A new cycling event that is pedalling into Montrose this month has received the backing of steel tubulars, metal recycling and decommissioning company John Lawrie Group.
The firm, which operates a pipe and metal recycling facility in the Angus town, is one of the sponsors for the new Mo Cross cycling event which is being staged there on Sunday, 16 December. Hosted by local cycling club Montvelo CC, the Mo Cross cyclocross event forms part of the five-race Super Quaich Cyclocross Series that takes place in December and January at different locations around Scotland.
Mo Cross will be held on a specially designed course around the dunes at the East Links at Montrose Beach, providing a challenging route that will test the skills of the 200 riders taking part. Around 500 spectators are expected to gather to cheer on the riders at the free to attend event.
John Lawrie Group is sponsoring the ‘Drop of Doom’ section of course, which organisers anticipate will be a popular spectator spot. The ‘Drop of Doom’ will see riders navigate a steep descent down the sandy slope of the dune back onto the firmer grass of the East Links. The unstable nature of the sand may lead to a few spills among the riders and provide plenty of photo opportunities for spectators.
Cyclocross is a specific type of bike racing that involves riders navigating a course of varied terrain and can feature sections on grass, dirt, gravel, mud, tarmac and sand. Other obstacles such as low barriers are often a feature of the course and require the cyclist to hop their bike over them or dismount and run and carry their bike over the barrier.
Held in the autumn and winter months, cyclocross races see riders complete multiple laps of a short one-and-a-half to two-mile course. Riders race on cyclocross bikes which resemble road bikes but feature lower gearing, knobbly tyres and have greater tyre clearance – something that helps when tackling muddy offroad terrain.
John Lawrie Group tubulars director Iain Laing, said: “We are proud to be joining a number of other local businesses in backing the inaugural Mo Cross cycling event. The team from Montvelo CC have put in a huge amount of work to pull the event together and create what sounds like a challenging course at the East Links.
“Mo Cross is shaping up to be a great new addition to the events calendar in Montrose, offering a different spectacle for people to enjoy in the run-up to Christmas.”
For more information on Mo Cross, visit www.montvelo.cc/mocross or www.facebook.com/Mo-Cross-229862714365910/.
