Well, I turned up for the last of the Hillingdon summer series on Saturday. This time I had prepared better and did no late night Friday training, ate well and headed off in plenty of time. I got to Hillingdon early and signed on as number 92. Got a surprise when I saw one of the women from work in the signing-on office but turns out she is Vince Halpern’s (Elite rider for AW Cycles) girlfriend, small world! Anyway after saying hello and doing the finishing touches to me and my kit I went to the start. There was a big enough group in both races. The race started and this time I stayed near the front of the bunch throughout the race, much better, even if it means doing a turn once in a while. An Askgoviner (spelling?) guy did a solo early on and no one followed but then as the E/1/2/3 bus passed us he managed to draft in their bunch for a few laps and keep away just when we had him in our sights. This caused some to give vent to a few unkind words. Eventually he dropped back and I finally caught him at the top of the finishing drag. Then a number of others tried to break away, I joined a few but the bunch always caught up quickly. Coming up to the last few laps I was still feeling good (in between closing down potential breaks the bunch pace wasn’t too hot) and looking for a placing. But the best laid plans… etc, just as we were coming into the final lap we heard the shout of the E/1/2/3 bunch to keep left, which we did, but as we were ramping up the pace for the sprint finish, the E/1/2/3’s first passed us but then we caught up with them and tried to pass them by accident they did a nice blocking move on the right-hand side (a bit messy with riders shouting to them to move left, right, hold their line etc ) of the finishing drag just as I decided to come up on that side, so then had to do a big swerve to the left and chase down the lucky people who had gambled correctly and had picked the left side of the track, managed to pass a few but too late and came 12th in the sprint. A bit disappointed with that result as I had been up front during the race and was feeling fine at the end, but, oh well, me thinks the placings in Hillingdon’s 4th cat races can be a bit of a lottery at times as unless you get your positioning correct you can get boxed in (last two times seemed to be riders who were even worse sprinters than me blocking the path near the end, they seem to move up near the end but then have no legs to go for it – if I feel I can’t contest a big sprint finish I won’t try as the increase in likelihood of crashing is not worth it and also to let those who can, do) or blocked by crashes etc. Still a few more goes and my number should come up (I’ll have to wait for next year unless I do the winter series??)
4/W/J
1, George Georgiev, PM
2, Oliver Newton, Twickenham CC/Evans Cycles
3, Alec Huckin, Didcot Phoenix CC
4, Simon Letch, Twickenham CC/Evans Cycles
5, Tim Sales, Redhill CC
6, David Chittenden, PM
7, David Bennett, Tm Economic Energy
8, Erik de Wit, Tm Economic Energy
9, Dean Bond, Reading CC
10, Guy Phillips, Dulwich Paragon CC
11, Peter Cornwall, PM
12, Brennan Kieran, Addiscombe CC
13, John Lacey, Hemel Hempstead CC
Ps. Vince Halpern came 4th, just pipped at the finish line for 3rd place in the E/1/2/3 race.
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. I'm guessing the 4th cat leadout train has signed off for the year 
