It’s November. The weather is mild and dry one weekend, and cold and miserably wet the next. We’re just past the midway point of the cyclo-cross season and this month sees some of the new Liv AWOL SPOK’D faces stepping onto the podium alongside some of the existing team members across various regional series races. Elsewhere a few riders are keeping their fitness up with the odd circuit race and track sessions.
Richard Kell Memorial Series – Round 4
Closed Circuit , Abingdon – Saturday, 03 Nov 2018
For the third year running and in memory of the late Richard Kell, Abingdon Race Team hosted a series of four crit events using Abingdon Airfield. Races took place using various approved circuits on the airfield over the course of the four weeks.
Savannah Hewson 5th out of 10 tweeted “Richard Kell Memorial Race at Abingdon Airfield. WINDY! Helped make the break. Stayed away. Dropped in headwind with 10km to go. TT’d to 5th place. Held off the chasing group. Really happy!”
West Suffolk Cross – Eastern League Round 9
Cyclo-Cross , West Stow – Saturday, 03 Nov 2018
In the Women’s category, Lauren Higham took a well deserved win with Connie Hayes 8th. To round up the team honours, U16 Bethany Barnett took the win in the Youth A category.
Lauren “Great West Suffolk course and nice win. 1st women and 1st junior. Felt a really good strong race.”
Connie “Fitness coming back, spent a long part of the race in the top 5 until a get down and an encounter with a tree happened on the last lap and half forcing me to drop back. Legs coming back so hopefully more luck tomorrow at @CentralCXLeague”
Team Barnett tweet “Somebody was super excited to have her first outing today for @AdmiralLivAWOL in her new @FORTEsportswear kit! Even better to claim the win in the U16 youth race.”
Connie also re-tweeted and responded to the following photo tweeted by Steven Drew.
“Major Throwback. Loved every minute of this race on what I still think is the best course ever! Scary how much has changed since this photo. From local races like this with @lvycc1 to nations cups, tour series and nationals with @AdmiralLivAWOL”
Icknield Cross / Central Cyclo-Cross League Round 8
Cyclo-Cross , Dunstable – Sunday, 04 Nov 2018
Connie Hayes put up a real fight to get 11th in this race despite completely breaking her rear derailleur and having to run half the course. Imogen Chastell, officially still riding for VCL in this race, joined Connie for this event and picked up both the overall 3rd in the Women’s category and 1st Junior.
Connie tweeted “Loving being back on my cross bike, not loving breaking my mech on Sunday and having to run though legs are feeling really good given how long I had to have off the bike.”
HSBC UK Cyclo-Cross National Trophy Series Round 3
Cyclo-Cross , Ardingly – Saturday, 10 Nov 2018
Lauren Higham, Harley Pell and Bethany Barnett were the only riders representing Liv AWOL SPOK’D at this Southern round of the National Series. The course was technically challenging, but added to the mix was a burst of heavy rain and sunshine, which made for an exceedingly sticky course that required multiple bike changes.
Both riding in the Junior category, Lauren finished with a very creditable 7th place, and Harley in 12th. Bethany, in the U16 race, finished in 11th.
The team tweeted later “Good results in women’s race at National Trophy @LozzieJrCyclist 20th , Imi C 29th & @HarleyPellRacin 32nd after an unlucky puncture @PerkinsGarages @LivCyclingUK @GiantStPauls @AwolInfo”
Forme Notts & Derby League Round 6 – Presented by Ashfield RC
Cyclo-Cross , Notts – Saturday, 10 Nov 2018
Poppy Wildman finished as 5th Junior in this round of the FND cyclocross league. Strange results on the BC website also suggesting that a few of the juniors who got placed at the end DNS or DNF in the Senior Women’s race. Very confusing.
CX North East Round 9
Cyclo-Cross , Middlesbrough – Sunday, 11 Nov 2018
Stockton Wheelers CC host the ninth round of the CXNE league at Middlesbrough Sports Village. In Women’s race, Hannah Bayes finished 8th out of 17 starters.
Corley Cycles Cross/Central Cyclo-Cross League Round 9
Cyclo-Cross , Milton Keynes – Saturday, 17 Nov 2018
A beautiful late Autumn (early Winter) day for Imogen Chastell’s first race riding for Liv AWOL SPOK’D, against a large field of 44.
The Team tweeted the results update, “Good results today in top quality field @CentralCXLeague Imi C 7th & @connie_hayes123 10th well done girls @PerkinsGarages @LivCyclingUK @AdmiralUK @GiantStPauls @AwolInfo”
HSBC UK Senior National Track Championships – Pursuit & Time Trial Pre Qualifying
Track , Derby – Saturday, 17 Nov 2018
While most of the winter action is happening outside at cyclo-cross, Louise Scupham was indoors at Derby Arena attempting to qualify for the Women’s 3000m pursuit. Despite valiant effort, she finished 7th.
In response, Louise tweeted “Dear Individual pursuit, You may have won this time but I swear to God, in two weeks I’m going to smash it. #YouWontLikeMeWhenImAngry”
Amisvelo Hillyfields Cross – Eastern League Round 10
Cyclo-Cross , Colchester – Sunday, 18 Nov 2018
Fantastic riding from Harley Pell today, taking both the Junior win, and second place overall in a strong field of 29. Lauren Higham took 7th and Connie Hayes 9th.
Full Gas Winter Track League 2018-2019 #10
Track League , London – Thursday, 22 Nov 2018
Back indoors, for the Thursday night track league, and Clover Murray picked up 3rd in the warm-up scratch, 4th in the elimination. The third event was a 40-lap points race.
Diss CC Suffolk Supercross – Eastern League Round 11
Cyclo-Cross , Suffolk – Saturday, 24 Nov 2018
Two Liv AWOL SPOK’D riders decided to get in a bit of practice at Diss in Suffolk before heading to York, and those two were Connie Hayes, taking 6th in a field 25 women and Bethany Barnett taking the U16 win.
HSBC UK Cyclo-Cross National Trophy Series Round 4
Cyclo-Cross, York – Sunday, 25 Nov 2018
National Trophy headed to York for round 4, and a very wet and muddy weekend. In the Senior Women’s trophy, Connie Hayes got the best result for the team with 26th in 49:25.650, Harley Pell 33rd (16th in Junior) in 50:41.700 and Hannah Bayes 39th in 54:43.400 out of 42 starters.
London & South East League Round 8/Sussex League Round 4
Cyclo-Cross , Brighton – Sunday, 25 Nov 2018
Charlotte McGreevy, making her return to racing after several months off through injury, came back to winning ways, taking the U16 title at round 4 of the London and SE CX League.
Featured photo © by Huw Williams
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