Winter series at Tolgate Cyclopark

[Iliya]

Gravesend cyclo park

It was a windy day in Kent. We got to Tolegate Cyclopark just in time to register and set up bikes. The park still seems to be a building site but the race course is finished and although there were a few muddy patches spoiling the impression we liked the course.

There are un-surfaced parking facilities and marquee style coffee and cake shop and basic toilet facilities on the site.

The race

So there were three of us in the race John, Ghaleb and me.

Beginning of race was quite hard as we did not have time to warm up. Cat 3/4 field was 68 strong with riders of various fitness levels.

The three of us tried to stay together but we I dropped out fairly early to then re-join John and a few other riders in a small grupetto. Ghaleb then dropped out 15 minutes into the race and joined John and me. The gruppetto kept growing all the way until a few laps before the finish. 30 minutes into the race the pace dropped down and it was even getting boring at times.

About five laps before the finish, the pace started to pick up again and there were a few attacks. Ghaleb was in one of them with one more rider (can’t remember which club he was from). John and I didn’t have legs to follow. Ghaleb and his new friend were doing well until one corner where Ghaleb’s pedal got caught on the road and he came off bike taking the other rider with him. That was the end of race for two of them.

John and I went on to finish 23rd and 28th respectively. John finished in the group ahead of me.

Future races at Tolegate Cyclopark

We are keen to do another race there if anyone wants to join us. We are not sure of the dates yet but it won’t be 20/11/2011. Possibly on one of these dates:

Event 4: 04/12/2011
Event 5:15/01/2012
Event 6: 29/01/2012

[Iliya]

[url=http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/127459332]Race data[/url].

[Ghaleb]

Nice write up Ilija.

[quote="Iliya"]Ghaleb and his new friend were doing well until one corner where Ghaleb’s pedal got caught on the road and he came off bike taking the other rider with him. That was the end of race for two of them.

[John G]

Nice one Ilija.

Was a good race, will go again for sure.... I do have a preference for proper road races though, this circuit is technical in some places and you need to be on the ball control wise!

I am totally out of form right now though, been out of it with my new baby girl and mum over.... keen on dates mid December on, need two weeks of commuting into work/weekend training under my belt