It was the most beautiful stage today around the Ashdown forest, I didn't realise how high up it was before.
Off we went onto the first circuit and this was the Ladies mile circuit and it was high speed right from the gun, straight away on the first lap the London Dynamo guy was out the back.
Then the the next lap I almost lost contact, at one point both service cars had passed me and I had to grit my teeth and dig deep to get back on.
It took me a while to get going this morning but once warmed up the climbs were a doddle.
Then onto the transition stretch of road up to the next killer circuit was a long long draggy climb that litrally went right up from Groombridge to the highest point of the Ashdown forest.
At the start of the drag 3 or 4 riders fell away and I was just by the skin of my teeth maintaining it in the Peloton.
Then 3/4 the way up someone shot away for the KOM points and everyone reacted, I was already at 99% so couldn't quite get the extra oomph to follow suit.
I dropped off and started onto the WALL circuit, descending 100m behind the bunch one of the KFS team riders was fiddling with his arm warmers hit the verge and went flying over the bars and had a soft landing in the grass
I couldn't get to the group-so rode the rest of the race solo style, I didn't let up one bit and kept it pinned just to see how I'd do and if I'd blow.
Then above me loomed the infamous WALL which is just a straight steep road that goes straight up the top of the Forest at about 15%. I quite enjoyed this untill one of the spectators shouted some encouragement "come on George you only have to ride this 3 more times!"
I wasn't phased and kept it going and had a nice rhythm and every time I climbed the Wall I knew I was closer to the finish.
Another spectator shout to me "don't worry theres 2 riders quite close behind you if you want to ease up" believe me this made me ride even faster, I was determined they were not gonna catch me
Then right at the top and saw Tony Kelly as I raced down the forest to the last final climb to the finish line, this was the steepest of the lot but with the finish in sight it just flew past.
Yes over the finish line and I'd done it, finally finished my first 5 day stage race, I was well chuffed and had a well earned tea, rolls, cakes, banana, mikshake etc etc.
Keith Butler congratulated me at the finish, also Keith Knight was there giving me a pat on the back.
Great event I we got very luck indeed with the weather, I can't beleive this week we didn't gat rained on once
Looking forward the the Army 3 day next weekend now, so now I've got a couple of days recovering to do
keep plugging on and its worth it at the end.
