3 Peaks Cyclocross 2011 – a personal report
- Thread starter ededwards
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mrkawasaki
Retrobike Rider
Another delightful insight into Ed's world of pain... add an orange and a bin bag and the fetish is complete!
Thanks for kind words chaps, would have been much more coherent if I'd bothered to check for spelling and grammatical errors but at the time of writing I was ravaged by the combined effects of Leffe and a large cohiba, like a pudgy Herefordian Hemmingway.
And no, Gus was not present, more's the pity as his blathering about the appropriate dernier for a sock in moist, warm conditions would surely have spurred me into frenzied peddling to escape and a much better time.
@ Bernard - you presume to talk to me about fetishes, polo boy? Irony is indeed a strange and delicious mistress (although in your case, mistress as in Jaye Davidson in 'The Crying Game' rather than as Greta Scacchi in 'White Mischief').
And no, Gus was not present, more's the pity as his blathering about the appropriate dernier for a sock in moist, warm conditions would surely have spurred me into frenzied peddling to escape and a much better time.
@ Bernard - you presume to talk to me about fetishes, polo boy? Irony is indeed a strange and delicious mistress (although in your case, mistress as in Jaye Davidson in 'The Crying Game' rather than as Greta Scacchi in 'White Mischief').
superstrong
Retrobike Rider
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ed - what a legend! fantastic report. every year i decide never to do it again, until the entry deadline looms when my memory has faded and assume it really cant be as bad i as i remember. of course the reality turns out to be far, far worse. however this year was a very close call as a heavy cold developed just in the nick of the wrong time on the friday before the event. only an overdose of lemsip max strength got me through. caffeine lemsip, strong breakfast coffee, caffeine gels and caffeine drinks were the order of the day. assuming my result was indeed as a result of the cold i have already resolved to taking part next year in the 50th edition.
memories from this year - 25mph "neutralised" road start in the rain on bikes no one has ridden for 12 months with brakes that dont work. hairy.
the road section between whernside and PYG - sitting in in an aero tuck with hands holding the cables and forearms on the tops at the back of a group of 4 with 2 road pros driving at the front, to see the guy ahead touch wheels with the chap ahead of him. brown shorts time. just held it upright.
dave "the baylord" collins descending whernside in 4th position. rear wheel puncture, riding on the tub. overtaking a guy out for a ride on his full sus mtb. Later followed by tub rolling off, smashing rim to pieces, sending sram XX rear mech into ground, bending rear cassette.
descending PYG trying to decide whether to brake but risk hands being blown off the bars or whether to hold on and not brake and thus being in control of an unguided missile trying to avoid competitors riding towards me, rocks, walls, ditches and spectators.
superstrong
memories from this year - 25mph "neutralised" road start in the rain on bikes no one has ridden for 12 months with brakes that dont work. hairy.
the road section between whernside and PYG - sitting in in an aero tuck with hands holding the cables and forearms on the tops at the back of a group of 4 with 2 road pros driving at the front, to see the guy ahead touch wheels with the chap ahead of him. brown shorts time. just held it upright.
dave "the baylord" collins descending whernside in 4th position. rear wheel puncture, riding on the tub. overtaking a guy out for a ride on his full sus mtb. Later followed by tub rolling off, smashing rim to pieces, sending sram XX rear mech into ground, bending rear cassette.
descending PYG trying to decide whether to brake but risk hands being blown off the bars or whether to hold on and not brake and thus being in control of an unguided missile trying to avoid competitors riding towards me, rocks, walls, ditches and spectators.
superstrong
ededwards":3lemmnvn said:
I agree. I think it takes a certain type of 'racer' to aim for the relegation zone. We were never out of the bottom three when we did our Les Deux Peaks version of the same race. However, 4th from last....that's mid table mediocrity that is. You should have let that 70yr old passed again and taken the glory of 'one of the last few'.
Poor and shoddy chance missed there oh wise Gangley Oaf. :roll:
Very very good write up though, so some credit where it's due.
3 peaks
Great report Ed.
reminds me why I dont do it any more, was better before they put in all the concrete slabs.
wonder if the 50th race will be on the original route but think there are now too many riders for this.
the routes up Wernside and Ingleboro were like climbing 2 walls...
Great report Ed.
reminds me why I dont do it any more, was better before they put in all the concrete slabs.
wonder if the 50th race will be on the original route but think there are now too many riders for this.
the routes up Wernside and Ingleboro were like climbing 2 walls...
Wu-Tangled":2fkeyb2m said:
Suggest you check the results before making such assumptions........
Links to loads of photos here http://www.3peakscyclocross.org.uk/photos_2011.htm but a couple I found
Pen-y-Ghent http://www.flickr.com/photos/wharfee/61 ... /lightbox/
Geoffrey on Whernside http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishcyc ... 7626068827
