Hillingdon 12th January

[Rob C]

Well done Dan! Any chance of a report?

Race 9 Cats 4th 25km Results 12th January 2008

1st 20 Steve James FVSTri 4
2nd 12 Daniel Gower Addiscombe CC 4
3rd 74 Scott Bentley Dulwich Paragon CC 4
4th 38 James Dunsbier London Dynamo 4
5th 109 Christian Spencer-Davies 4
6th 2 Thomas Patrick Imperial Racing Team 4
7th 57 Daniel Royle Kingston Wheelers 4
8th 147 Simon Bird Dulwich Paragon CC 4
9th 146 David Rees Dulwich Paragon CC 4
10th 77 Richard Black Dulwich Paragon CC 4
11th 48 Darren Poon 4
12th 98 George York High Wycombe CC 4
13th 18 Marcus Atkins Twickenham CC 4
14th 32 Paul Redman Thames Velo 4
15th 51 Peter Cornwall 4
16th 144 Mark Spindler Twickenham CC 4
17th 133 Nick Varley Sydenham Wheelers CC 4
18th 29 Stoyko Bussarov 4
19th 34 Richard Lofthouse 4
20th 100 Bruce English Lewes wanderers 4
21st 131 Ben Hurford 4
22nd 110 David Stockwell Shaftbury CC 4
23rd 30 Tracy Jaquest High Wycombe CC 4W
24th ?
25th 94 Tom Silverlock Hemel Hempstead 4
26th ?
27th 11 Paul Morrissey High Wycombe CC 4
28th 145 Andrew Canning South Western Wheelers 4
29th 65 Gary Mead St Ives CC 4
30th 71 Alan Nixon Amersham RCC 4
31st 27 Rachel Clarke Ipswich BC 4W
32nd 26 Paul Driver Ipswich BC 4

Race 9 51km Cats E123 Race Time 01:14:10
Series Points
1st 06 r Paul Pickup 1 200
2nd 12 r Chris Moores Norwood Paragon 1 150
3rd 04 r Gianluca Cappello 1 130
4th 08 r Steve Golla Sigma Sport 1 120
5th 10 r Vincent Halpern AWcycles.co.uk 1 110
6th 87 Toby Meadows Corridori CC 2J 100
7th 13 r Andrew Bye Sigma Sport E 90
8th 25 Phil Sheehan Mosquito Bikes RT 2 80
9th 66 Dane Percival Cardiff Ajax 2 70
10th 32 Harry Bulstrode Thames Velo 2 60
11th 3 Thorsten Klassen Kingston Wheelers 2 50
12th 74 Vaughan Luff De Ver/Neovite 3 40
13th 19r Sam Humpheson London Dynamo 1 30
14th 8 Mark Northover CC Giro 2 20
15th 54 Peter Jones Hillingdon CC 3 10
16th 62 Ralph Keeler Wheels in Wheels 3
17th 2 Michael Hill Team Quest 2
18th 93 Brad Lamb Victoria CC 3
19th 05 r Ed Graefe Team Economic Energy 1
20th 11 r Ben White Bike n Run London 1
21st 47 Nat Spurling Finsbury Park CC 2
22nd 99 John Dewey Private 2
23rd 104 Anthony Corke London Dynamo / Cyclefit 3
24th 55 Wayne Thomas Reading CC 3
25th 21 Keith Knight Addiscombe CC 3
26th 96 Leo Falkner St Ives cc 3
27th 141 Paul Driver Ipswich
28th 106 Mark Hoult London Dynamo 3
29th 50 Joshua Worrall Twickenham CC 3
30th 9 Paul Stockdale Evesham + District Wheelers 3
31st 03 r Pete Smith Team M.K. 1
32nd 75 Torkel Dohmers London Dynamo 3
33rd 65 Andrew Stronge London Dynamo 3
34th 39 Richard Collins Imperial Racing Team 3
35th 69 Kevin Holloway High Wycombe CC 3
36th 11 Paul Shoobridge Privateer 3
37th 83 Matthew Ullmer Evesham + District Wheelers 2
38th 4 Darren Waters Dever Cycles 3
39th 15 James Leach Twickenham CC 2
40th 24 Simon Letch Twickenham CC 3
41st 7 Sara Burling Fat Birds 3W
42nd 58 Ben Moores Norwood Paragon 3
43rd 17 Mario Manelfi agiskoviner.com 2
44th 148 Graham Kerr 21st Century Airports CT
45th 14 Paul Martin Easterley RC 3
46th 40 Mick McManus RT316 3
47th 97 Kieran Dineen 3
48th 100 Cameron Smalley Evesham + District Wheelers 3J
49th 26 Robert Fletcher High Wycombe Cycling Club 2
50th 101 Gavin Spiers Reading CC 3
51st 103 Justin Lomas Norwood Paragon 2
52nd 84 Paul Bird Team Economic Energy 3

[Sylv]

Ouais! Bravo Dan!

Et Phil

[Stu Merckx Man]

keith K was saying he saw and acc rider in a break yesterday. i had no idea it was dan! what a result. he is really strong now, and its only like his 2nd race or something!

[KeithK]

I got there quite early yesterday and caught the last 5 laps of the 4ths. In the break of 7 Dan looked if not the strongest certainly one of them and I was concerned that he was towing a few, especially up the drag to the finish. It was a good sprint only missing the win by about a wheel.

[Andrew G]

Great result Dan, look forward to seeing you at Palace this year.

[KeithK]

E/1/2/3 Catch em off guard that's what I say. Attack anywhere and everywhere. So I went from the gun. Clear by almost the length of the back straight I was hopefull something would come of it but at the start of the third lap I had the whole bunch for company. It was another very active race but the headwind into the back straight was quite subdued this week so there were few splits. Anything promising was invariably brought back. I had a few more attempts both with Steve Golla, Sigma 1st cat but came to naught.

With four laps to go I sneaked away hoping the sprinters would dither. Three racers came across, a Milton Keynes, High Whickham and another, the race was on, this time time we would stay clear and one of us would win!!!!

No no no, of course not. Two laps to go and we were back in the bunch. Oh well I'll have another go at kicking their arses next time.

Best ride of the day? Steve Golla. He is superb to watch. Gives everything and still can out sprint most.

I've got NEG admin type stuff next week so no racing for me. Good luck to any of you peeps that have a go.

[Daniel Gee]

Keith, I wondered who my one man cheerleading squad may have been; big thanx for the support during the race.

Despite feeling absolute sh1t throughout the entire race and having to stop myself just pulling over and giving up about three (3) times a lap it was a fantastic race and the result could hardly have been bettered.

For reasons that entirely escape me on lap two, along the back straight into the famous Hillingdon headwind, I went straight round the entire bunch and off the front. Fortunately two other fools came with me and we worked together to put about fifty metres on the main bunch.

For a couple of laps the situation remained unchanged and I seriously started to consider sitting up and letting myself get caught, this idea only lasted until two lads from the chasing group managed to bridge over to us. As they joined us I started to think we might be able to make this break stick and so we redoubled our efforts to pull away.

A little later though I came off the front and drifted to the back to find that there were a lot more people following than a few laps previously.

F***ing, F****ing, F****ing, F****ing, sh1t hollyhocks we’ve been caught I thought, or something along those lines.

Luckily I was wrong our break had swelled to eight or nine. My spirits soared somewhat as. we formed a fairly disciplined pace line and set about winning the race in earnest.

With four laps to go my saddle came loose ??????????????? and started wobbling around all over the place.

With three laps to go someone broke away on the finishing straight and put about twenty metres on us. No-one seemed too keen to chase so I clamped my buttocks firmly round my saddle and grimly reeled the opportunist **********er back in!

With one lap to go I came out of the long left hand turn two or three bike lengths ahead of the rest of the group. I looked back and was gripped by the paranoid belief that they were waiting for me to wear myself out and so sat up.

And so as all organisation and discipline collapsed we crept, at about four mph, to the turn before the finishing straight, everyone watching each other and all sense of camaraderie and mutual advantage a distant memory.

I noticed at this point that there was only six of us so we must have dropped a few on the way round,

And then predictably everything went mad.

As all of them came round me I jumped out of the saddle and hoofed it up the finish straight. Coming up to the line I could see I had forced myself into third but there was only about a three inch gap on the inside of the second place dude and I confess as this point I hesitated.

The Demon beast that had so far propelled me round refused, yet again, to let me give in and took over at this point so I stamped on the pedals and went through the gap past him. Now I was on the wheel of the leader.

And then we crossed the finish line.

It was a fantastic finish once the six of us crossed the line we were all shaking hands and chatting, because we all worked so hard together there was this amazing sense of camaraderie and achievement.

It was totally f****ing awesome.

[George]

what a fantastic race and write up! well done Dan sounded like you enjoyed that very much

[Toks]

[quote="Daniel Gee"]With three laps to go someone broke away on the finishing straight and put about twenty metres on us. No-one seemed too keen to chase so I clamped my buttocks firmly round my saddle and grimly reeled the opportunist **********er back in!

[Stu Merckx Man]

great write up dan, congratulations!

[mlocke]

Dan, All I can say is quickly followed by well done!

[Sylv]

Great first report Dan!

As a result now I wish it was Friday and I could go racing again tomorrow

[Daniel Gee]

marco- I am about nine days into what I hope(touch wood)is my final attempt to stop smoking.

My lungs still feel the size of grapes-but hopefully now i'm finally racing it will give me the extra mental push to kick completely.

Thanks for all the encouragement guys-i'm really loving this racing lark and hopefully come summer I can help make it a vintage year for the agreeables.

( i realise that last bit comes across a bit gay; but such is life )

[Andrew G]

Excellent report Dan, very funny and congrats again.

[Gavin]

Well done Dan that was a good report and win.