Well today consisted of 2 parts a time trial round Goodwood race circuit then the big boy's road stage starting and finishing at the car racing circuit.
I was feeling good this morning no aches and pains just looking forward to get riding.
I noticed in the time trial alot of the riders were taking it very seriously with full TT bikes aero bars and helmets well the lot, and I too had set my bike up especially for the time trial- I removed the water bottles
After the TT which I was happy to still beat a couple of guy's we started the main stage at 1oclock, we rode 3 laps of the circuit then out onto the main roads for the road race stage.
The pace as I was getting used to was extremely high right from the off and imediatley a break went off the front with 5 riders.
Up the first hill the Trundle which is a cat 2 KOM hill I was holding my own in the group and kept in there over the top and into the crazy descent which I clocked 55mph, I think we dropped the Dynamo rider here looks like he had a long solo
The road today were much better condition with hardly any pot holes etc and the rolling countryside kept us on our toes.
With such a small field of 29 riders its very hard to have much of a rest as pretty much all the time everyone is sprinting out of corners and cranking up the pace to bring back all the seperate breaks and attacks.
This was very tiring work and I was sitting comfortably in the back of the peoloton.
Keith was marshaling on his motorcycle and happy to see a fellow agreeable flying the Addiscombe flag.
Then finally we made it to the biggie this was the climb onto the South Downs at South Harting, the road just goes straight up very steep indeed, just before the hill I got a little way up the group incase I needed a little slipping space.
Well it was ok I was in the pack and guy's were getting shelled out the back and every so often I'd have to overtake them otherwise they would slow me up.
I made it to the top with the main bunch then we had a long 7 mile descent off the downs. All the time the pace was high as they were reeling back in the breakaway.
Left turn and traversing to the final climb of the day I slowly slipped back and tried sprinting to get back on but had used alot of enerygy already, so I was off the back on my own then- well not for long cos a strong rider punctured ahead and we rode the last hill together.
We paced each other taking turns and could see the others up the road but couldn't get to them.
We rode together back to Goodwood and then just had 6 laps of the citcuit to do.
After a couple of laps I was toasted so eased up and hopped on the peloton as the came round and lapped me. with 1 lap to go their speed went balistic and I was on my own again,
All I had to do was just finish and I'd be fit to fight another day so that's just what I did so roll on day 4 and Leith Hill