Alford road race 30/9/07

[Stu Merckx Man]

so here is the situation. i was a 2nd cat for a bit, but then a result got changed and put me one point back to 3rd cat. so into todays race i knew it was one of my last chances to bag the point.

the race was a handicap- 3rd cats had to catch the 4th cats.
the course was a 12.5 mile loop round the roads dont 3.5 times.

the only familiar face at the start of the race was marek and we agreed to to try and break away once we had got the 4ths back in.

so the race started with the 4th cats having a 5 minute head start. i headed to the front and started doing turns with about 5 other people, including marek.

we were really motoring and on the first 7 miles we had an average of 26mph!

i was feeling really strong today and didnt mind doing lots work, but i was careful not to blow up and loose any chance of getting a top 10.

unfortunately for marek he punctured when we reached a bad section of road with lots of potholes and bumps all in a 10m stretch. he went over them and i heard is wheel spsssss, i felt really bad for him as he was really up for it today. i also went over the holes, but as i am so fed up of puncturing on my race wheels with the nice expensive tyres, i decided to use my training wheels and the cheap tyres that never seem to puncture and sure enough they held firm.

about 5 of us were still working really well together, with a london dynamo guy with long hair, me and big duwlich paragon guy doing most of the work.

after a lap and 3/4s we had bought the 4th cats back in. as we approached them i had thought we could use them to block the other 3rds and allow a couple of us to get in a break. the dynamo and i shot round the outside of them and my plan had worked and we had a 50m gap. i looked back and saw the big duwlich paragon trying to come across. he had a small gap over the peleton. unfortunately the other riders realised that if he got across we may well have been away considering we were the work horses, and the dragged us back in.

i needed a rest so i sat in for a few miles, and then went with about 3 or 4 attacks but they all came to nothing.

we came round for the final lap and i was feeling good. i had memorised all the landmarks for the final mile before the finish so i could attack.

i sat in conserving my energy about 15 places back. i was feeling slightly tired from working so hard but knew i had enough left in the tank...it felt like nothing compared to recent training group rides

eventually we got to my marker to move into the top 10 (an animal vets building). so i eased my way up and settled 7th man back.... 1 mile to go and a brighton mitre attacked and got a 50m gap. the pack chased like mad which was good as it meant know one could come on the outside and trap me in. he got bought back just as i reached my landmark for 700m to go when i planned to go for a long one. i sprinted out as hard as i could but people were glued to my wheel and i new any more effort would just waste energy so i settled down.

400m to go and there are 4 of us in a line side by side watching eachother at a about 16 mph, no one daring to go first. luckily this blocked the riders behind so they couldnt come passed us.

200m to go and i could see the line. i knew it was still early but i felt real strong and went for it as hard as i could. one bloke was beside me for about 100m but the faded. i was now in poll position and i had a feeling i might be able to win it....70m and i could sense someone on my left coming up i glanced back under my arm and could see him, i also noticed that the 3 of us had about 4 or 5 bike lengths on the rest pf the pack which i fel rather pleased with. 50m and the guy on my left edged passed me....30m and the guy on my right creeped round...i dug in as hard as i could but couldnt stop them gaining half a bike length or so as my legs had turned to jelly, and i came 3rd.

its the most fun and exciting sprint i have had yet and really enjoyed it. i was pretty pleased with a podium spot, and also felt i deserved it for the amount of work i did on the front

now im DEFINATELY a 2nd cat.

oh and it was a pretty fast race over all with an average of 24.7 over about 43 miles.

cheers
stu

[Snoop Doug]

wicked write up and congratulations!! You must be feeling well chuffed.

Snoop

[Marek]

Well done Stu, I am gutted. I have been training very hard and being very careful with what I eat over the last few weeks in preparation for this race. I won it last year and therefore my plan was to do the same again today.

I hit form perfectly for today as I felt very strong at the start. I was on the front for significant parts of the first lap and was really up for ripping into the group when we caught the 4th cats. Only a few people doing turns, Stu, Dulwich and Rob Jeffroy from London Dynamo the main guys. Were about 25 in the group with about 5 doing work, I don't understand some of these people in Handicaps, but I suppose people have bad days.

Well when we hit one lap down I punctured, to say I was disappointed was an understatement I was gutted, the amount of food I have dodged and training I have put in for this specific race was a lot and to have it taken away like that is gutting. Ah well, that was the last race of the season for me with the exception of the ACC road race, just need to keep the form for another few weeks.

Well done Stu, you certainly deserved your placing from the work you were doing on the first lap, 2nd cat racing for you next year should be fun.

See you soon.

Cheers

Marek.....

[George]

Well done Stu great ride and finally welcome to 2nd cat status, a status some can only dream of

If Adam was there he would have easily got the victory as the best sprinter in the club, never to have actually won a race

[Paul H]

Well done Stu on letting the bike do the talking and congratulations on becoming a 2nd Cat.

Unlucky Marek.

[Sylv]

Well done Stu! Was that actually today? (30th)

[Stu Merckx Man]

cheers everyone.

sylv- yeh it was today i pressed the 2 by mistake...its fixed allready

[-Adam-]

Well, George... maybe not today, but if i were fit, probably... And you forget, i actually have won a race, only Paul T needed new glasses to see that i won that fateful easter sunday. But he spent all his money on Bora's, for some reason, so couldn't afford the glasses. So the descison went to the other bloke!

Well done Stu, im quite glad I won't have to race with you for a while at least! What happened with the other points anyway?

Unlucky Marek, still, at least we'll keep each other company in the early 3rd cat SL's come March...

[Stu Merckx Man]

adam remember that handicap where paul came 2nd, george 4th and me 6th?

well the bloke who came 7th complained that he beat me and managed to get the result changed

[Toks]

Well done Stu

[Mike I]

Well done Stu, great result and great edge-of-the-seat reportage as ever.

Just think though, if you'd used the racing wheels you might have won. Then again, you might have gone the same way as Marek. We'll never know.

[Andrew G]

Well done Stu, great to read and amazing to see you still racing so late in the season, and after such an early start. Ah, the limitless energy of youth.

[-Adam-]

So did you complain back!?

I had the evidence after all, i definately reckoned you were 6th. what a b**tard!

Mind you i have complained and had a result changed in my favour but only when i was sure I was right!

[Stu Merckx Man]

woops, i didnt complain back. but it doesnt matter now, getting a 3rd spot before moving up was a bit of a confidence boost.

the one you complained about- was it the chertsey one where they put me down as 13th when i had crashed, and put you even further down than me?

[Andrew G]

Re complaining I think it is worth remembering that these people do their best, often in very difficult situations and with little help. A lot of thankless hard work is put in and often un(der)appreciated.

Where would we all race if they got fed up with the complaining and hang up their hats? Please try and remember that it's only amateur racing, by and large for the enjoyment of it, and there'll always be another race.

Please bear this in mind and try and be polite even if you feel you've lost out.

Cheers,

Andrew.