Addiscombe Henfold 2/3

[George]

Well I must say that was a well organised and run event on Saturday, even if mine is an Agreeably swung view, Thanks everyone for all the support and help, we really appreciated it as a team.

As we rolled off through the neutralized zone at the start it was clear that it was going to be a bit of a bun fight to stay near the front of the pack, riders were stroon all across the road even over onto the other side which was pretty dangerous with oncoming vehicles.

We were going along at a fair old lick, even if you tried to shield out of the wind into the pack you still couldn’t take it easy, we still had to push pretty hard on the pedals to keep our positions.

I stayed up near the front of the bunch throughout the race, this stopped me having to fight too much for position than if I strayed a bit further back. Adam was going well today and looked very comfortable.

Early on Keith Coffey kept putting in great turns at the front, he tried to break a few times on the 2nd or 3rd lap I bridged across and went with him and another, but I could see that the pace of the thundering Peloton was not going to let us escape.

As I eased up into the pack I almost had to notch it up another gear to keep in with the hard riders at the front of the group. I tried a few more times to go away off the front but it wasn’t easy work.

Didn’t see Paul for most of the race but 2/3rds the way through he came up the front so we duly tried a breakaway together, it was a shame it was only the 2 of us, no one else tagged along, we did manage to get a gap but were slowly reeled back in.

Every effort off the front was physically punishing and took a lot of energy at least 10mins to recover in the fast pack, the cheering from fellow Agreeables really did help though.

One rider in particular wasn’t very happy with me coming up the inside of the group, I thought this was alright as it was so chaotic and dangerous trying to overtake on the other side of the road on the winding narrow country lanes.

Towards the last part of the race I saw Toks come up near the front, it’s good to see him out, last time we rode together must have been a year ago.

Ding ding the last lap I was feeling a little jaded with my earlier efforts, the speed suddenly went right up rider after rider came past me, Toks shouted that I needed to get up there near the front but I was really pushing just to stay in with the flow a nasty stitch in my chest wasn’t helping.

At Henfold hill I almost dropped off, really gave it some to get back on then I just lost touch of the Peloton and cruised over the finish line. It was a shame I couldn’t get up in the mix during the Sprint, sorry we didn’t manage to do better with our supporters present.

Next time I’ll have to limit my earlier efforts off the front, but I just can’t seem to help myself, it seems so boring just sitting in the pack till the end, I love the excitement of trying to brake away from the bunch, being the underdog ahead of the pack.

Been racing now for 5 weeks in a row so going to take the next couple of weeks as recuperation and get dive back in later in April.

[Toks]

Well done George great effort on Sat. A two week break from racing sounds like a good idea and will definitley prevent you from burn out fatigue if you carry on all the way up to the summer.

[Matthew Ives]

Great effort George and co.
Sounds like a ludicrously fast race if you were struggling, George. Glad I didn't enter

I'd echo what Toks was saying. Seems a good time to take a break from racing.Anyway, there doesn't seem to be any 2/3 races in April. Seems like The Surrey League cram them all into March.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Well done George, and all agreeables in the event
You have to remember that a majority of riders were 2nd cats and that is much harder racing than you're used to.
Paul

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

A big thanks to all the helpers that made the road race not only possible, but also successful.
2 riders came up to afterwards and said that the marshals did a great job.
Thanks again
Paul

[Stu Merckx Man]

nice one george...im not supprised you cracked at the end, everytime i saw you, you were right up front, trying to get away etc etc... looked like you work really hard!!

[Sylv]

There was another "George" comical moment during the race - I was just behind George sitting in about 8th position, someone attacked at the front and George jumped out of the saddle to chase, droping down with a loud clunk what sounded like three to four gears at once - there were a few amused comments from riders who were probably thinking "steady on chap!"


Average speed was a little under 39km/h.

[Marek]

JB Smith Memorial RR - 2/3 - 7
1 Philip Gough Portswood Cycles 2 2:42:15
2 Lee Smith agiskoviner.com 2
3 Paul Delahunt London Dynamo 2
4 Mike Bisson D H Cyclesport.co.uk 2
5 Cameron Fraser Felt Racing 3
6 Andrew Bye Kingston Wheelers 2
7 Jason Pidd Mosquito Bikes RT 3
8 Ian O'Hara Citihub/Cycles Dauphin 2
9 Ben Wilson AWCycles.co.uk 2
10 Andrew Gough Portswood Cycles 2
11 Ian Packer Cheltenham & County 2
12 Michael Sneyd London Dynamo 2
13 Sylvain Garde Addiscombe CC 3
14 Stephen Atfield Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 3
15 Jonathon Carnall Addiscombe CC 3
16 Paul Foreman Alpha RC 2
17 Steve Dring echelon-cycles.co.uk 2
18 Edgar Medellin Fincley RT 2V
19 David Streule London Dynamo 2
20 Martin Hunter Metropolitan Police CC 2
21 Marek Siwicki Mosquito Bikes RT 3
22 Daniel Sullivan Norwood Paragon CC 3
23 James Wilson Rapha Condor 3
24 Daniele Santoni Pearson Cycles 2
25 Mike Wragg Team Milton Keynes 2
26 Marc Freullet Team Quest 3V
27 Steve Atkinson GS Stella 2V
28 Andy Betts Twickenham CC 2
29 Russell Short London Dynamo 2
30 Keith Coffey Bec CC 2
31 Chris Bracewell VC De Londres 3V
32 Richard Tozer Twickenham CC 2
33 Danial Patten Pacific Flanders Racing 2
34 Paul Hone Addiscombe CC 3V
35 Jim McManus Interbike RT 3
36 Iain McIness Cheltenham & County 2
37 Phillip Burnett Mosquito Bikes RT 3
38 Marco Coppola Gemini BC 2
39 Hugo Robins Economic Energy 3
40 Phil Sheehan Mosquito Bikes RT 2
41 Sam McLurdy Swindon RC 2
42 Toks Adesanya Mosquito Bikes RT 2V
43 Niall Digby Sigma Sport RT 2
44 Phil Watkins Old Portlians CC 2V
45 Lee Chaplin Racing Team 316 3
46 Julian Bray Rapha Condor 2 V
47 Brett Travers Glendene CC 2
48 James Griffin Cheltenham & County 2
49 Ian Alexander Cheltenham & County 2
50 Mick Gray API Metrow 2V
51 Craig Wilson VC Meudon 2V
52 George Brent Addiscombe CC 3
53 John Masters Redhill CC 3V
54 Mario Manelfi agiskoviner.com 2V
55 Allan Hopkins Redhill CC 3V
56 Chris Pyne Imperial Racing Team 3V
57 Adam Cotterell Addiscombe CC 3
58 Adrian Goatley agiskoviner.com 2
59 Louis Charity Corridori/Specialised 2
60 Paul Richards Mosquito Bikes RT 3
61 Jason Humphries Norwood Paragon 3

[-Adam-]

Oh no its in writing that i was the last ACCer on the road!

Apart from them what didnt start, or finish. But 57th, its because my new sponsor is Heinz and they said i have to finsh 57th at least 3 times during the season!

[George]

Yes Adam but make sure you don't get ketchup over your Jersey in any races

[higg]

[quote] It was a shame I couldn’t get up in the mix during the Sprint, sorry we didn’t manage to do better with our supporters present.

[Sylv]

That's great - Imagine if we could find a 2/3 race where the whole team could get together, it would look something like:

1 Aodan
2 Paul T
3 Paul H
4 George
5 Adam
6 Jon
7 Kevin
8 Sylvain
9 Matthew
10 Kieran (?)
11 Stu (?)

Plus mozzies Toks, Tim, Marek, Max, Phil ...

I'm sure I'm forgetting some too ...

[Stu Merckx Man]

im racing sunday in a 4ths race at dunsfold, so hopefully with all this racing with 2nd cats i can get that 1 point!...then we are one step closer to the full A team

anyone got any advice or pointers for this circuit by the way?


stu

[Sylv]

Watch out for potholes

[Toks]

[url=http://www.londoncyclesport.com/Blogs/Blogsmessages.asp?dt=4&UTN=9&srchdte=0&last=1&V=1&SP=]The Merckx Diaries[/url]:On the last climb I was suddenly endowed with the neuromuscular power of a six year old girl