Jack shares this latest report from the Wightlink-Wight Mountain Cycle Race Team. Ed
Sunday 12th March saw round one of the Southern Cross Country Mountain Bike Series at Wasing Park in Reading.
Wightlink-Wight Mountain Cycle Race Team members Russell Thomson (pictured) and Adam Holleyman were keen to make a good start in the first round, looking forward to a course renowned for its large technical features such as jumps and drop offs.
As the riders arrived at the venue in the rain, they knew it would be a muddy race. During the practice lap they encountered the worst mud either had ever raced in making some parts of an already difficult track almost unrideable.
Difficult conditions
Thomson raced first in the Sport Category, but due to difficult conditions the race was reduced from four down to three laps. Thomson was pleased to make it to the finish in such a tough race in a time of 1hr 30.32.
Holleyman raced the normally five lap expert category but due to the amount of mud on track it was reduced to four laps. Holleyman made a good start moving up to the front of the race on the first wide sections of the course.
After a close battle for second place for much of the race, he ended up losing contact with his competitor on the last lap and had to settle for third in a time of 1hr 42.33.
Austin Head wins the Tour of Northland 2017 stage race
Over on the other side of the world, Wightlink-Wight Mountain Cycle Race Team rider Austin Head lined up for the Tour of Northland stage race in New Zealand.
The first stage included a brutal 1,400m (4593ft) of climbing in just 105km (62 miles).
A breakaway group of five riders formed after 25km, and after 85km Head attacked and took one other with him. Head eventually went solo over the last climb to take the stage victory by nine seconds.
All to play for
Going into the second day all was to play for. Head attacked 75km in with only Matt Higgins of Wheelworks able to follow. The two worked well together and rolled in fourth and fifth respectively after a three man break had gone clear earlier in the stage.
Stage three saw the real mountains appear on the route profile. A 25-minute climb saw the Wightlink-Wight Mountain rider take a lead group of three over the top with six others catching on the descent.
Tour of Northland 2017 title
They all worked well together and in the sprint it was Head who got the better of the group for second place after an astonishing ride from Dan Molyneux, who went solo and took the win by two minutes.
With just 11 seconds advantage going into the fourth and final stage it was all on. The Wheelworks team drove it all day in an attempt to crack our rider, but it wasn’t to be and Austin Head rolled over the finish line in third place behind Karl Murray and Glen Carbine, the result enough for him to take the overall title at the Tour of Northland 2017.
Image: © Russell Thomson by Adam Holleyman
