2010 review
It's that time of year when everyone gets in their look back over the past 12 months.
The year started for me Highland Games Grass Track racing at Newburgh where I struggled a bit as the form was just not there, this Games proved how dangerous a sport we compete in as in the 4800m Scottish Champs race Lewis Oliphant had an off and broke his collarbone ending his season :(
After this race it kicked me in to gear though as we moved through the season I managed to win 38 races making it my most successful Games season for me ever, after the season I was voted Highland Games Cyclist of the Year by the SHGA committee which I was very honoured to receive. Having won it in 2005 it was brilliant to win again :)
A big thanks to all the different Highland Games venues during the year and all the helpers behind the scene's making it possible for us to race all year, I feel privileged to be part of the Games history which dates back to 1703. This year I have a trophy from Halkirk Games which dates back to 1897.

Once the Games season finished I managed to get a few easy weeks before embarking on the Cyclocross season to try and retain my Scottish Cyclocross Series Championship that I had won in 2006 and 2009. Going into the series I felt good but not great which is fine as the season is long and I wanted to be strong in the mid to end of the series, starting the series I managed a few 3rd's to be going on with then got a win before spending a week in Lanzarote to get a bit of sun. After getting back from the sun I managed a few more wins and podiums with worst result being 4th in all the races :)
Again I would like to thank all of the people involved who make the racing happen, especially all the SCX committee who give up their time for the sport.

This has been a fantastic year for me and if 2011 is as half as good it will be a cracker.

Happy New Year to one and all and hope you make 2011 the best you can whatever you do :)

Craig.

Bingo Bango!!!
Win number 2 of the Scottish Cyclocross Series for me at Lochore on Sun past :)
Going into this race I was pretty confident which is a great way to be, on the morning of the race I had headed down to North Queensferry under the iconic Forth Rail bridge for a photo shoot to do with the 99...100 event which will be at Silverburn Park Leven.
Great to have Cycling sport promoted in events like this but even better as I compete in non mainstream Cycling disiplines like Cyclocross and GrassTrack :)
It also gave me a chance to practice for part of the race at the end (more on that later)

The race conditions were going to be very muddy going by the weather we had been having leading up to Sunday, I was getting more confident as the rain started to fall leaving North Queensferry for race HQ. Today was the day to crack out the spare bike and have a change on a few laps with some helpers getting the worst of the mud off in between, thanks to Hardie Snr, Sean, Graeme, and I think Franco even helped at times, you did a great job :)

The start went well with myself Dan and Davie getting a small gap on the field and then disaster for Wavie Davie when he took his mech clean off on a post meaning he had to run a lap to get a spare bike!
Once Dan and myself started racing each other trying to get a gap on a few bits of the course but either of us getting away, both of us were watching each other for a few laps and I had an idea on a couple of places to try and go. One of these was on a very boggy slightly uphill section you really had to attack to get through at speed, this is where I got a gap and then pushed on to increase the lead over Dan to about 35secs which stayed till the end where I came over the finish holding my bike which funny enough I had been doing for the photo shoot in the morning :)

Pic via Dougie Shearer
On to Auchentoshen this weekend for one of my favorite courses on the circuit, cant wait!

Result:
1st. Craig Hardie Hardie-Bikes.com
2nd. Dan Whitehead
3rd. Neil Walker Walkers Cycling Club
A mention to 4th Davie Lines of Endura Racing, great ride after breaking his mech off!

Full results and info @ http://www.scottishcyclocross.org.uk/



Photos from Stevie Turbitt

Keeping it going!
This weekend past was at Crieff Highland Games and I was feeling confident but you never know until you get off that start line. As it happened I started well but from there the legs started to fail on me to the point I was just going round at the Deil where I got fifth. So not to bad day with the results considering I was not at my best, the season is coming in to the sprint finish with a few rounds left just hope the legs remember that!

800m OPEN CYCLING MK TIME
1st Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay SCR 1m 21.47secs
2nd Tim Allan, Glenrothes 25m
3rd Darren Howitt, Glenrothes 55m

1600m OPEN CYCLING MK TIME
1st Tim Allan, Glenrothes 40m 3m 04.38secs
2nd Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay SCR
3rd Kevin Barclay, Glenrothes SCR

3200m OPEN CYCLING MK TIME
1st Tim Allan, Glenrothes 55m 6m 08.06secs
2nd David Mathieson, Newburgh 125m
3rd Kevin Barclay, Glenrothes SCR

DEIL CYCLING
1st Kevin Barclay, Glenrothes
2nd Tim Allan, Glenrothes
3rd Neil Withington, Carlisle

Anyway that was the racing but I had another job on the day with delivering a fixed wheel Dawes mono to a certain Ewan Mcgregor who is a top bloke and is getting right into fixie's.
I even managed to get him to push me off in one of the races!

Up to speed
Another double weekend of Games past and the legs came back a bit after feeling like lead last week, I knew after my training in the week that the form was still there from a couple of weeks ago but maybe just tailing off a bit.
Inverkeithing Highland Games is run not on Grass but a red cinder track which makes cornering interesting as the bikes do move about underneath you a bit, the key is to let the bike move and not to be be to rigid, easier said than done once there are 7/8 bikes around you it makes for a few buttock clenching moments!

The one race I wanted to win at Inverkeithing was the 6400m Scottish Champs and I was feeling strong but Evan Oliphant got it on the line although I think I pushed him all the way. The other events were good for me but I was a bit frustrated in not coming away without a win on the day.

800m OPEN CYCLING MK TIME
1st Tom Hunter, Falkirk 125m 1m 03.94s
2nd Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay 40m
3rd Brendan Roe, Valleyfield 60m

1600m OPEN CYCLING MK TIME
1st Darren Howitt, Glenrothes 140m 2m 17.30s
2nd Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay 60m
3rd Brendan Roe, Valleyfield 85m

3200m OPEN CYCLING MK TIME
1st Darren Howitt, Glenrothes 300m 4m 57.88s
2nd Tom Hunter, Falkirk X
3rd Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay 100m

6400m OPEN SC CHAMPIONSHIP CYCLING MK TIME
1st Evan Oliphant,Wick SCR 10m 16.81s
2nd Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay SCR
3rd Alan Clark, Thurso SCR

DEIL CYCLING
1st Neil Withington, Carlisle
2nd Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay
3rd Alan Clark, Thurso

Grass Track Racing
After last weekend with my off into a car all the week was spent recovering and trying to get the inflammation down and keep the muscles moving. I knew I had a big weekend ahead with three Highland Games Grass Track meetings one after another. Lying in a hospital bed last Sunday it seemed like it was not going to be, the body is a fantastic tool and by Wednesday I was getting better and to be honest amazed after the impact I had.
The first Games was Balloch at Loch Lomond and this was going to be my tester, I faired good through the day and apart from the standing starts where pulling up on the bars was sore I felt good.
Results:
800m OPEN CYCLING MK TIME
1st James Melville, Dumbarton 50m 1m 31.37s
2nd Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay SCR
3rd David Mathieson, Newburgh 55m

1600m OPEN CYCLING MK TIME
1st James Melville, Dumbarton 70m 3m 26.28s
2nd Tim Allan, Glenrothes X
3rd Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay SCR

3200m OPEN CYCLING MK TIME
1st Tim Allan, Glenrothes X 7m 21.41s
2nd David Mathieson, Newburgh 90m
3rd James Melville, Dumbarton 85m

DEIL CYCLING
1st Tim Allan, Glenrothes
2nd Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay
3rd James Melville, Dumbarton

*All the races are handicapped (apart from Deil) as the MK is where the rider starts from and the SCR is the scratch man who starts behind on the finish line. The X is someone that does not have a mark and the handicapper will give them one on the day.

On to Thornton Sunday and I was starting to feel better again although some riders were missing as there was a Games on the same day in Roseneath but I was still having to catch up coming off my back mark
Results:
1600m OPEN CYCLING
1st D Howitt, Glenrothes 60 2m 48.73s
2nd D Mathieson, Newburgh 80
3rd F Morris, Glenrothes

3200m OPEN CYCLING
1st C Hardie, Dalgety Bay SCR 2m 56.40s
2nd D Mathieson, Newburgh 90
3rd F Morris, Glenrothes X

4800m OPEN CYCLING
1st C Hardie, Dalgety Bay SCR 6m 15.20s
2nd D Mathieson, Newburgh 95
3rd D Howitt, Glenrothes 85

DEIL CYCLING
1st C Hardie, Dalgety Bay
2nd D Howitt, Glenrothes
3rd F Morris, Glenrothes

Last race for me was Burntisland Mon the 20th and this was going to be a cracker with 10 bikes and everyone racing at a similar level apart from two Pro's Alex Coutts and Evan Oliphant. This was a different games for myself also as I was not off scratch which went to Evan, I felt good throughout the day and was getting better but was struggling to get the better of Evan. The Deil was the last event and last chance for a result, this event is run off together after a rolling start so it is mano mano to the line if you are left after everyone else is eliminated.

The Deil panned out well and I managed to stay on Evan's wheel till the last corner which was a bit dodgy, I dived into the inside and Evan went wide, it was then a drag strip to the line where the Judges had to decide who had got it and I am over the moon to say I got it by a tyre width!! This will go down as one of the best win's of my Grass Track career.
Results:
1600m OPEN CYCLING
1st Alan Clark, Thurso 50m 2m 45.31secs
2nd Tim Allan, Glenrothes 80m
3rd Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay 60m

3200m OPEN CYCLING
1st Evan Oliphant,Wick SCR 5m 45.09secs
2nd Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay 100m
3rd Tim Allan, Glenrothes 140m

4800m OPEN CYCLING
1st Evan Oliphant,Wick SCR 9m 27.88secs
2nd Alex Coutts, Burntisland X
3rd Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay 130m

DEIL CYCLING
1st Craig Hardie, Dalgety Bay
2nd Evan Oliphant,Wick
3rd Tim Allan, Glenrothes

Evan Oliphant leading out the pack.

Photo from Marty Steele

Me leading out Alex Coutts and Alan Clark
Photo from Marty Steele

The Games
Another weekend and another Highland games, this week we were at Cupar in Fife. On arrival the rain started and got harder and harder, fortunately the rain went off and the track dried up. After the track dried the racing got fast and as such I changed my gear from 48x17 to 48x16 as I seemed to be spinning out.
It was a funny weekend for me in that my legs did not seem to be working very well although as the day wore on I seemed to get better. I was disappointed in not getting into the 80m final but my handicap and the fast conditions did not help.

Photos from Tom/Nick Hunter

Results:
800 Mts Final
1st Darren Howitt
2nd Tim Allan
3rd James Melville

1600m
1st Darren Howitt
2nd James Melville
3rd Stu McManus

3200m
1st Tim Allan
2nd Alan Clark
3rd Craig Hardie

De'il (Devil) tak the hindmost*
1st Alan Clark
2nd Craig Hardie
3rd Darren Howitt

*Elimination race where one rider comes out last over the line each lap till 3/4 left who sprint for the win.
There is mention of the De'il in a passage of the address to the haggis written by Robert Burns:

Then, horn for horn they stretch an' strive,
deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums ;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
Bethankit hums.

Grass Tracking
Started the Highland Games season last weekend and managed to get the season of to a cracker.
The ground was very slick after rain overnight and once the runners/cyclists were round the grass went like ice in sections!
Was on my new Gary Fisher Triton which was fantastic all day.

Triton

Results:
800m
1st Craig Hardie
2nd Neil Withington
3rd Tim Allan

1600m
1st Brendon Roe
2nd Darren Howitt
3rd Tim Allan

3000m
1st Craig Hardie
2nd Tim Allan
3rd Brendon Roe

5000m
1st Craig Hardie
2nd Dave Mathieson
3rd James Melville


Report from Shane Fenton here: Ceres Games

Time, Time, Time.
So I have not had an update for a while but that is not to say I have not been doing anything far from it.
On the Mountain Bike front I was going for the Scottish Mountain Bike Champs on the 22nd of June, the 3 weeks building up to this I was flying and felt I was up for a podium place and getting a medal of some colour. The Champs were at Gleniffer Braes near Glasgow where I have raced before back in the day but it was going to be a different course, the day dawned with bad weather which dampened spirits on the day but I go well in the mud so it does not bother me.

I had changed my tyres the night before as the forecast had said rain and on the practice lap they worked well adding to my confidence, the start was up a tarmac road and when the whistle went I got to the front and battered it only to be passed near the top by about 12/15 riders. I did not panic and by the first descent I got into about 8th then made my way up to 4th to discover two riders had clipped of the front and were away, I then attacked after them and made the junction quite quickly feeling very good. On the technical section I was again feeling great and then felt my back tyre going soft and with it my chance of a medal, I did carry on for the next 3/4 lap with a flat tyre and kept up with the two front runners which shows the form I had.

After climbing off at the feed station I was sickened and my wee girl of 6 was in tears as she has never seen me retire from a race and could not understand why I got a puncture, this is the first time I have punctured a tubeless tyre in a race before and my first puncture in a race since the early nineties.

After this disappointment I was a bit deflated and needed a bit of a break so I took a couple of weeks off to get my self motivated again. I am now feeling good again and have started Grass Track racing last Sunday getting two 2nd places a 4th and a win, this weekend coming I have 4 Highland games in a row which will be a tough week I am sure!

New Squadra HARDIE-BIKES.COM :



This is the new shop team colours which I will be flying about in the races this year and hopefully picking up the odd podium place here and there.

Real heros of British cycling


Photo from TheBikeZone.org.uk

So as this week I have been well busy in the shop and today was chucking down with rain I have decided that this is my rest week and I will start building up the mileage again from tomorrow. I was due an easy week round about now anyway but the way the week went with the shop and weather it is a good time to refresh the legs before moving onto the next block of training.
This year my training is geared up towards the Highland Games grass track season which starts in May and runs till Sep with races every week and sometimes more as some Games are run on local holidays during the week.
The racing takes place on grass although there is one in Inverkeithing where the track is cinder and can be a lot faster if the conditions are dry. The tracks are oval of anything up to 400mts in length but some can be very tight at under 300mts with no straight as such meaning you feel like you are cornering all the time (interesting in the wet!) The racing is usualy fast and furious giving the crowds a great show of which some number in the thousands giving a great atmosphere.
If you have not experienced a Highland games before put it in your diary as it is a fantastic day out for not a lot of money. Check out some dates here: Highland Games 2007

Pictures are Halkirk Games 2005 from Caithness.org