Paul has already qualified as 2ND cat and was handily permitted to ride on a technicality
We were feeling good for a good team breakaway again, we recce'd the route, checked out where the finish was and even sussed out where to break.
First lap at the furthest point from the start I punctured, I stuck my hand up and the assistance car pulled alongside, I asked him for a wheel but unfortunately, they all belonged to other riders
So fortunately they gave me a lift back to the village hall, on the way I saw Paul H riding slowly back round the course the other direction.
I asked the driver to stop but he had to carry on.
I thought oh thats nice Paul had come back to see if I was alright but NO
He had also punctured and was able to ride back on his flat TUB.
If Paul had another wheel I was up for rejoining the next lap just for a good training ride but no spare today
We left early in my big red van and the break passed us followed 1 min later by the peloton, followed 30 seconds later by an unhappy Marek.
We did a quick U turn and saw Marek was struggling/really trying hard to get back on after mechanical difficulties.
So we blatantly towed him up the road for a few miles, he got a great slipstream off the back of the van and eventually we slung-shot him past the commissioners car back on the peloton
