Living with Hope – Round 1, 5th December 2020 – Event preview

Racing finally returns in the North West Cyclo-cross league this Saturday at Broughton Hall, and it’s set to be quite some start!   

After the strangest of seasons, the event will see a star-studded field tackle a new and thrilling course put together by former National Champion Paul Oldham along with his Hope Technology Team mates. 

Every field contains big names, and the one-bike, COVID-secure, pit-less course will test riders skill, power, and ability to ride (and run) clean lines, over the undulating parkland.

The help of Rossendale Road Club and Team JMC on the day and in advance has been a great help to organiser Dave Haygarth, who has seen a way for the the incredibly generous support of Hope Technology in securing a brilliant venue for the mini series. 

Information for riders

Full information including a start list is here.

Summary:

• Online entry only.  This closed on Sunday 22nd November.  No entry on the day accepted at all
  
  
• There are no pits, and no jet washers or air compressors are permitted on site, and no outside assistance by parents or guardians for any riders, including our younger riders.
  
  
• There is to be no bike, shoe or rider cleaning whatsoever in the event car parks. Bucket and brush can be used to clean your equipment on the parkland grass area, but we must keep the car parks free from mud, to allow us to use this venue in the future.
  
  
• Full compliance with the latest social distancing measures are an absolute requirement. Riders or their parents / guardians who are in violation of this will be prevented from entering further events
  
  
• There will be no spectators, and riders watching other events must only be there for safeguarding purposes, such as parents or guardians.  You will be expected to turn up no more than 1 hour before your event and leave within 30 minutes of its finish unless you are with a family member from your household who is riding in a different event to yours.

Timetable of events

Riders should be at the start / gridding area between 10 and 5 minutes before their event 

Practice on the course

• Competitors must not ride on the course at all apart from on the event date.
• There are very limited opportunities for course familiarisation, because the event is taking place with several races in one single day, with limited daylight. 
• Riders on the course outside of the times shown above will be subject to immediate disqualification from their event. For the purpose of clarity: 
• Riders must NOT BE at any time that a competitor is still racing in an event, as the timetable may have ‘slipped’. 
• Course sighting – 
  Must be ridden as a solo rider, and strictly observing the prevailing social distancing guidelines with other riders practicing 
  Must be continuous, and keeping a forward motion (i.e. not turning back to ‘session’ parts of the course).

Start, Finish and gridding area

• Riders should prepare in the grid not earlier than 10 minutes before their race start.
• They must observe social distancing guidelines when entering the gridding area before their race
• IMPORTANT! You should bring your own NWCCA ankle timing chip if you own one.
• There should be no congregating after the race and riders should proceed through the taped off exit area after racing – leaving timing chips (if they do not own their NWCCA timing chip) in the bucket provided
• The grid will be 10 riders wide and the rider numbers will be used to grid them. The grid boxes will NOT be marked with numbers, and riders will be called to the grid BY THEIR NUMBER in blocks (i.e. rows) of ten.
• They can choose their place on the row in priority number order. This is to prevent ‘gaps’ in the grid for any riders not turning up.
• At the race finish, or upon the withdrawal of a competitor, exit must be made through the taped area, and timing chips must be placed in the bucket provided, unless the competitor owns their NWCCA chip

No congregation of riders is permitted either before or after the race

Traffic and parking 

Entry is from the A59 only, and to exit, vehicles must turn LEFT towards Elslack. 

Marshals will help attendees with parking. Vehicles should be parked at least 2 metres apart to facilitate safe social distancing.