Palace 22/7/2008

[Hal]

A calm and warm evening at the Palace circuit. I had checked my point on the BC website and worked out that either a 1st for 2nd would see me propmoted to second cat my goal for the season.

An early break with Felix English and a Pearsons riders didn't really work and after 2 or 3 laps we were reeled back in I did some work on the front but the rest of the race was reasonably uneventful. If anything things seemed to be getting slower and slower which was making me nervous. I wanted to keep the pace up and was staying up near the front with Toks, Keiran Steve B. 3 laps to go and not much going on up into 5th or so. On the sounding of the claxon I found myself drifting onto the front into the haripin and lead the race round to the climb. Where predictably the attackes when from Felix, Man with Tatoo, I quickly grabbed a wheel but couldnt hold on to felix, steve B came past and one other so I finished 4th.

Now 4th is not at all bad (I remember the thrill of my first 9th place finish at palace) but I was feeling strangley depressed when I got home, I had the strenght to do more but not the tactics to make it stick

In retrospect I should have made another attack to see if I could get a break to stay away.
In retrospect I should have been more cunning on the last lap and stayed off the front.
In retrospect I should have launched a brutal attack on the last climb of the hill and won

Well at least I get to ride with the 3/4's again next week.

[Sylv]

Well done to Steve, the Poulidor of Palace. And Hal and Toks who were at/near the front most of the time. And John for jumping straight back into the E12 race. And Keith for his first venture at Palace. And Kieran, Ed, Dan & Mark - I think I have the lot there.

My action photos are 95% rubbish unfortunately, really messed it up there (thought i could safely bump the ISO to 800 but the definition has suffered horribly, not familiar with new flash which was as umpredictable as anything, lots of out-of-focus pics too) - sorry folks, especially the ones who pulled their tongue at me. I might put up a few tonight, nothing worth printing, and some ok ones from before the start.

[Wal]

Well done, once again, guys! Sorry I couldn't be there to help you out; last Friday I developed a mysterious neck pain, which has since migrated to my right upper arm and is particularly intense when I ride a bike. My doc has prescribed some anti-inflammatories and assured me I'll be fine in a week or so, but in the meantime I'm off the bike

[Keith]

Well that was a learning experience. I can even say that I enjoyed it (in retrospect!)

The elastic with the main group broke with the lap board showing "19" (it starts at 30). A group of 5 of us continued together and this gave me the ideal opportunity to find out just how fast you can get round the bends at Palace. On the first few laps I was rubbish. Explains why I was working so hard early on in the race, having to accelerate out of each and every bend. Our little group kept going hard, got lapped by the 1/2's and were pulled up with 3 laps to go as we were over half a lap down on the main group.

Well done to the other ACC riders, especially Steve, Hal & Toks.

Afterwards, followed Sylv in the traffic back to East Croydon. Almost as much fun as the race!

[Andrew G]

Well done Pou Pou and Hal. Good fun isn't Keith .

[EdO]

Second week at Palace and managed around 10-12 laps this week instead of 2 so at least I'm seeing progress. For 6 laps of those laps I managed to stay with the bunch too I was settling into a rhythm, getting the hang of the bends down at the bottom corner but just needed a little more strength up the drag round the back as lap after lap I was starting slip back.

After sitting out the rest of the race on the grass I can't helping thinking I should have stayed on the course for duration come what may Hopefully I can do this next week with new bike

Slyv, didn't get my tongue but I seem to remember having my photo taken as I was dribbling Maybe that's another competition (like tongue out) but could be quite unpleasant to look at.

See you in Wales.

Ed O.

[Marky Mark]

A dam good effort put in by all by the sounds of things. Well done.

Hal for the TDF

[Sylv]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/patronchou ... 337176083/

[Marky Mark]

Sylv, they have to be some of the best actoin shots I have ever seen. Quality pictures, they tell a good story, very well done

[quote="Sylv"]... sorry folks, especially the ones who pulled their tongue at me ..... nothing worth printing ......

[Michelle]

Yeah those are cool photies, Sylv. I got so engrossed with them I forgot I left the iron on

ALWAYS top photos from the Patron .
[quote="Keith"]I'm sure it was hanging out every time I went past you. .

[quote="Andrew G"][quote="EdO"] I can't helping thinking I should have stayed on the course for duration come what may. Hopefully I can do this next week with new bike

[Andrew G]

That is my race pace Steve .

[quote="Steve B"][quote="Andrew G"][quote="EdO"] I can't helping thinking I should have stayed on the course for duration come what may. Hopefully I can do this next week with new bike