Hargroves Cycles rider, Steven James, returns from World Cup in South Africa to race round 3 of the Southern XC Series
Rider Report – Steve James Reports from the Southern XC Series 3
Photo Eamonn Deane
Steven writes … So it’s been a pretty busy couple of weeks! Me and my dad made the trip out to South Africa for the first round of the UCI Cross Country World Cup. It’s an absolutely amazing country and the course was equally as impressive, with nearly 700ft of climbing in a 16 minute lap, it was a serious lap.
With massive and technical rock gardens thrown in as well it was going to be a tough trip. However I hadn’t imagined just how tough! Unfortunately on my final practice lap before the race I made a mistake in the “Tree House†section of rocks and came off very badly, damaging my hip and left hand badly.
Still having made the trip out there I was determined to try and race so stood on the start line with no expectations and just wanted to start! It’s always so tough to admit defeat but I just didn’t have the physical strength to hold onto the handlebars and on a course like that it was not safe to continue. After a small spill on the first lap due to the injuries I had to pull out and not risk further injury to myself or the bike, not with the rest of the season still to go!
The following weekend I was feeling a bit more recovered and made the shorter travel to Holland to race on Easter Monday. I’d raced there before and although it is not a course I excel on it’s perfect for a training race and always super fast!
Very different to South Africa, with only 91ft of climbing in a 13minute lap this was going to be crazy fast. There was one technical section in the course, a mound built in the arena with a 2 line rock garden, so nothing was really going to slow the speed. I got a decent start and managed to ride a good race, suffering a little still from my crash I rode the best I could and came away with 16th Elite, which in a Dutch national with many Belgian riders I am pleased with. An average speed of 25kph is certainly not what I’m used to but I loved the race and always like racing in mainland Europe.
This weekend I decided to add a Southern XC, Crow Hill, into my training, they are longer races on hard courses so always provide a tough day out on fun courses. Nobody however could have foreseen how bad the course conditions were to become after just one night of rain! It was horrendously slippery and boggy with no grip to be found and no dry line for miles.
Being honest I quite like racing in such conditions, why I have no idea but I do seem to relish in the mud! I made a move from Ade Lansley and Isaac Pucci at the beginning of the second lap, I felt good and wanted to push myself for as long as possible. I was certainly suffering on the last lap after an hour and a half of plugging through mud, it takes so much out of the legs constantly fighting the resistance! I had a good margin at the finish and some drained legs, perfect way to finish the race!
Photo Eamonn Deane -Â Above: Stuart Bowers blew the masters race apart with a dominant display that saw him catch more than a few in the elite race. Kim Little (Merida UK) never got near Bowers but was good value in 2nd place
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- Sponsor Feature: Food at CHS Ciclismo (Spain)
- NEWS! Max Walker joins EF Education-EasyPost
- World Tour win for Ethan Vernon
- CX Result: Scottish Cyclocross Series 2
- Louise Sutton signs for Euskaltel Euskadi Team
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Series #3
- HC Result: Sid Valley CC Hill Climb
- TT Result: Chelmer CC GP Des Gentlemen
- HC Result: BEC CC Hill Climb
- CX Result: Welsh Cyclo-Cross League Rd 3
- CX Result: North West Cyclocross League 4
- HC Result: Scottish Hill Climb Championships 2024
- CX Result: SWCX 3 (Devon)
- HC Result: Lancashire Road Club Hill Climb
- CX Result: Lincolnshire Cyclo Cross League 3
- CX Result: Central CycloCross League 5
- CX Result: Houghton Cycling Club Hill Climb
- HC Result: Bolsover And District CC Hill Climb
- HC Result: Catford CC Hill Climb
- CX Result: Western CX Round 4 (Upton Cheyney)
- CX Result: CXNE League 2024 Rd 4
- CX Result: Leicestershire Cyclo Cross League Rd 2
- HC Result: Severn RC Hill Climb
- CX Result: Shimano Lazer West Midlands Cyclocross League Round 5
- CX Result: Wessex Cyclocross League Round 5 (Southampton)
- HC Result: Tickhill Velo Club Hill Climb
- CX Result: Yorkshire Points CX League 2
- HC Result: East Sussex CA Hill Climb
- HC Result: Huddersfield Star Whs Hill Climb
- HC Result: Beachy Head Cycling Club Hill Climb
- HC Result: Rutland CC Hill Climb (Mam Nick)
- CX Result: Central CX League 4
- CX Result: South West CX League 2
- HC Result: Drighlington Bicycle Club Hill Climb
- Sponsored Feature: Renting your own private retreat in Spain
- HC Result: Welsh CA Hill Climb Champs
- STARTLIST: Scottish National Hill Climb Championships 2024
- BMCR Result: Chairman’s Race (Oct 6)
- HC Result: Fibrax Wrexham RC Hill Climb
- CX Result: Lincolnshire Cyclo-cross League 2
Other News on VeloUK
- NEWS! Max Walker joins EF Education-EasyPost
- World Tour win for Ethan Vernon
- Louise Sutton signs for Euskaltel Euskadi Team
- STARTLIST: Scottish National Hill Climb Championships 2024
- Rider News: Ben Marsh off to France to race
- Report/Result: World Gravel Championships
- This Weekend (Oct 5/6): National Trophy Cyclocross Round 1
- IOM 2024 YOUTH LEAGUE FINAL OVERALL
- Holiday Rentals: Escape to Casa Guadalest (Spain)
- Sponsor News: Custom Clothing from Santini
- News: Ribble launches the Allroad Ti – Crafted for More
- NEWS: The Pedal Club Lunch — September with Jez Cox
- Ultimate Cycling Experience at CHS Ciclismo
- Worlds: Great Britain Riders for 2024 Road Worlds
- Rider Report: Alistair Gardner wins two Kermesses
- EVENTS: Portmore Classic (29th of September, Dorset)
- STARTLIST: National Youth (GHS) Championship Final
- Tour of Britain: Provisional Startlist
- Sunday: Jef Schils Memorial (National B)
- This Weekend: RTTC National 10 mile Championship
- Q&A: Killian O’Brien – third in the Junior Tour of Wales
- TOM PIDCOCK CONFIRMED FOR LLOYDS BANK TOUR OF BRITAIN MEN
- Startlist: 42nd Junior Tour of Wales
- Startlist: 360 North West Youth Tour
- Tour of Britain: Evenepoel/Alaphilippe To Race National Tour
- GB Juniors for Track Worlds in China
- THIS WEEKEND: CYCLOCROSS (Leicestershire)
- Startlist: Men’s National B (Worcestershire)
- Startlists: Fenwicks Tour of Mendip 2024
- Startlists: 19th Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix Road Races
- Men’s Tour of Britain News: Teams for 2024 Race
- Men’s Tour of Britain Route Revealed (Stages 5 & 6)
- NEWS: Women’s UCI Drops Team to Close
- Startlist: Youth and Junior Track Championships 2024
- Startlist: RTTC National 25 Mile Championship (Women/JuniorsYouth)
- Startlists: RTTC National 25 Mile Championship (Men)
- Hill Climb Championships: Change of Course
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 25m TT
- News: Men’s Tour of Britain Route (Stage 1 & 2)
- GB News: Paracycling Squad for Paris 2024