Hillingdon 8/8/06 - Now i know how McEwen feels...

[-Adam-]

Well after a less than perfect journey thanks to an afternoon of unexplainable traffic on the m25 (clockwise), i made it to hillingdon for my second crack at this racing lark.

Feeling a lot better than last week, both physically and less nervous, i was determined to get a higher place than last week. So in true 'shadow' style i spent the majority of the race at or around the back of the pack. Ray's words of wisdom from last week still fresh in my mind ('don't feel obliged to do any work on the front'!). So like a proper sprinter i lurked in the wheels for 45mins of racing...

Then came the final two laps, at 2 laps to go i was around 20 places back from the front. After battling my way through i managed to get up to about 6th wheel. Then i started to get nervous, but i was determined to hold my position. After some crafty manouvering, id moved up to 4th down the back straight. At this point id like to congratulate addiscombes new lead-out man, simon h. He was on the front almost the entire last lap. I wasn't exactly sure what his tactics were (nor was he i think!?!?), but it was great to have someone setting a consistently fast pace for the final lap.

So the last corner came, round i went running a little ride. But upright i remained, then i looked up, and the shadow himself had appeared from absolutely nowhere! And more to the point he was quite a bit in front of me, with about 4 people around him. This was it, i had to start sprinting. Head down i went for it, then i noticed Steve drifting left, onto my line. I called to stay over as i was moving faster, and in true agreeable fashion he did. I powered on overtaking to come into first place, crossing the line about 3 bike lengths clear of the next man. I celebrated quietly to myself, looked around and acknowledged steve. There was my first victory, or so i thought.........

As steve cought up to me, he broke the news. A three man break away had escaped around halfway through the race. Which was a fact completely unbeknown to me, given i spent most of my race at the back. Who ever said hillingdon was a procession for sprinters!?!?!? My heart sank, i couldnt believe it. For the few seconds i thought id won i was ecstatic, only to be completely gutted there after.

Steve said after the race, his only thought as he saw me shake my fist as i crossed the line 'oh dear, he thinks he's won!'

So another race, another lesson learnt. I guess we never stop learning ay!

4th - Me
6th - Steve 'the shadow'

While simon and ray both finshed comfortably inside the top 15. The addiscombe racing scene continues to bloom. Meanwhile we discussed the need for an addiscombe racing radio!

[Matthew Ives]

Nice work guys!!
Hard luck Adam, on the sprint.
That must have been so frustrating !!!
Still, it was a good result and a few more points in the bag.
Nice one Steve, on letting Adam through.
A break going away for the win @ Hillingdon, eh!! Who'd believe it

If you are going to sit in, even at Hillingdon, it's just as easy to sit in in the top ten places. At least then you have an idea of what's happening at the front and can act accordingly. other than that you can just ask a few guys in the bunch if anyones away. Oh, and thee's usually that bloke that stands on the back straight all on his own who shouts out how far the break is up the road. He's normally quite reliable, even though he does come over like a random nutter let out for the day .

[Dr Frigo]

How embarassing

Good work though to get the bunch sprint!

[Toks]

Fantastic work guys well done!!!Shouldn't that be, "now I know how Erik Zabel feels!" Oops! unlucky Adam - I'm sure that win will come soon. By the way, as Matt says there's really no need to sit at the very back at Hillingdon since the pace is fairly manageable. And secondly you're always gonna risk the chance of a breakaway dissappearing up the road - and, more importantly, you not knowing about it. Never mind you only need four more points now!...Steve are you racing with the 4ths just for more experience? You're a 3rd cat now so you can race with the big boys - its probably safer!

[Steve B]

Toks - I was racing on a day licence last time and therefor don't bag the points, but as you say it does give me a chance to gain experience, although your right about the safety issue. Last night there were quite a few instances of 'bad driving', with lots of shouting going on within the pack. One guy from London Dynamo cut across me around the sharp bend. I shouted at him to keep his line and he got all arsey with me, but hey mate, if you learnt to ride your bike properly I wouldn't be shouting at you, would I? Found out after that lots of people had had issues with the same guy during the race.

Huge traffic on the M25 again ment it took me 2 hours to get to Hillingdon. Rush rush, change, sign on, no warm up, no drink- great.

4 ACCers in the race, myself, Adam, Simon and Ray. We all sat in for the first part and the pace was pretty tame. Didn't notice when the breakaway got away, as right from the start guys were going off the front in one's, two's or three's and then coming back in again quickly, so in the confusion of the E123 group lapping us, the breakaway must have taken the opportunity to stay away, which they did for the rest of the race. Good effort!
Nobody seemed to care that there was a breakaway at all, all were content to carry on riding around at the same pace till the end. All exept our Simon, riding at the front for big spells, wanting to push the pace on. When the E123' lapped us again with about 5 or 6 laps to go, Simon had about 20 metres on the pack. I decided enough was enough and jumped the gap across to him and proceeded to give it a go to see what we could do. I took a turn then Simon then me again. I looked around to see that three London Dynamo's had come across with me, great, 5 man group even better. I carried on pushing hard at the front and flicked my elbow out for someone to take over, only to hear "If you want help you should ask". WHAT!! yeah right! With no conviction one of them came past me and did about 3 seconds on the front and then looked to Simon as if to say "your turn". All this messing about let the group catch us again, what a waste of a good opportunity.

Sitting back in the pack I started to think about the sprint. Before the race I said to Adam that I'd gladly lead him out for the sprint, hopefully for another Addiscombe win. The win had gone now but the minor places and points were still up for grabs. Coming in to the final lap the pace wasn't really quick enough and everyone was bunching up quite dangerously. Simon to the rescue. Sacrificing himself, as he had done most of the night (I'm sure he'll learn), he blasted down the back straight, opening up a gaps into which the sprinters started to fill. I wasn't sure where Adam was now so looked to get into a good position myself. The last bend was coming up and I was about 5th (8th). Just then a nice gap opened up on the inside and I went for it, only to hear "STEVE KEEP TO YOUR RIGHT". It was Adam. Leaving a space for him, he blasted past all of us and I tried to catch his wheel, but the plit second hesitation cost me.
Adam crossed the line winning the sprint but hadn't realised there was a breakaway, which meant he was 4th. "O dear I've got to tell him he hasn't won ". Elation to disbelief in 2 seconds flat. Great sprint though!

Adam 4th, me 6th, Simon suffered in the sprint fom all the work at the front and Ray finished well up in the pack.

Well done guy's, see you next week!

[Toks]

[quote]Toks - I was racing on a day licence last time and therefor don't bag the points,

[Gavin]

dynamo prove thier evilness again!

[-Adam-]

I hate to say it, but by their evilness, dynamo are firmly top of the south east club rankings... So where can we get these radios from!?