Welsh XC Champs

After finally getting stuck into some hard training over the long break since the last race in Dalby forest, I headed off to the Welsh XC Champs in Builth Wells. When we arrived we got told that our laps had been reduced down from 6laps to 5 laps due to the intense tough course that lay ahead. Anthony and I thought we better do a practice lap since we got there early enough to roll round and see what these steep sharp climbs were all about. Noticeably we knew these climbs from previous races and rides up here so it wasn’t a complete shock to see them. After a good warm up on our Cycleops Turbo Trainer, we headed for the start line with my legs feeling a bit on the restless side. As the whistle went I shot off from the start to take the lead going into the first climb, but a quarter way up Jonny Pugh took over the pace making. Shortly after, Lee Williams put the pace down, overtook us and the race was now up another gear. As we got to the top of the 1^st climb we headed across to a sweet downhill taking us back through the arena before shooting up the steep climbs. Entering the steep climbs we had formed a group of 4 containing Lee, Anthony, Jonny and myself which stayed together for the first lap. After that Lee opened up the gap with Anthony hot on his wheels only for his cleat to come loose and lost Lee’s wheel.

Jonny and I was taking it turns trying to increase the gap from all the chasers and trying to limit the gap to Lee. After a few attempts of pushing the pace hard and flying down the downhills, we still entered the final lap joined at the hip. Exiting the Arena for the final time Jonny was sitting tight on my wheel as I decided to try and up the pace on the climbs and push on to see if Jonny would crack which opened small gaps but not enough to get away.

However come to the last steep climb I put in a hard effort and opened the smallest gap but by the top Jonny was right on my wheel.

After smashing the final downhill trying to open the gap, Jonny was sitting on my wheel ready for the sprint out of the single-track. With cramp kicking in and tired legs, I entered the arena keeping the pace high to limit the jump Jonny was about to make. Sprinting off the grass onto the gravel road my front wheel washed out but somehow I managed to stop myself falling and we began sprinting side by side to the finish line as I took one final lunge to the line and winning the sprint by a tyres width to take a very happy 2^nd position in the seniors and 1^st U23.