NFCC Virtual Chain Gang

The NFCC Zwift club has grown to 41 members, consistently attracting a good dozen on a Thursday evening. These fast-paced group rides attempt to simulate the effort of the real Chain Gang, featuring courses that alternate between short Crit-style laps and longer routes, the latter often concluding with a Matt Smith favourite, a big hill!
To join in simply search for New Forest in the Clubs tab on the Zwift companion app.

Lancaster Cinder Circuit Twilight Series

NFCC’s Phill Brown has escaped to the Southern Hemisphere and managed to find himself a crit race, even on the other side of the planet! The Lancaster Cinder Circuit Twilight Series is a brand new series of Friday evening races on a freshly developed piece of parkland in Christchurch NZ – the 850m concrete circuit has a fast flowing and grippy surface with wide turns and a narrow chicane for a bit of added excitement. Racing in the B Grade (equivalent of cat2 in the UK), Brown escaped the pack from the whistle and held his own until the end of the race, crossing the line over half a lap ahead. The second race, comprising of both Grade A&B (UK Cat1&2), was flat out from the whistle, and after a win in the first race, sprint points in the second, Phill managed to take 2nd place overall on the night.

Saturday Club Ride

This week’s Saturday club ride was cancelled due to lower than forecast temperatures preventing any residual ice from clearing in time.

Wessex CX 23/24: Rd.12 – Southampton

Back on local turf this week (…some closer to the turf than others!) for the next instalment of the Wessex CX 23/24 league – round 11 at Southampton. Find out how Team NFCC got on by CLICKING HERE.

Offcamber Xc

Graham Sharman started his MTB XC race season early this year with the offcamber organised race in Blandford and provided the following report:

Fortunately, the subzero conditions gave way to double digits and some mud. Usually I enjoy these conditions however, really struggled with rear grip on the climbs today. The race started really badly with the rider in front of me, not committing to splash through a puddle instead, falling off, and I decided to jump off rather than run over his face! It was then full gas up the first climb to cloak the shame, off hitting the deck in front of the whole field. I settled in behind a pool wheelers rider thinking to myself, recover, recover, recover. Only to find my Garmin had come off in the crash so I was stuck with a dilemma to stop and go and find it or carry on. My adrenaline fuelled state told me to continue and deal with the consequences later.

I Found space to ride on my own in lap two, but mentally I’d cracked. Partly worrying about my Garmin, and feeling low from my early efforts, I was too busy, telling myself how fat and lazy I’d got over Christmas and how rubbish cycling is as hobby! Lap three was more fun, clearly Phil G’s bite in the tail chain gang sessions had paid off as I had plenty left in the tank. Picking off dead and dying riders stuck in the mud like a scene from the Somme added to my positivity . Just as things were looking up I find my mate lying on the floor after crashing on the final rock garden. I stopped to help him out as he looked rather battered and bruised and pale. Fortunately metres from the finish we cancelled the fourth lap and headed back to the car to lick our wounds. Glad to report, he was able to drive home with a rather large bruise on his left hip. I’m also very pleased to report my Garmin was found by another rider and handed into the organisers, so I didn’t have too much explaining to do when I got home! Not really a day to worry about results but 35/70 will do.

What an epic start to 2024, surely things can only get better. Role on March 17 for the next round.

Get Involved:

If you find yourself out and about representing NFCC, don’t forget to jot down a few words, snap a few photos and send them over to press@newforestcc.co.uk.