Well now the Cyclo-Cross Scottish Championships are over I can go over my performance to take out the good and bad from the race.
I got a good start and ended up in first place looking back at the bunch seeing Ross Creber on my wheel, as we got down to the bottom of the course Ross took to the front with Gareth in 2nd and myself in 3rd we then went on to pull out a gap mostly down to Ross's savage pace at the front dragging Gareth and myself away from the chasing pack.
After the first few laps Gareth started dropping off the pace and as I found out later had suffered a puncture which he change a wheel to get going again all be it down the field slightly. Once Gareth had dropped away I tried to go with Ross but struggled to stay on his wheel so dropped to my on pace, in the meantime Dan Whitehead was catching me every lap and was as close as 4 secs at one point only to snap his chain!
I was then thinking that I was on for a solid silver medal but Gareth was not having any of it as he pulled me back towards the last three laps, once he caught and passed me I was sitting comfortable behind him waiting for the attack but for what ever reason Gareth did not go for it so then it was going to go down to a sprint on the last lap.
The last few corners were on grass on a banking off camber making it very interesting, going into the second off camber corner only two corners from the finish I passed Gareth on the inside to get a better line but thrown into the mix was a back marker. At this point I had to take a tighter line up the banking when the tyres gave way sliding me down the banking and as I held on to the bike it dug in to the grass to right myself and the bike upright again to get back up an away!
Gareth at this time had to try and avoid the bodies and bikes which held him up enough that I had a gap and was over to the finish line to claim the second place hopefully entertaining the crowd into the bargin.
So a great course, great racing and all well organised by Graham Barclay and all the helpers who without there would be no racing, so thank you.
Scottish Cyclo-Cross Championships
1st - Ross Creber
2nd - Craig Hardie
3rd - Gareth Montgomerie
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