Koppelcross at Sloten again
11 January, 2015 - WVA - Sloten
Koppelcross, is not what you are thinking, but is a cyclocross relay. One lap on, one lap off. More about having a good time than racing, although it was harder than expected as it was 4 mins on, 4 off. Today the course was set short, tight and different again to the previous weeks. Some of the same obstacles were used, some new twists and turns were introduced. For this I teamed up with Gert-Jan Dophermont, a younger local rider who I had got to know from practices at WTC Amstel and at the races. Good times and we came in 5th.
The highlight of the day was seeing Dylan Groenewegen, who is riding on the road for Roompot Cycling Team at the Pro Continental Level this year, team up with the smallest, youngest kid racing. This is the true spirit of cyclocross and great to see. Dylan took a nasty fall in the start straight as he broke a spoke, but raced on and it was great to see the two comparing notes afterwards. How often do you get to race against a true pro level cyclist, and he is fast, and whats more, he is super nice about it.
Koppelcross in Hilversum
January 28, 2015. Hilversum
We have been lucky this season with the conditions, and only raced once in terrible cold pouring rain, and have not experienced snow and ice. Today, snow and ice it was. I teamed up with Tommy Oude Elferink, who won the Amsterdam under 40 series, and we had expectations of been fast. The rules of this Koppelcross was one under 40, and one over 40. Simple.
The course was tight, snowy and icy. Slick underneath the snow. No long straights and lots of turns. This was going to test me. In total 8 ATAC’ers went down and played on the ice. Leah took photos for the day.
Ben showing how it is done on the icy and snow.
After a fast opening lap by Tommy, the pressure was on me to keep it up, and I did well for most of the lap, until I looked at a standard, and next thing I know I have tape wrapped around my handle bars, and I slip from 2nd to 4th. Oh shit. Onward and back at it, in the slip slide conditions. It was not easy and eventually we had a lucky break with the 2nd place team rolling a tire.
Go Tommy!
That put us in third, and Tommy hammered his last lap to get close to 2nd. I could see 2nd as I left the changeover area and caught up to him, and then we both got caught behind a back marker, who I am sure was not aware he was getting lapped.
Going hard early in the race. Still clean.
A tight race, and on the last corner I nailed the inside line, in amongst the trees and bushes, and although I nailed the line, I did not manage to make the pass and sat up to roll across in 3rd place. Another fun day, and a fun way to pretty much end the season.
Tommy and Hamish looking happy with 3rd.
Tony, Hamish and Dick
Jerone, with a great stripe of mud.
Prize giving
