Report: Go-Ride Racers Savour Cyclo-Cross
The young riders ready themselves on the start line
Bedfordshire Road Cycling club and the Robert Bloomfield Go-Ride School club worked together to hold their first Go-Ride Racing cyclo-cross event on Saturday 16th October with the help of British Cycling and the Redborne School Sport Partnership.
A total of 25 riders aged between seven and 15-years-old braved the cold morning weather at Robert Bloomfield Middle School, Shefford, to take part in a two-race Omnium contest, which parents and BRCC members helped organise and marshal with great success.
Go-Ride Racing is British Cycling’s initiative to help young riders make the transition from school or club coaching sessions to inter-club and open regional competition. For their efforts, registered clubs are provided with prizes, practical resources and guidance to successfully stage race events which caters for young, novice riders.
The Under 10 and Under 8 races consisted of three laps including a section through trees and down and back up a steep bank, while the Under 12 – Under 16 riders faced six laps of the same circuit.
The winning riders were; Girls Under 10 - Annabelle Foxhall, Under 12 - Eleanor Hall, Under 14 - Sarah Tooke (Hitchin Nomads), Boys Under 8 - Alex Rayner, Under 10 - Angus Hudson, Under 12 - Alex Thorne, Under 14 - Tom Baddell (Welwyn Wheelers), Under 16 - Oliver Rayner. Seven-year-old Harry Rose was awarded an official Team Sky cotton cap for being the most spirited rider of the day.
The race was run in good spirits, a fact no better illustrated by the story of Barry Gilzean, who is a Go-Ride Coach for Leighton Linslade Cycling Town.
“I was attending the Beds Road CC go-ride racing event at Robert Bloomfield Middle School in a support role,” he explained to British Cycling.
“I noticed a father arrive with his daughter to take part in the cyclo-cross racing. The girl had a road bike with her fitted with slick tyres. I figured that she would really struggle on the wet grass with road bike, so approached the father and suggested that she could borrow one of my cross bikes for the event.
“They gladly accepted, and once sized up, went off to compete in the racing. The girl duly won her category and then returned the bike very happy. Her father was also very pleased and said to me, ‘This is fantastic. It has justified my BC membership fee in one day. Brilliant. Thank you so much.’
“It's moments like this that really make the job.”
With the race deemed a success, BRCC - who are also a Go-Ride club - are planning to organise more events in partnership with the school next year.
