Mason leads Scottish success at British Champs
Cameron Mason claimed a fantastic third consecutive title in the freezing mud of Gravesend’s Cyclopark at the British Cyclocross Championships on Sunday 12th January.
Coming off the back off an excellent vein of form over the kersteperiode in Belgium, Mason was the favourite heading into Sunday’s elite men’s race – but with a plethora of strong riders from the British domestic scene and UCI World Cups, it was set up for some exciting racing.
The start would prove similar to that in his Falkirk victory last year, Alfie Amey and fellow World Cup rider Thomas Mein taking up the early pace at the front of the field.
Mein, who had bettered Mason on a few occasions earlier this season, would take the lead with Mason in tow on the second tour of the Kent facility, which had defrosted to make conditions extremely slippery, the claggy mud meaning riders were changing bikes every half lap.
It looked to be the battle that many had predicted between the two top-ranked British UCI riders, but on the third lap , just as Mason had started to gap his rival, Mein would suffer bike problems after a fall at the top of the staired section, ultimately retiring from the race.
Mason continued to power away from the field, careful not to make any mistakes and take the title by over three minutes – to make it a hat-trick of national titles for the Linlithgow rider.
Speaking after his win, Mason said:
“Every single one feels a bit more pressure to do it again but in a way it’s easier because I’ve done it twice before – I knew what was required, I knew how to get the best effort out and do my best race. I’m really proud of my race today and executed it how I wanted to.”
There was a strong ride too from Sam Chisholm riding for Team HUP, as he claimed ninth spot in the men’s elite, and fifth in the U23 category, in which he has one more year. That was arguably the best ride of Sam’s – another Linlithgow and former West Lothian Clarion rider – career to date.
The elite women’s race was a thrilling affair, with amazing battles taking place right through the field. Scottish champion Anna Flynn (Spectra Racing) led the charge, claiming a fine fifth place, and winning the team prize as part of the Spectra squad. Team HUP’s Ishbel Strathdee also had a great ride coming home in 11th place, battling for a top 10 down the home straight, having fought back from some early issues.
Mason will head to the World Championships full of confidence, whilst Strathdee will finish her season with another brace of races in Belgium in February.
In the junior female race, Aberdeenshire’s Arabella Blackburn claimed an excellent bronze medal, battling the toughest conditions of the day, as the top layer of frost started to defrost leaving exposed icy patches, the big banking on the course barely walkable never mind rideable!
There were plenty of strong performances in Saturday’s Youth races too, with the weather at its coldest. Deeside’s Olivia Poole, off the back of her race winning exploits in Belgium last week, claimed the silver medal in the under 16 female race, whilst in the under 14 open there were two medals for the Scots, with Guy Rorke (Pentland Racers) and Josh Stewart (SteppingStanes) finishing second and third respectively, with a great ride from Pentland’s Sam Kingan in eighth place too.
