Hillingdon 26th Jan

[Michelle]

Went Keith-less today. In a very machaivellian way he said he gets no points at a 4th cat race now he is 3rd cat, so there wasn't much reason for him to go!
Actually, he wanted to do the Training Group more than he wanted to race

Relatively mild, with a MASSIVE headwind down the back straight and blustery to boot. Could feel myself getting buffeted all over the place on the warm up laps.

Thought it would be well attended - good weather forcast, not so many illnesses, people now have got over Christmas excesses. Wasn't wrong - there were loads of people - must have been about 60? There were some right tasty looking types too! Not to many women - again, sigh.

Pretty immediately there was a break off the front, but as per it didn't last for long with the headwind. After a few laps the group started to split and I made the break to the leading group, unfortunately dragging others along behind me. There was another break of 4 that got away, and stayed away for about 15 minutes, but I guess it was just too much for them and they got caught about 25 minutes in. In the meantime there had been another couple of bids for a split and I managed to keep up - without dragging anyone else this time. But it all went to ratshit on the windy backstraight where the front were slowing down and everyone was bunching up again.

Unfortunately, on the next lap at the hill/ chicane after the finish line, there was a huge crash. It happened right behind me, all I could hear was the hiss of breaks, loads of swearing and the horrid sound of clashing metal. Looked behing and there was a big human/bike pile up on the circuit. I had just made an effort to get from the middle to the front - glad I did otherwise it could have been me!

Things calmed down a bit after, but the organisers let the race carry on and we kept out of the way for the next couple of laps. After the accident was off the circuit, it all started heating up a bit, but still no one was going off the front, they were all saving it all for the sprint finish. Lots of bunching as usual.

After the 5 laps had been called, I was getting a bit hacked off with all the bunching up, and thought that I did not want to be in the middle of things with a sprint finish as I am not fast enough (....yet, Adam). So on the 2nd lap to go I accellerated round the outside and pegged it up towards the finish line. Some of the blokes faces were priceless There were a couple of real double takes as they realised they were about to be overtaken by a girl! But they couldn't do anything about it . I only sat on the front for all of 10 seconds, cos when I looked behind the rest of the pack was right on my jacksy, so I didn't press the advantage. Still had a huge huge grin on my face. First time I had been at the front of a race!

I managed to keep to the front group for the next two laps. On the last lap pegged it round the outside again by the sheds, had to jink to the inside on the sprint finish as there was no room for me to get through and pushed and pushed to get .....15th!

No points yet, but not bad going for such a tasty group and such a large one too. Quite pleased.

The racing seems to be getting more tactical too, and I am getting confident enough to chase the breaks and take the front ( ). I guess the next goal would be to try and get in a breakaway group, to see what that feels like.

Anyway, hey ho thats the last one for a while.

[Sylv]

[img]http://www.londoncyclesport.com/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif[/img] Very impressed with you mixing it up with the guys. They are always going to have an advantage in terms of raw power for the sprint, but find a woman's race after this series and you'll be laughing!

[Stu Merckx Man]

top stuff michelle!

sylvs right, you will blitz a womens race!

[Michelle]

Hmm, might be good to mix it with the girls

Forgot to say Keith K was there and cheering me on from the sidelines. Didn't who it was at first telling me to save my strength, when I briefly took the front. Good to get a witness though, eh!

Hope he did ok - maybe we will get a post later.

Don't think there were any lasting injuries from the crash. One guy was sitting in the middle of the road holding his arm and I though broken collarbone. But I saw him walking around later, seemed fine!

I think an Imperial Team bloke will need some new shorts, the way his arse was hanging out of them......

[Andrew G]

Great work Michelle and glad you dodged the crash and Mr. Imperial's arse didn't distract you from the race , maybe this is a good omen for Addiscombe this year after last years "events".

The others are right you should do well in a women's race with these ones behind you, although they will be smaller fields so there won't be as much shelter, and you all race together (all cats) so you could have a few really fast women (leave it!) in there.

[Rob C]

Well done Michelle, there must only be a couple of these left now? Might get there on Saturday if I can avoid a prior engagement.

[George]

Michelle you sound as though you were buzzin when you wrote this, I bet you won't be able to sleep tonight, Your Loving it, well done for showing those lads what for

[Toks]

[quote="Michelle"] Some of the blokes faces were priceless There were a couple of real double takes as they realised they were about to be overtaken by a girl!

[Marek]

Excellent stuff, great to hear that you have built up your confidence to be able to get to the front. I think this is even more fantastic after the fact that you have crashed there before and you have just got straight back up and raced again, that is the best way.

Have a great break away in France and see you on the racing circuit later this year.

Cheers

Marek....

[Michelle]

I know, I know, I do go on a bit!

Thanks everyone for the support.

[KeithK]

Well done Michelle. It is always good fun watching other Agreeables racing but seeing the field not wanting to get beaten by a Woman and then all panicking when they realised they had, was excellent. Shame you can not get to MOD Chertsey for the 3W & 4W races. Oh well, there'll be others but generally you end up with the dreaded Elites & 1st cats, all good training!!!!

E/1/2/3 A big field, lots of fast riders and windy as well. I thought I'ld enjoy it but I was rubbish me. Again it was a very fast start, all strung out in a great long line and me about four from the back. It wasn't too long before it calmed down a bit and I moved forward. The reason it calmed down was two orange numbers, Elite or 1st cat, had gone clear. So being a complete idiot I chased them alone. After two laps I got on but I hadn't looked and the bunch were bringing us back. All that effort for nothing.

Two small groups got away and later seven more went clear, so again, off I went on me own only to be a stepping stone for the bunch. Hopeless me. Then the legs are empty and the pace has picked up, nearly got shot straight out the back of the bunch. Misery on wheels this racing lark. All I could do was hang on and finish mid bunch.....again. I was so pissed off I kicked me own arse for failing to look for the bunch, not once but bloomin twice.

Oh yea, there was a woman in our race as well. Very strong and smooth, on the drops all the time, definately one of the top nationals she rides in Italy I believe. Really good in the bunch and her name totally escapes me. Not Nicole Cook but I recognised her legs from somewhere......

[Sylv]

[quote="KeithK"]
Oh yea, there was a woman in our race as well. Very strong and smooth, on the drops all the time, definately one of the top nationals she rides in Italy I believe. Really good in the bunch and her name totally escapes me. .

[Ian A4size]

Well done Michelle, stirring stuff indeed. I think you will do extremely well when you race amongst the women. I think this sounds right! But in case it doesn't it is a compliment.

[Stu Merckx Man]

well done michelle as usual. can you do any more races before your off on your trip?

and well done keith, i cant believe your chasing down elite and 1st cat breakaways on your own!!!

[Maria David]

Well done Michelle - glad to see you're really getting into it. Try and keep your form while you're away and that should put you in good stead for the 3W/4W races at Chertsey and the Thruxton circuit races too. You'd definitely move up at these races.(They usually have about 5 or 6 of each of these per season.)

And now for the tell it like it really is bit that will give you a clear idea of what you're aiming for :
As for the other women's races I'd say the work is only just beginning !! Whatever you do with the 4th cat men at Hillingdon you'll have to do at least twice as much once you're up against the E12 women and the juniors/olympic development squad lot who will have just returned from their umpteenth trip to Belgium with Bryan Taylor. These will be your competitors in most other women's races.(Note that most of them will not show themselves in a road race until at least March, and when they do they'll be on fire !)

Anyway, keep up the good work, and catch you next week over a mulled wine.

Maria