Wednesday 26th May

Better start off by saying a big thank you to Team REME for letting us enter at such short notice. My ride hinged on Simon shoulder feeling better, which he injured breaking up a fight between competitors of all things, but I’ll leave that one for another day…just like the other four race reports that are already outstanding. Well I better cut to the chase before you‘ll doze off.

Terrible start as per usual, a huge dust cloud gets kicked up and there are riders fallen at the first corner, pity the helmet cam decided not to work at this point, though I doubt you would have seen much. What transpired next are possibly the worst two laps I have ever ridden, I had only forgotten how to ride sand that’s what it felt like, a bucket and spade would have proven more useful. Riding in the issuing dust the front tucked under at least twice, then I get rebounded into a tree pretty hard, blimey 1km down 5 to go.

Well what can I say about this one?

We arrived early on Saturday morning as we didn't want to hit the M25 Friday night traffic. I helped set up the course as usual and it looked fairly interesting in the woods. Perhaps a little too much open field for my 13/52 sprocket combination.

Race day arrived and the bike went straight through scrutineering and on to the line. I had a hearty breakfast of Alpen and honey and Michelle went to help sign in the all of the day riders. I was on row 2 this time which makes a nice change to row 9+. After a little delay waiting for the ambulances to arrive we were off. The first part was around a field with a left into what can only be called two whoops, so I thought lift the front wheel over and jobs a goodun. Now I mentioned earlier about my 13/52 sprocket combo, well the front wheel lifted and flipped me straight off the back! I quickly picked myself up and carried on. The first section was all open fields with a few jumps and drop off's in the last field before entering the woods. The woods were fairly tight in places with lots of short sharp climbs and drop downs, this was where my gearing choice came into it's own. It was like riding a four banger trials bike, it was great! Then out of the woods into open fields again down hill to the start/finish.