Matt Adair (leading) and Glenn Kinning (in red) are just two riders with designs on medals at Sunday's National Cyclocross Championships in Belfast on Sunday (Photo: Toby Watson)
By Gerard Cromwell
This year’s National Cyclocross Championships has attracted a record field of 133 riders and according to race organiser John Bogues, the course is ready to race, despite the recent bad weather.
“The course is slippery enough after today’s rain but the forecast is dry tomorrow,” says Bogues of the promoting Phoenix club.
“It always dries well. There are a couple of heavy sections but they’re not really long. When I say heavy, there’s a wee bit of mud for maybe 10 metres or so.”
There will be a few changes to the course that was used in the Ulster league in October, with Bogues looking to make the race more spectator-friendly and promote aggressive, attacking racing.
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“We’ve built the steps this afternoon and will build the rest of the course this evening,” he said today, Friday.
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“We’ve reconfigured part of the meadow to encourage more attacking, lengthened the two climbs ever so slightly and put in a short steep climb with the idea that we want to promote a bit more attacking racing.
“There’s no one individual that I would say the whole course suits. I’d say parts suit Roger (Aiken) and parts suit Robin (Seymour), which is ideal.
“Even for those further down the field there are enough off-camber long fast descents and technical stuff to keep them excited.
“Its technicality is in the corners. There are a lot of fast corners and a particularly slippery corner which has become known as ‘carnage corner’. At the minute, that’s extremely slippery.
“The lap is about 1.7 miles long. Robin (Seymour) was doing it in around six minutes when it was bone dry back in October, but that was s slightly shorter course. I would think it will take between seven and seven and a half minutes.”
The entry deadline had to be extended this year due to a new rule whereby all competitors need to have a 2014 licence and Bogues admits it caught some people unawares.
“It’s certainly been an issue, in that most people didn’t realise they needed a 2014 licence. Most people thought they could use their old one, as in previous years.
“We’re still getting guys who are getting their licence approved this afternoon but most people have been approved. There’s only one or two guys left.”
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The cyclists’ travel agent, Neenan Travel are still taking bookings for the World Cyclo Cross Championships in Hoogerheide, Netherlands, January 31st- Feb 3rd, for what sounds like a great weekend away. Places are limited at this stage.
Details on www.neenan.travel/cycling
Or call Alan Neenan on 0868233791
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