Riding the TorTour UltraCross Cyclocross Stage Race
Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
Three days of mud, gravel, sub-zero temperatures, and flat-out racing. An invitation to ride the world's first ever cyclocross stage race, seemed like an opportunity that couldn't be missed...
Race Report: Stage 2 - 74km - 1,530m elevation
I pushed from the gun - trying to hold my own in the front group.
I didn't quite push hard enough though; before long, the five front-runners had got a gap, and I was left in the chasing pack. Nothing for it... solo bridge time.
It turned out to be a long bridge to cross. Almost an hour of sitting at threshold, trying desperately to regain the wheel of the last rider in the group ahead.
Eventually I made junction. Exhausted; I clung to the wheels. By now the two professional riders were long gone into the distance, and our small second group comprised of two Swiss junior riders (one the U23 National Champ), a super-strong German, and myself.
Up. Up. Up. Today was a day of hunting vertical. From vineyards, through forest, and then up above the snow-line.
Ice and boulders lurked beneath the thin layer of white dusting. I took caution, after the German rider wiped out in front of me. The two Swiss juniors were fearless though - long gone on the technical descent.
Fortunately, there was more climbing to come. A chance to regain some of the ground lost from my timid descending.
Chasing wheels, running up stairs, hurtling round corners, praying for grip.
The last twenty kilometres flew buy. Joined by two Frenchman racing in the team classification, we powered on down through the valley, on cycle track and single-track.
In the last 5 kilometres our small group splintered. The two Frenchman sprinting off, whilst I managed to draw out a small gap too. Legs burning, I eventually crossed the line.
I finished 4th on the stage, and moved up to 4th on General Classification as well.
What an incredible event. I need to race 'cross more often...
Solo bridge across to the lead group - it took a good hour at threshold
An hour at threshold, to make the junction
Stage 2 took us up... into the snow
Proper snow
Incredible scenery, to distract you from burning legs (Photo: APIX)
The finishing 20 kilometres took in some fast paced cycle paths and blue skies
What a race
Sun on the finishing straight
Final Rankings - Spot the Brit
Race Report: Stage 1 - 80km - 830m elevation
Endurance bike racing is a battle of attrition. You've got to know your limits; ride within those limits; and hope that your limits extend further and deeper than your competitors'.
It makes for a rollercoaster ride.
You might start at the back of the pack, and spend the first part of the race working your way up through slower riders. You'll find a small group of similar ability riders, and hopefully you'll work together - to make progress on the lead group. Then, as bodies tire, and will power fades, the group will get whittled down... leaving you sprinting against a small group of riders, whose limits are similar to yours.
That was how today's stage of TorTour CX panned out: There was no let-up from the word go, and before long I found myself in a good group. We worked together through open fields, forest roads, sharp inclines, and muddy single-track. By the time we reached the final 10 kilometres though, what was once a group of 15, was now a two-up time-trial.
The legs felt good, and the everything seemed to work well. I placed 5th on the stage, moving me up to 5th on Solo Male General Classification, too. Tomorrow, we head to the hills...
Kit choice for the first stage of TorTour Cyclocross
Working my way up through the field
Racing on the open flatlands (Photo: Apix)
Challenging riverside trails
Stairway to Hell (Photo: Apix)
Superb trail conditions (Photo: Apix)
A stunning day's racing (Photo: Apix)
The weather conditions proved favourable again, with the sun coming out in the afternoon
Refuel - after a chilly, but enjoyable day's racing
The sound of pedals clicking into cleats, and knobbly tyres buzzing on tarmac lasts only a handful of seconds.
Then you hit it. 'The Wall'.
Pebbles ping from beneath tyres; heart rates jump to high heaven; lungs are shocked into a frenzied gasping fit. The prologue of the TorTour UltraCross might only be 23 kilometres long, but each one of the 8 laps starts with a 25% leg burning kicker.
The first ascent of the climb instantly strings out the field; riders jostling for places, just as they are scrabbling for grip.
I start mid-pack, in the 200 strong field. By the top of the first climb, I can see the Elites riding off into the distance; but I've placed myself in the forward ranks of the following pack.
Lap after lap, 'The Wall' continues to cause havoc. There is little time on the top of the hill for your body and mind to recover, before you swoop down, and hit it all over again.
As we come round to lapping riders, the game intensifies. You try to hold wheels, as you weave in and out of other riders; it's like a conga line going in and out of moving bollards.
I have good laps and bad. The last two aren't so strong, and at one point I have to put my foot out on a loose section of gravel. Valuable metres and seconds lost.
Still, I cross the finish line after 49 minutes of racing; with a finishing position of 7th in the Solo Men's Category.
A decent start... but there's still a lot of racing to go.
Rider briefing - numbers ready
Ahead of the carnage
Calm before the storm
And it begins...
Flat-out racing
Prologue done. Beer in bottle cage. This is a proper cyclocross race.
This traditional flapjack recipe is packed full of energy for long days on the bike. The oats supply a great low-GI fuel source, while the dried fruit offers instant energy and sweetness. Whether on or off the bike, these flapjack bars are a great high-energy snack for cycling. You can adapt the recipe by adding in other dried fruit, seeds, nuts, and spices to make these even more varied and flavoursome. I particularly like pumpkin seeds and chopped crystallised ginger added to the mix. Ingredients 200g butter 100g brown sugar 1 tbsp golden syrup ½ tbsp black treacle 300g porridge oats 100g raisins 75g soft-dried figs 50g soft-dried apricots Method Set the oven to 150°C or 140°C for fan-assisted oven. Place the shelf in the middle Stick a big pan on the scales and measure in the butter and brown sugar Heat the pan on the hob until the butter and sugar are all melted Add a tablespoon of golden syrup and half a tablespoon of treacle to the mix Add the porridge oats and y...
The new year is going to signal the start of many new adventures for me; including a dive into the world of expedition sea kayaking. The change has created a demand for some new transportation kit — the Thule Evo WingBar Roof Rack and Thule K-Guard Kayak Rack are two of those investments… I have previously reviewed the very well designed Thule ProRide 598 Bike Carrier on the blog, and praised its practical and durable design for transporting bikes on the roof of your car. Ever since owning that bike carrier I have been keen to try one of the innovative T-track slide roof racks from the Swedish brand, to see if they truly deliver on their promised fast access and ease of use when combined with Thule's roof-top rack accessories. A change of family car meant that a new roof rack was in demand, and so it seemed a logical choice to go for the new Evo WingBar from Thule. The exceptionally strong aluminium bar is super light, but also super strong — easily capable of taking the lo...
The market for disc brake pads for gravel bikes, mountain bikes and road bikes is saturated; there are hundreds of different brands producing disc brake pads claiming to last longer and perform better than the competition. So, what is the difference between a set of low cost disc brake pads from eBay/Amazon versus the high-end pads from SwissStop? Are SwissStop disc brake pads worth the extra money? To find out, I have been doing some extensive disc brake pad testing over the last few months. October to February is obviously a period of wet winter riding, and I have been testing the following list of brake pads on road, gravel and mountain bikes—to create the ultimate test for any disc brake set-up. The disc brake pads on test: SwissStop Disc 34 RS (Shimano Road/Gravel) SwissStop Disc 32 RS (SRAM Road/Gravel) SwissStop Disc 31 E (MTB SRAM Avid) Superstar Sintered Shimano Road Disc Brake Pads (Shimano Road/Gravel) SOMMET Resin and Semi-Metallic Disc Brak...
I ride a gravel bike on the Isle of Wight more than I ride any other; it is the perfect way to explore the vast network of quiet roads and exciting open trails. In this post, I have tailor-made a selection of the best gravel cycling routes on the Isle of Wight, with suggested pit-stops and highlights. The Isle of Wight roads, trails, and tracks are my home. I have toured all over the world, but whenever I come back to this small island off the South Coast of the UK I am amazed at how diverse and beautiful the riding is here. 'The Island' is very easy to get to with a bike—use one of the three car ferry routes from Portsmouth, Lymington or Southampton; or come as a foot passenger and bring your bike for free on the Wightlink FastCat from Portsmouth Harbour train station. You can get to the Island from Central London in just a little over three hours. Once you are here, there is a plethora of bike-friendly accommodation: from hotels and B&B's to campsites and Eco-l...
The Selle Italia SLR Boost Gravel Superflow Saddle is designed for gravel bike riding. Featuring gel inserts to reduce vibration, titanium saddle rails to absorb trail buzz, and a sleek low-profile design to offer style and performance—this is a saddle made for adventure. The SLR Boost Gravel is Selle Italia's latest offering for the growing Gravel segment of the market; engineered specifically to enhance riding comfort on difficult terrain and during endurance gravel events. Available in two sizes, I opted for the smaller version (S3), and have been testing it out over the last month… I have become a great advocate of the cut-away design for saddles—it offers greater flexibility in the centre of the saddle and reduces pressure on the sensitive perineum region. The SLR Boost Gravel Superflow is a superb example of this kind of saddle design; with a cutaway section, short nose, and flared sides to effectively support your seat bones. To improve comfort on rough terrain, Selle...
Comments
Post a Comment