My Triathlon Journey

Round 7 of the London & South East Cyclocross League was at Gatwick Aviation Museum. The course was entirely flat and grass the whole way round.

Race

I was on the front row for the start and managed to get away well and stay with the front group. On the second lap, when I jumped back on my bike after the hurdles my chain got stuck between the frame and cranks. I got it back on okay, but lost 20 seconds. I attacked straight away to catch the front group as soon as possible. When I was about 4-5 seconds away, the front rider slipped out so it made it a little bit easier. I sat in the group of us 5 until just before going onto the third lap, the front rider slipped out again and I went into him – not crashing but having to unclip. The other riders managed to avoid the crash and got a small gap so the catch up game began again. The gap didn’t get to big and I managed to get back.

Final Lap

On the final lap there was just 4 of us now and I was 2nd in the group. At the hurdles around 500-600m from the finish, I jumped on in third. On the first straight after the hurdles I overtook 2nd and by the hedge turn I overtook to 1st. I just had to make sure everything was perfect, from here to the finish and that I wouldn’t slip and deliver a really strong sprint finish for first as me and 2nd place had a 2 second gap to the next two now. I came onto the final straight and gave everything and crossed the line 1st by less than a bike length, for my first win as a Youth A, and first one this season.