Surrey League, MOD Chertsey, May 10th

[Michelle]

Slightly different report from last week at Benenden.

Because I won the womens 3rds and 4ths race

This will be a very strange write up. No one had the balls (sic) to commit. No one wanted to sit on the front. No one wanted to go very fast. I was sitting up and having a chat to the people in the 'peleton', having a look round. We got lapped by the 3 and 4 men.....TWICE!

When breakaways happened, there were not the skills for people to stay away - it's hard work trying to teach newbies through and off on a long 500m windy back straight in the middle of a race Also there wasn't quite the fitness - it's hard to break away and keep away on that circuit. It's almost impossible to break away on your own.

So the race was not really a good indication of my fitness or ability. Or of many other people's either.

However a few good things happened.

1. I won .
2. In the end I had to fight really hard for the win on a 600m sprint (PB for a new max heart rate 184 - used to be 181).
3. I got into one breakaway group and instigated another one.
4. I am now a 3rd cat.

[Stu Merckx Man]

michelle thats fantastic.

i was with keith when you phoned him, i think he was more excited than you, he wouldnt stop going on!

well done

stu

[Andrew G]

Excellent Michelle .

When I was there last year the women's races seemed a slightly strange affair, but you've still got to beat everyone. Well done great stuff.

[Antloony]

Yeah well done....and a 3rd cat now...whoo hoo.

[Keith]

[quote="Stu Merckx Man"]i was with keith when you phoned him, i think he was more excited than you, he wouldnt stop going on!

[Ian A4size]

Well done Michelle, i did not think it would take you long.

[Ian A4size]

Mr what were you doing in the womens race?

[Michelle]

He was sharking......

[Sylv]

Yeah Keith almost fell off his chair

He wanted to order some champagne but the café didn't have any

Well done Michelle

You know what they say ... "a win's a win"

[Rob C]

Well done Michelle, I had a pretty good race up until the last lap. Was on the inside for the little climb just before the descent into the home straight in about 10th position and got cut off, didn't get pushed of the track but had to ride on the "kerb" for a while and brake hard to avoid the person in front. By that time I was at the back so sat up and had a chat with another guy who had a similar thing happen to him. I think that the outside of that part of the course is a safer bet.

Pi55ed of with result but there you go, I seem to be dragging out these last two points for 3rd cat a bit too long.

Thanks to Chris Scarlett for letting throw my phone etc in his boot

Will race at Palace this week if dry otherwise I'm going to Hillingdon....

PS - I did ride over to Chertsey today, 30ish miles each way. Got home with 96 miles in my legs. Theres another of these 4th cat events in a month so if I still need points I'll be doing the same.

[Michelle]

Tough luck Rob, that was quite a large group you had, surprised weren't more crashes.

Chris Scarlett told me he just stopped in time before he ran over the testicles of the bloke in front who had come off.

No they weren't that large . The bloke was lying on his back with his legs in a V shape. Phew, close call.

Wonder if there were any crashes in the E12? The field was certainly large enough. Seemed to be about 80 blokes!!!

Adam?

[Snoop Doug]

Nice one Michelle - I'm dead chuffed for ya - go girl!!!!

Snoop

[-Adam-]

Was only about 30 guys in the E12s Michelle. The rest of the muppets behind me were the 3rd cats!

Well done again, you certainly had a convincing margin. Enjoy floating! Well done to Lisa Scarlett also who crossed the line 3rd, which I believe is her best ever result.

E12s was fast and furious, 85km, 42km/h av. Despite my team mate John's best efforts to get me well placed for the sprint I just didn't have the legs, and was way down. Will be a while before I can really sprint competitively in an E12 race, the races are just that little bit longer and that little bit faster to take the zip from out of my legs. Still, I felt like a 2nd cat today, for the first time since my promotion. No longer feel like the new boy, which is good. And despite this being my 5th race in 10 days I felt pretty strong for most of the race. Just maybe chasing to many moves in the later part of the race.

But I'm good for next weeks BUSA RR... bring it on!

Looking forward to a real easy week now, the training is there. So hopefully come next Saturday I'll be fresh as a daisy and be right up there in the highest profile race of my career to date.

[Andrew G]

Bad luck Rob, that drop down with the right left flick is a nightmare in the 4ths as they all want to take the racing line regardless of there being someone else already there .

Always crashes in the 4ths there Michelle, it's a nightmare. The other cat races have people who know how to race so don't have the same problem, the 4ths attracts a load of nutters.

[John the old'un]

Well done Michelle. Great to get a win under your belt.