St Ives CC Press Report 12th Oct 2009

 

St Ives cyclists raced through the night at the appropriately named ‘Dusk til Dawn’.  The night race around Thetford forest begins at sunset and competitors race though the night, either as individuals or as part of a relay team, where riders race a lap before handing over to their teammate.

 

Almost entirely on single track the course twisted through the banked turns as it threaded its way through the trees, the full moon doing little to penetrate through the thick woodland canopy.

 

Five St Ives Cycling Club members took on the challenge and found the conditions extremely dry. Despite a brief shower in the first hour of racing, the sky cleared for the remainder of the event and surfaces remained very dusty.  With 1000 competitors racing the tracks became very sandy making the riding even more tiring.  The challenging course encompassed all 12 of Thetford’s notorious ‘bomb holes’ and although these are usually always rideable, the surface deteriorated to deep sand and riders were forced into running up the steep exits.

 

The full moon assisted the competitor’s bright off road headlamps giving the forest an almost tranquil feel as the riders pushed through the night and towards the approaching dawn, eagerly anticipating that first glimpse of sunrise and an end to their suffering.

 

Highest placed for the St Ives Club was the elite trio of Josh Ibbett, Russell Miller and John Sheasby completing 15 laps in the 12-hour period and finishing an excellent 9^th poison in the class 80 teams.

 

Next home was the pairing of Alan Moules and Andy Wylde, covering 13 laps secured them a very respectable 24^th position amongst a class of 84 two-man teams.