THE cyclo cross season has now well and truly started, with Ayrshire clubs well represented in the Scottish CX series. With fifteen events throughout Scotland to chose from, the favoured ones are likely to be the Lapierre SCX Series which is comprised of six races, with the best five results counting towards the Series result.

The Scottish CX Championships will be held at Knockburn Loch, Aberdeen, in December, and a week later the SCX6 on Mull will feature a second day of racing on the Sunday, including the Santacross World Championships.

After the third event in Fife last week, the best-placed Ayrshire riders are Catherine Logan of Fullarton Wheelers, who is lying sixth in the overall standings of the Womens Vet category, with team mate Lorna Sloan one place behind. With another three events to go, this could be a hard fought dual between the Irvine club pair.

Brian Yates of Carrick Cycling club is lying in a similar position in the senior's category.

In last week's race, Aileen Fisher of Ayr Roads/Harry Fairbairn Cycling Club, in only her first season in cyclo cross put up a strong performance, and was sandwiched between the Fullarton pair of Catherine and Fiona Davidson. Catherine took 14th place and Aileen 15th. Aileen is still on a learning curve with cyclo cross, but is slowly getting to grips with the technical demands of this discipline.

The best performance of the Ayrshire contingency in the women's race however, came from Joanne Baxter of Ayr Burners who finished strongly in 9th place, an excellent performance.

Meanwhile Ayrshire men led by Yates in the senior's category have Paul Gibson of the Carrick club doing well in the younger vet's group and the Roads quartet of John Gemmell, Fraser Tait, Alex McAllister and Robert Kelly all hoping to improve their placings as the season progresses in their respective categories. All in all a good performance from the Ayrshire Clubs.

Meanwhile, on the touring front and with an improvement in the weather, the midweek group were clocking up some good miles. Last Wednesday saw them record seventy miles, by taking in a favourite run by the Girvan Valley, then by the Assel Valley via Pinmore,the Stinchar Valley to Barr. A well-earned rest and they were back on their bikes and over the hard climb of Glenalla Fell before hitting home roads at Crosshill. On Friday they had a much leisurely ride from Barrhill to the club hut at Pinwherry and return.

The Mountains of Mourne were the choice of the club's overseas member, where he took in a short circuit and with a good climb of over 2,000 feet amidst the Mourne's scenery.

Glorious weather on Sunday had a large group of clubmen, taking the coast road to Ballantrae. They then took the delightful wee road by Knockdolian to Colmonell and Pinwherry and returned via Penkill Castle to the Girvan Valley and home, with some clubmen clocking 80 miles on the run.

This Friday at the club's AGM, the trophy winners for this season will be announced and programmes planned for 2018.

Some have already got their entries away for the most popular cyclo-sportives given the high demand for places.