Not much to report from here - other than racing fast flat circuits after a heavy week of training is not a good idea.
On the first lap a group of ten, including Tim Harris got into a break, I was feeling crap straight away so sat up on the front of the chasing group to try and slow them down so Tim could get away. It worked for about half a lap but then everyone attacked and pulled it back.
That was the story of the race from then on, a load of attacks and pulling backs into a viscious headwind. Very hard efforts were required for not very much speed down the back straight and top bend and riders were getting dropped after just five laps, but it was comfortable enough in the main bunch.
AJ was forced to take a lap out when a train crossed the circuit in front... no wait a minute, that was Paris Roubaix yesterday... AJ was forced to take a lap out when a football came over the fence and got on the track in front of him (he claims, but I don't think the organiser believed him).
Tim was strong, doing loads of work to pull evertything back and fighting with the London Dynamo guys who were trying to control the race.
10 to go the attacks and chases started getting more serious and with 4 to go I blew in the old fashioned style - getting dizzy vision and starting to clip the wheels of other riders, not good when your doing 25mph with the bike leant over enough to ground the pedals, so I sat up, and rode in about half a lap behind the pack which had whittled down to about 25 from the original 40 starters.
Tim couldn't quite get into the sprint because he'd done so much work but it was a good, hard work out for all of us.
The ride back along the river in warm sunshine felt like a promise of the summer to come. Can't wait