Preview: 2008 Cyclo-Cross National Championships
5 & 6 January 2008, Birmingham
Venue: Sutton Park, Park Road, Sutton Coldfield B74 2YT - Website
Over 420 riders have entered the various categories of the National Cyclo-Cross championships, which return to the familiar surroundings of Sutton Park in Birmingham over the weekend of 5th and 6th January 2008.
Due to the high level of entries received, and the options and obligations under BC and UCI regulations, it has been decided to run the Under-23 Men's Championship as a separate event, which will take place on Saturday 5th January at 1.00 pm. As a result, the timetable for that day has been amended. The full revised timetable for the weekend is as follows:
Saturday 5th January 2008 - Start List Day1
10:30 am Veterans Over 50 Championship 40 minutes
11:45 am Youth Championship 30 minutes
1:00 pm Under-23 Men's Championship 50 minutes
2:30 pm Veterans 40-49 Championship 40 minutes
Sunday 6th January 2008 - Start List Day 2
9:50 am Islabikes Under 10s Race
10:15 am Islabikes Under 12s Race
11:00 am Women's Championship 40 minutes
12:30 pm Junior Men's Championship 40 minutes
2:00 pm Senior Men's Championship 60 minutes
Championship race by race preview
Veteran 50+: Roy Hunt (pictured right) remains the man to beat, and will be looking for his fifth successive title at this level. His only defeat in recent years was at the hands of Martin Booth in the National Trophy finale at Derby last January. Booth, Joe Rowe, Barry Kipling and Cliff Featherstone will be hoping that Hunt has a bad day, but failing that will be contesting the other medal places.
Youth: Four national titles will be awarded within this race, with jerseys for both boys and girls at under-16 and under-14 level. Luke Gray heads the overall National Trophy series to date, but has yet to stand on the top step of the podium with a consistent run of four second places.
The winning Trophy honours have been shared equally between Yorkshire's Tom Moses and Leicestershire's Daniel McLay, with McLay showing the most impressive recent form, winning on Moses' home patch at Bradford. Sam Lowe heads the Under-14 boys rankings, but Ipswich's Hugo Robinson has the current momentum after two Trophy wins in this category, while Jonathan Dibben will also be in contention.
In the girls' categories Welsh rider Ruby Murray has moved into the position of Under-16 race favourite, overturning the early season advantage carved out first by Hannah Barnes and then by Lucy Garner. Garner will still have ambitions on the overall title, but should be unbeatable in the Under-14 category.
Ian Bibby, left, and Ian Field
Under-23: The return of a separate race for the Under-23s should provide one of the highlights of the weekend, as leading contender Ian Field battles with former Olympic Academy colleagues David Fletcher, Ross Creber and defending champion Ian Bibby. Field enjoyed a superb win at the recent Bradford National Trophy event, but Bibby, racing for the first time in 3 months and poorly gridded, surged through to a fourth place finish. Mark Thwaites and Stephen Adams should also be in the mix, and it will be interesting to see how race tactics evolve without the presence of senior rivals.
Veteran contenders, Chris Young, left, and Noel Clough
Veteran 40-49: The biggest field of the weekend sees Chris Young defending his title. Although Young won in appalling conditions at Mallory a few weeks ago, he goes into the Championships without quite matching the devastating form which characterised his 2006-07 campaign. Both Geoff Giddings, who has been outstanding this season, and Young's fellow Yorkshireman Noel Clough have bettered the champion in national events this season, while Clough's fellow first year vet Steve Knight may also have a say in proceedings on his home turf.
Last season's women's Podium: from the left, Isla Rowntree, Helen Wyman and Gabby Day
Women: Belgian based Helen Wyman returns to defend her national title in the new colours of Swift Racing, and with a podium finish at the recent Milan World Cup to add to her palmares, the World No. 5 should be the hottest favourite of the weekend. Team mate Gabby Day, also now fully based in Belgium, will aim to make it a Swift Racing 1-2, with home based riders Amy Hunt, Isla Rowntree, Louise Robinson and junior Annie Last also hoping to be among the medals.
Junior Men: Scott Thwaites had been the man to beat for most of the season, until a loss of form at the last National trophy at Bradford coincided with the return of defending champion Alex Paton to full competition mode. If both are fully competitive it could be quite a race, although the rapidly improving Seb Batchelor could also have a say in the final outcome.
Class acts, but have they got the form? - Roger Hammond (left) and Liam Killeen
Senior Men: This is probably the hardest race of the weekend to call, with no one rider dominating proceedings this season. Paul Oldham carried his summer form into October, with back to back Trophy wins, before succumbing to the harsh conditions at Mallory, whilst Dave Collins has been consistent throughout the autumn and now leads the series. Nick Craig's fourth place at Bradford demonstrated that he could still be a threat, while many will be keen to see how former multiple winner of the title, Roger Hammond, and MTB ace Liam Killeen fare with scant competitive Cyclo-Cross preparation.
