Lee Goodman reports on his 3rd place at the West Lodge Rural Centre FNSS

Arriving at a venue I hadn’t ridden previously I was hoping for a course to suit my riding because of a bad ride last week and thankfully it was. A course with sections of tight twisty singletrack through woodland linked by some short fast flat sections and a quarry with some very awkward lines.

As for the race I got a good start (not racing to the front like last time) I dropped into 4^th place and the pace was very fast I just glued myself to the back wheel of the rider in front hoping he was getting all the lines right. At the end of the first lap I was still with the front group and saw that we had built a large gap between ourselves and the rest of the field. The next 3 laps flew by as I was enjoying myself and was now a minute down on second, having overtaken 3^rd.

I didn’t hear the bell so took the 5^th lap easy saving myself for what I thought would be the final lap but when I came across the line I was told the race was over, I had finished 3^rd. Luckily I hadn’t been caught as the 4^th & 5^th riders came in seconds behind me.

I am currently leading the series but this is likely to change when the 3 closest rivals complete there compulsory 6 races out of 10