so a happy Dad, finally able to tell his son some good news.Anyway, back to the start, turned up at an almost deserted CP, only Steve B and one other (sorry my mind's a blank) from ACC, in the end I think there was just over 40 in the 3/4 and the E/1/2 was so small that we all went together (Sylv, Stu, if you'd turned up you would have got a top 10 as there were less than 10 E/1/2s
). So as we all went together we were all finishing together after the full 35 laps. Well for the whole race I stayed up near the front and let the E/1/2s and some 3/4ths do the work. As usual Mr Anne Boorsma made a break, on his own this time as his companion, Felix English, wasn't there. So he went off early and stayed away for the whole race to get a great solo victory.
Most of the bunch stayed together, the pace wasn't too high as the few E/1/2s weren't pushing the pace too much, except for some surges on the hill, which we don't usually get in the 3/4ths. Later on, about half way (?) two guys got away, one an E/1/2 (CC Luton rider) and a 3/4th rider. They put about half a lap on the group and stayed there. On the 5th last lap I was in 2nd position in the bunch and let the front guy take me to the start of the hill, as he started to die, I pulled out and put in a big out of the saddle effort and jumped away front the bunch. I caught the 2 guys and stayed with them to the end, leading out on the last lap from the right hand turn at the top going down the hill (as the pace in the chasing group had picked up and the other 2 seemed to be slowing a bit, I didn't want to get pulled back on the last lap!!) and getting overtaken at the end. But very happy with my 3rd place.
I think Steve might have got some points too but I'll let Steve tell his story.
) and an E12 broke away, and were never seen again. I'd missed the boat, but in all fairness wouldn't have been able to stay with them anyway 
. Ok so they were gone but the rest of us carried on as before, chasing guy's bursting away up the hill and reforming sometime later. Anytime I got to or near the front my legs were tiring, so I kept moving back into the pack to get a rest. I then had a quick chat with Kieran who said he felt good and told me to sit in for a bit. This worked and I then got back up to the sharp end.
. So I did the same and peeled off, rejoining in about 6th. Up the hill for the last time and the usual all out effort from everyone was going on ahead of me, but I felt quite composed. I made sure I was in the right gear and poured on the power - wow, there seemed to be quite a lot of it 
