Agreeable Dunsfold 12 June

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Flying the Agreeable flag solo at Dunsfold, which was a handicap this week, had the misfortune on lap 3 to puncture (a spectacular explosion on a slight bend, but was able to control it and drop out of the group I was with). As it was about 1/2 mile from the HQ, I carried on riding hard on a flat, got to my car and changed the rear wheel, in time to hitch a lift with the the next group to come past - 2nd cats, and only 6 of them. This meant working really hard as they were pushing hard, and didn't like it if I "missed" a turn, so even into the wind, kept working hard through and off. 2 laps later, coaught the 3rd cats and was able to get a bit of a breather before being caught by the E1 group.
The pace rose considerably and attack after attack went away, but was pulled back. Steady 35mph with tailwind and 25mph into the wind - awesome.
Last lap, time to move up - massive bunch - around 80 riders - suddenly found myself on the front, but not for long as another counter attack went, and had to move up again. Coming up to the finish was not for the faint-hearted, people leaning on others etc. Tried to get up the inside, saw a gap and went for it, looked across, definite top 10 - 100m to go, big effort at max speed now, but a surge on the far side saw another 7 or 8 riders move past just before the line - bugger, but I only had a 12 sprocket, must get an 11.
36 miles in 1:20 - 26mph average.
Edit - Final position - 14th

[Stu Merckx Man]

well done paul, you still must have got a top 20 or something!

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Pos Name Club/Team Cat Time
1 Tom Copeland In Gear Development Squad 2J 1:25:30
2 Steve Calland Norwood Paragon CC 1
3 Ken Prince Pearson Cycles 2
4 Darrell Pembroke agiskoviner.com 2
5 Neil Linford-Relph VC Meudon 1
6 Benjamin MacLand VC Meudon 3V
7 Nick Emens AD Cycles RT 4
8 Toby Neave Wildside RT E
9 Mark Bremner VC Meudon 2V
10 Russell Seekins Kingston Wheelers 4V
11 James Makepeace BN12RT 2
12 Paul Thatcher Brighton Mitre 3V
13 Andy Bristow AD Cycles RT 3V
14 Paul Tunnell Addiscombe CC 3V
15 Kevin Stroud Pearson Cycles 4V
16 Geoffrey Lulham Evans Cycles RT 2
17 Marlon Moncrieffe agiskoviner.com 2
18 Sam Redding i-team.co.uk 2J
19 Toby Meadows Glendene CC 3J
20 Christopher McNamara Wildside RT E
21 Paul Gosling Brighton Excelsior 3V
22 Chris Hunt VC Godalming & Haslemere 4
23 Simon Hazeldine Norwood Paragon CC 3
24 Driss Jones VC Etoile 3V
25 Derek Coppola Evans Cycles RT 4V
26 D Law Charlotteville CC 3
27 Paul Marsh VC Godalming & Haslemere 3
28 Mark Sussex Wildside RT 2
29 Terry Morgan VC Meudon 3V
30 Barry Matthews VC Meudon 4V
31 Paul James Norwood Paragon CC 3V
32 Graham Wyatt Velocity the Exercise Deck 3
33 Daryl Jeliner Liphook Cycles 4
34 Stephen Ferris VC Meudon 3V
35 Steve Atkinson GS Stella 2V
36 Graham Kerr 21st Century Airports CT 4V
37 Paul Bishop Pearson Cycles 3
38 David Roberts Crawley CC 3V
39 Ross Slaughter TM Racing 4J
40 Darren Franklin VC Meudon 4
41 Roger Morgan VC Meudon E
42 Tony Gordon Pearson Cycles 3
43 James Hodge Brighton Excelsior 4
44 Nigel Dickinson Farnborough & Camberley 3V
45 David Pollard In Gear Quickvit RT 2V
46 Russell Childs Racing Team 316 3V
47 P Sykes SBR 4
48 Colin Addison VC Meudon 3V
49 Mark Pelling In Gear Quickvit RT 3V
50 Matthew Wall Godalming Cycles RT 3V
51 Graham Wood Crawley CC 2V
52 Russell Cross BN12RT 3
53 John Powell VC In Gear 3
54 Gareth Dickinson agiskoviner.com 2
55 Mark Fitzgerald Private Member 3V
56 Alan Clarke VC Meudon 3V
57 Dave Worsfold Private Member 3V
58 James Adams Private Member 4
59 M Wakeford Godalming Cycles RT 3
60 Nick Mann Metropolitain Police CC 3V
61 David Palmer Trisportnews Racing 4
62 Stephen Tallyn I-team.co.uk 4V
63 Andy Duffin AD Cycles RT 4V
64 Gemma Willetts BN12RT 4W

14th, 4th 3rd cat - none too bad

[George]

Even had a puncture, changed the wheel and got back on

That's well impressive Paul well done when many others would have pulled out.

[Tamar Collis]

Brilliant! Most amusing tale. And nice result!

[Sylv]

Well done Paul - vecchio diva sprinter?

[Andrew G]

Excellent Paul, puncture ride a flat (tub?) switch wheels, and still contest. Back to full strength then.