Another solid year for top scot Gary. His public Facebook post here tells the tale of a few near mishaps but also a few wonderful chances to make things up. A true fighter.
I’ve waited patiently since 2019 to get wired into the 3 peaks again, it should have been year 10 but due to that thing called covid-19 it was #8
3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross never disappoints, it’s the only race I talk about or care about in the calendar!
I got myself into some sort of shape in the last 2 months that I’d say I was near my best, it’s been a tough year to say the least.
I was in the mix, top 6 to top of Ingleborough but the with the 2 year absence I lost my sense of direction in thick mist and got lost, losing over a minute to the chasing group. I knew the podium dream was over as I hit the road solo, burning matches and losing time! If anyone knows you have to have company to keep pace and save energy.
It was to stay this way, a solo effort for the entire race, lonely & brutal one! I managed to post the fastest time of the day coming off Whernside to Ribblehead, that helped me pick off one rider going into Pen-y-Ghent and managed to extend this gap to the finish and gain myself yet another top 5 in the hardest cx on the planet, my fourth 5th place, with 4th being my best
(The dream continues)
I’ll be back!!!
Well done to the boys in green (hopetech)taking a clean sweep, but hats off to buddy Rob Jebb, a master at work.
Biggest thanks goes to my wonderful support team, Nicola Jayne & Rich and especially to the toughest of them all Jo Doeg-Smith . Without you guys its simply not possible to compete at the top end, can’t thank you all enough
Organisers chapeau once again, thank you again for an awesome event.
