Tour de Lanza 2010
Last year the Hardie Clan upped sticks and headed to Playa Blanca after the first Cross race for a bit of family/training time, this seemed to make all the difference as on my return I managed to get a win at the Mugdock Cross :)
Last year I certainly needed to up my game as the legs were a bit dull in the first race. This year we returned to Playa a week later for some of the same as last year, bit different as I have already started coming into the form with a win in the series so this trip was more about maintenance of the legs and chillaxing instead of trying to get some form.


This worked out great and it's been a cracking week in brill weather with the family and a bit 'o' biking to boot, this year runs consisted of about 1hr in duration up to 2 1/2hrs which was more than ample. The biking was made even better as I hooked up with good friend and bike nut like myself Fraser who through Facebook seen I was heading out at the same week, was great to get out with a mate in a different part of the world :) The Femes climb out of Playa is always better with company in tow, a bit of suffering shared never seems as bad lol!


So as I write this descending into Glasgow I am sure the weather will be slightly colder/wetter than the 28/29 we have enjoyed over the past week :) Being in the Lanza Sun should have set me up for the rest of the Cyclocross season in good stead, let's have it!!

From The Rules velominati.com :
"The purpose of competing is to win. End of"

Strathclyde SCX Rd3 17/10/10
"What a difference a week makes"
Scottish Cyclocross Round 3 was at Strathclyde Country Park organised by East Kilbride Road Club and what a cracker it was both in course and result for me.
The days going into this race I was active resting as the race at Plean I felt jaded and unable to push on to challenge James for the win, active meaning just rolling about on road and cross bike without thinking about pushing.

Coming into this race I had a few ideas up my sleeve which is a sure sign I felt good, the past two rounds I have not even thought about the tactics and only about finishing. The Race started with Dougie Shearer getting out front which suited as my first tactic was not go for a ballistic start to put myself in the red to quickly! After the first lap I moved to the front and it was packing up behind, I had noticed a couple of attack points on the warm up laps and one was a steep bank after a sharp right turn which was a bit slippy and rooty.
This is where I attacked and managed to get a good gap which I then built on each lap to the finish getting win no1 of the season under my belt :)


Only fly in the ointment for me in the race was not concentrating coming in to the finish area last lap and dumping it, doh! Funny as it's only when your not pushing the turns when the off's happen lol!

Well done to all the East Kilbride crew for putting on a great race and great course :)



1st Craig Hardie Hardie-Bikes.com
2nd Paul Newhnam Leslie Bike Shop
3rd Greig Walker Edinburgh Road Club

How to climb an SCX banking from Steven Turbitt on Vimeo.

Pics via Stevie Turbitt / Marty more info from http://www.scottishcyclocross.org.uk/

Scottish Cyclocross Round 2 @ Plean 10/10/10
Onto the second round of the Scottish Cross at a smashing course run through a country park with a bit of everything fun, fast, run up, hurdles and brutal uphill section every lap :)

Again for this second round I would be seeing how it turned out as it will take 3/4 rounds for the body to wake up and ping! Off the start I realised that the legs were a bit flat as I could not even get the holeshot with Paul Newnham taking the honours, after the first few laps the old legs felt better than expected.

After a few digs each James Fraser Moodie caught the three of us and passed riding into the distance. Rob Friel did chase on which I could not go with so sat at my own pace, Dave Henderson then passed and I hung on till he drove on to drop me and pedal away, this was where I thought the podium was gone again this week until coming round to see Rob stopped and another podium handed to me (hard lines Rob)
So another podium which is far better than how I'm going at the mo but the season is yet young, after a bit of rest the ping will come :)
Roll on Round Three to get another podium? but on what step ;)

*This round was a bit harder than normal as I had a big off on the Friday before going to work practicing, I was pushing a bit hard lost the front end at speed and ended upside down in the trees :( Not making excuses (well I am really) but I was still feeling bit knocked up even by Sundays race ha! Violins out lol!



Pic via Stevie Turbitt and more from www.scottishcyclocross.org.uk And video via Stevie Turbitt http://vimeo.com/15750919

Scottish Cyclocross Round 1 @ Meadow Mill 03/10/10
First round of the Scottish CycloCross kicked off at Meadowmill Nr Edinburgh and I was up for it but in the mind that I would probably not have great form, this would come out as it pushed on through the 1hr of lactic acid!

The start kicked off and I managed to get the holeshot stringing the field out over the first lap, this was short lived as Stu Wearmouth caught me up on the second lap where I then proceeded to dump it on a concrete patch bashing my knee, Stu went on to pull away not quickly but enough to get a gap every lap.

I then got caught by another two riders in Steve Ward and Rob Friel, after that I was consolidating forth in the knowledge that the podium may not be a go'er today :( Once into the later stages of the race Rob Friel had a puncture handing the last place on the podium to me, it was hard lines for Rob as he was looking good for third and I was not catching.

As this was my first Cross race of the season I have work to do but knowing that as the season goes on the form will come.


Pic via Stevie Turbitt and more from www.scottishcyclocross.org.uk

Well its been a while for blogging but as the new Cyclocross 2010 season kicks off I will have some posts up here now and again. Two rounds down already phew!! I'll have a few reports going up in the next couple of days.