NPS Hopton

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BY: Donna Morris

Published: 5th June, 2013

Last weekend team xcracer.com came out in style at Round 3 of the National Points Series, held at Hopton, Near Bucknell, Shropshire. Pearce Cycles and team put on a cracking course and a very well organised weekend of racing and there was a strange yellow object in the sky! This venue is only about an hour and a bit away from home, but with the forecast on the up, we headed there Saturday afternoon in time for a practise lap for both of us and we stayed over.

The last 4 weeks has been manic for Phil, so training has been virtually on hold and getting on the bike has been very rare. With doing up our new house and getting a new job the last couple of races, have been hard going. So this weekend he wasn't expecting great results, but being a Morris he is pretty determined and he was going to give it a go.

Hopton was my second proper race last year when I entered the open and did one lap. I knew the laps was long but it was hear say that the descent was totally different. So I headed out for my practise first and I had'nt forgot the climb, it was long and tough and just felt never ending. It was however broken up a bit by some fire road and a little short descent. The downhill was very rooty, almost like a root maze in places and I never will really know what  was the best line. I went a different way each lap in the race! The second downhill was a mix of single-track., tight corners, twisting through trees and then after the fire road you came into the last descent, a few drop offs and pretty much single-track and roots back to the grassy arena.

It was a longish lap and overall I enjoyed the climb and to a certain extent the descent, but I just can't seem to be confident at going any quicker down rooty, tight corner stuff like that. It wasn't extremely technical but I just felt constantly on edge and felt I had to concentrate really hard! This was evident to mad's and jay who shouted "relax and loosen up, don't look so scared!!"

Again Phil confirmed that it was tricky in places and a descent you need to be a bit careful on. O dear!! After cracking my ribs last year, after a silly little topple on the first corner last year, I really didn't want to be off again! No such luck!!

 

On the first lap after getting quite a good start and a good position up the climb.(Although Gillian in my cat was well gone). Well done Gillian your Flying!! (I like to gauge myself against the vets, sport and expert cats). The first descent I followed a rider who fell off in front of me and I slowed down a little to inform the marshals, this then was coupled with me wrapping myself around a tree on the 2^nd descent!!  Not good but I shook myself off and wounded, I carried on, although a touch nervous and slower!! 

A bit gutted really because I lost touch with the girls in front I was chasing!! The next lap I managed to get by a few riders and it was on the final lap that I had a little cat and mouse battle with Heidi Gould (sport) she climbed well and had more power than me but I was a bit quicker at the descents. I caught sight of the zipfit jersey. But I need the climbs to be a little bit longer, as I really caught up with them on the climbs and at the top would be nearly to their wheel, but the at the top, they left me for dust! I need to practise un-technical descending at speed!! However I did manage to pass Helen Clayton in the expert cat.

I came over the line 2^nd place in the lonely master's field, but very pleased with my overall performance in the women's field. Apart from managing to injure a part of my body at Hopton again!! Stiff as a granny now for a few days and I will be dumping my bar ends now too!!!!

 

Hali-Rae took part in the go-race whilst I was racing, so although I didn't get to cheer her on, I'm informed she did very well and cheers flossie for lending me your prize, to wear on the podium!! It saved me a hobble back to the caravan and enabled me to make the podium!!

Phil was racing in the last race of the day so I just sat and got stiffer and stiffer, watched the kids, bottled and hurled some kind words of encouragement to him!

 

He had a cracking start and set the pace up the climb, I knew that would be the last of him in the lead and the next time he would be further back. However he was closer up the field than I thought he maybe. Jon Pugh (Cycle Tec) came through in his usual position 1^st!! Followed by Dan Wells, making an appearance again. But the Phil was 3^rd and wasn't a million miles behind. Their positions maintained the same for the next 3 laps, with Jon pulling a little further away each lap. Going into the last lap phil was about 2 minutes behind Dan, so I gave him the "come on get to him, you're not too far off him" not really expecting him to catch him. But to my surprise Dan came into sight, very closely followed by Phil, but with finish just around the corner, he wasn't going to catch him!! Would have been exciting to have had another lap! Well for me spectating anyway!!

He really put out a cracking last lap, well done! So  a 3^rd for him and Hali-Rae and a 2^nd for me. Pretty productive weekend of racing for the Morris gang. And some pleasing results all-round for the team.

Well done to all who helped organise and put the whole event on, cheers Mr Weatherman and well done to all the racers out there!!

Thank you to Andy Whitehouse for the use of his photos, plenty more on the British Cycling Facebook page and results on time laps website.

Our next event is this weekend, where Xcracer.com Team are heading to Bristol Bikefest In the 12hour mixed ! Lookout our first team event of 2013 and my first team debut!! Eek!! Pressure on!!!

 

Donna and Phil Morris Riding for Xcracer.com

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