National 50

[Dominic]

It it now National 50, 2 me 0. Second time I have entered, second puncture. Got to the start to find my back tub going soft. Was offered a late start but my car was with spare tub was 4 miles away and I have to be at work this afternoon. So it was a DNS for me.

Hope Robert and Andrew fare better. Bit windy on the course but I am sure the big guns will make light work of it

[Andrew G]

Bad luck Dom, I was surprised not to see you on the course having seen you looking so chilled and relaxed in the boot of your car at HQ. When I saw DNS on the board I wondered if it was a puncture on the way to the start.

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TURN DOWN THE WIND!

Another day racing in a comedy wind , still always nice to ride Nationals and be a nobody riding with the best in the country. I wasn't actually passed by as many as I thought I would be after looking at the startsheet, still saw more than in any other race I've done though.

The ride to the start told me what I thought would be the case, ridiculously strong headwind on the out leg and fast tailwind return. Simple plan then, ride hard in to the wind and recover a bit on the tail sections. Started off and got the rhythm going quite well, but it was damn hard work and took 24 minutes to reach the first turn at 7.6 miles which showed the strength of the wind.

On to the first return leg and wow this is flying. I eased back on the effort rolling a big gear with the wind's help so that I could recover for the next hard slog in to the wind. I covered this 10 mile stretch in 22 minutes it was so easy just keeping the gear turning and bowling along at 27-30mph most of the way.

Around turn two and now 10 miles of slogging in to the gale, man this was hard work and seemed to take forever. Think I managed to average 20mph for this leg but with the wind and drags I was struggling to hold 18mph for quite a long section of it.

Back around the turn and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, tailwind section and then only the short half lap bit to do. Enjoyed the tailwind again, and pushed more than the previous lap knowing I didn't have such a long headwind section to follow. Back for the small 10 mile half lap of suffering then flying before finishing and spinning back to the HQ.

This National Champs was promoted by Charlotteville cC and it was their Centenary 50 too. They did us riders proud putting on an excellent event with great organisation and loads of marshals who gave support as you passed. Quite a few supporters out on course too, particularly a little bunch at the Chicken pub which as it's a fast approach section meant you flew passed them looking good which was nice for the ego . Also quite a few snappers out today and flashes going off from the bushes and the roadside.

My time was 5 minutes exactly off my pb but I think it was a similarly good ride due to the terrible conditions today as I did that on a nice warm calm morning. So not a good time but quite happy with my ride.

Addiscombe:
94th Andrew Green 2.09.11 (think I was 115th fastest entry so picked up on that )
106th Robert Royle-Evatt 2.12.49
Dominic Lowe DNS, puncture

At the sharp end of the field Hutch was pushed closer than he has been in a long time.
1st Michael Hutchinson 1.41.28
2nd Matt Botrill 1.41.44 (he was up on hutch at the 20 mile checkpoint)
3rd Andy Wilkinson 1.45.13
4th Steve Dennis 1.46.02 Great to see Steve in 4th (same as last year I think), such a nice bloke and class on a bike.

[Ian A4size]

flashes going off from the bushes and the roadside. FNAAAAR
hmmmmmmmm.

Commiserations to Dom, you must have been well fed up.

Usual great write up from , it must have been blowing a good 'un on that course- I guess a southerly would be the best - but with a westerly its a long drag to the turn.
The final result was very tight.