SL Dunsfold Park - 5th May 09

[Keith]

I'd give you a race report but I'm still in a state of shock.



Why? 3rd Cat entrant: H. Williams.



Don't believe me? Here's photographic evidence:

[img]http://i43.tinypic.com/30jjkzm.jpg[/img]

[Antloony]

[size=200]WTF[/size]



Are my eyes deceiving me....

[Keith]

Now I know what you're thinking, he just signed on, got a number and didn't race.

Nope, here he is in the race.

[img]http://i44.tinypic.com/255te14.jpg[/img]

[Antloony]

Good lord...and he's ahead of you Keith...

[Toks]

I'll give it to you that bloke does look remarkably like Mr H. Williams but I don't think its him. He'll have to write a report or something to prove it

[Gavin]

He was there causing mayhem in the final sprint! I am sure his report will cover that........

It was a scratch cat race which means everyone headed off at small groups and the elites came past pretty early. I couldn't handle that pace and ended up in a group of mainly 4th cats. Finished 7th or 8th in that group.

[huw williams]

I'm not only in there but I've got the best legs and I've got dancing feet on the end

Anyway, after rumours that Hillingdon was in danger of being cancelled due to a potential lack of staff, I persuaded RobW that Dunsfold would still be a worthy trip so we headed there instead. Got there with only enough time for the briefest of warm-ups and a lecture from Keith Butler about peeing on the lorries in the car park (not me I hasten to add).

Never seen the course before but this proved unnescessary as evey single part of it was half a mile wide and could be ridden at full chat and there was an aggressive headwind all down the back straight which was most annoying - typical airfield course then.

Started with the thirds and it was the usual mad dash to chase the 4ths down - felt really easy and I even had time to flirt with the pretty blonde girl from the Addiscombe as we went past. At the same time the E/1/2 group were on us and suddenly there was a group of about 70 riders together. Next thing I know there's a group up the road and I'm not in it, stuck behind some riders who didn't have the power to bridge the gap.

Ah well, Keith got in the first group so I thought job done, he'll win, I can relax and police the peleton. RobW and Gav were in there and I did have a look at the possibility of trying to get accross the gap at one point when a Southdown Velo rider joined me and we got off the front be we looked at each other and thought, "Nah, no way" it was just too windy.

So 5 or six laps went by with constant attempts (most from RobW) to get off the front, but I was in that awkward no-man's-land of finding it much too easy in the group, but much too hard to get away in the wind. Every time Rob got a little gap I'd sit on the front, get the knitting out and try to slow things down for him to get away but the others could see it wasn't going to happen and the one time I did join him they saw two addiscombe shirts and hauled us back in.

So that was it - settled back and waited for the last lap determined to at least win the sprint for first in the chasing group. We had a dry run on the bell lap and I was confident of getting it for real next time round as four of us went for the line opening up a big gap - I made a mental note of who they were, sat back in and watched for breaks on the last lap. It was perfect, after another brave effort by Rob came to nothing up the back straight the three suspects came charging through approaching the final bend and pulled Gavin with them - I jumped on the wheel, we were away and opening a gap and I felt really comfortable. Just as I made to come round for the sprint, WHAMO! I hit something in the road (possibly a small stone thrown out by the fast finishing lead group) which at that speed was enough to throw my front wheel out of allignment, the brake jammed on and I sh1t you not, the bike went from 30mph to to a complete standstill in about six feet.

The next moment I felt like I was in a 70's gay porn movie with a disco theme as 30-odd blokes in lycra shorts were about to ram me up the ar*e
Believe me when I say I just stood there with my stricken bike, in the middle of the track, praying for my life as a bunch sprint scattered like sheep all around me. The language (as you can imagine) was indescribable, as to all the world it simply looked like I'd suddenly just stopped riding in the middle of the track. Somehow the whole bunch got round me without crashing and dissappeared toward the checkered flag and the glory which moments before had seemed mine.

I just stood there, in the fading light, for a moment to collect my thoughts as the wind got up, the tumbleweed blew over the empty track and the sound of an imagined lone cello playing a sad lament faded in. The bike was stricken, the front wheel won't even turn it was jammed solid so I had to pick it up and walk to the few hundred yards to the finish line carrying it over my shoulder. By the time I got there some boys in the group were heading back towards me with questioning looks. "What happened," they were asking, and "we thought you were going to win that sprint" and "are you fuc••ng insane, you could've fetched the lot of us down."

So there you go, a pretty eventful return to the road. Bad luck? Apparently that's racing.

I'm off to Butler's to see if they can operate and save my bike. Then I'm selling it and never going racing again.

H

[huw williams]

Sorry - posted twice in error

[George]

[quote]The next moment I felt like I was in a 70's gay porn movie with a disco theme as 30-odd blokes in lycra shorts were about to ram me up the ar*e

[Toks]

Blimey Huw, I hope you're alright. I look forward to hearing about/seeing you race again very soon. And you can stop all that I'm now giving up racing nonsense too

[huw williams]

[quote="Toks"]Blimey Huw, I hope you're alright. I look forward to hearing about/seeing you race again very soon. And you can stop all that I'm now giving up racing nonsense too

[Andy E]

Great report Huw, and glad to hear the bikes ok (though i'm sure you have a large stash of other 'test' bikes to call on )

So where's the results, any placings for ACC?? Keith, Gavin, Rob??

[huw williams]

Keith was comfy in the lead group but wisely sat up before the sprint went mental - Rob and Gav sprinted it out near the front of the chase group. Results to follow

[Michelle]

I could hear a load of chaps complaining about your riding, Huw, on the last corner..." and then the Addiscombe bloke just put his effing brakes on....couldn't effing believe it....what a numpty" The quote from the day has to come from Huw though " Well that's the closest to death I've ever come to on a bike". Considering how many hairs have been shaved off your hips by Surrey 4x4's that is something else.

However, all Huw Williams bike related excitment aside, I got a bit star struck last night. Big [size=150]Ben Instone[/size] turned up, all 6 foot 11 of him (well it looked like it from where I was sitting). He is a friend of a friend from Redhill, so I went up and introduced myself. Actually, no kidding, I would have introduced myself whether I knew his friend in any case. I have turned into a right old Surrey RR groupie, so to get to shake the hand of a National star is fantastic in my books. Plus got to have a small look at the Titanium Lynskey, the sister of the TT bike that appeared in the Comic last Thursday. And I have a photo to prove it, which will go up later today when I work out how to use the Tiny Pics site (ludite, me). Plus a whole load of other really appalling photos that Keith and I were giggling over last night. Really, they were that bad.

Well done everyone, and well met to Gavin who I had not bumped into till yesterday.

[Keith]

So now you're all convinced Huw was actually there and racing, I can add my bit.

Not sure the E12s were held up at the start, I think 4ths went first, then a minute later everyone else. I wasn't sure whether there was one race or two. I was listening to Keith B at the pre-race briefing, but I didn't catch anything about 2 races. He termed it a scratch-icap.

A quick first lap, then pace settled a bit, the main group in no particular hurry to catch the 4ths. Once we did, the pace sped up briefly to minimise and hangers-on.

The entire race was dominated by the headwind on the main straight. Pace was up and down accordingly. I simply tried to remain in the front part of the group, typically somewhere near I can't believe it's not Dave Kennett . A couple of times I thought a split in the group might stick, but the front riders never seemed to drive this advantage home.

In the last lap things became a little lively, with the group going from one side of the track to the other. Nothing dangerous, just positioning for the finale. I decided "it's only a training race" / bottled out (take your pick), not caring whether I got 8th or 18th place.

Anyway, a really good training session, both aerobically and in terms of bike handling skills.

[quote="Andy E"]Keith, Gavin, Rob??