Cross is coming, cross is coming, cross is here!!! We are three races into the 2023/24 cyclocross season and my first races as a Junior and to be honest they have been pretty decent. This has allowed me to get some early season UCI points which means I should get better gridding at any races; especially when I go to Europe to race, so I will not be starting at the back.
The first race, and round one of the Hope Supercross series was at Herrington Country Park. On a crisp Sunday morning we were met with a fast twisty course. I started third last on the grid and worked my way up to 7th from there. I am quite happy with this result as the course had limited overtaking and I was up against a strong British field.
The next weekend I attended a British Cycling Cyclocross camp. It started on the Friday night; we spent Saturday in cross coaching then we finished on Sunday morning where we left in time for the second round of the Hope Supercross series at Wyke Community Sports Village.
The course was dry and very bumpy, with quite a few long straights. After an ok start from a poor gridding position, I eventually caught the lead group after a lot of chasing. I sat on the back for a lap and a half until I managed to get away when trying to follow an attack from the eventual winner through the hurdles. As the hurdles were unusually thick, few people where bunny hopping them however, I was giving me an advantage and opportunity to get away. Pleased with my second in a stacked field.
Onto the final round of the Series in Barnoldswick at the Rolls Royce FC pitches. After a walk around the course on the Saturday evening I looked forward to a technical and fun course the next day. Although there was no rain on the Sunday morning the course was still feeling slippery. Although my I got my cleat in quickly, I did not get a great start and dropped back before moving back up. I felt off throughout the race and my legs where just not going well during the race. After a small crash, causing a chain off, I dropped from the group I had been leading. From there I battled to try and catch up and finished in 8th. Although the result was a bit disappointing, I am trying to understand why I felt off and work out how to not let it happen again.
This month has been largely a positive first experience racing as a junior and I am looking forward to competing in more UCI level races this season. I also want to say a huge thanks to the Hopetech team for putting on these races.
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