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Pearce Cycles Winter Series - Round Two
Bringewood
James - 23rd February 2007
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Round two of the Winter Series has been sold out for weeks and Bringewood didnt disappoint. Rocks, roots, mud and a few of Dave's brand new trailers made it a worthwhile day of racing. The new trailers are huge, and hold about 30 bikes, although they have a bit of trouble with 3 inch tyres!
The course used at Bringewood was the one used at the National Champs last year. Right off the start, through a twisty bit, over the stepdown into a long muddy corner, a steep section that challenged a lot of riders then down onto the fireroad having conquered the triple. Now it goes wide open and painful for most, many being caught out by that greasy Ludlow mud and bucked straight down the hill into the thorns.
Then its a flat out pedal to try and make the big tabletop into the woods where it gets dark, get to the fireroad then right here and through some increasingly sharp and steep turns before hitting the tabletop flat out and a lung bursting pedal to the finish.
The day started pretty miserably with patches of drizzle but soon after the sun was out and times began to rise. Racing was delayed for around an hour but this was quickly picked up by dispatching riders 20 seconds apart as opposed to the usual 30.
Anyone racing a hardtail down a rooty mountain like Bringewood or Hopton deserves some respect, Tom Bryant putting in an extremely convincing time of 3:17 given he hasnt got the squish to take out the big bumps. Also in the Juvenile category these kids just keep getting faster, Alex Glass dropped a 3:25 with lil Billy Matthews coming in second, showing that day with Peaty didnt hinder his riding!
Youth was all wrapped up by Bernard Kerr but Gareth Brewin was right on his tail, .3 of a second behind with Stefan Thomas coming into third. One of the most impressive results of the day was Sam Dale in Junior, 3:23 - only the Pro's were ahead of him, World Champ Fabien Barel only six seconds ahead, big future?!
The Vets are still hanging in there, carbon fibre hip replacements available on the NHS I hear? Trick! Trevor Harvey and Jono Simpson knocking up some impressive times. Masters is one of the most hotly contested categories of this year, with only .5 of a second seperating the podium. Rich 'burgtec' Burgoin clocked at 2:38 with Alun Lewis and Scott Tankard getting second and third respectively.
Senior Women was taken by Rachel Lewis, and Tracey Moseley wrapped up elites, with Emily Horridge in second.. not bad considering she likes more than a bit of that small wheels lark.
Tim Pearson took Senior with Yeomans just behind, in Expert Adam Brayton managed first leaving Ben Morgan and Stuart Jenkinson to battle it out.
The excitement for the weekend was the battle between Marc Beaumont and the French, Fabien Barel and Julian Camellini, surely Peaty should have dropped in to even the score but a fast Fabien managed to edge ahead of Marc by 0.2 of a second, hard work considering this is Beaumonts home track, with Camellini taking third.
Typical tight, twisty track at Bringewood!
Thanks as usual to the Pearce Cycles gang, the marshals, the drivers, ExtremeMedics and anyone who had a part. It was an amazing days racing and it was brilliant to see Barel racing our local track, more of this?!
Go check out Pearce Cycles for the results, and expect a gallery of over 250 pics on here ASAP!
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