Awesome turnout - from ACC and riders in general
503 official starters but there was a group of over 20 from the Medway at the bottom of Star Hill who joined in without signing on. And our group certainly picked up a few more along the way.
Groups of 20 - 4 minute gaps.
Every intention of going steady but that went out the window up Toys Hill when half the group got dropped (including half the Medway lot). And i wasn't going to wait - t was a case of either join the group going forward or join the group going back.
How come I always get sucked in to a race on this ride? It was frantic for the next hour - group of seven, couple of riders from Vitsoe doing all the work and the pace was just about manageable. Then there were a couple of punctures and one of the hardworking Vitsoe guys dropped out knackered cos he'd had his nose in the wind all day. Up The Wall there were 4 of us left, I got dropped initially but the longer the hill went on the better I felt and I chased the others down and was first on the road at the checkpoint at the top. Screaming descent and another legbreaker over Groombridge and the others were talking about trying to stay ahead of the entire Rapha/Recycling team who'd turned up with full support wagons, spare wheels, the lot and had started 30minutes behind us intent on finishing first. "And they'll be towing a posee no doubt" suggested one guy.
So, ears pinned back through the Penshurst drags and I kept finding myself on the front as the others started to tire - then close to the top of Ide Hill one guy jumped and we couldn't respond. He hammered it and was out of sight through the lanes toward Kemsing. I was chasing so hard I dropped the other two and was solo for a good 20 minutes in TT mode into the wind. Along Pilgrims Way to Otford and up the drag to the bottom of Star Hill. Amazingly I saw the escapee like a dot in the distance near the first bend on the bottom straight of Star Hill. He looked like he was weaving a bit so I had a go at catching him. Half way up on the middle bend he was a lot closer and I thought "Hang on, I'm feeling all right here", not a sign of cramp after 62 miles in the hills. Burried myself, went past him and sure enough he was in bad shape, dribbling and not even aware I was there.
Still had enough for a sprint over the top and nailed it all the way back to Knockholt - 1st rider back - YES!!! Ok there'll be loads of faster times from people in better groups but hey, you can only race those in front of you Kicked those Rapha guys asses too cos they were well over 30 mins behind with some lame excuses about punctures - lightweights!
Superb weather
Superb course - right mix of distance and hills
Excellent signage and marshalling from where I was sitting
More needs to be done with feed stations and one toilet for 500 people was a bit of a squeeze but the organiser reckoned he was expecting 250 riders tops - so next year they'll shift to a bigger hall
Great to see Tim Harris back on a bike, Keith was flying considering he had a hard training group ride the day before, Mrs Keith (Michelle) did an exceptional 4hrs.20
Lots of other guys from ACC back safely when I left, Snoop and Mark Locke missing in action. A worried looking Snoop was a pale green colour even before he got the bike out of the car so we might not see him 'til wednesday
Anorak stuff: 3hrs 50 ride time, 3:54 with stops for card marking. 190w av normalised to 218w. 85 minutes at threshold must try that in one sitting - not)
2788calories (which I cetrainly intend to put back in one sitting)
That's my season over - I'm quitting while I'm ahead. Where's the couch?