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.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment