Founded 1889

Updated 03 January 2008

Latest results are here... 6-03-06

Cyclo-cross events 2008:

There is only one cyclocross race that is important; it is of course the world famous

Three Peaks Cyclocross, Helwith Bridge, Yorkshire.  Cancelled in 07 amid fears of Foot & Mouth it is scheduled for the 28th September 2008.  For full details and an entry form go to www.3peakscyclocross.org.uk

2002/3 Sixth report:

Done it at last! a London league win for the full report check out the link http://www.londoncyclesport.com/x_reports/london_02_race_13_rep.html 

For the personal touch here a few words:

Over the moon to get my first win particularly as my father came to watch his first cross race of the season and that the family had has particularly bad news the previous day. My disappointment of not making to the nationals were offset by this result. Due to the pressures of work and family I had not trained for three weeks after the Foots Cray quagmire (round 11) which I was forced to pull out from and gained this result of a week of considered training.

On reflection the cross season was a great success, having started the season with no expectations, to the extent that I found myself heading the field in the first race I entered, sadly I didn't finish as I punctured and was yet to acquire a spare set of wheels. I will concentrate on cross solely for the coming year and prepare with that in mind which will see me at a great many crits in the run up to September trying to gain that edge that will make overall success in the London league a possibility. 
Steven

Fifth report:

Round ten of the 2002/2003 Mosquito/Kinesis London Cyclo-Cross League and final Sussex League held at Brighton on December 22. Organised by Brighton Excelsior CC.

A second second place a good habit but I would love to have that top step. I started badly and never sniffed the front and spent the entire race chasing a fast disappearing figure. I didn't have the best of days but it was good enough to hold my position despite dropping to third briefly when the Moulscomb park mountain, it went to the lowest point of the course to the highest, not quite your regular cross circuit. 

Pos No Name Cat Team Time
1 Sam Gardner Evans RT
2 Steven Price De Laune CC
3 Jon Sharpe Saucony/Evans
4 Mick Bell London Fire brigade 1st Veteran
5 Ben Lockwood GS Invicta
6 David Law Arctic RT
7 Brian Curtis Coridori
8 Andy Seltzer East Grinstead CC
9 Carl McDonagh Brixton Cycles
10 Neil Simpson London Phoenix

I started round 11 at Foots Cray meadow the following Friday but climbed off after 30 minutes, I started strongly and held second for 25 minutes until it all fell apart, Christmas had left me absolutely spent, families eh!

The next two rounds were cancelled/waterlogged which leaves two rounds and the next race more than two weeks away, 26 January - By which time I should have dispatched the Christmas blues. Unfortunately despite starting my cross campaign a little late and missing a couple of rounds I will not have a great overall standing but I can hold my head high knowing that this was my first cross season for three years and I loved it and it was my most successful.

I'm now 66th in the national rankings, not bad considering I have had only one national result.

Fourth report:

I finished 29th which I was very pleased , top 30 was my aim. The race was a complete mud fest with incessant rain which didn't stop until I was warm and dry that evening. This was my one and only trophy race of the year I quickly realised what a huge step up it is from the weekly London League jaunts, the speed was phenomenal in spite of the conditions. I now look forward to the national champs and take a lot of confidence from this result. If I can achieve top 20 in Birmingham I will be over the moon. http://www.londoncyclesport.com/x_reports/x_nat_trophy_5_reports_02.html , check out the link for the full report and a load more very muddy pics.

Last Sunday I finished 6th at the London league held at Hillingdon added to the win I gained at round 10 of the south west league. For what its worth I'm now racing up the national rankings from 194 the month before to joint 82.

Steven

Report from James Peckham. The Howard School, Rainham 4th rd of the national cyclo x series. Nick Craig 1st, Barry Clarke 2nd (points series winner), 3rd Matt Ellis, 4th Roger Hammond, Steve Price was lapped just short of the finish - he came in 29th

Not terribly good photos but shows the conditions nicely. It was not night but the conditions where dreadful, pea soup heavy rain etc. 

Third report:

Latest update from the cross world. Mosquito/Kinesis London League Cyclo-Cross Round 6

2nd, best result of the series so far and thoroughly pleased with myself. Having not visited Hillingdon for a very long while I was pleasantly pleased to find a great deal of sand had been laid around the perimeter and inner tracks making for a very fast and flowing course. 

As usual the wind was everpresent and gave you a reminder every time you came into the home straight. I crossed the line at the end of the first lap in 4th and could already see that there was a gap to first place but second and third stayed grouped. I bridged the gap to second and third and quickly dropped my company and continued what would be a race long chase to close the gap to 1st. Although I got the gap down to 10 sec at the half way point that was as close as it got as my rear tyre was slowly losing pressure. The gap was probably 30 sec at the finish, knackered but extremely pleased to get one over a couple of riders higher than me in the overall standings and £25 richer, can't be bad.

Next Sunday I will be lining up for the London and South East championships fingers crossed that the form holds. 

Until next week 

Steven

Second report:

Round four of the 2002/2003 Mosquito/Kinesis London Cyclo-Cross League held at The Howard School, Derwent Way, Rainham, Kent on 20 October 2000.

Rain was always close at hand, but it never really set in and the course remained in good condition with little mud plugging needed. Once the groove was set the riders were able to sustain fast laps, although if any got cocky they could find themselves losing it on the grass off-camber banks and turns.

A number of London League front runners were busy racing at the National Trophy round 2 at Cheltenham, which meant that others had an opportunity to shine.

The senior race saw a stirring fight between Matt Holmes (Arctic RT), Jon Sharpe (Saucony), Steven Price (De Laune) Warrick Spence (Bikepark), Matt Starey (Pearson Cycles), GS Invicta duo Ben Lockwood & Jon Lyons, and Phil Rayner (Halfords Bikehut).

Just a fraction back from the leading group was a line of riders that included Gary Hipwell (Rugby Velo), Anthony Muir (Wigmore CC), Rob Purcell and Ivan Jordan (Omega RT).

With a fast pace being set on the November National Trophy course, Holmes and Sharpe began to move away from the battle being conducted by Spence, Price, Starey and Lockwood.

As the race progressed Sharpe was unable to keep close contact with Holmes whilst gaps had developed between Price, Spence, Starey and Lockwood who was now falling back. It was tense stuff as 3rd, 4th and 5th spot tried to chase each other down. On one lap gains would be made, but on the next it would be lost.

Holmes crossed the line to win after 9 laps and just under a minute later Sharpe did the same. Price never gave up hope of catching Sharpe and was rewarded with 3rd with Spence a little while later, Spence making his cross debut was happy with his race and had learnt that its' best to spin rather that turn big gears. Starey was next up and Lockwood 6th.

Emma Wood (London Phoenix) rode away from team-mates Abigail Armstrong and Stevie Betts to win the women's category. Graham Parkin (Team 2000) was best Veteran.

Results -  Position Rider Name Club  Laps 
1 26 Matt Holmes Arctic RT 9 
2 3 Jon Sharpe Saucony 9 
3 40 Steven Price De Laune CC 9

First report:

From a personal view the race was only my second of the season and I'm beginning to find my legs and really pleased with the result, just gutted that I messed the sprint for fourth up.

Seniors A string of riders came through on the completion of lap 1 led by Stuart Blunt (Corridori) with Matt Holmes (Arctic RT), Mark Russell (VC Meudon), Ian Field (San Fairy Ann) Steven Price (De Laune), Steve Hamblin (Folkactive) and Mick Bell (London Fire Brigade) wheel to wheel.  Blunt was able to gain a slight lead until his chain became jammed in his rear wheel and as Blunt disentangled himself and trapped his thumb in the process, Holmes went away from the rest.  A hurried judgement would have declared Holmes the winner at this point as his lead looked like it would take him to victory, but Blunt was now back in the action and he set a string of very fast laps to catch and pass Holmes to win by over 30 seconds.  

The battle for 3rd was a classic, Mark Russell had crashed and was fighting to get back onto the wheels of Field, Price, Bell and Hamblin. As Russell began to catch the trio, first Hamblin fell off the pace and then Bell, leaving Price and Field to race tooth and nail to the line. Russell went past Bell and Hamblin to catch Price and Field, leaving both behind as he rode to 3rd.At the line it was Blunt, Holmes, Russell with a sprint settling 4th in favour of Field over Price. Next up was Bell who took the Vets race. Behind these riders there were more battles being keenly fought and the spectators were treated to plenty of last lap action.  Ian Field was top Junior and Abigail Armstrong (London Phoenix) was top woman after fighting to get her confidence back after crashing heavily at Eastway the previous day.

Results: Position Rider Name Club  Laps 
1 23 Stuart Blunt Corridori 12 
2 14 Matt Holmes Arctic RT 12 
3 4 Mark Russell VC Meudon 12 
4 131 Ian Field San Fairy Ann CC 12 
5 19 Steven Price De Laune CC 12 
6 31 Mick Bell London Fire Brigade 12 
7 26 Richard Masters Wigmore CC 12 
8 2 Steve Hambling Activ Folkestone 11 
9 159 Carl McDonagh Brixton Cycles 11 
10 5 Mark Burden London Phoenix 11