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Background
Ok so back in Feb/March this year Paul Richards (Mosquito Bikes) asked if I fancied doing a five day, 6 stage Road Race in Wales. I must have said yes at some point but to be honest I can’t remember. So Team Han was formed. Adr Rocco (Rapha Condor), Phil Murrell (Finsbury Park), Paul Richards (Mosquito Bikes) and of course me, Toks Adesanya, (Addiscombe CC). So that was it. A four man team of fair- middling 3rd cat racers in a 2, 3, 4, Women and Juniors stage race. None of us were pulling up any branches race result wise so it was gonna be interesting but hopefully not embarrassing...
Stage 1 (Prologue: Llangybi-Llanhennock)
Description: a 4.3 mile rolling course ending at the top of nasty 8-10% kilometre climb.
So Team Han: Paul.R (Mosquito Bikes), Phil. M (Finsbury Park), (Adri (Rapha Condor, and me - Toks. A. (Addiscombe.CC) got going at around 3.45pm and like most TT’s we were separated by one minute intervals.
I wasn't particularly psyched about this short TT effort (11-14mins with ya tongue hanging out) but nevertheless was full of nervous energy. I kept telling myself not to go too hard at the beginning so of course that’s exactly what I did. It wasn't helped by the fact you rolled down a short descent then came up a short draggy bit which immediately had the heart panicking to match the oxygen requirement from my legs.
With a minute gone I quickly realised I'd pushed things too hard and but trying to control the effort was proving to be futile. Yes despite a fairly aerodynamic position on my road bike I was puffing and panting like a 50 a day smoker. 2 mile in I had other worries. The dark clouds that had loomed all afternoon couldn’t contain themselves any longer and in full on power-shower mode came down the rain. Oh and just to spice thing up a bit more, lots of painful hailstones. I couldn't see at one point so panicked a bit; a slight loss of balance due to the swirling wind and the fact my wrists were on the bar tops and I was nearly a goner.
Stage 2 AM (Abergavenny-Raglan-Usk…Abergavenny)
Description: 53miles; Bitch Hilly
We rolled out from Abergavenny Tennis club for a short Neutralised section and Stuart Stanton the race commentator was in full passionate vocal action - name checking all the racing pros - local girl Nicole Cooke, Emma Pooley, Jo Rowsell etc. On route we rode past lots of school kids who had lined up near their school to cheer on Nicole.
The pace in the bunch was as you'd expect in your average 2/3 cat race fairly steady’s but pretty lively up drags and in response to attacks. Just as we hit the most significant climb of the day I saw Emma Pooley (Team GB) pull over with a puncture. The climb was a real stinker, I was mid bunch when riders started to loose wheels, gaps formed and those with the better power to weight ratios took full advantage. The climb wasn't too dissimilar to Toys hill out the Kent. The road surface was a little rougher however but in length and steepness they were almost identical.
So what do long climbs create? Tension? yeah of course, suffering no doubt. But most importantly - a split. There were around twenty guys in the front group and it contained the GC contenders, Cwmcarn Paragon boys, most of the Bike Hut girls and Team GB. The last man at the back of the front group was Dave Andrews (London Dynamo) I was sat just behind Dave when there was a slight surge in pace.
At this point the sensible thing would've been to jump out the saddle and hammer it across the gap. Oh no sir. I had one of my infamous knuckle head moments - trying to close the gap by spinning a low gear. Doh! Oh dear bad move. The gap grew to 40 metres and I was now in the land of no men. Jo Rowsell who had been alongside me for a good chunk of the climb was now no where to be seen. It was time to get my act together so I chased for around a mile and a half by myself; once the bunch had crested the hill I rejoined on the descent. A few miles later Rowsell and some other also crossed the gap.
Stage 3: PM (Abergavenny/Raglan)
Team Time Trial;
Description: gentle rolling 15 miles
Unlike the morning (stage 2), the TTT stage held in the afternoon morning was lovely and sunny. Each team went away at 3 minute intervals. Only Phil had the full TT regalia, Paul had Tri bars so myself and Adri would be spending the best part of 35 mins on the drops. We lost Paul within the first few miles and managed to take fairly regular turns right up to the roundabout which was the half way point.
However it was quickly apparent that Phil on TT bike etc was much stronger than Adri and I so being a genuine tester on the return leg he took longer pulls. I continued to take pulls but not for as long and Adri took even fewer turns at the front. The rules stipulated that the clock would be stopped after the 3rd man so it was important to stick together. Interestingly most four man teams finished with only 3 guys. We knew we weren't gonna set the world alight and we didn’t. 18th out of the twenty teams.
Stage 4 (Usk/Raglan/Charthouse)
Flat (apparently) 60mile
After two days of racing I felt pretty good despite fairly poor sleep. The stage had a very long 7 mile neutralised section which in terms of a warm up was just what was needed. It was a pretty testing course and flat it certainly was not. There were three loop of the 16 mile course to be negotiated each featuring a draggy 2 mile climb.
Weighing in at around the 90kg mark I don't know how Damian "The Fridge" Sharp (PSUK Cycling) managed to get himself at the climb, and in a good position each time. Like I said most of us were struggling. There was however one person who made it look like the proverbial walk in the park. lt Racing) who had been dangling at the head of the bunch. We started working but only had around 20 secs for maybe 3/4miles before we were sucked back in. I think four managed to stay away and I finished in the main group behind the leaders.
Stage 5 (Storey Arms/Brecon/Fedynnog)
Yes indeed Ladies and Gents can I introduce you to the climbing phenomenon that is Emma Pooley (Team GB). Oh my goodness! Now don't get me wrong Nicole Cooke, Tim Wallis (Red Kite Cycles) etc and a few other climbed really well but they make the Defynnog look as hard as it actually was. Emma Pooley floated up the climb. Its all clear to me now R Kelly was obviously talking about Pooley when he wrote his RB hit believing he could fly a few years ago
The descent off the climb was extremely fast and the roads were twisty; having a clear view ahead was paramount. A poor line into any blind bend and your race would end at Gwent Hospital. Back on the flat we hit a fast road and we were strung out at 40mph. I can remember at one point the GB girls (Jessica Allen and Emma Pooley) cruising past me on either side like it was a Saturday club run.
Stage 6 (Abergavenny/Three Cocks/Llangynidr)
Description:
56 miles rolling with 4 mile mountain top finish climb
Phaarrr..kin...hell!! When the flag dropped those Cwmcarn Paragon boys attacked immediately. Now I don't like sprinting at the best of times. At the beginning of the race in particular. It must have been 30 secs at least in the red zone before things relented... There were lots of narrow lanes for people to sneak off the front so we spent lots of time chasing down the attacks. As the GC stood, all the leader Tim Carter (Team GB) needed to do was not to concede 1.40mins and he had it in the bag. 2nd on the GC Tim Wallis (Red Kite Cycles) had other ideas naturally and throw in those crazy Cwmcarn Paragon with internal scores to settle amongst themselves this was gonna be a rough ride.
THE FIRST ONE TO THE TOP IS A POOLEY!... I'd decided to just spin in 23/39 and whatever happened happened. On the lower slopes I was soon alongside the London Dynamo clan. Quickly G. Kenneway and M. Bridge pulled away and so did my team mate Phil Murrell (Finsbury Park) later forming a group of 8 riders.
I caught up with Dave Andrews who had initially surged past everyone and then I rode past Joe Hemmant. A hundred metres later Joe returned and give me a friendly nudge as I weaved across his path. I couldn't help laughing but Joe wasn't amused. I caught up again as he pulled away and then had a 30 metre lead on him by the two mile mark.
He then came back and rode past and this time I had no reply so resigned myself to some time alone in the pain zone. Those of you that have or will be doing the Tour of the Black Mountains will experience this climb in the next few weeks. Good Luck!
With 200metres to go up pops fellow Crystal Palace racer Jo Rowsell. She's pursuit team world champ, less than half my age and oozes class. I once won at Palace a couple of years ago so we're clearly a good match. Jo pulled away spinning a low gear. Call it male pride but I was determined to beat her to the finish. No chance Dave Povall (Cwmcarn Paragon) who'd been bobbing and weaving like a tipsy boxer just in front of me challenged Jo to a sprint finish. Jo duly obliged and kicked Dave's proverbial and beat me to the line by 12 secs. So that was it the race was officially over. I'd finish 36th on the G C
Stage Winner: Emma “I believe I can Fly†Pooley
Later on after the award ceremony I saw Nicole Cooke and she smiled at me. I wanted to say good luck in Beijing but it came out as a head nod and a big smile back. A great event, met lots of great people. Chapeau to Simon Bray and his team, the marshals, helpers, Police, Outriders etc. It was a fantastic event which was flawlessly well orgamnised. Well done to all the racers. Maybe I’ll see you all again sometime
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/si ... eCymru.asp
My bike only got cleaned after wet muddy stages 
