Ah, the old "didn't do any work on the front" chestnut again!
Maybe I was pushing so hard at the front Ian, you didn't have enough energy left to lift your head to see me. Just for the record, as people who don't ride in the same group as me and may believe these scandolous accusations, I was at the front, with Andrew, from the T-junction at Parkgate to the climb through the woods, approx 2.9 miles.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it, only joking right back at you Ian.
Good ride yesterday. Still with the Mallorcan miles in my legs, I had decided to do a nice and steady 17 or 18 group. So 19 group it was then, with Huw saying I'll be fine. But with the average speed over 21mph, I felt almost on the edge the whole ride.
Yeah ok, I still won the sprint, but as Adam says, I can't help being a fast twitcher. Sorry guys but your going to have to do some more sprint training.
Now with really tired legs and with a slight calf strain from the sprint, I stupidly decided to go back via Box Hill, thinking it would be a piece of cake after the climbs in Mallorca. How wrong. Being near the front at the bottom of the climb, I tried to stay in that position, but with super fast Sylv and Toby in front of me, trying to hold the gap proved too much for the legs and lungs - 95% of max the whole way up - I blew on the last hairpin bend and had to lay on the grass when I reached the top.
The ride back started nice and steady, which was good, but as usual things hotted up and the pace got quite fierce along the straight road through Walton golf course. Alan, Sylv, Graeme and others were all banging out a fast tempo at the front, and when Huw pushed up the last rise, I decide to give my last ounce of energy, and chase him as I knew the roundabout was near and I could peel off on my own and poodle home at my own slow pace. Then at the roundabout I heard "I'm going your way too". It was Toby. Bloody hell, I just wan't to ride home slowly. Anyway, lucky for me, he turned off at the next lights.
Yes, 12mph all the way home.
Sore legs today!
Great ride, thanks guys
Steve