Projects
Rapha Super Cross - Days 1 + 2
Excerpts taken from the Chris Metcalfe's blog
On Saturday, Jough and I, along with honorary CHARGE boyos Lee 'Legs' Shunburne, Bruce 'Bisto' Dalton and Matt 'Double' Denby headed up to Round 1 of the Rapha Supercross at Windermere. The craic with this race series is that the top 3 riders in each team score points based on finishing position at the end of a 45minute cross race. Invited teams included Hope, Wiggle, Scott, Rapha/GB, Hargroves…you get the idea. Winderemere was a stunning location, the course was muddy and technical and we were ready to suffer in the name of CHARGE against the top riders in the country. I got a decent start off the line, Jough shoulder barged me in the first corner (standard) and the race unfolded. Sadly so did my gears on lap 2, though I maintain I was running in the top 15 at this point. I jogged back to the pits and tried to chase back to the race…which by now was miles in front of me. I DNF'd, and so too did Matt Double-D with a puncture. The technical course took its share of other casualties too but we were down to 3 riders- Lee, Jough and Bisto, hanging it out until the last. 'Bisto' Dalton, so called because of his love for gravy browning as a warming oil, also punctured on the last lap but pushed on to the finish. Tough day at the office, but we'd made it. Day 2, a Sunday in Huddersfield, and the course was completely different. Big ring racing, grassy corners at full speed and tactical racing- and tons of spectators and cow bells. Proper atmosphere, hundreds of racers in the support races and an oompa band. The sun shone, beer was drunk and the CHARGE boyos were ready. Matt 'Double' Denby decided he should race twice, being a Vet he takes 3hours to get warm, so he won the Vets race in style and recovered with a Duvel and frites. The gun went and it was frantic from the start, the race was lined out by the national champion Paul Oldham and previous national champion Jody Crawforth. Hitters. We were all pretty soon in the brown zone, but holding our own. The trouble with these races is there are no choppers to overtake, so its pain from start to finish. Finish we did, me, Legs and Bisto cramming the middle order for a great team display, Double-D and Jough riding solid to ensure no lost points . We even beat team Crosstrax though they seem to be off the results sheet- Anyway the points show we weren't far off the chase, and more importantly careful planning meant top commentator Ant Mccrossan had plenty of CHARGE facts in front of him to enlighten the crowd (Jough leads a line dancing troupe- who knew?) Next weekend the racing continues with Rollapaluza Muddy Hell on Saturday night, and the 3rd and final round of the Supercross at Alexandra Palace on Sunday. Should be awesome.
Rapha Super Cross - The Finale
Following rounds 1 and 2 of the Rapha Supercross we left the North and ventured down to the big smoke to show the city folk how hardy us Northerners are by racing round that there Alexandra Palace. Turns out there are 2 hills in London, Swains Lane the venue of the Urban Hill climb, and the big lump where they built Ally Pally. With even more spectators, cow bells and beer than last week, the CHARGE BIKES team lined up alongside the same top teams once again, as well as guest team VICIOUS VELO. Heading to the start line it became apparent that 'Double' Denby was the only member not to have already raced in the previous 24hours- Jough had raced TWICE on Saturday (see previous comments about Vets needing several hours to get warmed up), Legs Shunburne had ragged himself about at a league race and Bisto and I had raced at Muddy Hell the night before, just to take the edge off. Unfortunately, Double Denby had so much pent up energy from not racing his bike already that day, let alone that weekend, he succumbed to an erant acorn within minutes of the start and ripped his rear mech off as he went to ground, thus saving Paul Oldham the embarrassment of being beaten by a Vet. After 45 punishing minutes of racing up and down the park in front of the Palace, the remaining CHARGE BIKES riders crossed the line once again packing the middle order of a very high quality field. The assembled crowd were once again kept informed of our every move by commentator Anthony Mccrossan, though I would like to set the record straight that any suggestion I still require a waterproof matress protector is pure speculation. The legend of Bisto's legs reached an ever wider audience, and Jough's dancing style on the pedals did little to dispell the rumour of his ballet dancing background. Thankfully our toil did not go unnoticed, and we were invited to the podium to receive the prize for best banter. Chapeau!
Autumn 2011
