SL Farleigh Wallop - 3rds - 11th Sept

[Keith]

3rd cat races aren't often that tough.

Farleigh Wallop. Flippin miles away, but I fancied it. Looking at the OS website beforehand there were an awful lot of contours, as demonstrated by the Garmin profile below. A draggy big ring hill on the outward leg, a steep little ring hill on the way back. 3000ft of climbing over a 50+ mile race.

[img]http://i51.tinypic.com/34qmmw9.jpg[/img]

36 riders. After a lap Werner Van der Merwe (MarathonMTB.com) & a LD rider went up the road. Very soon Werner was on his own. I had a chat with Richard Prebble (Motorpoint-Procycling), saying Werner was strong enough to stay away. The plan had been to hold Prebble's wheel when he went after the break. That was the plan anyway. Poor positioning at the top of the steep hill when it turns into a long drag meant I was chasing from the word go. I worked with a Cycle Kingdom rider, but we never made the bridge to the now 2 man break.

The bunch worked pretty well together at times for the remainder of the race, yet the gap to the break never got below 20 seconds. Occassional attacks went, but were usually brought back, especially on the return hill with its strong headwind. Whenever I looked behind there appeared to be less and less riders. A war of attrition as people couldn't hold the pace.

Last lap and rather than messing around looking at each other, losing time, Werner was simply too strong & took the win. The finish was just off the main course, and slightly downhill. Before the race I was thinking this could be carnage, but by now the chasing bunch was down to 8 I think!!. I only managed 6th overall.

A very well organised race by VC Meudon, on some great roads. Nice to have the local Police have a positive input, putting out "POLICE SLOW" signs around the finish area. It's always disappointing/dangerous when a finish is disrupted by car coming the other way as so often happens, but not today.

I pity the riders in this afternoon's E/1/2/3 race. An extra couple of laps, plenty of elites, including a strong team from Corley Cyles.

[Andrew G]

Well done Keith, good placing on what looks and sounds a tough course. Good plan to try and get on Prebble's wheel and shame it didn't work out, he's a very strong rider and a useful size for you to have tucked in behind when he started up his motor.

[carl f]

Well done Keith,sounds like a really tough race but a more honest race than Goodwood where most peeps just sat in the bunch until the last lap!

[Paul H]

Werner Van der Merwe aka the "Polish Express" (I dont think he is actualy polish). He was at the Tour of Wessex and was just relentless.

This is him towing us up Purbecks.

[youtubewww]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEGVdADRDM8[/youtubewww]

[Sylv]

Well done Werner! (my not-so-Polish friend ; )

And Keith

He's got some Nerwe http://www.velouk.net/2011/09/11/report ... vc-meudon/ + the Ridler gets 2nd

[Toks]

Nice one Keith you're really spoiling us now. I'm expecting a report everytime you make top 10 from now on unless of course you race against 1st and Elites. Well done Sir

[Sylv]

[quote="Toks"]I'm expecting a report everytime you make top 10 from now on unless of course you race against 1st and Elites.

[Keith]

[quote="Toks"]Nice one Keith you're really spoiling us now.

[Toks]

"...look Mum its a Breakaway"