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Luke Webbers 'view from the pack'

by Luke Webber, 17 Nov 05. Results [ 1» ] Photos [ 1» 2» 3» ]

The final Gorrick race of the year has come about pretty fast - it seems like only the other day that I was getting beat by Jenn O’Connor and Bec Webb around the Corkscrew!

You guessed it - we’re back at Crowthorne for the Autumn Classic, and after 'that' performance in the last race (Gorrick Day/Night) I was expecting something special.

I was entered into the Open catergory today as I was showing some racing newbies (from the newly founded Solent Uni mtb club) the ropes. Open is always a strange race. There are guys who should be in higher Cats. in the mix, so until I was on the line I could not be sure if I would be first, or 21st. As it was there were only a few quick boys and as the hooter sounded I worked my way into third wheel, behind Youth rider Matt Hill and Juvenile Jake Moxham.

I was all good sitting in on the straights and although it was hard keeping up it was far from impossible. All was to change though as we hit the singletrack. These guys didn't touch the brakes and I was having problems keeping up.

It was becoming more a case of when I was to hit something rather than if, so I dropped off to eighth and recovered a bit. The vision was indeed a bit blurry and we were only ten minutes in when the bar tonked a tree. Thankfully it was only a sapling, which saved both bar and wallet. On one downhilll section I tried to let a guy pass, but he couldn't and on the next flat signalled by splashing through a puddle and getting me good and proper! I had my revenge on the climbs though.

By the end of lap one I was drooling along in fifth, before getting taken out by a guy on a Giant Trance. He was flying so I wasn't going to spoil his fun.

By the third lap the splasher had reeled me in again, so I let him go first though the singletrack (he rode a dually) and followed the line. He was pretty ready to get sixth, but I knew I could strike whenever on a climb and drop him. I gave it an experiment on the penultimate singletrack section, but he just sneaked ahead. Come the final climb I made the move, took him on the hill and rolled over the line sixth. A good result - but even better was that I had brought along five XC racing virgins and they all loved it and want to do it again - even though two were downhillers!

2006 should be a fun year.