Mountain bike race: Gorrick #4 (Porridgepot Hill)

I decided to do the fourth round of the Gorrick mtb ahead of the Dengie Marshes Tour or Peter Young Memorial with the first round of the NPS XC racing looming (next weekend). It's probably a good idea since I've not ridden off-road since January. It's been so long since I've been off-road I even had to change my disc pads with them so worn.

What I like about riding the Supermasters event is it's an early start (9.45am) and you get to ride against some great elite-like riders like Sam Gardner.

With no warm up I lined up next to team mate, Mark Hutt at Porridgepot Hill course. We experienced some tricky moments on the first corner after the start. By the first climb ( of 3 steep climbs each lap) we, the riders, found a rhythm and lined out on the singletrack dropping down the first technical - loose, sandy, off-camber - descent.

On the second climb we'd formed the lead group of five - me, Mark Hutt, Nick Onslow, Sam Gardner & Stephen James. Being off the bike for so long showed with my woeful technical riding ability - I was struggling on the technical sections - loosing ground each time. I became increasingly frustrated having to constantly bridge the group (yoyo'ing). At the start of lap 3 I started loosing a little ground with the group (30 secs). I continued to keep riding as hard as possible, keeping the pressure on. I was holding on to the 30sec gap, but as I started the last lap my rhythm kicked in and began to start riding with a lot control.

At the finish I felt strong and delighted to finish in fith place. I was also pleased to learn that Mark won with a sprint, beating Sam Gardner. An impressive result and well deserved Mr Hutt.

Next week we move to Sherwood Forest for the first NPS XC of the season. I'm seriously looking forward to it. (and the Surrey League Easter 3-Day the weekend after that)

Race results

1. Mark Hutt (AW Cycles)
2. Sam Gardner
3. Stephen James
4. Nick Onslow
5. Rob Enslin (AW Cycles)

Race stats

Time: 01:05

Laps: 4
HR: 181/193

Temp: 6 degrees average

Climbing: 400 metres

Wally Gimber Road Race (15 March)

The Wally Gimber is traditionally a hard race and to win it you either need to be strong & fast, crafty or damn lucky. Unfortunately for me I was strong, however a required ingredient (speed) was missing. Until now my training has largely been of a strength/endurance nature so my speed is desperately lacking.

[photo courtesy of Belinda Sinclair]

At least we had cracking weather - 16 degrees and sunny at the start, but while we waited in the glorious sunshine we were missing a requirement to hold a race - an ambulance. It was running late. It gave us a chance to catch up with other riders and for me to check out Matt's new Felt top-of-the-range machine. What a beauty.

With the event being run by the SERRL we were privy to be able to use the transponders for timing and wear light paper-like numbers (seriously techie).

Anyway, we set off to complete six laps of a tough circuit which included one slight hill which fortunately wasn't too long. The start/finish line was on a slight descent wide enough for a safe sprint (yeah right).

On the first lap Alex Higham (WyndyMilla) and two guys attacked off the front so I chased and got on. We drove hard for the rest of lap one. I was feeling pretty strong and so was Alex it seemed. So while Alex drove hard on the climbs I put in hard turns on the flats to open a decent gap on the group. We seemed to be managing just fine and opened up a little lead - around 1min, so things were looking good. Eventually, however, Simon and a Dulwich Paragon guy got dropped and by this time a small chasing group had developed. The group had some strong riders in it including Grant Bayton (Sportsbeans/Wilier), Chris McNamara (Team Corley), Toby Neave (Southdown Velo), John Heaton-Armstrong (Fit-For), Steve Saunders (Kingston Wheelers).

Alex and I drove on well together with a neat and tight two-up TT formation. We set a good pace and relentlessly drove on. The gap hovered around 50sec until finally the chasers caught us.

Unfortunately, I have no idea what my team mates were doing or what was going on in the peleton. Turns out that Rob Hurd (DHC Colnago) and Tom Hemnant (London Dynamo) started a move to bridge the gap. They did so quite effectively and before we knew it they'd arrived with Rob looking as fresh as ever. How does he do it? Must be all those years of racing.

With two laps to go the lead group with me in it mucked around with no real cohesive efforts. It seemed that only a few riders were prepared to work which became increasingly frustrating for me. Afterwards I'd wished Alex and I had stayed away. After all we deserved it. The least the group could do is work together, but no - just good old English style - follow wheels "I'm not working" mentality. Argh!!!

So while all the negative riding ensued Rob Hurd said his goodbyes and rode off never to be caught again. He's a bloody crafty bugger. (BTW, he claimed the most stylish rider award which I think he deserved.)

[photo courtesy of Belinda Sinclair]

In the closing lap, while Rob Hurd was away and the main field closing rather swifty, we began the sprint for home. I was a little unprepared so never got going with it until it was too late. I came home in a rather disappointing tenth place... Just in the money (£15) and energy food/drink sponsored by Bike Food.

Final result:

1. Robert Hurd
2. David Creeggan
3. John Heaton-Armstrong
4. Mark Daly
5. Richard Mason
6. Henry Furniss
7. Grant Bayton
8. Roger Smith
9. Chris McNamara
10. Robert Enslin (AW Cycles.Co.uk)
18. Tom Smith (AW Cycles.Co.uk)
40. Alex Peterson (AW Cycles.Co.uk)
47. Matt Melville (AW Cycles.Co.uk)

Full race report on the British Cycling website.
Check out Steve Sauders' race report.

Race Stats:

Time: 03:08
Distance: 127km
Heart Rate: 173bpm average and 193bpm
Ascending: 970m

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Severn Bridge Road Race (1 March)

The AW Cycles team: Tom (Smith), Rob (Enslin), Alex (Peterson) and Sam (Allen).

There was a strong line up for the Severn Bridge Road Race on Sunday 1 March in Tockington, South Gloucestershire. We had ten laps of a tough (racing at speed) circuit to complete with one big climb (Hog Hill) at near the finish on every lap. Each climb carried a KOM prime (except the last) so each climb made harder. The crowds were the best I've seen for a while - they hugged the curbs along the climb and at the finish (last lap).

Severn Bridge Road Race: 1 March 2009 from Rob Enslin on Vimeo.

The first lap was sketchy as the riders appeared a little nervous - perhaps as it was the season opener? By the end of the first lap - going up Hog Hill climb (a beast) - was pace was relentless (furious) with Alex suffereing off the back (see video). The training camp miles still firmly biting his legs (and Tom and mine I might add). Alarm bells were sounding when I could bearly hold a wheel and struggling to breath going that climb.  Tom and Sam seemed very comfortable. Fortunately the crowds were cheering loud enough to keep me going - including fantastic support by the Enslin family (and Sam's dad Mark).

On ~ lap 3 going up Hog Hill a split was forced by the strong men (pros) of the race and two big groups formed. By now Alex had climbed off so the three of us were hanging in the second group. The gap stayed around ~30-40 secs for the next few laps. Also the field numbers were lessening as the pace remained high.

Onto the final quarter of the race and our chase group picked up a little momentum with Grant Bayton charging the riders with order and colllective effort to close. It worked and we reduced the gap. With three laps to go we bridged the lead group, but sadly both Tom and Sam faded. Tom, like Alex, suffering from post-camp fatigue and Sam cramping up the climb.

Now with a lap to go two riders (Marcin Biablocki and James Millard) clipped off the front and rode away to sprint it out while we endured a number of solo attacks which amounted to nothing. Up the final climb and I actually started to feel stronger so stayed near the front. Turning right with a kilo to go I kept the pressure on to finish comfortably in the main front group taking a top 20 finishing place (TBC).

After speaking with Tom and Alex it was clear we all had hard miles in our legs, which was slowly dissipating to be replaced with form (speed and power - a racing-winning formula). Watch this space!

Sam rode impresively today and a certain talent with a bright racing future. (just remember salt tablets for the next event).

Final placings:

1. Marcin Biablocki

2. James Millard

3. Marc Perry

?. Rob Enslin (AW Cycles)

?. Sam Allen (AW Cycles)

?. Tom Smith (AW Cycles)

DNF. Alex Peterson  (AW Cycles)

Other points of reference:

British Cycling race report (and photos)

Fit-For race report