Ninfield 3rd Cats, this racing lark is brilliant!!!

[Marek]

Max and I went down to sunny Ninfield, on the way to Bexhill for the 3rd cat race. We had raced this hilly course last year and got blown away by a couple of fast juniors, thankfully this did not look like it was going to be the case today.

But there was a bit of a twist at the start. The organiser called us to and said that the course was changed from last year due to road works. The circuit was now going to be on an even hillier course than last year and some of the roads were very narrow and that we should be careful.

Max and I looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders, "ah well, neither of us are really built for hill climbing but we can use the course as training once we get dropped", nothing like going into a race with a positive mindset.

The race started and before long we were into the hills, I managed to get up the initial climbs all on my big ring but in my largest cog, but I felt ok the club run the day before had seemed to have blown away the cob webs.

Halfway through the first lap we were going at an easyish pace so I thought I would speed it up a bit to see who the strong guys were. After a small spurt on the front I had got a bit of a gap, so not one to waste a gap I bombed it around the second half of the course and got about 50 yards on the peleton. This is where I always start thinking, come on someone come and join me. No one came. We started on the big climb out of Ninfield and then a few guys caught me at the top including Max. We tried to work together but the peleton had realised the danger and brought us all back.

Max and I did a lot of work on the front with small breaks developing every now and then normally with one of us in it. With just over a lap to go I had a chat with one of the Southborough and District Wheelers about me and him having a go at getting away. He was keen and had a team mate in the peleton who would slow things down. I had a word with Max and he was going to help out in trying to slow the peleton.

So after this collusion myself and the S & D guy blasted off the front and gained a small gap, but all of a sudden the peleton was back on us and we had been bought back. Max indicated that the peleton realised the danger and just rode around our two blockers.

Then, bang 2 other guys counter attacked. Well I was a bit creamed and I think a lot of others were at this stage so we let them go. Then we got back onto the big hill and Max started to creep away from the peleton and gain on the break. It was a magnificent climb, I sat on the front of the peleton and slowed it right down and Max was out of sight. Brilliant I thought he is going to stay away. We went around a few corners and they were nowhere to be seen and then, there is Max standing on the side of the road fiddling with his chain. It had come off on the hill when he changed down to the small ring. He managed to hook it back on and get back in with the peleton. Nightmare scenario for him, so we sat in for the climb and then on the downhill Max and I took it upon ourselves to try and get away again together, but mainly just get back the break.

We worked like stink, absolutely blasting it down the hills and after a few minutes we could see the break and then we eased up and let the peleton take over.

Into the final hill which is a long old climb Max got stuck on the front of the peleton for the first part and could not get off, I sat on his wheel with a couple of others just to my side. As we came up the hill another guy took to the front and Max faded back. I got the guys wheel and tried to hold it. As we came to the brow of the hill and with the finish line almost in sight (it was right around a corner), the sprint started. I lost about 4 places in a sniff and was then struggling, but no one else came past me and I managed to get a 6th place. Unfortunately Max came in out of the points but he had a brilliant race.

Overall a fantastic race, lots of action with the ACC boyz putting in loads of effort, once Max gets himself a chain that can stay on his bike for the whole of a race we will be laughing. After the race Max and I agreed that this bike racing lark is brilliant fun.

Cheers

Marek....

[Toks]

Hey Marek that sounded like a great race. More points on board show that your form is building nicely. Well done to both you and Max, the demon Hill Rep Man...If the travel logistics ain´t too bad I´ll come and join you for the road race on E. Monday, if not I´ll race at Eastway. See you on Sat for The Huw Williams Hilly Special.

[siwickm]

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/si ... sultspp=15

Here are the results in the link above. Excellent stuff, Tony Kelly got a placing in the 2nd cat race later in the afternoon.

Cheers

Marek....