I'm back, I'm back in denim ... ♫ ♪Really enjoyed last night's race. I'd ridden my race bike to work which I hadn't done since last summer (having to pop back home to swap bikes in previous Palace rounds, giving me a nice 1+ hour warmup), I like my "roadrunner" commuter mtb but riding the Look is so much more enjoyable, completely transforming that tired old route I take every day. Was feeling reasonnably good for a change so looking forward to try and finish the race. Yes it was Chris and John Watts doing some marshalling.
My computer is playing up and probably needs new batteries, so I am not sure about the average speed, but it did feel pretty fast. During the first half of the race the attacks fused, but even though some were allowed to get away for a while, they didn't come to anything. I managed to scrape both my pedals trying to pedal into the turns, and once had to ride on the grass at the bottom bend.
At one point when I was towards the back a handful of guys managed to slip away, I was behind Warrick Spence who was not attempting to chase, so I was happy to stay on his wheel, reassured by the thought that he probably knew what he was doing. The bunch got recomposed once again and now Warrick was pushing the pace, not attacking but just grinding up the climb every lap trying to shake off the weak - third time around I was thinking that any more and I might not be able to keep up - fortunately it was only one more lap before they eased off slightly on the uphill.
A Dynamo did a solo attack and he was let free - someone on the side was timing and giving us the gap, which grew to 17 seconds. I think we caught him after a handful of laps, and then there were some big surges in speed and the bunch split in two - I missed it but was in the wheel of big Toby (I think) from Corridori, love being behind him as for me it is like drafting a lorry, he also never seems to need to get out of the saddle which makes it quite smooth - I was desperatly clinging to his wheel for 3/4 of a lap while he was digging deep to catch the break.
The two of us finally made contact after the hairpin which was a great relief - wow I was in a, well can't really call it break, but at least a group af about 9 that had gotten away. I thought that Toby would need a rest but soon enough he was at the front, I was still on his wheel so had to do the obligatory turn at the front, unlike earlier in the race though I made sure I was n't exhausting myself so as not to die on the climb - it was touch and go though as someone attacked there and I just about managed to take Chris Moore's wheel with a huge out of the saddle effort. Two riders did get away though unfortunately, think it was Warrick and the eventual winner.
8 laps to go and the pace was still high in order not to get caught by the back group. With 3 to go people were now reluctant to come to the front, the strong guy in the Look kit getting annoyed to be left to drive the pace. He attacked with two to go and I was about two wheels down so had no choice but to follow, despite wanting to prepare for the sprint. With one to go I was well placed, let myself slip a couple places down the hill then moved up to behind the Look guy who was leading up the hill. Ideally placed then in second place on the inside while another line was forming on the outside, I stayed on his wheel but could not come past. Gave it all for the sprint but unfortunately lost two places in the final 5-10 metres, as can be seen on this photo by Andy Waterman.
Came 5th of the group and 7th overall, matching Adam's effort of a few weeks back
. Was really pleased with that (as well as getting my first points of the calendar year!!). Roll on next week!
[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3056/2609166022_3aacf232e7.jpg[/img]
Senior ACC lady 
) and Stephanie. In the E12's was Sylv. I tried to get away a number of times early doors with a Corridori guy and a Dulwich guy but nothing ever lasted. Less peeps racing in the 3/4s this week and no neutralised bit with E12's made things a lot smoother!...Kieran had a dig for a lap with a few chaps but again they never had more than a handful of secs...A great solo effort by a fella in black with 5/6 laps to go nearly came off but we got him back so it came down to the inevitable bunch sprint. A school boy error by yours truly not being near the front on the bell lap meant I struggled which wasn't helped by cramp in both calves and touching wheels on the climb 
) The most exciting bits were doing my turn on front and also rounding the bottom corner and hearing a crash behind me (hope they were alright). Anyway on the last lap up the hill I had got a good position, about 4th back, but the guy in front slowed down and as I was on the left hand side I had a slight wait for a gap on my right, then I stamped on the pedals to accelerate as was hit by bad cramps in my right leg and almost ground to a halt. I managed to pull over to the grass verge and watch the bunch go by and then slowly spun my way to the finish line, last of the bunch.
