National XC Mtb Championships

Sunday the 22nd of July saw the National XC Championships take place at Boiling hot Wasing Park. My Junior race was due to start at 12.30 but was delayed after a female master rider had crashed and the course was being cleared. We had a long wait on the start like which felt like hours, our race set of around 20minutes late. I was gridded at the dead last as i had not scored any National Series Points and had only just got my race licence a few weeks previous and had missed all the Southerns to score some points but nether the less i was still keen to get on with it. The race started quite fast with Alex baker leading a group of around 8 riders. I worked hard to get up to the front on the first fireroad and was in the leading group which i stayed with for 3/4 of a lap where i was feeling strong and decided to attack (very stupidly) and i began to see who was strong and who wasnt. But after 1/4 of a lap after the feed station i sat up and let the group get back on while i recovered and took on some fluids. I stayed with the group which contained all the big favourites except Alex baker and a few other riders, but after 1/2 a lap i was paying for my earlier efforts and slipped back to 5th with 6th with Hugo robinson and Iain paiton. During the 3rd lap i dropped Hugo robinson and then it was me and Iain left on the last lap with me deciding my plan of attack. On the 2nd half of the Course towards the end i attacked on a fireroad and got a good gap on Iain and it continued to grow to araound half a minute with me Finishing in 4th place and Iain in 5th with Sam Stean taking the win ahead of Mike Thompson and Alex Welburn. The Course was great with fast dry trails and some techy new little sections added in to mix things up a bit. There was British cycling coaches all over the course which was great to see that they are watching my riding. After the race 1 of the British Cycling commasaires came over and spoke to me to see how i got on and then asked if i was racing cyclocross this year but i wasnt planning on riding as i havnt got a Cyclocross bike. After this i thought long and hard and realised this will be my last year as a Junior so it was an oppurtunity not to be missed so i have recently bought a Specialized S-Works Tricross frame and Easton carbon forks for a good price of a guy i know from racing and i am now looking for a build kit so when i get payed i can build the bike up a race cyclocross winter as well as some mtb Enduros.

 Results from the National XC Championships via the link - http://timelaps.co.uk/assets/uploads/EVENTREPORT.aspx?eventid=216WasingEstate22/07/2012#Junior%20Male

Photos Avaliable Via the Link -  http://joolzedymond.com/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=1303&ingals=1&q=432#image=173799