The MTBs are back!

Just when you thought Naked Bikes had turned into a Cyclocross-only team, the MTB action is back!

 

Nick T, Andy and Nick P took the trip east to Thetford to compete in the winter series this weekend. (Yes Nick Ts season still isn't over!)

 

Nick T:

 

Thetford Winter Series 4 hour has always been a winter favourite of mine. Relaxed, well run and well drained, flowing single track courses. I love the cold air, smelly burger van, sporadic fag smoke waft, thumping PA sensation every 30 minutes or so as you pass through the arena. Anyway after spending 3 weeks off the bike resting after a busy spring and summer season I met Andy at McD’s A14 East. Such is the tradition we don’t really need to arrange place/time, it’s just a ‘meet you same place/time?’ kind of rendezvous. The best sort!

Blessed with clear skies our race plan was as laid back as the atmosphere; start steady, don’t get sucked along into the energy sapping lap 1 sprint (it’s winter racing for the social after all?), find a brisk 2 up pace and steadily pick off any faster starters who hadn’t paced themselves, then dependant on ‘legs’, open it up at the 2 hour mark. The plan stuck, plenty of banter in the group of 4-5 riders we formed, picking up and passing a few ‘heavy breathers’ on the way. It really was a great course…….dry, fast, autumnal, leafy single track, swooping all the bermed corners like kids at the BMX track.

 

Nick T in action - note new team kit!

 

So, 2 hours dispensed with, the course cleared of the 2 hour racers, we get 7kms of course to ourselves. Andy had dropped off a little, more bottle/gel stop and a bit of back trouble than legs I hasten to add. That left me with another Andy #2, from Gipping Race Team Vets. He was strong in the single track but a little slower on two of the gradual inclines. Good for me as the final run in forms the second of the inclines. Last lap bell (there wasn’t a bell!) and I realised Andy #2 had dropped off noticeably on the climb. This was the opportunity to go hard and get the 7th place we’d both been jockeying for. All the time I could see glimpses of his red/white kit through the trees – I knew he was coming, but I managed to pull a proper gap in the end an came in a good 2 minutes up – 7th in the bag. Pleased with that. Decent position to carry to R2.

Andy #1 had a good strong finish in 11th Senior too, not far behind Andy #2. I think both us feeling the 4 hours of racing hard tails in our back sides! Team mate Nick Popham raced the 2 hour Vet, coming in a credible 9th place. Good day out at the races for Naked Bikes!

 

Andy forces a smile, despite being forced to ride behind Nick T