Talking in your sleep: Torq 12 hour

For some reason I was asked to go out first instead of our usual pocket rocket, Phil Morris, in the mixed teams 12 hour enduro. I duly let the team down by having a shocker and being even slower than usual. So slow in fact that the others had thought that I'd crashed! Still not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not.

The course was super fast and twisty with little in terms of out and out climbing but still some very fast and flowing singletrack. The weather was perfect apart from Phil's lap in the afternoon. He must've upset the weather Gods since the heavens opened just as he started and it finished raining just as the chaps at Time laps were recording his number and lap time. Hah Hah!

The racing was pretty fast and furious and leading from start to finish in our category was the Loughborough team of students who evidently have a very different philosophy to student life than the one I had. Not a beer belly or rugby ball in sight. It would be a difficult job to keep up with them over the course of the 12 hours.

In fact, we didn't. Around the half way point it was becoming clear that try as we might we couldn't eat into the students' lead and we began to focus on the CycleZone Uk team behind. It was also around the half way point that I, and others on the course nearly got ran over by a couple of people riding in a horse and cart. Probably the most unusual and tricky obstacle I've had to ride around since the topless, manic waving lady at the Madrid version of Bontrager Twentyfour/12 last June.

It was in the end though a 2nd place for the xcracers on a course that was perfect for the Superfly. Many detractors of the bigger wheeled bikes say that they aren't as manoeuverable as 26ers but that just isn't the case! They need to try one.

It was great to see Mel racing again and I don't know how she can spend so long off the bike and still retain so much fitness. Another great day of racing on a great little circuit. Chapeau to the solo boys and girls and thanks to Mark, Mel's husband for making the tea!

Thanks to Joolze Dymond for the picture.

Matt Lewis

xcracer.com29er

 

 

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