Smithfield Nocturne 2,3,4 Support Race

[Toks]

I got there in time to catch the Penny Farthing 1 mile sprint, quite impressive . The race I was most interested in though was the 2,3,4 support race featuring, Syv of course. I watched the riders on their warm up lap and was slightly concerned coz Sylv rode by quite close to the back of the bunch. I've raced the Nocturne twice and if you're not on the front two rows on the start line its very difficult to get yourself to the front of the bunch and inevitably you'll be on the wrong side of the split when it happens; oh, and it will happen!

No worries, once the race got going after a few laps Sylv was soon upfront and looking good. This race was no joke, I don't think I've ever seen so many amateurs looking so shattered in a criterium race. In a race like this you quickly find your level, or more correctly your level is found for you - so less fitter types were slowly but inevitably queezed out of the group exit doors as the riders up front showed no mercy. Not being fit enough isn't something you'd level against South London's Germain Burton, but you need to keep your bike upright. He gamely raced on for a couple of laps after his crash but I don't think being dead last is a place he's familiar with

By the half way stage it was hard to count all the different little groups of 6-10 riders. We've all been there, you're not a top ten contender so you're having your own little race within a race. The crowd was well up for it and all riders were being cheered and clapped; and some people even had cow bells which they tingled away in support. Typically there were lots of attacks in the final 5-6 laps, Sylv was racing smartly but also joined others to work and bring back any real threats. Two youth racers: Chris Lawless Max Gear and [url=http://taogeogheganhart.blogspot.com/]Tao Geoghegan Hart[/url] (remember the name!) in particular seemed to be putting in lots of digs and had back markers more than twice their age gasping like oxygen deprived goldfish

My friend was convinced Sylv had a great chance since he was in the top five positions every time the front group raced past us in the last few laps. So finally the bell lap..someone opposite me was screaming "Go Sylv' as the riders snaked past on the final descent of the circuit before temporarily disappearing out of sight. On the bottom hairpin bend I craned my neck over the barriers to look for the gold and black jersey. I can imagine the leaders would've smacked down a serious amount of wattage on that bitch of a bend just to gain a gap. A few seconds of pain, muscles flooded with blood lactate and the odd calf muscle now rendered useless by C.R.A.M.P...here they come, "go Sylv" shout me, my friend and the ACC lady on the opposite side of the road, Sylv went past some way outside of the top ten postions and I knew it would be difficult for him to get right back up front. The top six positions were now controlled by Wheel suckers and sons; all were suddenly primed and ready for the bunch kick. I couldn't see the finish sprint but I'm sure the former Norwood Paragon 1st cat, Steve Calland got the win. It looked like a great race well done Sylv.

1 Steve Calland South Downs Bikes Specialized
2 Chris Lawless Maxgear Champions Systems s/t
3 Stuart Spies London Dynamo
4 Sam Humpheson Look Mum No Hands
5 James Waite PM
6 Joe Fox Rapha Condor
7 Tao Geoghan Hart Rapha Condor
8 Paul Sewell Bigfoot CC
9 Mike Debney London Dynamo
10 Adam French East London Velo
11 Gavin Ryan London Dynamo
12 Mick Jackson CC Luton
13 Dean Hitchens Maxgear Champions Systems
14 Mike Rawson Maxgear Champions Systems
15 Hugo Robinson XRT Elmy RT
16 Sylvain Garde Addiscombe CC
17 Cameraon Austin London Dynamo
18 Matthew Theobalds CS Grupetto
19 Mathew Pilkington Progessive Cycle Coaching
20 Wayne Maguire PCH UK

[Sylv]

Thanks Toks, result is poor I’ll try explain what happened ..

I got there with plenty of time and signed on but unfortunately by the time I’d gone back to fetch my rollers and kit some of the folding bike and team races had started and the marshals just wouldn’t let anyone inside the figure of 8 course, which is where you could get dressed, use the toilets and warm up. That delayed me by half an hour, so after 15 min waiting I just set up the rollers within the passing crowds http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianpaine/5 ... 6818088487 (pic Ian Paine).

Then eventually got ready and to the start line which was already overcrowded (70 riders). On paper it looked like the strongest 2nd cat field you could assemble around, some of them even sounded foreign (I can talk!). The one practise lap was more a frantic jostle for starting position and I realised that a bit too late which meant starting about ¾ back of the field. As you say it was far from ideal and the first 15 min were probably the toughest I’ve ever experienced in a race, ever. Several people commented I looked composed but how can that be when my HR shot up to av 168, all I could do was grimace with pain and I could feel foam drying up on both sides of my mouth? Didn’t have time to wipe that off or even have a drink (the whole race). Lap speed was between 40 and 44.5km/h. I was half dying.

Then there was the crash at the exit of the corner before the climb, it was right in front of me but I didn’t realise it was Germain (who’d got 2nd place in the folding bike race before) at the time. In the confusion of avoiding fallen riders and trying to get back on I didn’t get to see how many were ahead, and when soon after I saw a separate big group which included Germain and appeared to be 30s ahead, I assumed it was a break ahead of us that had formed as a result of the crash, and thought that was race over for me as it looked like 20+ riders in it.

It took me another little while to get myself near the front of our group and to recover just enough to be in the mix. At that stage the cheers from the crowd were so loud that I realised the other group can’t have been ahead of us, and that now taking turns at the front I was effectively leading the race. Didn’t do too much of that though. Yep Toks Tao did put in some good moves. I was also aware of Steve Calland's wheel. The pace was still mad - I realised that coming out of each corner, if I was leaving as much as a meter between the wheel in front and mine, it was becoming increasingly difficult for me to hold on on the straights, so focused on nailing ever single turn.

I was still holding my own in the first 5-10 positions, but had absolutely no time to look around – could just about hear some of the friends cheering but for me it was just like riding in a tunnel the whole way. And so I didn’t even notice the lap board. Race had been announced as 40 min + 5 laps and that’s what I was timing myself for, so at about 35 min in I thought I’d slip back a few places to recover a bit. But instead of a handful of riders it’s most of the bunch that barged past me all of a sudden, and next thing I knew I thought I’d heard the commentator announce two laps to go – I thought we had 10! I was in disbelief and unfortunately by then it was far too late to move up again, I still wasn’t sure the race was coming to an end as next time round, on what was effectively the start of the last lap, I did look for the lap board but still couldn’t see it (didn't hear bell either). So I didn’t actually take part in the sprint and could only watch it from afar, was only just coming out of the final corner when I saw Calland’s arms aloft .. rubbish!!! Well done to Stu Spies who was in the mix all along too and bagged 3rd place.

Thanks to all supporters and sorry to have let you down. You would think I would know better by now! But I have a history of messing up the Nocturne finish. Nevermind, it was a good night in an amazing atmosphere as always, followed by supporting the Mule Bar team in the women’s race, and then a few drinks whilst watching Alex Dowsett’s unbelievable display of strength in the Elite race.

[Toks]

Great report Sylv. It really did look like a tough race; some racers looks absolutely shattered after only 15 minutes. I'm glad I wasn't racing! You were really unlucky, it's cool your time will come...anyway you had a real fan out there on sunday night - she was a very attractive lady probably in her early thirties -.she asked me where you were from and what race you were doing next

PS According to the BCF Individual Points Tally, Steve Calland, Southdown Bikes , earned 124 points as a 1st cat in 2010 [/b] Surely the former GB man should've been up against the elites

[carl f]

Well done Sylv sounded fast and furious, although sounds like you had a frustrating race.....

[Paul on the Pearson]

Slyv....
Whats all that rubbish about "letting people down"? You stayed up there in the front of a stupidly tough race with some top riders...well done. The pace was mental.I managed to get a few pics of you ..i'll put on them on the forum when I work out how,there all a bit blurred..partly due to my dodgy camera skills but mostly due to the speed of the race.
Chapeau Sylv.

[DavidKennett]

[quote="Toks"]PS According to the BCF Individual Points Tally, Steve Calland, Southdown Bikes , earned 124 points as a 1st cat in 2010 Surely the former GB man should've been up against the elites

[quote="Paul on the Pearson"]Slyv....
Whats all that rubbish about "letting people down"? You stayed up there in the front of a stupidly tough race with some top riders...well done.

[kieran]

well done, Sylv, great result! Sorry to hear about the confusion regarding the laps remaining, sounds just like some of my experiences of racing at Palace and its lap board.