Cyclo-cross round-up
Darren Haynes by Matt Bristow
The Second Round of the East Kent Cyclo Cross League took place on Sunday 23rd October. The DFDS Grand Prix of Dover was held in the grounds of Duke of York’s Royal Military School made wet and muddy by rain in the preceding days.
Darren Haynes represented Lewes Wanderers in the race for men in their 50s. He made a great start to be in the top ten going into the first corner. A collision with one of the posts marking the course lost him several places and caused him to miss the winning breakaway.
A mid-race downpour hampered his chase back and made one downhill turn into a steep climb impossible to ride and difficult to walk, but Darren remained on the leading lap to finish 16th from 44 to cross the line.
The following Sunday saw Round 7 of the Challenge Tyres London & South East Cyclo Cross League. The event was promoted by LCCA and held at a new venue in the fields surrounding Gatwick Aviation Museum.
Dan Street took to the start line in the race for men in their forties which turned out to be a flat-out affair on the flat grassy course, with very few technical sections. From 23rd at the end of the first of seven laps Dan gained a place on the second circuit. He held that for a few more tours before being demoted back to 23rd from 52 at the chequered flag.
Round 8 of the Challenge Tyres London & South East Cyclo Cross League took place at East Brighton Park on Sunday 6th November. The event was promoted by Brighton Mitre CC and incorporated the third round of the Sussex League.
In horrendously wet and muddy conditions Darren Haynes was one of 39 men who took to the start in the race for men in their fifties. After two steady laps he was in 24th place, but thereafter his tyres accumulated so much mud that he slowed, lost a couple of places and had to pit to switch to his spare bike. By now parts of the course were unrideable, but it was the same for everyone and he made up three places on the final tour to finish 23rd from 32, two laps down on the winner, with seven non-finishers.
Stephen Burgess made good use of his years of experience in the race for men over 60 as he reeled off five consistent laps in the tricky conditions to cross the line a lap behind the winner, but only one place off the podium with eleven finishers.
In the following women’s race Mugs Gohl (Nice Brew Racing) struggled for consistency in the gloop, but kept racing to the end where she crossed the line 5th of the nine women in their forties.
In the final race of the day for men under 40 Joe Benians was forced to start at the back of the grid of thirty-three due to his lack of racing this season. He made a rapid start to be as high as 19th by the end of the first of nine laps. He lost a couple of places on lap two, but made one back the next time around to maintain 20th place to the line, two laps down on the victor with four non-finishers.
