Isaac Pucci won his maiden race for Mountain Trax – Vauxhall Motors Cycling Team in the cross country race at round three of the Gorrick Brass Monkey Series. A confident and controlled ride gave our new signing a healthy lead over second place. Ben took second place in the Marathon race, completing an excellent showing by the team.

Conditions were tricky in places with the exposed moorland covered in lying water, which cut up as hundreds of riders churned up the mud. These sections were minimal though and the race organisers had done a good job to dry out the remainder of the six-mile circuit. The organisers were also out on course for the duration making improvements filling in puddles and making diversion to keep riders moving. Swooping singletrack was in abundance, rewarding riders for the steep energy-sapping climbs they’d just ridden.

Isaac was happy with his first win for the team: “This was my debut race for the team and sponsor so I was motivated to put in a solid performance to start the season with a bang! The two-hour race started at 11.30 after two hours of the Marathon race plowing up the course. The start was reasonably steady with a long tarmac stretch, which worked well allowing everyone to get where they wanted entering the first bit of singletrack. I took the lead into the singletrack followed by Phillip Pearce of Banjo Cycles not far behind. I initially got a small gap but wasn’t willing to smash my legs on lap one of a four-lap slog! I knew if I continued at a similar sort of pace he would drop off, unluckily for Phillip he got a puncture at the end of lap one and had to change a wheel. I used this to my advantage and settled into a good pace, which I pretty much stayed in for the rest of the race, growing my lead lap by lap. I rode a decent race, my legs didn’t feel 100% but after Christmas and a chest infection I can’t complain. I’m very happy to put in a solid first race for the new team.”

Ben had this to say about his second place: “Coming off a big block of base training my legs weren’t going to be ready for any top end intensity but George Budd doesn’t ride any other way, flat out up every climb and out of every corner is his style all year round! I should have made a move earlier in the race while I felt comfortable. My training over the last few months has been excellent with some really good mileage and my power numbers are some of the best I’ve seen at this time of year. I would have liked to have won today but it’s still a good result so early in the year. We don’t need to be on form till end of March/start of April for the first British XC Series and World Marathon Series rounds.