full XX group, XX forks with hydraulic lockout and carbon steerer, carbon DT 1350 wheels, FSA carbon bits.....all the fancy frame tech from the Raven Pro, but this is the 'A' frame with a few unseen mods. Rides real fast, goes like a road bike. I'll put it through its paces this weekend in NPS # 5 and the following weekend in Southern UK XC serries race.....deadly. Again, big shout out to Aidan in Eurocycles.