A great show by the ACC, with 9 racing in total, an abundance of marshalls and an organising troop that made this race the best Handicap I've raced in.
I think 5 groups in total with me and Keith in no.4 and the other 7 guys in the first 3.
Our group set off at a blistering pace with one or two riders missing turns straightaway. Keith remarked after a lap or so that we wouldn't be able to keep this up for 9 laps, and we couldn't. The initial frenzy calmed down and we settled, although the Crawley Wheelers guy got a bit too vocal when the riders didn't come through as quickly as he wanted them too. I shouted a general "calm down", and he quietened up
We were going well, working quite hard and the lap board ticked down a few numbers. The scratch group then came through and with the added numbers the pace picked up. My thoughts now turned to positioning, to saving energy, to eyeing up the oposition and who I thought would be in the final.
Previously here at Newchapel I have had two 2nd place finishes behind Tony Lock. Both times it had been a drag race down to the finish and both times he had beaten me. (I have had a couple of wins here too but not with TL in the race). Obviously this circuit suits me (its got no hills
), and to be honest I felt a bit of pressure to do well, especially as it was our race. Silly I know. TL was there, with a team mate, here we go again!
Another group in the fold, and then another, leaving only one up the road. I was hanging around in the middle of the bunch with no sign, not even one, of Tony and co. I knew they would be there at the end so wasn't worried that i wasn't near the front yet... nor were they. Darren Peachey looked fresh and was saying he was going to smash it. And Keith is always there at the final so they were two wheels I would be looking for. Scot looked good and is in great form at the moment on the club runs..how would he do? And Matt too, and Steve, everyone. The whole time your thinking about where you are, where you should be, who you should be watching etc etc. It's not only physically tiring, it's mentally tiring too. It's an hour or so of intense concentration.
2 laps to go. Previously I would have started to make a move up, but TL was still behind me so I stayed put. Then, with 1 1/2 laps to go the big sprinter made a move, so I followed. It got a little tetchy and I lost a wheel, I didn't panic. Paul T was around, Dan was just ahead and Ilija was too. We caught the first group on the road and it was now the last lap frenzy.
Excellent, out of the 1st left hander I got on Tonys wheel..."I'm not moving...I am not moving". Keith came up the inside, I had to move! "That's ok, I'll just sit on Keiths wheel then". But straightaway the whole group moved across and I lost Keiths wheel.. bugger
. Ok regroup, forget about anyone else, just do your own thing. I went back to doing it myself. A nice little move up the inside (10 places..nice
). Round the back and up the slight drag now, only half a lap to go. The guy in front of Paul T twitched to the right, Paul twitched to the right, I twitched to the right, and then heard our vocal Crawley friend shouting and ranting... oops sorry, I only nearly made you crash. It was the last I heard from him
Down the back straight I switched to the outside. I had to get further forward, as I'd just got boxed in. It opened out, I moved down toward the top ten. The last left hander was zooming up, I blasted down the outside with a late braking manoeuvre and chucked it in to the corner at full speed. There was no choice. If the bike went away from under me then at least I gave it a try. I stayed upright
2 De Ver, Tony and a couple of others were ahead but I was in a good position. Problem was, out of the flip flop right left they had put the hammer down and were going full tilt. I knew there couldn't have been too many guys that had got round the corner as quick as us, so I potentially could be in a good position. I had to bridge across and get on Tonys wheel though. But he was chasing the 2 De Ver lads. A massive dig, I was on. Yes! Tony got out of the saddle and started to sprint. The temptation to do the same was strong but I'd told myself beforehand not to try and out drag him again as I'd lose out. I kept cool, stayed seated and sprinted sitting down tucked in the wheel. The finish line was approaching, I stamped on the pedals, came out from the wheel and gave it all I had. It was enough. Job done
I was buzzing for hours
Steve
by Keith » Sun May 19, 2013 5:23 pm 
