Hillingdon 5th January

[KeithK]

E/1/2/3 Didn't see any other Agreeables today. A big field again with a whole team of In Gear RT juniors having a go. A few of which looked very promising. Dispite all the jumping around the first group to get a significant gap was started by Rudie, Norwood Paragon. I was lucky to get on with two others. That lasted four laps but the bunch was too strong and the race came back together. It wasn't long before four more got away. Mr Pickup was it with one of the High Wickham 1st cats and two others. Anthing with the Pickup in it has a good chance to stay clear and they did. He won again. I don't know if all four sprinted to the finish but whatever happened that was a good ride by all four.

The bunch was active as Messers Moores and Bye without his superb team mate Steve Golla today and all the usual suspects trying to break away. Particularly Andrew Bye he put in some superb attacks but could not get away. Soon enough the 5 laps board to go was shown. With four laps left the race needed a futile attempt by somebody to stay away from the sprinters for two laps and that's what I did. Bugger it, I hoped to tease a few away but the silly sods wouldn't have it.

As we wound up for the sprint I got on Mr Byes wheel and thought if he wins the bunch sprint I'll get second. The the bunch were having none of that and just about the whole bloomin lot of 'em went past on the back straight. From hero to zero in half a lap.....again.

At least I've got a good excuse. You know of course don't change anything that you're not totally familiar with immediately before a race. I put a new type of under jersey on and was told it's meant to be tight, you'll be OK they said. It was like wearing a corset. Not as good an excuse as Mr PVT and his " I fell out of a tree" years ago now but that was a goodun.

Anyways it was still excellent training and that is all it is.

[-Adam-]

Nice one Keith, I know exactly how you feel going from hero to zero in half a lap! Still, somebodies got to have a go right!?

[Stu Merckx Man]

well done again keith.

i keep meaning to race, but i cant drag myself away from the training group.
but im sure i will come up with the good one week!

[Sylv]

Well done Keith sounds like an active and eventful race. How was the wind on the back straight???

Sorry to have left you on your own - if you look at the clubrun thread you'll see we haven't been lying around though.

[quote]At least I've got a good excuse. You know of course don't change anything that you're not totally familiar with immediately before a race.

[Phil S]

Keith, Andrew Bye can't sprint to save his life so best get onto a wheel like Percival, Cappello or Halpern next time. Personally I didn't have the stomach for the sprint as there was some awful riding going on. Did you see the deliberate shove on Chris Moores? I have a fast finish when I have the bottle for it but there's no chance I'm risking a mass pile-up just for the minor placings. I found the race to be a bit negative as usual in that there are a bunch of w*nkers (excuse my French but I feel strongly about it) who contribute nothing in the slightest to the chase. We could've dragged those four back... instead aforementioned tossers suddenly pop to the front to sprint for minor placings at the end. These are guys like Klassen and even the defending champion. He's hardly doing the number 1 pinned to his jersey justive with the way he's raced this series - negative, negative, negative. Strange day, though - I attacked a few times as well but couldn't tease out the right riders to make it stick.

[Rob C]

Raced again in the 4th cats yesterday but with Dan Gee rather then Rob T for company. There was some really dodgy riding going on, no breaks got away for long though Dan Gee gave it a go and looked pretty strong throughout. The results that have been posted have Dan and I the wrong way around.

I still need just one point for third cat, going to get a few miles in this week and hopefully get to the chain gang as a bit of a sharpener...

[Stu Merckx Man]

nice one rob, god luck with the point next week, and see you on the chaingang

[George]

well done well done guy's good to see you plugging away there, its got to be good training for road races.

I'm not dipping my toe in for racing for a couple of months yet, by then you should all be 2nd cats

Phil in a race everyone is entitled to do whatever they want, everybody is equal, if their not helping your case then your either in the wrong team or train harder

[Phil S]

George, that's bollox. No-one is entitled to shove people and switch across wheels deliberately

[Stu Merckx Man]

phil- i think he meant not helping to chase down breaks, and then just popping out last moment to sprint.

EDIT: sorry Phil i just realised you were actually talking of last year's winner JS and not the current leader of the series - see my post below.


[quote="Phil S"] instead aforementioned tossers suddenly pop to the front to sprint for minor placings at the end. These are guys like Klassen and even the defending champion. He's hardly doing the number 1 pinned to his jersey justive with the way he's raced this series -

[Colin.Steadman]

[quote]By the way, I've never been able to find the Mosquito forum - is it hidden?

[Toks]

Blimey what on earth is going on? The judicious use of quotes would make things a lot easier for us lurkers to follow

Take no notice of Phil he takes this racing lark far too seriously