Andy Seltzer writes…
My first cross race of the season started in most unlikely cyclo-cross type weather, warm sunshine. Having made the trip north of Heathrow and caught up with old friends and adversaries I then ventured out for a couple of warm up laps on the course which used some of the tarmac road course, gravel paths and a couple of grassy banks. One thing was certain the racing was going to be fast and furious, and it was!
If you thought that cross was just running around a field with a bike on your back then think again, this was flat out trying to hold the wheel in front whilst negotiating some nice gravely corners. Having mainly raced time trials this season it was a real buzz to battle it out against a group of riders again and boy did it hurt.
After a good start I managed to unship my chain halfway into the first lap, having to stop to remount the chain a stream of riders passed me, no problem I would have a morale boosting ride through the field, how wrong I was. With lungs about to burst I was able to catch up with a small group of riders ahead but that was as good as it got as I fought to keep with them.
All in all a tough first race baptism resulting in 29th overall and 12th veteran someway off my previous seasons form.
The race was won by a flying Matt Holmes of Artic RT.
