Army Cyclocross Team
20th November 2021 – National Trophy Round 4 – Herrington Country Park – Sunderland
Here’s a report from Capt Simon Hale from this past weekends National Trophy:
A flat and fast course with high winds was always going to be hard work! A long course using most of the park with severe off cambers and a few cheeky climbs with a man-made bridge made thrown in for good measure it made the race a very tactical one.
From the whistle I took an early (short lived) lead to then drop to 3rd and sit in and wait for the battle to start, with the front 2 riders having made the break it was left to 5 riders to fight it out for the last place on the podium.
3rd place changed hands on most laps and sometimes even from corner to corner and the pace was relentless. Effort after effort to make the break but no one was able to make it stick until the last lap. In the end I had to settle for 7th as I had no VO2 max to give on this day.
I great race where tactics and power were the best combination, a little rest now before the Masters CX World Championship’s on 3/4 Dec in Ipswich but looking forward to round 5 of the National Trophy at Cyclepark Kent on 11/12 Dec.
Two other Team Riders attacked the course on Saturday here’s where they crossed the line…
Capt Jon Robinson V50(45th)
WO2 Matt Waters V40 (38th)
Other racing results.
Capt Hale V50(3rd) – Leicestershire Cyclocross League
2Lt Dan Shapland – Seniors (10th) Yorkshire CX