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Cyclo-Cross National Trophy Round 2 - Rider Reaction

Derby (Moorways Leisure Centre) | Sunday 11 October 2009
Report | Round 2 Results | Series Standings | Series Homepage

Post-Race Rider Reaction

Larry Hickmott spoke to many of the main riders after the races and this is what they had to say:

ELITE & UNDER-23 MEN

Johannes Sickmüller (1st): After his first race in this series, the German rider said to us "This is the first time I have ridden cyclo-cross in Great Britain. It was good and when the sun came out, the conditions were better. The course was slippery on the first two or three laps but after that I found a good line. In the second half of the race, the third rider, Paul Oldham, was coming back from behind and I think ‘oh no', ‘I think it is better that I go now' and I make a gap. Then the last two laps I see the gap is the same and I can cruise to the finish."

"In Germany, cyclo-cross is not so big, maybe the same as here. I talk with a few guys here and cyclo-cross is getting bigger here and I see how many riders are on the start. Also, it is good for spectators, a good area here where you can see the riders 90 percent if you stay in the one spot, very nice. I have enjoyed my trip here, thanks."

Paul Oldham (2nd): "That were tough. Those two got clear once I had a crash and then the race became steady and it was quite windy but very slippery. Jan was quicker round the corners than me but I attacked him into the headwind on the last lap and got a gap. Sickmüller was super strong."

"It was quite a similar course to the first round and because of the rain, it made it quite slippery but because it was hard, there was nothing for the tread to bite into." Paul then said having opened up a gap on the rest in the series that he might get his money's worth out of the yellow skinsuit. After finishing on the same points as Jody Crawforth last year and losing the series on countback, Paul nevertheless admits "the overall isn't a massive objective, it's more about winning rounds, and if you win the rounds, you win the series."

WOMEN

Hannah Barnes (1st): It was the Northampton girls first senior victory at cyclo-cross even though she has victories over senior riders in other disciplines. "I did fall once but managed to get up okay and catch them on the road section because that was the bit I liked!"

"I thought the course was good today. Normally I am rubbish on cambers (off) but it went well today and dad was pleased my tubs he glued on stayed on! I have two `cross training sessions a week which is helping. I also went to the cycle show this weekend and walked miles and I might do that again for every race now!"

Hannah has a busy forthcoming schedule because as well as school, she is doing some of the events at the National Track Championships, then the next Trophy race at Ipswich before an Olympic Development Programme selection camp at the end of October.

Joanne Mcrae (2nd) "I am happy with that result. I started off okay but with my inexperience, I hit the hurdles quite hard and had a bit of a mechanical. I had to do a quick bike change and then after that settled in and worked my way up. The course was slippery and I enjoyed it. I was just intending to try a few of the rounds but am intending to do the whole series now. This is my first season of cyclo-cross and so I'm just trying to find my way in it really."

JUNIOR MEN

Tom Moses (1st): Looking at blood seeping out of a knee wound, I said to Tom, it was a reminder of how slippery the course was? "It was just one of those accidents when I was looking behind me to see what gap I had. I was trying to keep the gap at the same and I didn't have to try too hard. I opened up at the back end because I thought Dan (McLay ) was going to come back to me."

"If you were good round the corners out there, you were able to keep the speed all the way round. At the start, I could see they were suffering behind me so I put a bit more effort in and seemed to be able to ride away from everyone. I'd like to thank Team Wallis for the transport, kit and Paul Milnes for supplying me with the bikes."

Dan McLay (2nd): "I think I fell off four or five times. A couple of times it was because of people crashing in front of me and then I was pushing it to see if I could catch Moses and was pulling him in slowly but taking chances and so I came off twice on my own as well. On the first lap, I grabbed too much front brake and pulled the cable through, which was due to my poor mechanicing and I crashed into Oli (Webster) because I couldn't stop in time. I didn't really lose a lot of time on the first lap, only places. Moses did a good ride, can't fault it."

Perry Bowater (3rd): "It is my first Trophy race this season. I have done a couple of West Midland's league events and won both of them but had a cold recently and have had a few weeks off. I am pretty pleased with third because I didn't expect to get a podium place because I've been ill. I came here yesterday and it was pretty firm and I decided on what tyres to use and came here this morning and fell off, so I let them down a bit and got the right pressure right and found it alright." To finish the interview, Perry said he wants to do well in the Mallory round of the Trophy as it's the local one for him.

YOUTH MEN

Sam Lowe (1st) "I've been putting in a bit more training in since the first round where I ripped my rear mech off and as this is where I live, I felt it was the best place to prove a point and hopefully I can keep it up for the rest of the series. I went out there to take it easy into the bends to make sure I don't come off and then sprint out of the bends as hard as I could and make the time up on the straights. I had mishap when I lost my concentration a bit and slipped off but overall I did really well." That he certainly did dominating the race well.

Hugo Robinson (3rd): The rider who was third was a little disappointed afterwards saying "I was sliding all over the place the first few laps and lost so much time. Then the rain came down and I thought I have to change tyres and changed onto some muds but I just couldn't get my rhythm back. It was shocking day as I had tired legs too but I'm not sure if I could have beaten Sam today."

Jack Ravenscroft (1st Under 14): "I kind of got with some Under 16's and I had Harvey Lowe on my wheel. Then Joe Fox my teammate, gave me a jump so I went with him and then Harvey caught me up and then on the last lap, I jumped away and managed to hold him off."

YOUTH WOMEN

Lucy Garner: "It was hard out there as you didn't know how fast to go round the corners. Sometimes you went too fast and slipped completely, like on the first lap, Beth (Crampton) was in front and slipped, then I slipped, then Amy (Roberts) slipped and we were all on the floor! We were all very strong and it was a really good race. I got a bit of a gap with half a lap to go and I just went for it. I didn't want to go too hard on the last bit because I thought would slip off so I thought about where it was best to go."

Bethany Crumpton (2nd): "Lucy got the gap and managed to keep the gap. I brought it back but because it was all corners at the end of the lap, and so slippery, you had to be careful not to crash. I was feeling good, but all three of us were so equal out there. It's the second race of the series and we were all just waiting for that sprint because we couldn't shake each other. There was a lot of attacking this time which was better than the last round."

VETERAN 40 PLUS

Chris Young (2nd): On how at times he was taking one step forward and two back as he slipped on the corners, Chris, who was wearing the yellow jersey for the first time in his long and distinguished career, explained "me and Phil Roach, it was a bit like synchronised skating! It wasn't too bad once you got used to it and I took it a bit steady. I worked well with Phil but we couldn't catch the Belgian."

"There were a lot of corners at the end but not a lot of places to attack but the straight was good and I was banking on Phil being a bit tired and not getting my wheel. Because Phil is good round corners, I couldn't really leave it to a sprint so I thought I'd get rid of him and make it easier."

"I was pretty nervous on the start line. This is the first time right from being a Junior that I have worn a yellow jersey. If you keep going, you get there in the end!" said the former multi-national champion as a senior and veteran. Hopefully I can keep it going and hopefully some of my form can rub off on my son!"

Phil Roach (3rd): "That is my way to go flat out from the start and he (Young) was there after a lap or two. Trouble is I pay for it at the end. Chris is so strong on the straights. I was trying to pull the technical bits on him but he was getting better every lap. The problem out there was as your brakes dry out, they grab and that's what puts you on the deck. So you just have to brake early, dry the surface off, and then be smooth through the corner. Hopefully in this series, I'll get a good clean run each round and that should pay off."

Geoff Giddings (4th) "It's been a good day for Raleigh. I was alright on the straight bits out there where I was able to pick the pace up but the corners came up pretty quick there. I had a few slides but that was the fun part."

VETERAN 50 PLUS

Ian Wright (1st): "Catching the back markers today threw up a few problems but I went a lot better today than I thought I would. The legs were a bit heavy coming into this race but it was a great course. Hats off to John and his helpers. They played into my hands with it being nice and greasy. I thought Martin was going to stay with me longer than he did but I was quite happy to ride on my own because I was able to go a lot quicker by riding smoothly without defending lines".

Roy Hunt (2nd): "I wasn't on the pace today but I'm getting closer. Two days at the London Cycle show just knackers your legs and because of that, I wasn't expecting to be in the top three. I loved the course and being a mountain biker, it being slippery meant it wasn't a problem. The pace was a problem but I loved the corners."

When I asked can we expect him to dominate the category again like he used to, Roy replied, "it does get harder as the younger ones come in but it is great to have some one to chase and it keeps me on my toes."

Martin Eadon (3rd): "Course was fine today, my only problem was I've had the flu for the last fortnight and I had nothing in my legs. I made the best of what I could though. I think Ian got a gap and drew away and then Roy and I got tangled with a few lapped riders and then Roy had a slip and I had a few slips and the gap just appeared and after that, it was damage limitation."

"Without being blasé, in this category I'm going to be the favourite as I'm the youngster coming in and I have surprised myself on how I have gone. It is going to be a long season and Roy and Ian and a few others are good tough riders, but I am confident I can beat them on a good day."