Bikedock Belles

Cyclo Cross races are non-technical, fairly fast courses – but on leg ripping grass, which with the recent heavy rain was hard going for wee legs! (never mind big legs!) The sun was shining, the sky was blue and there wasn't a cloud in the sky on Sunday, but it wasn't enough to dry out the course for the Under 8s, who started at 1030am.

Fraser picked out his starting position, keen to get the Young Guns and Dromara CC off to a good winter race series, and rode strongly for the one-lap course. For 75% of the race he held onto an impressive 2^nd position, but with 50 metres to go, two riders who had been hot on his (w)heels, just pipped him at the finishing line to put him in 4^th position. A closely contested finish by 4 strong riders, with the first photo finish of the year!

On finishing, Fraser said he was pleased with the race and that he'd have got a medal if he'd have been on a bigger bike! He also said he shot off strongly at the start because he wanted to be well clear of little brother Alex, who at 3 years old took part in the U8 race and was expected by Fraser to create carnage! Alex giggled most of the way around the long lap, being helped at times by his daddy, but when he saw the finish line he comically gritted his teeth, had a face of steely determination, and pedalled as fast as he could to rapturous applause.

This followed rapturous applause for another "baby" belle, Hugo Melville, who at 4 and ½ also pedalled around the course with his daddy and again showed sheer enjoyment as he crossed the finish line. Two up and coming Young Guns with a few years left in the U8s!

Hugo's big sister Emer, who hasn't raced the last few events, made an excellent return to racing at Lurgan and thoroughly enjoyed the grassy course. She had a gutsy race, befitting of a Belle, and showed great strength at the end of the lap. If it had been a two lap course Eemer would have been even further up the rankings! As it was, Emer was 3^rd girl in the U8s and 11^th out of 21 starters.

Young Gun stalwart, Adam McCaughtry, had his best race ever on Sunday and finished 8^th, just 4 places behind his mucker Fraser. Supporters nearly missed Adam again in his camouflage top, not to mention his daddy who was admittedly surprised at seeing Adam finish so quickly. Apparently Adam was worried that he would be late for his next appointment, a rugby match in Ards, so he wanted to get finished quickly! Well done Adam, fantastic race result.

Two places behind Adam, in 10^th overall, was Zak Tsoutsas. This was only Zak's 2^nd race and he not only promises great results in the future, but more importantly clearly loves the whole event atmosphere.

As do Sam and Christopher Duncan, relative newcomers to the Young Guns too, who are growing in skill with every race and simply cannot wait until the next race! Thankfully, their mum (Monthly Duncan) is skilled on the domestic front (even in the absence of Monthly McCaughtry on Sunday) and provided coffee and snacks after the race. The two mums are also now skilled on the technical front too, having attended the Belles' puncture repair session last week.

Unfortunately Dillon Cook did not finish (DNF) the race on Sunday, but is itching for the next one as he demonstrated excellent ability in only his 2^nd race at Tollymore mid-September. He clearly has the fighting spirit that the Young Guns display as a group!

So of 21 starters (Alex and Hugo weren't officially listed), the Young Guns accounted for 7 riders in the U8s. If you count Alex and Hugo, make that 9 riders out of 23!!

With the U8s done and dusted, next up was Max Melville in the U10s. Max has shown impressive strength and endurance in the XC MTB series and there is no doubt he will rank highly in the winter Cyclo Cross series. With every race he is catching the 3 riders that are consistently a step ahead in the U10s, and he proved this again on Sunday in Lurgan. He finished 4^th out of 12, and of note he was ahead of a strong Carn Wheelers contingent.

Having raced themselves, most of the Young Guns stayed on to cheer Andrea on in her first such bike race. The power of young chants cannot be underestimated! Thanks Young Guns!!

Ding Dong!

Andrea