The Elmer Strikes Back!

Check out this cracking report on Aubrey Elmer’s cyclocross season (written by his soigneur, Chris). Well done Aubrey!

After a summer of injury including months in a boot and no exercise, the cyclocross season started slightly late and more with a whimper than a bang as Aubrey found himself off the pace in the Central Cyclocross league and underskilled in the opening Leicestershire league race.

Under the coaching of Bryan Steele (half-funded by the club), Aubrey worked his fitness back up and found his form and rhythm with some excellent results. After years of seeing the same names appear way up the ranking, Aubrey found himself on the podium with them and started to develop a taste for it. Mixing the Mudlarks sessions with the British Cycling TDC sessions at Leicester Cycle Circuit allowed Aubrey to grow his skills and build his engine.

With the target of being in the regional squad for the East Midlands, he mixed the National events with local races. While the nationals were a massive shock (Aubrey had his head kicked in as they say in cycling), he put together a run of six podiums in local races. At the National events (from Falkirk to Portsmouth!), Aubrey grew in confidence and was able to move up from his starting position by the end. (Tip to parents: get to some national events from first year u14s to gain experience and also to earn a better gridded place.)

A hard fought third place in the Regional Champs reassured Aubrey that he deserved the place he had just earned in the regional squad.

Quick aside: the selection process for this is impressively child-focussed. They prioritise 2nd year U16s to try to give as many youngsters as possible a chance of being in the squad once. Chapeau to the regional selectors for this.

The inter-regional Champs took place near Bradford in four sessions over two days of pretty much constant rain. Pit crews were kept busy by the conditions. The East Mids won the skills relay (and a cash prize) under the lights on the Saturday night.

Aubrey finished the season at Grace Dieu with a victory in Welland Valley yellow. In his last season in the youth category, he ended up 38th in the national rankings and enthused to do it all over again in September as a Junior.

Photos by Pete Astles, Mark Thompson, Mick Bown, Richard Hardwicke and Darth Vader.