eastway today 28AUG2006

[kieran]

There was a big turn out at Eastway today and representing ourselves were Toks, Marek and myself. After the E/1/2 race around 80 turned out for the 3/4/J/W race. It was 32 laps (so 32 miles) and raced at an average speed of around 38 kph (so about the speed of palace races). It was nice to get on a different circuit rather than just going around the same old route. As far as I know the race ended in a bunch sprint despite some earlier attempts by some people to break away (including Marek and Toks). Sadly for Toks with less than half a lap left he was involved in a crash but I'm sure Toks can write it up better than me. From where I was (in the bunch) for the race it didn't seem as hard as Palace but was longer so by the end my legs were very tired going home. Thanks to a Finsbury Park CC guy for guiding me on the path towards to Tower bridge. Not sure what happened to Marek but as i saw Toks crash I slowed right down to see if any signs of life, there was so I went and finished the race trailing in behind the bunch, not that I had in been contention for the points

[kieran]

sorry should have said that Toks is ok apart for some cuts and I would guess a few bruises.

[Marek]

Blimey, I have not ridden a crit for some time and I felt really rusty. Massive group of riders with 80 signing on, and quite a fast pace all the time, I was near the back for the first part of the race, just getting used to the circuit as it has been a long time since I raced at Eastway.

Toks was with me for the first couple of laps and then he masterfully managed to get up close to the front and was in a nice position. At about half distance I was annoyed with myself for being so lazy so I took a flyer, managed to come around the whole bunch on the inside and then get a reasonably gap. Stayed away for about a lap and a half but no one else came up to join me so I kind of died and the peleton bought me back without too much trouble.

I then worked my way back to the back and did my best for the last few laps to try and get closer to the front, but it was a nightmare with some quite dodgy riding with people not holding there lines etc I was getting a bit nervous and decided not to take too many chances and see if something opened up then I would take my chance.

On the last lap as Kieran said, there was a crash and poor old Toks who was looking good for a placing got embroiled and came down. I kept going and managed to get around quite a few people to work my self up towards the front but it was a bit too late and the leading group was still quite large and I could not get anywhere close to a decent finish. Not sure where I came was halfway down the pack in the finishing sprint.

Was good fun and I am happy I did it, just to get some practice in before the big ACC race at least. Looks like Toks is going to be a hard man to beat.

Cheers

Marek....

[Toks]

BCF 3rd/4th races at Eastway always attract huge fields. Sixty is probably about average but often there can be close to ninety racers if it?s a Bank Holiday. With yesterday being the last ever Bank Holiday race before the place is flatterned by Olympic developments the numbers didn?t disappoint. I arrived with about twenty minutes to spare and was glad Kieran was on hand to pin on my number - ?nice and aerodynamic please sir?. And of course I reciprocated the favour by also giving his number the Armstrong TT treatment whilst also re-deploying some of his pins. Pump and saddle bag removed, toilet visited, a few brief text message exchanges (thanks Yohan & Maria) and I was on the start line. Then we were off. Well actually, not quite. It took me ages to clip in so everyone surged ahead. Yippee! lap one and I?m five places from the back. There were so many people in front of me I swear it could?ve been a cyclosportiv race.


My original plan was to use today to mop up my final points which would hopefully make me a 2nd cat and treat this evening's final Palace as a procession. Mmmm? With my fitness levels almost back to normal I decided to stay mid pack and move up to the front at the half way stage. The first few laps at the back were very nervy and Marek moaned that he wasn?t enjoying it. In one of those rather dicey swervy moments you have when racing some guy shouted out ?Oi Toks, I hope you gonna put that one in your report?.

With about fifteen laps to go the plan was going well. There was just one guy up ahead with a twenty five second gap, but apart from that our large unwieldy bunch was pretty much in cruise control. On lap eleven Marek decided to force a chase, jump across or just stretch his legs; I?m not sure. But he soon got himself a ten second gap. I half thought about blocking but decided to sit on the chasers instead and perhaps to counter attack if/when Mareks? bid for freedom failed. Lots of headwind meant that all unplanned and unorganised attacks were pretty much doomed. A lap and a half later Marek was back in with us again.

With 7/8 laps to go the soloist was in sight. He still had around 15 secs on us so I attacked on the climb with a guy from Luton CC and we soon had a 30 metre gap. However I quickly realised my breakaway buddy didn?t have the legs and with six laps to go there was no way I could sustain 350watts of power that it would take to stay ahead of the pack and win solo. Nevertheless my ego still kicked in and I decided it was time to at least reacquaint our anti-social time trialing friend with the bunch. [More about him later].

With five to go various people tried there luck but to no avail. Oh damn this was gonna be another bunch finish then. At the bell I was in about tenth place. My plan (yeah I know, whats with all the planning!) was to take the 32nd and final ascension up the Oxo at full pelt and with around 900 metres to go, ride like the wind (actually make that against the wind). However just as I jumped, so did the TT man who?d been off the front. Hats off to the bloke he?d stayed away for nearly a three quarters of the race and after a short recovery was back in the mix.

Excellent I thought I?ll used his oversized frame to suck wheel for a while. As we crested the climb lactate overload and sheer exaustion quickly put the big fella efforts to bed and I was forced to slow down and jump around him.

At that moment someone swerved violently into my path I just managed to steer out of his way; but then this other guy suddenly crashed slightly to my right and rolled in to my path.. In a flash of blurred colour and hazy vision I went down to. I lay there dumstruck for a few minutes looking at my now skinless left elbow and right knee. It could?ve been worse one of the guys broke his collar bone and another lay on the ground semi-concussed. It?s the last night of Palace tonight. Bring it on Ouch!!!!