Ladies Mile

[Marek]

Was intending to do the 3/4 race, but fortunately they split the race into a 3rds and a 4ths due to numbers, and still being a 4th (just) I decided that I would take the easier option.

The Ladies mile is a reasonably hilly course, nothing extremely steep but just a number of long drags with a few steepish parts.

After the first couple of laps I was feeling ok, and sat near to the front, on about the third lap a group of three got away, so on a steep section I sprinted from the peleton to join them. We worked together for a bit, but after about a lap the peleton caught us up. So I sat a bit further down the peleton to await further opportunities.

On about the fifth lap we caught up with about 8 or so third cat riders who had been dropped. The fourths at the front got mixed into the thirds and seemed to slow to their pace. I felt this was not a good idea so went off the front to pull out the fourths which seemed to work.

Stayed near the front of the peleton for the remaining three laps and then coming up to the hill finish I got behind a couple of London Dynamo riders who were starting to pick up the pace, I then went past one of them and as the leader started to sprint I sat on his wheel to the last moment and then released my fury and overtook him to take what I thought was a win. Imagine my dismay to find that a London Dynamo had got away on the fourth lap and had won the race by about two minutes. Bit of a bummer, but overall pretty pleased with a second and the fact that I have now at least won a sprint finish, if not a race.

After the race there was a bit of bad news with the fact that Daren came down in the third cat race, will put up a separate post to let you know how he is.

Cheers

Marek....

[Phil S]

Nice result, Marek. I'll be doing my first race tomorrow at Hillingdon - I have big shoes to fill given the results you and Toks have posted so far.
I might have entered the Ladies Mile had I not thought it was a 1.6 kilometre course for women only. Drat.

[Toks]

Hey once again great result Marek! Sorry to hear about Darren I wish him a swift recovery. I'll be at good old Hillingdon tomorrow to support Phil S. I'd love to race but I'm trying to shake off this knee injury which I've had for about two weeks. I can't afford to ride in pain anymore, especially with the Etape coming up soon so I'm taking a week off in the hope it will heal...I think us central London boys (Phil S, myself et al) will have to come and join you in a third cat race once we get enough points...I sense there's a bit of friendly rivalry already between us agreeables and the London D's.

Toks

[siwickm]

I agree with your comments on the London Dynamos. They have built up quite a good club pretty quickly it would seem from talking to a few of them after the race at the weekend.

I always seem to be surrounded by LDs in the races that I do, they have got some good riders and I think they train quite hard so they are quite good wheels to follow when racing. I was surrounded by about 5 of them on Sunday, did not realise they were trying to slow me down until the race had finished and was then told that the escapee was one of them and he had won by a couple of mins.

Cheers

Marek....

[Marek]

Surrey League/East Grinstead CC at Ladies Mile on May 9

4ths - 30 miles
Pos Name Club/Team Cat
1 Gary Powdrill London Dynamo 4
2 Marek Siwicki Addiscombe CC 4
3 James Woodward Dbennett Training RT 4
4 Tony Geraghty Thames Velo 4
5 Rob Tubbs London Dynamo 4
6 Gavin Morton Charlotteville CC 4
7 Neil Quarmby Southboro 4
8 Craig Thompson Southboro 4
9 Nick Symes Private 4
10 Andrew Hicks South Western RC 4V
11 Andrew Wills VC Deal 4V
12 Gary Williams East Grinstead CC 4
13 Alex Balfour London Dynamo 4
14 Greg Cremen Kenton 4
15 Charles Codrington Private 4
16 Jon Masters Redhill CC 4V
17 Phil Charman Crawley CC 4
18 Graeme Langhorne Gemini BC 4
19 David Finlay Addiscombe CC 4V
20 Nick Dibble Climb on Bikes 4
21 Philip Davey Brighton Mitre 4
22 Graham Sheridan Kingston Wheelers 4
23 Edward Boorman East Grinstead CC 4V
24 Phil Rapley Southboro