i was not feeling top of my game last night, as i think i might just be about to get a cold, but as im coming to the end of a 4 week block, and about to take about 4-5 days off, i might as well go for it hard. we had to do 5 laps of a 6.6 mile course.
i went in the 2nd to last group, with a few vc meudon riders, andy davies from fit for, a couple of norward paragons like nigel carpenter, and a couple of other guys. adam bravely went with the scratch group which included the likes of dave kennett and gary dodd.
the group in front of my group included 3 girls from halford bike hut, including world track team pursuit champion jo rowselle.
so we set off, and got a good through and off going for about half a lap, before people started missing turns (not me though!) and people were getting left on the front, but as i felt fairly strong i would start the through and off again if it went stale, which happened a number of times.
after a lap and a half we were caught by the scratch group, but im not surprised as we were not working well at this point. i was feeling good so kept on working with the scratch group guys, about 5 of us doing a through and off. i didnt see adam, and assumed he had punctured or something
....but after about 20 minutes he appeared at the front to do a turn, but in all fairness he had been with the scratch group a lap and a half before catching us, and after the 20 minutes he did chip in when he could.i was feeling pretty strong still, and i didnt seem do get out the top 5-6 for nearly the whole race, despite trying a few times, but always feeling a bit guilty about letting the guy behind me go through with no one following him.
by the 2nd to last lap we had the next group in site, and we swiftly caught them, and went to the front to do their work and catch the last group on the road, which we did after the start of the last lap.
now we were all together a couple of attacks went, but always bought back, but after watching them, i decided i too was also going to attack (but picking my moment carefully).... i chose to do it on this section of main road, which had a little hill/rise, before dropping down to a left turn. i attacked at the brow of the hill, and pushed down the other side, opening up a nice little gap. i was hoping someone would have followed me, but no, i was stuck in no mans land. i could see the pack was slowly eating up my lead, so i eased up knowing it was futile to carry on alone.
when i was finally about to be caught though, the pack was strung out and split in places, and the guy leading called out to me to go hard , so did, and sure enough i found myself off the front with 2 other guys. we only ever had a small gap, and were swfitly taken in again. i was not done yet though, and i went on another attack, with a few guys on my wheel this time, and about 7 of us got a gap, but no one wanted to work so close the finish and we soon got taken back in.
as we hit the last corner, about 500m away from the finish up a hill, i was not in a good position, about midway down the pack, and about 15 guys had split off the front, so i had to sprint the gap over to them. just as i got over, a guy from vc muedon went early, so i jumped on his wheel and he absolutely motored up the hill, and i was really in the red trying to hang on, then from the right a group of 6-7 came tanking past including gary dodd and adam. i tried to get onto the back of them, but i was now paying the price from my earlier attacks and my legs were dead.
however i still managed to prevent anyone else coming past me and finished about 8th or 9th, and adam about 4th or 5th, so it was not in vain!
afterwards the 1st cat from twickinam spoke to me saying i deserved a much better place after the amount of work i had done on the front
cheers
stu
.
. He's getting a reputation for not playing at the front!!
