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The 3 Peaks Cyclocross, which takes place in the stunning Yorkshire Dales National Park, is one of the toughest races on the calendar. This year we had a number of riders competing with some outstanding overall results, one of which was Tom Martin who last year took 1st place in the U23 category. Tom was looking to defend his U23 crown this year and break into the top 10 overall, below he explains how the day panned out.
The 2018 3 Peaks was my second year of racing in this one of a kind event so I knew what I was in for and had a better idea of how to race it. My first attempt at the Peaks was a pretty successful one after winning the U23 category and placing 21st overall but I wanted to defend that U23 trophy and crack at least a top 10 overall.
I didn’t have the best 6 weeks running up to the day after getting struck with several colds that wouldn’t shift, but 10 days before the race I started to feel better on the bike again and my running was just about as okay as my running gets.
On the morning of the peaks I felt good and was really looking forward to getting going. Thankfully I made it through the ‘neutral zone’ in one piece and was somewhere in the top 20 going through the farm to the foot of Ingleborough. I moved up pretty quickly as we went off road and was in the top 10 as I dismounted for the first time. It’s not long before your calves start burning, you can taste the blood in your throat, heart rate nearly maxed out and pulling on grass to stop yourself going backwards as you grovel up the steepest sections.
Back on the bike and I was sat in 6th, Giles Drake was the next rider in front with Nick Craig behind me, once I had dibbed in at the first checkpoint I headed to the start of the descent and realised I was going a bit off track but thankfully I noticed and followed Nick Craig to the descent. After a steady ride down I was at the bottom (Cold Cotes) in 9th with Adrian Lansley, we caught up to Lewis Craven as we turned onto the road to Whernside.
At Chapel-le-Dale I was in a group of 4 with Lewis Craven, Gary McDonald and Adrian Lansley. After going pretty steady up the first part of the climb of Whernside I pressed on a bit on the second part of the climb as I could still see Dave Mirfield from Hope and Giles Drake ahead, hoping to try and make some time into them on the way down to Ribblehead. Unfortunately I bashed my rear mech, snapping a jockey wheel which halted my pace until I got a new bike at the bottom.
As I hit the road section to Pen-Y-Ghent I was in 6th place but in no-mans land, I couldn’t see 5th place or anyone behind me so I tapped along the road section eating and drinking ready to press on to the final climb. When I checked over my shoulder I could see Lewis and Gary in the distance behind, so learning from mistakes I made last year and battling on solo along the road I knocked a mile off until they got to me. We worked well as a three and thankfully, didn’t have to go too hard.
Once on to the final of climb Pen-Y-Ghent it’s pretty much into your easiest gear until the top. After bonking horrendously last year at this point I went steady at the bottom but I was feeling good, when I got to the steeper part of the climb I was in my lowest gear (40×36) and had to go hard as I could to turn the gear and doing so I distanced Gary and Lewis but I could see 5th place in front, once I was off the bike and running I was making big progress into Dave in 5th and as we hit the steps I ran past him into 5th.
Knowing all three riders behind me were very capable downhill I had to push as hard as I could to keep the gap, Gary was on my wheel as we hit Pen-y-Ghent lane so I opened it up going flat out but I knew I was risking punctures and unfortunately on one of the smoothest sections my rear tire went with a bang and I was soon bouncing down on the rim. Gary and then Dave came passed me and I tried to limit my losses until I got a spare bike to towards the bottom. I went as hard as my legs would let me on the road but finished 20 seconds down on 5th place putting myself 7th and first U23. Unfortunately Lewis Craven also suffered a puncture down Pen-y-Ghent so finished up in 9th and with Giles Drake finishing in 3rd that placed Wheelbase in 2nd for the team competition.
