on 30th March 2012
Halesowen Sports Club was the venue for the West Midlands Cyclocross League presentations last weekend. The co-ordinator of the league Gordon Siers and the League Sponsors Waldrons Solisitors handed out the trophies. Bromsgrove rider and recent sponsored Team Jewson / Mick Ives Racing cyclist Lorenzo Buratti received the honoured Champions title for the 40 plus category. Buratti came second overall in the veterans category only missing out as the overall champion by a hand full of points and some bad luck.
After an action packed winter series of 13 races throughout the West Midlands, over 80 riders battled it out for the top honours. After a brilliant start with a second and a few third place finishes early on in the season Buratti crashed out with 2 laps to go just as he was contesting the 3rd position in the race. Not one to give up, he continued his determination for success. With some more good results an overall league victory looked possible. Unfortunately another double disaster struck on the final lap during another race. With his best bike and spare bike out with broken rear gears on the same final lap, he had to quit the race costing him the chance of the overall victory. Riding his new team Kinesis carbon cyclocross bike, and having the backing of the most successful amateur cycle racing team in Britain, Buratti had to make his first racing season with Team Jewson / MI racing a memorable one. Buratti the 40 plus champion of the West Midlands has finally put an end to being runner up in previous years.
Buratti would like to say a big thank you to Mick Ives and all the team sponsors for their support.
Cyclocross is a tough sport where around 100 riders race a closed circuit of around 1 to 2 miles through rough terrain and fields with wooded sections and steep banks to ride or run up. Races last about 1 hour in all types of weather, on bikes similar to road racing bikes, but with knobbly tyres fitted for extra grip. Control, strength and skill are required to avoid falling off your bike in muddy conditions, especially when you only have narrow tyres. It’s a great sport with riders racing from the age of 5 up to 70 years old.