Lloyds Cyclo-cross National Trophy Series 2025/26 Round 4 - Sat, 15th Nov 2025

My second weekend of CX racing this year started on Friday afternoon with a 7 hour drive to the Midlands in monsoon conditions - at least I knew the course would be soft and didn't have to worry so much about the damage a crash would do to my wrist.

It had stopped raining by Saturday morning and the first few races were in soft conditions, but the course wasn’t too badly cut up. The Masters 50 race was 3 races and 2 practice periods in, and the course was getting pretty muddy, rutted and slippery - classic CX conditions. The start straight was a proper swamp, with two slippery timing mats added to increase the chance of an early disaster.

Fast start down the straight with the inevitable crash immediately to my right before we'd crossed the start line (something we have in common with the U16 boys who raced later in the day ). I avoided that, and being sandwiched against the railings, and just pedalled until I blew. Spent the rest of the race trying to remember how to keep a CX bike upright in ever changing porridge while still maintaining speed - neither of which I managed particularly successfully. Bike handling is definitely a perishable skill and I really haven't had the practice this season. Most of the course was ridable, just two short, steep banks that needed to be run - thanks to CycloCrossRacer for the new studs.

Slowly lost a few places as the race progressed, but nothing major. More importantly, I had a good race. Legs are improving, skills are improving and wrist flex is coming back steadily. I'm much happier, at the moment, having a good race and a poor result than getting the points but not feeling comfortable, or safe.

I spent the afternoon with some of the U14 South West riders and their parents helping them get ready for their race, and being pit crew. A good ride by both Charlies, neither of whom came last (I checked).