Another Thursday, another Mallory Park race to be raced. Nice change this time though was the fact that it was nice and warm so there was no need for any knee warmers or long fingered gloves, happy days. Tonight was also different as I was riding my nice rebuilt deep section carbon wheel with some nice new tires on, whether it would make any difference I didn’t know but at least I looked fast. My legs didn’t feel too good initially after having a hard couple of weeks with all the elite racing and doing hard intervals in training. It was all starting to take its toll on my poor little legs, so I knew tonight would be hard regardless of what happened.
About 40 riders took the start with the Kuota Team very present with 5 riders. After a very easy first lap, the race soon got going and once it did it never let up for the rest of the night. I put my self in a very silly position at some points where I would do a stint on the front just before the hill, drag every body in to it and then get attacked by half the field and almost spat out the back. At one point a very powerful looking break got clear which I thought would have the potential to stay away. However, once the bunch got a move it was soon thundering along and eventually we managed to drag them back.
At the half way mark I had made a few digs, done lots of chasing and lots of hanging on to wheels. My legs still felt tired and never really loosened up. However, these races were as much about hard training as there were anything else and I know how much I can suffer in normal training so why not try to suffer a bit more in races. With this in mind and with 10 laps to go, the bunched eased up and 5 riders snuck away and pulled a gap. I was sitting a few riders back in the group and decided to slip away as well, but because I hesitated about going for the break I found my self off the front of the bunch but also way behind the break away group. Or, to put it another way, I was in a cyclist worst nightmare, I was in no-mans land! I knew I had a gap over the bunch so I just kept riding. My legs just didn’t want to do it but I was determined to give it a go. I rode as hard as I could and suffered like a dog but thankfully after 2 laps on my lonesome, 2 riders had broke clear and were bridging up to me. As they came passed I sprinted as hard as I could to get on the wheels which luckily I managed, this also hurt like hell! The 3 of us worked together and with in a few laps we had caught the break, it looked like I was going to get 8th place at worse so I was sitting there suffering but very content with my efforts. We had a few laps to go but already some riders were starting to mess around and the bunch was closing fast. With 1 lap to go, just one, the inevitable happened and we got caught. Unfortunately for me, we got caught as I was doing a pull on the front and giving it a last shot at staying away. A counter attack went straight off and everybody went with it with me trying to recover from my pull, I managed to get in the wheels but was almost last in the pack coming towards the line. I didn’t have much left for the sprint but gave it what I could and maybe, just maybe scrapped in to the points.
Tough race but very chuffed at how I raced, how I manage to suffer and all of the with shit feeling legs. Just think what I could do when im fresh!
Friday, 21 May 2010
Monday, 17 May 2010
Circuit Race Redemption
Paramount Circuit Races, Shrewsbury, 15/05/2010
After a few really pleasing and confidence inspiring races, I really feel like im getting in to this cycling lark and I really feel like im beginning to catch the circuit racing bug as much as anything else. I like the aggressiveness of tight quarter races and the huge amount of effort that you are required to commit to in only an hour or so of racing. However, before I can really begin to fully enjoy these races; there is one demon that I must lay to rest. This demon is the one that struck me in February when I took part in my first race of the season, round 1 of the Paramount Circuit Races. This was my first E//1/2/3 race and the first time I really got see first hand what I had done to my body in the off season by training too much and eating too little. Straight away it felt hard and I was struggling with the power surges, soon enough I was hanging on to the last group and we were soon getting lapped by the other groups on the circuit. Mentally I was destroyed, but ultimately this embarrassment of a race lead me to change the way I think and has helped me make progress towards a new, better me!
So, as you can tell this was a bad experience for me and before I can truly move forward I have to correct this blemish by racing it again and not riding like a 12 year old girl. Luckily, a last minute decision gave me the chance to race there this week end (Saturday 15th) and finally lay this demon to rest. I was really looking forward to it having had some great races in the past few days but for me the race nearly didn’t happen. As I was warming up on the rollers, BANG, my rear tyre exploded, I had spare wheels but after putting the new one in it seamed it was pretty much screwed. Luckily my dad, the hero that he is, managed to save the day by frantically swapping over tyres and tubes in the minutes before the race. Like always he had saved my skin for the millionth time and I got on the course for a last minute warm up.
Race time, and with a big field full of top quality riders including Dan Fleeman, other Raleigh Pro team riders, the best of Phil Corley’s and other notable teams and riders, I was worried that today might not be the day that I redeemed myself. It was going to be fast. As soon as we set off the pace was fast with riders jockeying to get up front and make some aggressive moves. I was pretty nervous about how the race would go but I new that I was feeling ok and was willing to grind my teeth to the gums so as not to get dropped. Dave Clarke was at the for front again, drilling the pace and forcing the splits, soon he managed to get off the front with one other rider. Although the pace was fast, I found myself still in the mix up the front and even on the front on some occasions. I find this circuit quite tough as it has a very sharp 180 degree turn which requires a massive surge of power coming out of it and to make it harder; the straight coming out of it is slightly up hill and in to a head wind. This is what caused me the problems last time and although it was still tough, I found that I had more power to grab the wheel coming out of it.
Growing in confidence as the race wore on; I was chasing more moves and even getting in some of the small groups of the front. As it was, nothing else got away and amazingly Dave Clarke had managed to gain a lap on everybody and was still forcing the pace once he had joined the bunch again. This guy is crazy strong. With the winner decided it was all about the sprint for the other podium spots. With 3 laps to go I knew I was to far back so in the next 2 laps I made some great effort and got up and stayed up towards the front. Coming in to the nasty last turn I was position on the outside which allowed me to carry my speed out of the turn. I was well in the top ten riders as the sprint opened up, I was gunning for the line and then some moron looking at the floor as he was sprinting, realised he was going of course and decided to grab some brakes and swing across straight I front off me. I had to slam on the anchors and head towards the grass. In an instant I gad gone from top ten to mid pack, which as it was had split in the last lap.
The out come was that I was gutted not to get a position but at the same time I can safely say that I had slayed my demon with a truly awesome ride if I didn’t mind saying. So its back to Mallory on Thursday for some more Circuit racing, super fun time :)
After a few really pleasing and confidence inspiring races, I really feel like im getting in to this cycling lark and I really feel like im beginning to catch the circuit racing bug as much as anything else. I like the aggressiveness of tight quarter races and the huge amount of effort that you are required to commit to in only an hour or so of racing. However, before I can really begin to fully enjoy these races; there is one demon that I must lay to rest. This demon is the one that struck me in February when I took part in my first race of the season, round 1 of the Paramount Circuit Races. This was my first E//1/2/3 race and the first time I really got see first hand what I had done to my body in the off season by training too much and eating too little. Straight away it felt hard and I was struggling with the power surges, soon enough I was hanging on to the last group and we were soon getting lapped by the other groups on the circuit. Mentally I was destroyed, but ultimately this embarrassment of a race lead me to change the way I think and has helped me make progress towards a new, better me!
So, as you can tell this was a bad experience for me and before I can truly move forward I have to correct this blemish by racing it again and not riding like a 12 year old girl. Luckily, a last minute decision gave me the chance to race there this week end (Saturday 15th) and finally lay this demon to rest. I was really looking forward to it having had some great races in the past few days but for me the race nearly didn’t happen. As I was warming up on the rollers, BANG, my rear tyre exploded, I had spare wheels but after putting the new one in it seamed it was pretty much screwed. Luckily my dad, the hero that he is, managed to save the day by frantically swapping over tyres and tubes in the minutes before the race. Like always he had saved my skin for the millionth time and I got on the course for a last minute warm up.
Race time, and with a big field full of top quality riders including Dan Fleeman, other Raleigh Pro team riders, the best of Phil Corley’s and other notable teams and riders, I was worried that today might not be the day that I redeemed myself. It was going to be fast. As soon as we set off the pace was fast with riders jockeying to get up front and make some aggressive moves. I was pretty nervous about how the race would go but I new that I was feeling ok and was willing to grind my teeth to the gums so as not to get dropped. Dave Clarke was at the for front again, drilling the pace and forcing the splits, soon he managed to get off the front with one other rider. Although the pace was fast, I found myself still in the mix up the front and even on the front on some occasions. I find this circuit quite tough as it has a very sharp 180 degree turn which requires a massive surge of power coming out of it and to make it harder; the straight coming out of it is slightly up hill and in to a head wind. This is what caused me the problems last time and although it was still tough, I found that I had more power to grab the wheel coming out of it.
Growing in confidence as the race wore on; I was chasing more moves and even getting in some of the small groups of the front. As it was, nothing else got away and amazingly Dave Clarke had managed to gain a lap on everybody and was still forcing the pace once he had joined the bunch again. This guy is crazy strong. With the winner decided it was all about the sprint for the other podium spots. With 3 laps to go I knew I was to far back so in the next 2 laps I made some great effort and got up and stayed up towards the front. Coming in to the nasty last turn I was position on the outside which allowed me to carry my speed out of the turn. I was well in the top ten riders as the sprint opened up, I was gunning for the line and then some moron looking at the floor as he was sprinting, realised he was going of course and decided to grab some brakes and swing across straight I front off me. I had to slam on the anchors and head towards the grass. In an instant I gad gone from top ten to mid pack, which as it was had split in the last lap.
The out come was that I was gutted not to get a position but at the same time I can safely say that I had slayed my demon with a truly awesome ride if I didn’t mind saying. So its back to Mallory on Thursday for some more Circuit racing, super fun time :)
Friday, 14 May 2010
More Mallory Mayhem
Still on a high from the road race at the week end, All I have wanted to do is ride my bike so that's what I have done. I had a nice ride on Monday and then did some quality training on Tuesday with double day and then a medio ride on Wednesday. This set me nicley for another night of pain at mallory park racing with the elites, including the likes of Dan Fleeman from the Raleigh squad and Dan McClay who just finished second in the junior Paris-Roubaix! So definatly an elite field. Reflecting on how I rode last week I had settled with the mind set that these races would be just about good, hard training with points being something to aim at next year, I feel given my last performance this was the most realistic conclusion.
Luckly, given the amount of riding I had done in the last few days, I had recovered pretty well by the tome the race rolled around. Also, I didn't eat a huge bowl of pasta before the race like I did last time so I felt a bit more settled!
Sitting on the start line there's no denying that I was nervous, in fact I was shitting my self. But, because I had mentally decided this would be training I was not preasuring myself about the result. All I was. Looking for was a good ride and some good training.
On the gun, 3 riders went off on a flyer which caused the pace of the bucnch so shoot of very fast. I remained very cautious for the first few laps making sure I didn't do anything stupid but as it was I was feeling pretty good and after the first few laps I found my self at the front of the race and never really dropped back from the first 10 riders the rest of the race. In fact, I was feeling so good I was going with every attack and even getting in few moves and dragging other back. It's was hard, there's no doubt about that but I was growing with confidence as the race progressed. As for the training it was great, at one point I managed to put myself in so much pain it was crazy as I chassed on to the back of a small group.
As the race worn on there were a few riders clear but apart from that, nobody else could get away. However, I did manage to get in to one move with 4 of us getting out infrint of the bunch. We rode hard through and off and managed to stay out for a few laps but dud eventually get dragged back in.
So for me it came down to the sprint which I went for with everything I had, it was one of the longest hardest sprints I have done but dud find myself passing others who were fading before the line. Mouth and eyes wide open, I crossed the line in the top 10 of the bunch and maybe top 15 overall. To me, this didn't matter, all I know is that I ride well, felt great, put in some savage efforts and finished the race up the front of the buch and not that far away from a top 10 and some points.
A bit better than last week hey :)
Not only way it cofidence inspiring but it was also really good fun, just as fun as the race on Sunday. This is good because it's been a while since I feel that racing has been fun. Hopefully this us a sign that things are moving on and changing for the better.
So, now I can reset my mind set for next week and try and go for the win..................ok, maybe that's asking a bit much but then you just never know.
It's the Paramount circuit race on staturday so we will see if that ends up bring just as fun!
Luckly, given the amount of riding I had done in the last few days, I had recovered pretty well by the tome the race rolled around. Also, I didn't eat a huge bowl of pasta before the race like I did last time so I felt a bit more settled!
Sitting on the start line there's no denying that I was nervous, in fact I was shitting my self. But, because I had mentally decided this would be training I was not preasuring myself about the result. All I was. Looking for was a good ride and some good training.
On the gun, 3 riders went off on a flyer which caused the pace of the bucnch so shoot of very fast. I remained very cautious for the first few laps making sure I didn't do anything stupid but as it was I was feeling pretty good and after the first few laps I found my self at the front of the race and never really dropped back from the first 10 riders the rest of the race. In fact, I was feeling so good I was going with every attack and even getting in few moves and dragging other back. It's was hard, there's no doubt about that but I was growing with confidence as the race progressed. As for the training it was great, at one point I managed to put myself in so much pain it was crazy as I chassed on to the back of a small group.
As the race worn on there were a few riders clear but apart from that, nobody else could get away. However, I did manage to get in to one move with 4 of us getting out infrint of the bunch. We rode hard through and off and managed to stay out for a few laps but dud eventually get dragged back in.
So for me it came down to the sprint which I went for with everything I had, it was one of the longest hardest sprints I have done but dud find myself passing others who were fading before the line. Mouth and eyes wide open, I crossed the line in the top 10 of the bunch and maybe top 15 overall. To me, this didn't matter, all I know is that I ride well, felt great, put in some savage efforts and finished the race up the front of the buch and not that far away from a top 10 and some points.
A bit better than last week hey :)
Not only way it cofidence inspiring but it was also really good fun, just as fun as the race on Sunday. This is good because it's been a while since I feel that racing has been fun. Hopefully this us a sign that things are moving on and changing for the better.
So, now I can reset my mind set for next week and try and go for the win..................ok, maybe that's asking a bit much but then you just never know.
It's the Paramount circuit race on staturday so we will see if that ends up bring just as fun!
Monday, 10 May 2010
09/05/2010, Halesowen CC Road Race – WMCCL 4
Ding Ding, round 4! Full field, good weather and a great course. Today race looked like a good one before I had even got my bike out. I travelled to this round with Mickey from the team and both of us were up for a good race. By the time the start came, the sun was shining and the air was warming, my legs still felt crap as we rolled of but I have decide that’s normal for me now and figured I take 20 mins to warm up. After this period I felt much better and was up towards the front with Mickey looking for the break. I went with a few early moves but nothing came of them, Mickey went of on his own at one point and got a good gap, some more bridged up to him and soon established a group. I did the team mate thing and sat on the front of the bunch to slow it down, this worked for a bit but they soon goy wise and it all came back.
After about 25 miles, the race had settled a bit and I found my self towards the front jus before the main climb. I decided to give it a bit of a dig which stringed out the bunch and caused some small gaps to form towards the front. As rider were recovering on the descent, I was still on the front but felt good for a change, I seized the opportunity to dish out some hurt so I attacked of the front for a second time, this time I got a good gap and took a Halesowen rider with me. He was quite a young rider and I found myself debating if this was going to go any where, then, low and behold, I looked around again to see most of the strongest riders in the group bridging the gap. We established ourselves as a group of 10, a string group of 10 with riders such as Luke Grevel-Mellor and Tom Stockdale, even better though was the fact we had last weeks winner, Mike Jones with us. This was a good group and I knew it.
We pinned it for the next 30 minutes riding a furiously fast paced through and off, no Speaking, no moaning, just hard riding. We had no idea if the size of the gap but we were out of sight on a very twisty, turny and hilly route which gave us the advantage. Out of site, out of mind.
For the next 35 miles this is how it was. We eventually got a time check and found that we were 1 minute 40 seconds up on the peleton and we knew the winner would come from out group. In the last lap, the friendly through and off came to an abrupt stop and the attacks started coming. Mike Jones was gagging to get away and was attacking on all the climbs, this caused out group to split with 4 going out the back which left 6 of us.
Mike just kept attacking and at one point got a gap with another rider. I was on the front, grinding my teeth to pull them back, I was waiting for someone to com through but unfortunately the next rider in line was mikes team mate so there was no way he was coming through. Soon someone did come round and we dragged them back and this set it up for a sprint finish. Mike placed him self at the back, I was just infront and Tom was just in front of me. About 500m out, Tom attacked, Mike followed along with me and a few other, Mike used Tom as a spring board and kicked again putting him self a bike length in front. I was in 5th, came round Tom in to 4th and was closing in on 3rd when amazingly I punctured with 50 meters to go. I was bouncing all over the place and slowing rapidly but just managed to cross the line with 4th place secured. Now that’s what I call lucky!!!!!!
Finally, a good result and one that makes me feel worthy of my 2nd cat licence again, speaking of which, I am only 4 points of off maintaining after getting 17 points with that 4th place. Bonus. (The 25 quid prize money was a nice feeling as well)
I hope I can have more races like this and am pleased that I can feel my ability coming back slowly but surely.
After about 25 miles, the race had settled a bit and I found my self towards the front jus before the main climb. I decided to give it a bit of a dig which stringed out the bunch and caused some small gaps to form towards the front. As rider were recovering on the descent, I was still on the front but felt good for a change, I seized the opportunity to dish out some hurt so I attacked of the front for a second time, this time I got a good gap and took a Halesowen rider with me. He was quite a young rider and I found myself debating if this was going to go any where, then, low and behold, I looked around again to see most of the strongest riders in the group bridging the gap. We established ourselves as a group of 10, a string group of 10 with riders such as Luke Grevel-Mellor and Tom Stockdale, even better though was the fact we had last weeks winner, Mike Jones with us. This was a good group and I knew it.
We pinned it for the next 30 minutes riding a furiously fast paced through and off, no Speaking, no moaning, just hard riding. We had no idea if the size of the gap but we were out of sight on a very twisty, turny and hilly route which gave us the advantage. Out of site, out of mind.
For the next 35 miles this is how it was. We eventually got a time check and found that we were 1 minute 40 seconds up on the peleton and we knew the winner would come from out group. In the last lap, the friendly through and off came to an abrupt stop and the attacks started coming. Mike Jones was gagging to get away and was attacking on all the climbs, this caused out group to split with 4 going out the back which left 6 of us.
Mike just kept attacking and at one point got a gap with another rider. I was on the front, grinding my teeth to pull them back, I was waiting for someone to com through but unfortunately the next rider in line was mikes team mate so there was no way he was coming through. Soon someone did come round and we dragged them back and this set it up for a sprint finish. Mike placed him self at the back, I was just infront and Tom was just in front of me. About 500m out, Tom attacked, Mike followed along with me and a few other, Mike used Tom as a spring board and kicked again putting him self a bike length in front. I was in 5th, came round Tom in to 4th and was closing in on 3rd when amazingly I punctured with 50 meters to go. I was bouncing all over the place and slowing rapidly but just managed to cross the line with 4th place secured. Now that’s what I call lucky!!!!!!
Finally, a good result and one that makes me feel worthy of my 2nd cat licence again, speaking of which, I am only 4 points of off maintaining after getting 17 points with that 4th place. Bonus. (The 25 quid prize money was a nice feeling as well)
I hope I can have more races like this and am pleased that I can feel my ability coming back slowly but surely.
Racing Updates
Sorry for the lack of updates in recent weeks, I have been pretty busy sorting out things with my new job at Costa Coffee in Stratford on Avon, which I am enjoying very much thanks for asking, Free coffee is always a good thing!
Anyway, here are some brief reports of races that I have done since my last post:
02/05/2010 Litchfield Road Race - WMCCL round 3
Another grim day and another cold start greeted all that turned out for round 4. With the added bonus of gale force winds blowing from every direction all day. This was the first road race I have done where I have experienced proper “Tour” style echelons stretching out down the roads. Riders where spread across the entire road with smaller riders getting blown around like no ones business, yes this I was one of them and spent more time in the gutter than on the road.
Unfortunately, I had didn’t have much in the legs today, I dint know why but just didn’t feel it, and with the strong winds it was a rough ride for me. However, at about the half way mark I thought I would give it s a shot and went for a flyer with 1 other rider in an attempted to bridge the gap to the small break about 30 seconds up the road. We rode hard through and off straight away and were soon joined by another rider who helped with our effort. Unfortunately for all of us, we were all a bit of a miss matched. There rider who I went with first of all wasn’t as strong as me, but the rider who came across was much stronger than both of us and he ended up ripping both out legs of with out the intention of doing so. Eventually we were both to dead to do any strong pulls and he ended up riding away from us and bridged the gap by him self. To be honest, I thing we were both a bit relieved when this happened but now this left us in no mans land without getting any closer to the group up the road.
After continuing our effort for another few laps we were soon dragged back in, this was a bit gutting because at one point we had about 40 seconds but that’s racing. In the end the break stayed away to the finish with Mike Jones taking the win and Matt Gee just behind in second. It was coming towards the finish were I really wished I had made the break because the road was stupidly narrow, especially when you have 80 riders charging down all wanting to get to the front. Being small and weak, I was getting pushed further and further back and had to sprint from about 50th position, managing to claim about 20th spot when I crossed the line.
Not to bad considering but not in the points which is where I wanted to be. Yes, I was disappointed but given how bad I felt, I still feel that I had a good day out with a nice break and a hard charging sprint at the end. Hopefully though, next time I can get some points.
06/05/2010 – Mallory Park Circuit Race, E/1/2/3
This was the first Mallory of the year for me and have fond memories of the series as this is were I got a lot of my points last year when I was racing in the ¾ category race. This year I am riding in the Elite race but the plan was the same, race as much as possible for good training and BCF points. Well, let me expand on those points now that I have raced there this year; good training, yes. Points? Not for a while, that’s for sure.
Fast was not the word, ok, I maybe didn’t make it any easier by going out for a few hours in the morning but still, Dam it was hard. It took a while for my legs to get going again with the race staying together for the first 25 mins or so, then with in 2 laps there race had splintered in to 3 groups with more riders dropping out altogether. I was still there but just about hanging on to the 3rd group which was about 8 riders big. The next hour was just constant through and off at a hard pace without getting any closer to any of the other groups. I was seriously running low on fuel at this point because of the ride in the morning and was it was getting harder and harder to hold the pace. I was more than relieved when the lap board showed 5 to go, that was until I came round again and they had stuck on 4 extra laps!!!! What was all that about?
Anyhow, I managed to hand on, but to give you an idea of the calibre of rider I was racing against, we ended up getting lapped by the leading group of 6 just before the last lap, Pretty crazy! I’m not disappointed tough because I know that when I go in fresh and fuelled I will do much better and also, if I keep doing these races, shit me they will make me fast by the end of the year.
I look forward to the next one.
Anyway, here are some brief reports of races that I have done since my last post:
02/05/2010 Litchfield Road Race - WMCCL round 3
Another grim day and another cold start greeted all that turned out for round 4. With the added bonus of gale force winds blowing from every direction all day. This was the first road race I have done where I have experienced proper “Tour” style echelons stretching out down the roads. Riders where spread across the entire road with smaller riders getting blown around like no ones business, yes this I was one of them and spent more time in the gutter than on the road.
Unfortunately, I had didn’t have much in the legs today, I dint know why but just didn’t feel it, and with the strong winds it was a rough ride for me. However, at about the half way mark I thought I would give it s a shot and went for a flyer with 1 other rider in an attempted to bridge the gap to the small break about 30 seconds up the road. We rode hard through and off straight away and were soon joined by another rider who helped with our effort. Unfortunately for all of us, we were all a bit of a miss matched. There rider who I went with first of all wasn’t as strong as me, but the rider who came across was much stronger than both of us and he ended up ripping both out legs of with out the intention of doing so. Eventually we were both to dead to do any strong pulls and he ended up riding away from us and bridged the gap by him self. To be honest, I thing we were both a bit relieved when this happened but now this left us in no mans land without getting any closer to the group up the road.
After continuing our effort for another few laps we were soon dragged back in, this was a bit gutting because at one point we had about 40 seconds but that’s racing. In the end the break stayed away to the finish with Mike Jones taking the win and Matt Gee just behind in second. It was coming towards the finish were I really wished I had made the break because the road was stupidly narrow, especially when you have 80 riders charging down all wanting to get to the front. Being small and weak, I was getting pushed further and further back and had to sprint from about 50th position, managing to claim about 20th spot when I crossed the line.
Not to bad considering but not in the points which is where I wanted to be. Yes, I was disappointed but given how bad I felt, I still feel that I had a good day out with a nice break and a hard charging sprint at the end. Hopefully though, next time I can get some points.
06/05/2010 – Mallory Park Circuit Race, E/1/2/3
This was the first Mallory of the year for me and have fond memories of the series as this is were I got a lot of my points last year when I was racing in the ¾ category race. This year I am riding in the Elite race but the plan was the same, race as much as possible for good training and BCF points. Well, let me expand on those points now that I have raced there this year; good training, yes. Points? Not for a while, that’s for sure.
Fast was not the word, ok, I maybe didn’t make it any easier by going out for a few hours in the morning but still, Dam it was hard. It took a while for my legs to get going again with the race staying together for the first 25 mins or so, then with in 2 laps there race had splintered in to 3 groups with more riders dropping out altogether. I was still there but just about hanging on to the 3rd group which was about 8 riders big. The next hour was just constant through and off at a hard pace without getting any closer to any of the other groups. I was seriously running low on fuel at this point because of the ride in the morning and was it was getting harder and harder to hold the pace. I was more than relieved when the lap board showed 5 to go, that was until I came round again and they had stuck on 4 extra laps!!!! What was all that about?
Anyhow, I managed to hand on, but to give you an idea of the calibre of rider I was racing against, we ended up getting lapped by the leading group of 6 just before the last lap, Pretty crazy! I’m not disappointed tough because I know that when I go in fresh and fuelled I will do much better and also, if I keep doing these races, shit me they will make me fast by the end of the year.
I look forward to the next one.
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