Hillingdon

[George]

Finishing work in Heathrow @ 6pm on Tuesday

I'm sure I can hear Hillingdon calling

[Sylv]

I was going to post this ...

Forecast not looking great, anyone fancy Hillingdon if it's not too wet?

[Stu Merckx Man]

if it looks like palace will be called off ill be at hillingdon.

[George]

I'll definitely be there tomorrow night rain or shine

It's just too good an opportunity to miss working just round the corner.

[Sylv]

Can't turn down the offer of a lift back in the A-team van!

[George]

Sylv don't get your hopes up too high, I cycled to Heathrow so it will be a chain gang back home tomight

Sorry mate no team bus only the A team train

[Sylv]

Oh dear ...

Hope it stays dry eh Stu

[Stu Merckx Man]

i hope so more than ever

[Steve B]

Damn, I missed this thread. I would have gone too if I'd seen it earlier.
Its peeing down at the moment (6.45 pm), so I think Palace was probably cancelled.

Good luck guys!

Steve

[Ian A4size]

If its like it is here , then the palace will be doing speed skating- sounds like an ideal race for Sylv.

[Sylv]

It was indeed pretty wet! At just after 5pm it was still sunny with dark clouds in the distance but that didn't look like they were coming towards us given the wind direction (visible on the big flag at Parliament), so I was still undecided whether to risk Palace or ride to Hillingdon. Shorty after quarter past the weather suddenly turned for the worse and within minutes the worst storm I have witnessed here was upon us. From the 26th floor and with a 360 degrees view it was pretty impressive, hail and lightning strikes. I have seen the TV footage of Brixton since, and that was impressive too.

At 5.30 it looked like it was over so I set off for Hillingdon, which George who was there already assured me was still dry. It didn't rain until the last few miles when I had to put the waterproof on. Once there though, and five minutes before the start the sky was at it again and we all hid in the changing rooms/toilets/signing room during another big downpour. Still we started the race albeit a few minutes late when it had calmed down. We were warned to beware of the snails on the track!

In a nutshell the race was busy (50+ riders?) fast (27mph), wet (I lost my clear-lens glasses at the 4-up, and in times couldn't see a thing with that much water and grit in my eyes) and hard at times. George was ahead of me most of the time, and Matt D showed himself toward the front. George pushed the pace towards the end but unfortunately flatted with 3 to go. Ended in a bunch sprint which I misjudged, being too far back and boxed in, a bit of riding in the grass wasn't enough to gain enough places to make it in the top 10, maybe top 15.

It wasn't over though as we chainganged our way back, leaving Matt at Wandsworth and stopping for another puncture from George (he must be getting his tubes at Mosquitos) - when I got home I still had almost 22mph average, with 73 miles clocked in the day. As George always says, it was all "good training" - but training for what??

[kieran]

Sylv, where do you work, i'm in Victoria St these days? Didn't bother heading towards CP as was raining in the area on and off the whole evening. Did 2 x 25min at 85% max on the turbo instead, not near as much fun as a race and missing your miles. Problem with work is no secure place to lock good bike.

[Sylv]

Kieran, put your shorts on and get yourself to Cardinal Place (that's just near where I work) - during the Tour there is a competition on bikes on rollers to complete a 1.5km course in the fastest time. Course scrolls on a screens and it looks quite tough as you also have to steer the bike! Haven't had a go but heard record was 2"17 so far.