Confession first: I went in the novices not the Bs
Excuses: My first track league so thought it would be a good way to suss things out. I'd had two pints at lunchtime so wasn't exactly race prepared.
I was there early so had a nice half hour riding round the track trying to get my legs spinning. Having got to the track and flipped the wheel to the bigger gear my legs were now feeling a lot more leaden than on the ride there
.Novices only had 3 races but this was fine by me for tonight. About 12 novices tonight.
First race was a 6 lap scratch (straight forward race). Fairly uneventful, I was comfortable for most of the race and rolled in 5th. Should have been contesting it but when I went to come off the wheel in the final straight I just couldn't get my legs spinning properly, beer legs
.Second race was a Devil (last rider each lap has to drop out 'til 4 left and then a sprint to finish). This is a race where track positioning is key. I demonstrated perfectly how to screw it up. Sat on the front for the first couple of laps and then decided I didn't want to do this all race so eased back a bit to let some others come over the top. Ballsed it up big style and let too many over and got myself boxed in so that in the final straight although I was only coasting along there was no room to squeeze through, so I was the 4th one one hoiked out
.Third race was a handicap scratch (as per race one but 9 laps and handicapped in to a couple of groups). Fortunately they handicapped it on the Devil result, so my shoddy performance put me in the handicap group
. We set off with the others a bit behind. My group of four did a thru n' off doing half a lap each and then flicking up the banking to drop back on the back. After 2 laps we'd dropped one. To be honest I wasn't going all out but just keeping the pace rolling at the same speed so I'd be able to jump on the others when they caught us.They caught us just before the final lap and when the first two came over I jumped on their wheel. The group wasn't that big with weaker riders having been dropped. On the first bend of the final lap the front 2 pulled up the banking so they wouldn't have to lead. I didn't want to either so pulled up to the blue line. Two came through underneath and just as the second one was underneath me he clipped the rider in front's rear wheel and went down with a anguished cry. I dropped on the leaders wheel and followed him in to the final bend. Coming out of it on to the finish straight I jumped and came round and sprinted clear to win
.Had a brief chat with Keith who asked why I was riding in the novices and didn't seem convinced by my excuses
. Great fun and I promise I'll go in the Bs next time (and get my arse kicked). Won't make next week as I'm going to do Beastway but will be back afterwards.Cheers,
Andrew.
