Formby's Commonwealth
Games Mountain Biker Sue
Thomas despite being in Australia for training was delighted to hear that
her dad took part again in the race and that he came 2nd place in the
Grand Master Veteran Class. The event that took place on Sunday
the 29th Sept and Jim Thomas despite a lack of training pulled way
from the start and did a fantastic job holding against some of the
UK's best Veteran Bikers... The
intensely hard race covering open roads and in some places, real traffic,
not to mention the small thing about going up mountains on paths that in
some places rides had to dismount and carry their bikes up! Jim battled
on and held his own with the 298 riders of all categories. Some pulled
out through the race due to fatigue others due to mechanical failures with
their bikes. The race covered 5.5 Kms of escorted riding on the roads,
27km roads with out lead car (In traffic), 34kms unsurfaced tracks and paths
and 8kms of unrideable terrain. Starting and ending in
Helwith Bridge and covering Horton, Gill Garth, Ingleborough, Cold Cotes,
Ingleton, Chapel-Le-Dale, Burntscar, Wernside, Blea More, Ribblehead and
Pen-Y-Ghent. This was no mean feet. "It is one of the hardest cycle cross races in the world and I would not miss it for the world. This is my 5th or 6th year. The best part has to be on the way back as you fly down Pen-Y-Ghent and stand on your pedals as you are bounced and shaken, but home is in site.." Jim told us. |
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