Lap after lap Jody or Gareth would attack up the climb, until the break managed to form. By that point I had been dropped - properly - going up the climb, losing about 30m on the back of the bunch, legs like jelly. I almost gave up, I really don't know how I managed to get back on - ultra late breaking, pedalling through corners, giving everything I had left - but I did after half a lap. From then on it was just survival. I had to move up to avoid risking getting dropped again, but that involved having to take turns at the front. A couple times I shook my head as I just wasn't able to come through.
Once the break of four had gone, it got a bit less frantic up the climb, but you still had to stay alert. Matt Seaton did his usual suicide attack with two to go, whilst we chased and got ready for the sprint. I took Guy Powdrill's wheel at the bottom, which brought me all the way to 20m to go, where I just managed to come through by half a wheel. Was surprised, but chuffed that I'd made it to the finish. 172bpm average, it's usually around 165 for me here!
E/1/2
[quote]Four riders went free and from this group past National Cyclo Cross Champion, Jody Crawforth won the sprint just ahead of his companions.
Some 14 seconds later the peloton hit the line with Matthew Theobald at the front.
1 9 Jody Crawforth Hargroves Cycles E
2 5 Richard Mason Cycles Dauphin E
3 2 Hugo Humphreys Mosquito Bikes J2
4 6 Gareth Montgomerie Sigma/Specialized RT E
5 14 Matthew Theobald GS Grupetto 2 @ 14 secs
6 10 Kevin Knox Dulwich Paragon V1
7 7 Sylvain Garde Addiscombe CC 2
8 1 Ben Jacobs London Phoenix 2
9 8 Guy Powdrill London Dynamo 1
10 11 James Solly VC Londres 2
11 13 Matt Seaton Mosquito Bikes V1
12 4 Andrew Colvin BigFoot 2
