Welsh champs.

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BY: Melanie Alexander

Published: 24th May, 2011

Although only last weekend, with the overwhelming excitement of Dalby World Cup the welsh champs seems likes weeks ago now.

It was the best turn out in the series for the women’s race with 8  women racing 19+ category, 3 of whom were elite which is great for a regional race. Other than me, Maddie Horton had made the trip up from Plymouth and Gabby from up north with the aim to maintain her welsh champs title. Ruth Owen Evans, Sally Gabriel, Ruby Miller and Claire Bowen all usually race in expert and have had some close battles this year.  Apart from Maddie all were contenders for the welsh champs jersey (that is if we had the legs to match Gabby).

After my race at the 2nd Nps at Dalby, I felt I had as good a chance as Gabby and was anticipating a close battle between us.



I had a good start (weeks of practicing my standing starts paid off) as I briefly lead the racers out. Within 100 meters of the start was the first climb and as the climb went up my pace went down  and Maddie passed me like a tornado, well it felt like at least twice the speed I was going at. No real surprises there as Maddie is a very strong climber and on her wheel was Gabby. After the first climb it flattened of before dropping back down then on to the second climb which was even longer and just as steep in places. Gabby was beginning to drop away from Maddie so I kept pushing on hoping she might tire.  At the top of the second climb there was some fun single track descent with off camber roots which wasn’t overly technical but took good bike handling skills to gain time on it.

I knew the course at Forest fields was going to be hilly, but my I have never raced on such a steep hilly cross country course before. I really could have done with more gears. In four laps we only gained 800 meters in 14 miles but they were brutal hills.

Anyway the race was pretty uneventful for me as I was by myself with the vet men catching and passing. There wasn’t a close battle for the jersey with Gabby having a strong ride and deservedly winning the welsh champs jersey for the second year running, finishing 2 and a half minutes ahead of me with Maddie a further 3 minutes ahead of Gabby.
The best part of the race for me was when husband Mark racing in the vets overtook me on the second climb of the second lap with Jay Horton closely behind shouting after him ‘’you’re not human’’. Jay did get the win for the Vets but Mark just amazed me by how strong he looked only a week after his win at the 24 hour champs. I definitely couldn’t blame my lack of speed on losing a night’s sleep supporting him although I think I will because I had felt jet lagged and over tired all week.     

Although it was such a tough course to race on for me it was the best course of the series.

Photos by Roy Bevis

Thanks to Xcracer.com, Gateway cycles, Mt Zoom, Accelerade and Exposure Lights