Jamie 3rd in Hargroves Grand Prix

The cross season is in full swing and VC Meudon riders continue to score highly in top class races.

Despite the torrential rain recently, VCM fielded a 5 man team in last weekend's Hargroves Grand Prix round of the Wessex Cross league at Southampton. In 2 weeks time the Southern Championships will be held on the same course so despite the weather there was a big field eager to get some practice on the championship course.

As the race start time approached the wind blew the rain clouds away and the sun may have even shone briefly. The car park was a semi-pro affair with vans packed with top quality bikes (not mine) jet washers, mechanics, helpers etc

Jamie Newall, Andy Dilkes, Robert McCarthy, Fraser Kennedy, Colin Addison + our good friend Tim Costello were all busy fine tuning their bikes, checking tyre pressures alongside Stuart Bowers, Jody Crawforth and Ian Field.

Jody Crawforth and Ian Field were a class aprt and quickly distanced the field to contest a race-log duel that saw them riding within 10 metres of each other for the whole race. Jody nipped the win by leading into the final corner and winning the sprint. The VCM team rode well with Jamie fending off a spirited challenge from talented youngster Dan Maclay to secure 3rd place. Robert and Andy fought well for 23rd and 24th, Tim was close behind in 29th, while Fraser was unlucky not to finish with his bike succumbing to the glue-like mud. I was making up the numbers, but having fun, especially when lapped twice by the top four riders.

... must mention the support of Hannah who worked tirelessly in the pits providing fresh bikes every lap for Jody, Jamie and Andy. I looked across longingly each time I passed the pits by with my bike getting heavier each lap.

Here's Jamie's "brief" race report...

Very hard race yesterday - very tired today body aching all over.
That was a real cross - shame Ian and Jody were too fast.
More training for me otherwise 17 year olds will be beat me.

Oxford saturday??

Jamie x- must go to bed!!

Haven't heard from Andy yet - perhaps he's lost for words?



Other reports/photos/video from the race can be found
here
http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/main.asp?sitepages=news

here
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/431999/crawforth-wins-battle-of-the-field.html

here
http://www.londoncyclesport.com/Features/Features/Just_Add_Waffles.html

and more photos here
http://www.grahamrobins.net/photos/Hargroves%20Grand%20Prix%202009/