Race Report: UK National XC Round 1 Day 1 Tong
The first national race of the year is always an exciting moment of mountain bikers. It means winter is over and it's time to go racing. This year the National XC series opened the 2023 season. Not only did it bring with it a new season but also bringing a whole new National Series to life with 2023 being the first year of the National XC Short Track series. This will take place throughout the year on the Saturday of the XC National Series weekend and it will see riders of all ages race it out over a 20 minute window on shorter courses designed to produce more closely fought racing.
This year the XC National Series started in Tong. A track known already for its crazy A-line options and ferocious rock slabs, has been reworked to step it up another level again this year but we will see more of that tomorrow but for now, sit back and enjoy Saturday's action from Yorkshire.
Leon Atkins chilling out on the start line
Short Track racing is all about action and Tong's track didn't disappoint with plenty of bar-to-bar action
The Short track course led to some tight head-to-head racing
Rotor Racing's Sullivan Berry put in the hard miles running an entire lap due to a puncture. Short Track rules mean he was not able to have technical assistance but this didn't stop him from battling on for his overall series points
Not all heroes wear capes. In a day where jackets were essential, this helpful spectator probably took care of more than his fair share
Paul Oldham taking the time to get rid of his mud-covered glasses with a quick flick to the side of the track, safely into the hands of one of the Hope Factory racing team
The Short Track races were grouped with Youth and Juvenile racing, Veteran's of all ages racing together, and in the final race the Juniors facing it off with the Senior and Elite riders
Max Greensill showing he's been putting in the hard work over winter, taking the win in the Senior and Elite Short Track, an impressive feat for a Junior Rider
The Short Track races were grouped with Youth and Juvenile racing, Veteran's of all ages racing together, and in the final race the Juniors facing it off with the Senior and Elite riders
Short Track racing also pitted the girls against the guys, and in the Junior and Senior races WXC World Racing Bethany-Ann Jackson took the women's win and, whilst she was at it finished right in the middle of the pack overall
The slabs at Tong played a bit more low-key role in the Short Track race
Despite being away, some things never change with Paul Oldham leading the Vets race from start to finish
It was a tough battle for second place in the Youth Men Short Track for Leon Atkins and Alex Hart
Matthew Ainsworth battled hard through the mud but somehow, unlike every other rider, managed to avoid getting too much stuck to him
Madeline Moorhouse-Smith of Hope Factory Racing splashing her way to taking the win in Female Youth Short Track
Somewhere under that mud is Leon Atkins
Time to clean the number board for Mark Wood. In the wet conditions it's always great when the riders help out both the media teams and commissaries by occasionally clearing their number board
Joseph Laidler trying to put the power down through the sticky Yorkshire mud
Max Standen of Southfork Racing took the win in the Juvenile and Youth ShortTrack race. Max had the honour of being the first-ever winner in a National XC Short Track Series race
The first XCO race of the year at the 2023 National Series was the Open and Sport classes; these are supposed to be the fun side of racing but this doesn't come without a competitive edge
It's a lonely ride along the fire road
Despite it being an XC race, John White of Chase Racing couldn't resist the urge to send it
If there is any more rain overnight, Day 2 of Round 1 may see these rocks become even more treacherous
Tong's rocks lay in wait for all of today's riders
Other riders took a more conventional route
Jim Vernon taking a creative line after slab A-line
It was a tough day for some riders. Tong is truly one of the most technically demanding XC tracks you'll find in the UK
And the B-line giving an additional 3 options of track
The infamous Tong Gully returned once again with the A-Line featuring this log drop into a chute
Thomas Ellis on the gas along one of the many fire road stretches
Jim Vernon took the lead early on in the Men's Sport Race leading all four laps and taking the win
The conditions at Tong made it difficult for everyone - grip was at a premium
The track at Tong goes around an off road driving course so there's normally plenty of water to be found, but with rain falling all night the night before and throughout the day plenty of puddles and mud greeted the riders for Round 1
One of the few slightly longer climbs, brought the riders back up from the Gully to the top of the rock slab section
Amber Hull took the win in the women's Open race this weekend
In the wet conditions the roots soon came out to play, keeping plenty of riders on their toes
Not everyone in the Sport and Open race was in full lycra and on high-end XC bikes, with plenty of people out giving it a go on their normal trail bikes
The technical Tong track had plenty of challenges for the riders, however, the climbs were relatively mild with it being a mix of more fire-road drags and punchy short climbs
The grit and mud that was churned up took it's toll on many riders' bikes, fortunately for this rider it was just a dropped chain
But definitely the quickest route was straight off the drop
The Yorkshire mud spa treatment was an added bonus to your race entry
Chief Comm for the day Al ran the show with his normal cool calm demeanour
However, Al is not working on his own. There is a huge team at National events of British Cycling commissaries who are unpaid volunteers working hard to keep everyone safe and make sure racing is fair and without them we wouldn't be racing at all!
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
You'd think of all the weight you'd save reducing the mud on your face, not to mention being able to see, it would be a no brainer.
Honestly don't understand the xc mentality of not running a front guard that weighs all of 30g or something when Conditions are like this.
www.parkwoodoutdoorsltd.com