'Cross in the Dark
The "Cross in the Dark" cyclo-cross race was held as the twilight faded after the final round of this summer's British MTB Series in Plymouth. Many national MTB stars got out their lights and their cross bikes after a day of mountain biking to join local riders in round two of the South West Cyclo-Cross Series. Even more mountain bikers and fans stayed on with a beer in hand to watch these crazy people lap a twisty five minute course up to a dozen times. Music, race commentary, catering, and a great atmosphere all combined with close racing for many people's idea of the perfect Saturday night thanks to organiser Vin Cox and sponsor Exposure Lights.
In the children's races the crowd and the waiting adult competitors could see just how fast the ground was and assess where the racing line was developing. With a river dissecting the course, the bridge crossings and the floodlit wooded "Dell" beside the river could all be identified as the most exciting and crucial areas to watch. The thirty five adults on the main race start-line included 4 elite national riders: Hope Racing's Paul Oldham and Dave Collins (pictured together, above), Hargroves rider Stu Bowers, and Sport Beanz's Will Bjergfelt (pictured below). These stars of the national scene lit the way as the starting gun sounded and the riders wove a ribbon of light through the wooded Dell. Close behind were local riders Roy Wyle-Smith (Shred Racing) and Steve Davies (Guerciotti / JJ Coaching), with Midlander Adrian Timmis (Cadence Sport) for company.
First Stu Bowers was forced out of the lead group by a stick catching in his back wheel and breaking of his gear mechanism, then Olham attacked and established a solo lead. In the second group, local pair Wyle-Smith and Davis dropped Timmis and held steady in 4th/5th place. With just 3 laps to go the leader Oldham - who had dislocated his shoulder just 4 days before - looked to be flagging slightly only to discover his lights were out of batteries and this slowed him further. Thankfully he was able to swap to a spare bike with fresh lights before his lead was lost. Oldham celebrated victory with a few seconds in hand ahead of a sprint for the line between Collins and Bjergfelt. Bjergfelt led-out and held off Collins to take 2nd place. The local boys sprinted for 4th/5th places and this time it was Steve Davis who held off Roy Wyle-Smith after a cunning overtake some 30 seconds back down the race track, and Steve was also the first Veteran home.
1st Woman was Gail Aspenden (Penzance Wheelers) and she received an Exposure Joystick light for her efforts. Likewise the first two men received powerful Exposure lights to help in future night races and training. The top 5 were the only competitors who could stay on the same lap on the short and fast Plymouth track. Young Harry Smith (Shred Racing) as first Junior had an excellent race crossing the line in 7th place overall.
After the racing and the prize giving, a band took to British Cycling's podium and entertained the crowd into the night. Next morning those who'd camped at the venue awoke to find many children now trying to emulate the exciting racing they'd witnessed the night before.
Results
Overall
1 Paul Oldham Hope Factory Racing 59.47
2 Will Bjergfelt Sportsbeans / Wilier
3 Dave Collins Hope Factory Racing
4 Steve Davies Guerciotti / JJ Coach Vet
5 Roy Wyle Smith Shred Racing
6 Adrian Timmis Cadence Sport Vet 1 lap
7 Harry Smith Shred Racing Jun
8 Jason Pascoe cyclelogic.co.uk
9 Vic Barnett Welland Valley CC Vet
10 Jon Dominguez cyclelogic.co.uk
11 Pete Hanorth Exeter Wheelers
12 Alan Drury Mid Devon CC
13 Gary Pike All Trax
14 Ben Price Bike Shed
15 Adrian Clode Guerciotti / JJ Coach Vet
16 Alan Saunders CS South Hams
17 Nick Percival Guerciotti / JJ Coach Vet
18 Mark Percival Guerciotti / JJ Coach Jun
19 Mike Neely Team Empella cyclox.com 2 lap
20 Nick Hawtin Mid Devon CC
21 Will Hornby CS South Hams Vet
22 Adrian Bellew Don't Push It, Bude Vet
23 Jay Worbey Unattached
24 Paul Davis VC Moulin Vet
25 Brad Manaton Unattached
26 Robin Delve Mid Devon CC Vet
27 Lester Young cyclox.com Vet
28 James Birch Shred Racing Jun
29 Paul Warner Team Daventry Vet
30 John Moore Velocake RC Vet
31 Daniel Young All Trax
32 Gail Aspenden Penzance Wheelers 3 lap
Stuart Bowers Scott UK / Hargroves DNF
Nicola Noble Unattached DNF
Steve Wood London Dynamo Vet DNF
Senior
1 Paul Oldham Hope Factory Racing
2 Will Bjergfelt Sportsbeans / Wilier
3 Dave Collins Hope Factory Racing
4 Roy Wyle Smith Shred Racing
5 Jason Pascoe cyclelogic.co.uk
6 Jon Dominguez cyclelogic.co.uk
7 Pete Hanorth Exeter Wheelers CC
8 Alan Drury Mid Devon CC
9 Gary Pike All Trax
10 Ben Price Bike Shed
11 Alan Saunders CS South Hams
12 Mike Neely Team Empella cyclox.com
13 Will Hornby CS South Hams
14 Jay Worbey Unattached
15 Brad Manaton Unattached
16 Daniel Young All Trax
Stuart Bowers Scott UK / Hargroves DNF
Veterans
1 Steve Davies Guerciotti / JJ Coach
2 Adrian Timmis Cadence Sport
3 Vic Barnett Welland Valley CC
4 Adran Clode Guerciotti / JJ Coach
5 Nick Percival Guerciotti / JJ Coach
6 Nick Hawtin Mid Devon CC
7 Adrian Bellew Don't Push It, Bude
8 Paul Davis VC Moulin
9 Robin Delve Mid Devon CC
10 Lester Young cyclox.com
11 Paul Warner Team Daventry
12 John Moore Velocake RC
Steve Wood London Dynamo DNF
Juniors
1 Harry Smith Shred Racing
2 Mark Percival Guerciotti / JJ Coach
3 James Birch Shred Racing
Womens
1 Gail Aspenden Penzance Wheelers
Nicola Noble Unattached DNF
Youth
1 John Lomas Matlock CC U16
2 Ben Miller Off Beat Bikes U16
3 Scott Lindsey I - Cycles U16
4 Joshua Parkin Herne Hill U16
5 Beth Crumpton Halesowen A&CC U16
6 Cameron Balfor Peebles CC U16
7 Loiuse Borthwith Edinburgh CC U16
8 Joel Kelly Mid Devon CC U14
9 Lucy Grant Glentress Riders U14
10 Hannah Ferguson Glentress Riders U16
11 Sarah Lomas Matlock CC U14
12 Imogen Buick Thetford MTB U16
13 Will Kelly Mid Devon CC U14
14 Ciaran Barker TORQ U16
15 Peter Noble Scary Fast U14
16 Aidan Roche EMBC U14
17 Tom Green Mid Devon CC U16
18 Laura Close Guerciotti / JJ Coach U16
19 Hester Stembridge CS South Hams U14
20 Nathan Olsen Penzance Wheelers U14
Under 12's
1 Harry Birchall EMBC U10
2 Charlie Hough Unattached U12
3 Matthew Bryant EMBC U12
4 Jack Hawtin Mid Devon CC U10
5 Joe Barker TORQ U12
6 Lucy Hawtin Mid Devon CC U12
7 Freddy Birchall EMBC U8
8 Thomas Brew Kelly College U10
9 Cameron Robinson Kelly College U10
10 Rosie Andrews Certini U8
11 Kora Olsen Penzance Wheelers U10
