Enjoying her National Trophy last weekend was Beth Crumpton on her Estrella CX bike duelling it out with World Champion Evie Richards
Spot Chat: Beth Crumpton
We get used to races in the national trophy being a little ‘samey’ as the same riders battle it out at the front but the Women’s race last weekend in Abergavenny was special, very special.
Beth having a duel with Evie Richards live on TV ….
Not only did we have a World Champion in her rainbow stripes no less on the front of the grid in the form of Evie Richards but we also saw a rider take the race to her and at one point, gapping the World Champion. Now that’s something that few riders can look back on and say they’ve done!
But Beth Crumpton did that very thing and was all smiles afterwards despite seeing Richards come back at her and win the Women’s Trophy race. VeloUK got a few minutes with Beth before the podium presentation and she admitted “I have had a few heavy training sessions the last few weeks so was coming into this feeling quite strong.”
“I knew Evie was riding but being her first race, you never know how they are going to go. I just wanted to take it on from the start but didn’t get away well when I slipped my pedal at the start. So, I had to work hard to get to the front but the course was so good and so technical that it played to my strengths.”
“I wanted to get to the front and set the pace and I found myself gapping riders quite early on so I decided to push on and see how I would fare against a world champion”.
Beth leads Richards by a few seconds with two laps to go
Talking about the moment she gapped Evie by a few seconds, Beth says “I got away but wasn’t sure how many laps there was to go as I wasn’t paying attention! So I suffered a bit when I did that and I knew she is proper strong when she gets it going in a straight line on a big gear. So when she got back to me, I knew she was going to attack and I tried to hold on for as long as I could and ride to my strengths.”
That Beth did and she finished second twenty three seconds behind one of the best cyclo-cross and mountain bike riders in the world which is pretty special indeed. Beth was also on a special bike, one of only three and she has two!
The bike is the Estrella Fangoso CX built from the tried and tested Toray T800 carbon fibre, the bike is both lightweight and strong and is designed to perform at the highest levels which Beth is certainly doing in the National Trophy.
The front forks are a chunky affair, built to withstand the rigours of off-road riding and designed, in conjunction with head tube angles, to give precise handling and control over the many different surfaces a rider will encounter.
Beth and her Estrella Fangoso CX bike for the National Trophy season
The rear stays bow both inwards and forwards, meeting at the top in a wishbone configuration, combining to give just the right amount of flex to absorb much of the rough stuff while maintaining the stiffness needed for performance riding. It is of course also a colourful bike and available to special order for either thru-axle or quick release hubs and a variety of build options.
“The handling of this bike is amazing” says Beth. “I can throw it round the corners and as I’m on hydraulic dis brakes as well, it stops when I need it to. It is also really light and easy to pick up so it’s a really great bike and I’m really enjoying riding it. I’m riding a 42 Tuff chain ring with 26 on the back so I have the gears and ratios I need and if I have a hilly course, I can change the front ring to a 38.”
Good luck to Beth in the coming rounds of the series.
Early in the race and Beth has recovered from a bad start and is alone chasing the leader Richards.
This is where a light bike is important, flying over the hurdles!
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
Result: Albarosa Cross
Result: Lincolnshire CX League 5
Result: MK Bowl Crit (Oct 15)
Result: Ottershaw Series 1
Result: Cyclopark Masters Crits 3
Report: Mansgate Hill Climb
Results: Premier Division Track League
Results: First Division Manchester Track League
Results: London Six Day – Day 1
Results: Omega Portsmouth Circuits 3
Results: London CX League 5
National Trophy CX Points Overall
Result: Port Sunlight Wheelers NW CX League
Result: Western CX League, Round 7
Result: West Midlands CX League 6
Result: Raleigh Bikes Scottish CX League 2
Results: Eastern League Round 9
Result: Team Tor 2000 Hill Climb
First Results: Hillingdon Saturday Crits
Top 10: Huddersfield RC Hill Climb
Report: Wessex CX League Round 6
Result: Bristol South CC Hill Climb
Results: Matlock CC Hill Climbs
Result: National Trophy 2
Results:: Revolution Manchester
Results: Central CX League RD 5
News: Medals for GB on Day 2 of Euros
Results: Welsh CX League RD 5
Result: North Lancashire RC Hill Climb
News: Abu Dhabi Stage 1
Result: Houghton CC Hill Climb
Results: First Division Manchester Track League
Results: Premier Division Manchester Track League
Result: CC Sudbury Hill Climb
Result: 41st Grand Prix des Gentlemen
Result: SERRL Winter Series 1
Result: Nelson Whs Hill Climb
Result: Stratford CC Hill Climb
RESULT: Circuit Time Trial Championship
Results: Scottish National Hillclimb Championship
Other News on VeloUK
News: Women’s London Six
Spot Chat: Beth Crumpton
News: World RR Champ at London 6
News: Lawless to OnePro
Team News: Van Twisk stays with Drops for 2017
News: Stewart Signs for One Pro
Team News: Madison Genesis for 2017
Team News: One Pro for 2017 Part 1
News: Primera-TeamJobs 2017 Team
News: Tom Stewart Leaves Madison Genesis
News: Track & Crits in Portsmouth in 2017
News: GB Team for Cross Euros
Tour de Yorkshire News
News: Quarterman signs for Leopard Pro Cycling
Startsheet: British Hill Climb Championship
News: Parkinson to Join Drops
News: Durrell Re-signs for Drops
News: European Track Championships
News: Adam Blythe Signs for Aqua Blue Sport
Blog: James Cotty Wessex League
News: Season Finishes with Victory for Cav
News: VC St Raphael Hard Riders
News: Road Season Starts February 12
News: GB Junior Academy Programme Riders
News: Archibald 2nd at Euros
News: Southam & Scully to Cannondale Drapac
News: Cav & Wiggins head up 6 Day for London
2017 Tour de France Route
Startlist – National Trophy RD 2
News: Great Britain for Glasgow World Cup
News: Sagan Defends Rainbow Jersey
News: Women’s WorldTour Expands
Jobs: Mechanic in Lancashire
Team News: Hargroves Cycles RT National Trophy
News: Changes to Track Events at Worlds
News: Pearl Izumi’s Ambassador Programme
News: Fourth World TT Title for Martin
News: Road Worlds Coming to Yorkshire
News: James Shaw Signs for Lotto Soudal
News: Mansgate Hill Climb