Team CRC/Nukeproof report from National Champs

Team ChainReactionCycles.com/Nukeproof had some great results at the UK National Championships in Llangollen, north Wales, over the weekend, with Lewis Buchanan storming the Junior category, Matt Simmonds returning to form with a fourth place finish, Nigel Page winning the Masters ‘35-39’ race and Joe Smith placing 15th. On what is probably the steepest race track in the UK – if not the world – the racing was insane for the biggest race of the year on the domestic scene. The top half of the Llangollen track was so steep and technical in the woods, just getting down on your bike was a mission for the first few practice runs. After a short flat section, the course burst out into the open onto a flat-out traverse across the hillside with some tricky inside lines, bus stops and high speed jumps. The track then joined up with more steep sections with great corners before the last little wooded section which taped to offer plenty of line choice. There were then three fast drops into the final field for the sprint to the finish. Team Manager Nigel Page said: “The track was so dry and blown out by the finals it made for amazing riding. This was definitely one of the best, most challenging tracks the UK has to offer and definitely a good choice for the National Championships.” Lewis Buchanan destroyed the field in the Junior category taking the win by eight seconds from Fraser McGlone and Matty Stuttard who finished second and third, respectively. Lewis retains his National Championships jersey for another year, posting the sixth fastest time of the day. Matt Simmonds had a storming run with a time of 2:12.6 – 0.3 seconds off the podium, placing him fourth and in doing so knocked last year’s champion Steve Peat back to fifth. Nigel Page commented: “It was great to see Matt finally riding really fast again like we all know he is capable of.” Team CRC/Nukeproof rider Joe Smith qualified third fastest and was going all out for the win, riding through the first split with the third fastest time of the day. Unfortunately though, Joe lost his front wheel getting on a tricky high line on the bottom part of the track, crashing and rolling down the track without his bike. After getting back up the bank and getting his bike Joe still managed a fifteenth place in Elite. Nigel Page took the win in the 35-39 Masters category, adding another podium for the team and the Nukeproof Scalp. Nigel added: “A huge congratulations to our former team-mate Ruaridh Cunningham who put together an incredible run to take the fastest time of the day with a ridiculous 2.07.6 - 3.69 seconds faster than anyone else – taking a well deserved National Championship and the jersey. Congrats also to Al Bond with second place and Adam Brayton in third. Current World Champion and World Cup women elite leader Tracey Moseley took the win with Katy Curd and Jess Stone in second and third, respectively.” Team Chain Reaction Cycles/Nukeproof

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