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Report: Lincolnshire 'Cross
Round 12, Lincolnshire Cyclo-Cross League
20 December, Rossington
Report & Images: Joolze Dymond
Cyclo-Cross is the sport of champions and incredible hardy souls, as the 12th round of the Lincolnshire CX League proved. Arriving at the Rossington venue, riders were greeted with sub zero temperatures and an ever so festive sprinkling of snow. While most of the UK were out doing some frantic Xmas shopping, these hardy folk were coming to grips with frozen ruts, ice bound corners and freezing dips across streams.
Joolze Dymond's Slide Show (more, including photo sales at www.joolzedymond.com)
Video - Cracking on-board footage from Rick Lister
Report
First to get stuck in were the youths, with 10 riders tackling 4 laps of the icy terrain. Ben Green proved to be the man to beat as he blasted from the start line leading the rest of the field into their first foray of the singletrack through the woods. He quickly opened up a gap, which he maintained to the end to take the win, securing the overall series with it. Jake Poole took the under14's win with a fine 5th spot.
Next the under 12's got stuck into a shortened version of the course and after 9 long laps victory went to Elliot Dudley.
Graham Briggs (left) and Noel Clough's battle went down to the last lap
Finally it was time for the main race of the day with over 50 riders vying for position on the start line. By now the welcome winter sun had been swallowed whole by threatening snow clouds and the temperature had dropped even lower, with a bit of wind chill thrown in for good luck.
To enable the field to spread out before hitting the woods, the senior race took off around a shortened version of the course for the first lap, before rejoining the course proper. For the first couple of laps pockets of riders came streaming through as the race waited to settle down.
Up front and biding their time were local rider Graham Briggs with National Veteran Champion Noel Clough tucked in behind watching and waiting. As the race unfolded it soon became a 2 horse race. Each lap saw Clough and Briggs, dig deep trying to gain that winning gap but to no avail. Despite a few sketchy moments, including skating incidents leading up to the hurdles, Clough and Briggs looked evenly matched; this was looking to be heading for a sprint finish.
Rick Lister, left, took the League title - right, action from the Youth race
Then disaster, or should that be disaters, struck: First Briggs collided with a back marker, leaving Clough to get the much needed edge; unfortunately for Clough his good fortune was short lived as a slow puncture put him on the back foot and Briggs soon clawed his way back into contact.
As Clough headed for the pits for a new bike, Briggs made his strike for home: taking full advantage of his rival's temporary incapacity, he surged on into a lone lead. Going into the final stages of the last lap he was able to relax and take the win, with a 20sec lead on Clough, who could console himself with the vet categry win. Jack Clarson took the junior win, whilst Paul Andrews took the honours in the over 50's. Meanwhile, Rick Lister's hard fought 4th spot underlined his overall series and league win.
Post-Race Rider Reaction
Ben Green - Youth Winner: Yeah that was alright, it went to plan. I went hard from the start so I got the lead going into the woods and just carried on from there. This course is excellent one of my favourites; it's flat and fast! The conditions made it a bit slippier than usual but I know the course and rode those sections carefully and kept moving on. Yeah it was bitterly cold but that's all part of racing!
Graham Briggs - Senior Winner: That was a really good workout today, I've just got back after a month off the bike, so I'm back with fresh legs and I'm pleased to win on my home course. I only live like 1/2 mile from here and I've been practising all week round here which has come in handy today. Tough ride with Noel, he got away about half way, but I managed to claw him back, then on the last lap he punctured and I hit a back marker. I had to chase to get back to him, but as I said he'd punctured and had a bike change, so I managed to open a gap and held it to the line, chuffed with that really. It wasn't very warm out there you needed a good warm up to open the lungs, I'll be feeling it tonight!
Noel Clough - Vet Winner: That was really tough, but I felt good I was just going to make my move on that last lap when I punctured and he got behind me again then he fell off behind a back marker, so I got a gap, then he caught me again, pushed past and got a gap and took the win. The course was so rutted, those frozen bits were just forcing you to go in every direction apart from where you wanted to go and when you caught up with the back markers you had to go on even more rutted sections, they were pure evil! Other than that it was a good course, nice and flat!
Rick Lister: This year we have a league and a championship, the championship is a race when there isn't a National Trophy on and the league is for every single race. Mark Cotton won the championship and I won the league. Not a bad race for me today, I've had a bit of a cold in the week, I struggled through the field but had a much better ride through the woods than most, I was getting onto the guys through there, then losing them on the field. I quite like the ice, much better than the mud!
Results
1. Graham Briggs Canti TV 9 laps in 51.07
2. Noel Clough Fietsen Tempo (Vet) @ 20s
3. Gaving Hardwicke Ashfield RC @ 31s
4. Rick Lister Endura @58s
5. James Thompson @ 1.28
6. Matt Denby Zepnat (Vet) @ 2.31
7. Luke Allen Cyclocross.com @ 2.43
8. Pete Middlehurst Octagon @ 4.12
9. Matt Fenson Cottingham C @ 5.29
10. Duncan Walmsley Zepnat (Vet) @ 5.34
11. Jack Clarnson Pedalsport (Jun) @ 5.36
12. John Wilkinson Moonglu RT (Vet) @ 6.07
13. Shane Lewis VCL @ 1 lap
14. Leigh Andrews Zepnat
15. Pete Wilkin Feitsen Tempo (Vet)
16. Pete Fielding Smith Hull Thursday (Vet)
17. Mark Preston VCL
18. James Dyson Pedalsport
19. Steve Poole Zepnat (V)
20. David Perry GoSport (V)
21. Mark Robinson (V)
22. Ian Broadley
23. Ian Clarke Lincoln Wheelers (V)
24. Graham Piccavey Hudderfield (V)
25. Andy McGee (V)
26. Jason Clarke VCL
27. M Spenser Batley CC (V)
28. Steve Hesketh Army (V)
29. Mervyn Dudley Sherwood (V)
30. John Belson (V)
31. Tim Beachill Huddersfield (V)
32. Gary Ducker Boston (V)
33. Sam Mullenger Yello Velo @ 2 laps
34. Craig Turner Sherwood (V)
35. Nik Appleyard Scunthorpe RC
36. Paul Clarke Lincoln
37. Paul Andrews VCL (V)
38. Phil Heyes Skegness
39. Henry Heyes Skegness
40. Joe Moore Junior
41. John Bateman (V)
42. John Dowell Heanor Clarion (V)
43. Terry Beisky Scunthorpe Poly (V)
44. Rob Cummins
45. Terry Watson (V)
46. Richard Stansfield VC Bradford
47. D Elwell (V)
Youth
1. Ben Green Sportcity 4 laps in 23.59
2. Edwyn Oliver-Evans East Bradford CC @ 50s
3. George Thompson Sleaford @ 1.43
4. Jordan Gell VCL @ 1.59
5. Jake Poole (U14) 2.26
6. Adam de Smith VCL @ 2.48
7. Simon Beedham @6.10
8. Jack King Sleaford (U14) @ 6.46
9. Henry Thompson Sleaford (U14) @ 1 lap
Under-12
1. Elliott Dudley Sherwood Pines
2. Max Williamson
3. Bradley Sprogis VCL
4. Eleanor Crawford Witham
5. James Broughton VCL
