It was good to be racing on a warm sunny day, and not too much wind either. 5.2 laps of an undulating circuit coming in at about 51 miles with the Cs and the Ds going off together.
After 4 laps I'd been off the front, off the back, hanging around in the pack, seen a bunch go clear for 3 laps and then be caught, and seen a few jump away on a 1.5 mile drag but then be caught by the finishing line which was 3 mainly flat miles from the top of the drag. With a mile to go to the bottom of the drag I decided I needed to be at the front for the drag - if it was going to be anything other than a bunch sprint then it was the obvious place for someone to make a break. Dug in hard from the back of the bunch and got to the front and found myself sailing off the front by 50 yards - I kept going on the basis that a 50 yard start on the drag wouldn't go amiss. I was joined by a 'D' who had initiated the early break and won the last C/D RR. We worked together to the bottom of the drag and he then dropped me - but not my much - only 50 yards by we had reached the top with the bunch not to be seen.
Over the next half mile I caught him and we worked together. Through the 1km to go sign and still no sign of the bunch. So just the two of us. Past the 200m to go sign and he jumped away - I had nothing left in the tank. However, second overall and first C home.
Back home to catch the end of the TdF
M
