2011 Irish Cyclocross Championships - Jan 2011

Grrrr, a lack of form before Christmas (booze, chocolates), coupled with a popped back, meant I chose to skip the nationals this year. Pity, as the reigning champ, I should have raced, but I would have been so far off the pace that I didn’t want to go. By the looks of it, it was a class race. Bob went from the gun, leaving Conor and Evan to duke it out. Congrats to bob, and Evan for outsprinting Conor for 2nd. Congrats also to the race organizers, the event looked great, very well setup etc. No more cross now until next year, time to get fit for the MTB!!!

Conor and Ryan go at it!

Full report here
http://www.ulstercyclocross.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29:national-championships-2011&catid=32:national-championships-2011&Itemid=30

Dec 2010 – MONSTER Snow

Mega snow here for the couple of weeks before Christmas. We had 1 day of no snow, then it went nuts again. 2ft of snow in my back garden! Biking was difficult,

I had an amazing spin with Robin and Vinzer over knocknagun on the Sunday of little snow. It was very cold, and we decided to go up knocknagun and hope that the bog was frozen. We actually rode on a 4 mtr wide track of deep snow all along the Dublin/wicklow border over the bog. Frozen solid, 40kms/hr…..like being on a ski slope…amazing.

I did a couple more spin in the snow, not too much. A great cross session on Stephens day in the snow with Robin, Mark and Andy. Then I popped my back fixing the tap in the kitchen, typical….knocked me out for a couple of week.

On the dublin/wicklow border. See the track go off behind my left shoulder, mad

Slidery roads

Back of Marley park

BikePure GP – Dec 12th 2010 – Belurgan Estate, Co. Louth

A tough few weeks prior to this race was not the best prep, plus lots of snow had made training difficult. Evan and I drove to Belurgan, just outside Dundalk for the “BikePure GP”, or the “McCorey Cup” as I like to call it.

Conditions were tough, the snow had melted the day before, and the course had to be modified to avoid lethal icy sections. That meant we were left with a shortish course, and lot and lots of mud!

As Bob and Conor were missing, I was going to be a head to head with Evan and me. At the end of lap one, it was me, Evan and super junior Cormac Clarke shlompin through the shlomp. I was suffering, and Evan was pushing the pace. On lap 3, Evan got a gap on the kicker, but got back on just before he flatted……not a good run for poor old Evan. For the rest of the race, I kept the head down, stayed out of trouble, and enjoyed the slidery conditions.

Congrats to Colm Ahern in 2nd, a solid ride. Evan suffered another flat and came in 3rd. Not long after that Cormac got 4th place….one to watch for sure.

Thanks to Myles, Dave and the team for a fun day out….the couple of Erdingers stuffed in the pockets went down well that night!

Supercross Cup # 4 – 20th Nov 2010 – Tymon Park

Ok, I wasn’t supposed to be doing this race. I started work at 7:45am. At 11am, I though ‘mmm, I can get out for a couple of hours here’….upstairs, into the gear, chucked the bike in the car, out to Tymon…..on the bike at 11:40, deadly. Same course as # 2, but with a couple of tweeks…..much wetter though.

Off we went, straight away, Robin, Evan, Conor and I got away. On lap 2 I led through the off camber and had a huge slide and the back end went away, funny, not too much time lost (see vide blow). Conor got a gap on lap 4, and Robin jumped over. I let it go a bit as I wanted to isolate Evan. I then jumped Evan and rode up to Conor and Bob….no, hold on, I never feckin got back on…..brutal. Evans bike snapped on the next lap, so that was him out. Conor was riding REAL well, but bob got away to take the win, Conor next, then me, then Peter Mc, savage ride. 3rd was good enough to take 2nd overall in the series. Thanks to Bob and Dave!

Straight into the car and home for more work…..tapping away on the laptop covered in mud….busy busy day.

Stevens Supercross Cup from David Gill on Vimeo.

Supercross Cup # 3 – 13th Nov 2010 – Corkagh Park

Corkagh park +dry conditions = super fast racing. I was there at 9am, giving a dig out with the course marking. I was in charge of the 1st loop, and I included a couple of nice features on the humps to add to the slideryness. The course was great, corner, corner, corner….Another capacity entry, on the 2nd row again, and off we go. Again, Robin, Conor, Evan and I got away early. We stayed together until the 3rd when Robin got a flat, losing about 1 min. for the next few laps, Evan, conor and I battled it out….I tried to get away a couple of times, but no joy. Conor toe tapped the tall boards and cramped. Being the good mate that I am, I attacked, dropping Conor and bringing along Evan. With 3 to go, Bob was not too far behind, so I gave it a dig, got 10secs, but Bob and Evan got together and pulled it back. With 2 laps to go, Bob went, no response. Evan was v strong, and got a gap on the last lap. I was sure I was going to get it back, but shunted on a slippy corner, dropping the chain…aghhhhhhhh. Conor and Ryan were not too far behind, so I put the head down and came home in 3rd.

Class race, class course, great racing and savage riders….I love it!

Evan, Robin, Conor and I do battle

Taking it wide

Not sure if this was intended drifting!

Monster boards!

Ryan never got on the group to contend

On Conors wheel

Cyclocross training!

Finally, the rains came. Total deluge. the aftermate of out Tuesday night session.......'because I'm worth it!'

Jet wash the bike, 5 mins, Jet wash me, 5 mins, jetwash the clothes, 15mins.......

Supercross Cup round # 1 - Tymon Park – Dublin – Oct 16th 2010

Cyclocross! Oh god, the pain. Just back from 2 tough races at the Roc, straight into cross racing. I had just got my new Focus Mares carbon crosser racing thing and I was eager to give it a race.

Tymon park was the venue, a classic. I was gridded on the 2nd row, only because I am national champ….also on the 2nd row was UK visitor Adrian ‘winner’ Lansley. At midday, the capacity 75 riders sprinted off from the start. The course was v good, bone dry, just a bit slippy from overnight dew, perfect cross weather. I got a good start, took the lead after the 1st few corners, and started lap 2 in the lead with Bob, Ade, Evan, Aidan and Conor en-tow…savage. Then Ade launched a savage attack, stringing it out a bit. Evan punctured on lap 2, pity. I hung on to Bob and Ade for 5 laps, then more attacks and I hung off the back. I almost got back on on lap 7, but the boys started attacking again, game over!

Ade won by a couple of seconds to Bob, I was 3rd, a good bit behind. Aidan was 4th, Conor 5th and Peter 6th….go on the ol’ lads! A great race, super slick event, nice sambos, and a good family day out.

Aidan stickin it in the ribs!

Lap 1, pretty much all together

Ade, Bob and I hangin it out

Head down