WXCRL Woodlands Road Race and DRR MTB Enduro Movies!

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WXCRL Woodlands Road Race 15/05/10

James Cotty of Herbalife/Wheelbase.co.uk/Cannondale picked his way through a crash-strewn last lap to win this Saturday’s Woodlands Road Race. Run as a handicap, the Regional C+ race was open to riders of all levels, seeded into three groups and held back accordingly. With the Wessex League now in its second full year, the BC category system had settled into place with riders now riding in categories that matched their level of ability, making this year’s race a little more even-handed than last year’s. From a field of 33 riders, there were seven 4th cats, fifteen 3rds, nine 2nds and a single elite rider. Among the entrants was local resident and paralympic world road race champion Darren Kenny OBE.

‘I used to ride these roads as a kid.’  He said. ‘We used to pretend we were racing and now here I am, racing for real .’ Sadly, by his own admission, he rode ‘a shocker’ – the curse of the rainbow jersey, perhaps?

The first  group were unleashed at 10.30, the second held back for 3 minutes and the third a further 2 minutes. All soon got their heads down to chase around the 6.5 mile course. Or at least most did.

‘There were a few passengers in the scratch group’  Said Eamon Deane of Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers. ‘Some people sitting in. Maybe they don’t get the idea of a handicap race.’

Other riders concurred, and were more willing to point the finger;

‘Cotty sat on the whole race, in the scratch group and, when we’d caught them, in the bunch.’ Said Steve Dring of team Echelon/Spiuk. ”The only time I saw him on the front was in the last few hundred.’

‘James only did a couple of turns in the scratch group.’ Agreed Roland Tilley of Ride Cycleworks.

While the culprit James Cotty of Herbalife/Wheelbase.co.uk/Cannondale remained unapologetic;

‘I was a bit tired at the beginning, a bit lazy. But I’ve done races where I’ve tried too hard to pull people back and a two minute gap was not too bad to get back. People were getting a bit silly trying to get across too early, they could have worked more sensibly.’

Within two laps, the second group had caught the third with the scratch group a little over a minute back. Casualties came from the pace, one such being Andrew Mayfield of Bournemouth Arrow, who lost the front on a patch of gravel on the turning onto the Cranborne road. Other than a little lost skin and a ripped jersey he was unhurt and returned to the hq to be the first of a queue of riders to be patched up by Kris the paramedic.

The field had come together by lap 5, and stayed that way for the remainder of the race, except for an unsuccseful breakaway attempt by Eamon Deane. Then, approaching the final kilometer, it all went horribly wrong.

‘Some guy hit the gravel and lost his steering, panic braked and went down’ Said Steve Crutcher of Off-Camber, who had a grandstand view of proceedings.

Also in the thick of it was Stewart Ward of Twickenham CC, who had travelled a long way to get his ergo lever smashed, after riding over the fallen rider. Apparently, the field had fanned out across both lanes and then had to squeeze back across the white line to avoid an approaching car. One rider was pushed off the tarmac and into a pothole on the verge and skittled several other riders.

‘I just put my head down and waited till it had all finished.’ Said Adam Buckland of Banjo Cycles, while having his elbow swabbed afterwards. ‘When I looked up again, it was carnage all around me.’

Some avoided the carnage, with Chris Roxburgh of Team Tor 2000 being either very lucky or very unlucky depending on how you saw it.

‘Steve Croom [also Tor 2000] was all set to lead me out but someone hit my back wheel and knocked the skewer loose. It was like riding through mud for the sprint.’

Of those that got through unscathed, Roland Tilley, Steve Dring and James Cotty made it round the final turn with a clear gap and James Cotty, with legs fresh after either some superb tactical riding or some serious glass-cranking, depending on who you listened to, won the sprint. Steve Dring came in second with Roland Tilley third. A little further back came Jerry Rayner of Somer Valley CC in fourth, Simon Hoyle fifth, Steve Moss of Bournemouth Arrow fifth, Andy Bryson of DHCyclesport sixth, Tom Knowlton of Sotonia CC seventh, Steve Groome of Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers eighth and Will Stevens of Bournemouth Arrow ninth. Full results should be appearing here soon.

Back at base, the walking wounded were patched up by Kris, a first aider who is one of the regulars who gives up his spare time to follow the race around, dealing with just this sort of thing. After using most of a whole can of saline anti-septic spray and a good deal of melolin patches, it was reported that no one had suffered worse than bruising and gravel rash. The incident should serve as a reminder why crossing the white line in a road race IS A BAD THING. Even when you’re at the back of the bunch with a kilometer to go.

Photos are available here, although none of the crash we’re afraid. If you could arrange to fall of at a specified point then our photographer could be waiting and we’ll all be happy. Which just leaves us to remind you that the next Wessex League event (apart from the MTB event tomorrow, for which entry is now closed) is the WXCRL Sotonia Heath Road Race coming up fast on Tuesday 25th May. Details here. Full preview coming soon.

WXCRL Woodlands RR and Dorset Rough Riders MTB Race Preview

So, did you enjoy those few weeks off? Good. Hopefully you’ve all been out training since and will be race fit come this Saturday and the Woodlands Road Race. This is a handicap event, open to all from elites to 4ths, with riders given a head start depending on their level of ability. The elites have to get their heads down to catch the thirds and fourths. Similarly, the thirds and fourths are encouraged to go like stink to stay ahead of the chasing pack. The bigger the groups of riders, the easier their task. Hint hint.

The first group of riders leave the start line at 10.30 am, 20 minutes after the sign on closes in Woodlands village hall, about a mile west of Verwood (map). The course runs south down the B3078 Cranborne road, then left at the Horton Inn, down into the village of Horton and up the hill and back to Woodlands again. 69.4km or 6 laps later, the race turns off the main course and towards the finish line, where the survivors will sprint it out up a slight incline. Enter here.

Come Sunday, Dorset Rough Riders will be running a mountain bike race in Wareham forest, based out of the Forsetry Commision’s HQ, just off the Sika Trail car park. Sorry, no map available, you’ll just have to get your ordenance surveys out. There are various events over the course of the day, with a 2 hour endurance event, counting for Wessex League points. The top fifteen score – that is to say the top fifteen in the main race. A top fifteen in the ‘have a go’, or the 13-15 year old, or 8-12 year old events sadly will not score in the wessex league results, although the pride in a race well ridden is yours to keep.

The main event kicks off at 11.30, while the course probably winds through trees and goes up and down a bit too. No one who knew anything about mountain bike racing was available for comment at the time of writing so apologies for being vague. Enter here.