Palace 2/8

[Sylv]

Another fun evening at Palace on a warm day with looming rain clouds (that thankfully - for us- stayed in Croydon!), it really is addictive when you are in the mix, I want to go back already and don’t know what I’ll do when it’s over in two weeks!

Carl was in the 3/4 and Steve and I in e/1/2. Kevin “how low can u go” Viscous attacked from the gun followed by Jody Crawforth and Jake Martin, I took about 5th wheel – as a result the first five laps were frantic, almost 43km/h. Heard a big bang on the first hairpin, turns out it was Shadow’s front tire exploding, he took a lap out and managed to get back on after borrowing a wheel from Guy Pearson who was marshalling just there – not bad in less than 2 minutes!

Was feeling good if not great and determined not to miss the right move and try and improve on 5th place best so paying attention to the attacks near the front and having a few goes myself. We were back to going counter-clockwise again and I was enjoying it more than I thought, though the hill seems twice as long going this way. Despite a few moves with Stuart now very active, we were still altogether after half-way, then next time I looked back I was in a group of six with no-one behind. Thought there’d been a crash or something that must have delayed the bunch, as there were no real attacks or surges leading to that, but it was just that, as last week, a split had naturally formed.

Hurrah – in a proper break at Palace at last – kind of. Ian Paine, Kevin Vicious, Robert Moore, Jake Martin and I think Arjan from DP and another LD. We through and offed to strengthen the lead though these last two were missing turns and we lost them soon after. At one point we had to ride around a DP rider who was lying on the ground having crashed at the top hairpin. I was taking turns everytime up the climb, not much point me leading down the hill (though I ate far too much that day before the race). Jake was also staying at the back so I was readying for a big attack from him – turns out he was overheating and also dropped back. We had a good, but not huge gap and about ten more laps to go so we had to keep working on it. With six to go though Moore attacked hard and I was forced to chase which got me in the red. This disturbed the pace once we’d all got back together. I was now expecting either Kevin (who says he can’t sprint) or Ian (who’s got a mighty kick) to attack.

As we crested the top next time I was behind Moore on his left side and Ian on his right and he slowly slipped away (didn’t have the legs apparently!) without Moore reacting. When I realised that I jumped away but Ian was already 50m up the road. I chased solo for half a lap but wasn’t making any ground, and didn’t want to get dropped by the other two if/when caught so waited for them hoping we’d manage to chase Ian down with 3-4 to go. For two laps the gap was only 5 sec but inevitably we started thinking about 2nd place and Ian was able to stay away for a fine solo win. I was in 2nd wheel behind Moore and let him lead all the way up the final hill as retribution for his attack, hoping I’d be able to come past in the final straight and fend off Kevin- in the end he was just too strong and I took 3rd – chuffed with that : ) - 1hour @ 169bpm a new high!

Well done to Carl and Steve for top tens.

[img]http://www.londoncyclesport.com/media/jphoto/road-racing/crystal-palace-senior-circuits-11/cp221-599x400.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.londoncyclesport.com/media/jphoto/road-racing/crystal-palace-senior-circuits-11/cp222-599x400.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.londoncyclesport.com/media/jphoto/road-racing/crystal-palace-senior-circuits-11/cp177-599x400.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.londoncyclesport.com/media/jphoto/road-racing/crystal-palace-senior-circuits-11/cp162-599x400.jpg[/img]

Women
1 69 Sarah Brook 3
2 64 Jan McInnes London Dynamo 3
3 68 Rachel Przyblski 2
4 71 Dyanne Holland Inverse Rt 2
5 63 Louise Fellingham London Dynamo 3
6 67 Ruth Clifton London Dynamo 4
7 65 Elinor Fellingham PM -
8 61 Katie Metalli BCDS YA
9 66 Carole Gleaunes Pearson Cycles 4
10 72 Rachel Haley Bigfoot CC 4

Cat 3/4s
1 9 Marc Adam London Dynamo 3V
2 43 Simon Lennon Dulwich Paragon -
3 45 Mattias Kuntz Ride Beyond 3
4 32 Elliot Phillips VC Londres YA
5 17 Graham Little Dulwich Paragon 4
6 12 Stephen Joseph GS Avanti -
7 1 Carl Ferri Addiscombe CC 3
8 36 Simon Bird Vicious Velo 3
9 39 Alex Ioannides Dulwich Paragon 3
10 16 Richard Bayfield London Phoenix 3
11 25 Clive Green London Dynamo 3

E/1/2s
1 13 Ian Paine London Dynamo 1
2 24 Robert Moore London Phoenix 2
3 19 Sylvain Garde Addiscombe CC 2
4 32 Kevin Knox Vicous Velo 1V
5 34 Matthew Theobalds GS Gruppeto 2
6 26 Matt Holmes Arctic RT 2
7 9 Stuart Spies London Dynamo 2
8 3 James Wakelin La Fuga Sigma RT 2
9 23 Harry Littlechild London Dynamo 2
10 20 Stephen Broomfield Addiscombe CC 2V
11 11 Nick Wilkinson Dulwich Paragon 2
12 1 Jake Martin Le Col Pendragon E
13 4 Michael Brown Progressive Coaching 1
14 27 Mick Bell London Fire Brigade V
15 7 Phillip Glowinski VC Londres 3
16 22 Symon Lewis Edwardes 2
17 33 Andy Waterman Vicious Velo 2
18 25 Jody Crawforth Hargroves Cycles E

[carl f]

Well done sylv,good to finish my race and then watch you cross the line in a fine 3rd position and see steve get 10th. I wish breaks could last in the 3/4 race,got into a 5 man break myself after the crash on the top hairpin but no-one seemed to want to thru and off so we got caught after a lap,tried a lone break away myself early on hoping someone would join me but no-one was stupid enough
All good fun though.....

[Steve B]

Sylv, totally fantastic, what a superb result from a superb performance . I totally take my hat off to you sir.

That was such a hard race last night, but I was lucky (if you can call it lucky) to have taken part in it. First corner, 100m in to the race and... psssssshhhhhh. I couldn't bloody believe it . I quickly nicked Guy Pearsons wheel and I was back in. Unfortunately I tried to join back in at a stupid place - at the right hander to go down the hill - I had to let everyone go past as they came back around so I was immediately 25m off the back before I could get up to speed. And what a bloody speed it was . Straight away guys were falling off the back and leaving gaps that I had to close to get back with the pack. For about 4 or 5 laps this happened and I was seriously struggling already. Lap after lap after lap it was full gas up the hill, I couldn't take anymore of this, I was toast.

Everytime I looked up I could see Sylv at the front with the other monsters, gnawing away at the rest of us, waiting for the towel to be thrown in so they could go off and play between themselves. Thankfully this did eventually happen and the pace in the chasing bunch eased a fraction, and I mean a fraction - I could just about breath again, for now anyway.

5 away became 4 away as Jake came back to us, and we seemed to be holding station with them, the pace was back up. I use the word 'we' very loosely here. There was no way in the world I was anyway part of the 'we' who were doing the work to try and close the gap. I was now seriously in the red every lap.

My season at Palace this year has been a strange one. Since the 1st race where I managed 8th (somehow ), I have not finished a single race, lasting on average about 16-18 laps. The weather has been poor, quite a few races have been cancelled and I've not been able to get a good run at it. The pace is so fast in these races, so hard, hanging in till the finish seems almost undoable for me . But I won't stop trying.

The breakaway were now gone, there was no chasing to be done and the bunch were now racing for 5th. I was still at the back, still chewing bartape, still blowing out my backside, but more importantly, [size=150]still[/size] there .
I so wanted to get to the finish. The innevitable lull with 3 to go was bliss. Deep breaths and a shot of adrenalin rushing through me got me in to a good position on the penultimate lap. I had no idea if there would be anything left in the legs for a finish but I was about to find out. Up the hill for the last time and bang, it kicked off. I don't know what happens to me at this point, I don't know where it comes from but I'm so glad it does. I absolutely love it . Going past people in a sprint finish is just the best. There were 5 in front of me in the sprint, 4 more up the road, but who cares - I finished, and top 10 as a bonus. Don't you just love Palace .

Great result and performance once again from Carl, who was right up the front the whole race. Top marks mate.

But all the praise for last night should go to Sylv, stunning mate, absolutely brilliant.

Steve


Does anyone know if an Addiscombe rider has podiumed at Palace in the E12s in recent club history?

[Sylv]

Hey Steve – love your reports. I have trouble conveying the emotions and pain that you go through in a race, but you do it so well. Don’t think it was easy for me though (the HR says it all!), and there still was the odd moment when I had to be careful not to get dropped! But I know what it’s like to be at the receiving end of the battering, like the other week when my legs weren’t there : ).

I know Steve Bayliss, John Saddler, John Ibbotson and Bret Perez used to do well at Palace, think Bret has won there, but don't think he was riding for ACC at the time. One for Marco!

[Toks]

[quote="Steve B"]

Does anyone know if an Addiscombe rider has podiumed at Palace in the E12s in recent club history?

[Sylv]

Still two races to go

[quote="Toks"]Anyways well done Sylv thats an an absolutley brilliant result. If you don't get anything else RR wise I'm sure that result would've made it a great year.

[Sylv]

You mean a handshake from Eddie Wingrave MBE Andrew!

[img]http://www.londoncyclesport.com/Assets/LondonCycleSport+Digital+Assets/charlotte09reviewinter/palace.jpg[/img]

[Andrew G]

Yeah, bit tongue in cheek. I didn't realise Eddie was still going up there, I thought last year had been his last as his age and health started to take it's toll. Nice to know he's still there enjoying the races.

[quote="Andrew G"][quote="Toks"]Anyways well done Sylv thats an an absolutley brilliant result. If you don't get anything else RR wise I'm sure that result would've made it a great year.

[Marcus]

Great write up and great result from Steve, Seems you are definately getting back to your best.
Fantastic result Sylv, getting closer to that top step, also cannot wait to see how you guys go in the last two races

Well done to Carl the sole represenative in the 3/4's where are the rest off you. Let's have Addiscombe out in force for the final two races and lots of support too.