Challenge Tyres London & South East Cyclo-Cross League

The Challenge Tyres London & South East Cyclo-Cross League resumed with Round 3 at Pippingford Park near Nutley on Sunday, 28th September.  C&N Cycles kindly stepped up to promote the event, which also served as Round 2 of the Aeight Bike Co Sussex League.

Georgina Wise (Destination Bike RT) lined up in 10th spot on the grid for the Women’s Race. After the chaos of the opening lap had subsided, she found herself in 4th place out of eight in her age category, a position she held to the flag as she punched in four highly consistent laps around the wooded course.

Ryan Machin (DBRT) was down in 26th on the grid in the race for men in their 40s, but he fought his way up to an impressive 10th place at the end of the first of half-a-dozen circuits.  He was demoted a spot on lap 3 and another the next time around, but recovered that place on the penultimate lap and held a fine 11th place to the finish.

Dan Street by Ryan Machin

In the race for men over 50, Dan Street took 11th spot on the grid, Darren Haynes 29th and Stephen Burgess 51st.  Dan avoided the tyre deflation that scuppered his efforts in the previous round to move up to 9th position among the 46 men in their fifties on the opening lap, a place he held to the culmination of the 6-lap event.

In the same age category, Darren improved to 20th on the first circuit and he too successfully defended that spot to finish in exactly the same spot, a lap down on the race winner.  Stephen was the only competitor in their 70s, although by no means the slowest in the race.  

48th from 59 at the end of lap one; he was temporarily demoted a place on lap two, but regained it next time around and held that to the finish.