Beachy Head Classic - 31/0/08

[-Adam-]

Well this morning saw the inaugural running of the Beachy Head Classic, down on the coast near Eastbourne. The organisers were certainly granted a classic race. Which was helped no end by spring-classic like weather conditions, not cold, but windy and at times very wet. It was almost dangerously wet at times as people began to lose visibility and road! It really becomes apparent who can handle their bike and who cannot in conditions like these. As well as conditons the race was very attacking, with everybody seeming to want to bag the classic on this gloomy final day of August.

As Ant mentioned in his CR report from yesterday I was feeling very under the weather yesterday, and although feeling a little better today, was still very much under par. Joining me this morning was Toks and Marek. Toks was looking particularly sprightly after his result of yesterday afternoon.

The race was to be a 8 lap tour of a 7 mile circuit, 2 miles of which were ''uphill'', I use the '' ''s as there is a big flat section in the middle! The course taking in the infamous Birling Gap road up over Beachy Head. The fist lap was fairly sensible, but on the second time up the hill the pace was pushed considerably. Meaning the back door had been well and truly opened and there were many that I did not see the whole race! Up at the sharp end I was getting a little carried away considering my lack of form, although I did end up in the first meaningful if brief break of the day. All the right riders were there, it just didn't seem to happen. And to be honest I didn't have the legs to go after only 3 laps. Then low and behold as soon as I drop back into the bunch the real break goes. Bo!!ocks.

After a long while recuperating in the bunch, in some absoluetly dire weather where I actually felt un-safe the visibility was so bad. I couldn't see with my glasses, I couldn't see without my glasses... So what do you do!? Anyhow, I picked up again by the end of the race. And then dropped the dramatically reduced peloton to take 6th. Which I am actually quite dissappointed with, as I am a long way from my best, and on my day should have been up there with the guys in the break. But there you go, it's been a long season and I have been racing solidly since February so I guess its been coming. So there it was, a great race in challenging conditons. Oh, and where where the ACC 2nd cats?

Good work by Toks to secure 1st 3rd cat prizes (which I collected for you) and Marek just for turning up to course which is just ridiculously hilly for you!!

So Hal and Toks ACCs only 2nd cats next year then by the looks of things. Real late season form shown by Toks.

Next Sunday I'll be racing the Tour of Britain London Grand Prix around Whitehall. So if anyone was going up to town to see pro's, please get there early to see me suffer in the warm up race! Race starts 10.30, pro race about 12ish I think.,,

Cheers,

Adam

[Marek]

Well done Adam, I have to say that getting 6th place in that race is an awesome achievement, the course was very tough, and although I did not last long I quite enjoyed just riding it as it is one of those courses that you think this is real bike racing. And to boot it was raining and I love riding in the rain.

My fitness is way off racing speed at the moment as not having done much in the last few months, and in reality this was not a course for me to test myself on. Beachy Head is famous for suicide, attacking on the first lap at the top of the hill with a small break, well I committed it. Next time onto the hill and the peleton caught us, the pace picked up and the surges left me completely breathless. I just had to watch the race go up the hill and take it at my own pace.

Over the top I managed to time trial it back onto the back of the group, but then on the hill the 3rd time the elastic broke for about 8 of us near the back. And that was it. I rode around the course a few more times with encouragement from my wife and kids, but could bare the temptation no longer and stopped at the pub at the top of the hill and had a pint of lager. Felt much better after that.

Went over to the finish and saw Adam and Toks in the main group, what was left of it. A small break were ahead and managed to stay away. Adam put in a fine surge to get away from the peleton to get 6th and Toks was just towards the back of the group, smiling away, excellent effort after his race yesterday.

This is certainly one for the mountain goats, but I think I would like to have another go at this next year, I'll try and turn up with some racing legs next time.

Cheers

Marek.....

[Toks]

Oh my gosh! I could go on about this race forever. Don't worry I won't. As Adam said - eight navigations of a 7 mile rolling loop with a two mile very significant draggy hill were on the menu. The race was hard, scary, fun, and very painful in parts. You generally don't have to respond to so many attacks in 3rd cat races Ouch!; I never knew horizontal rain could sting your face so much Ouch!..i wanted John Heaton-Armstrong to die - not literally of course cause he's a nice chap. But he kept attacking and stringing us out and Damn it hurt...Adam's spins a low gear beautifully up hills I had no idea - he's obviously been hanging out with that smooth as butter Dave Kennett fella for too long... I don't think there have been many race we're I've known so many racers - Phil Sheehan, Phil Peters, Phil Murrell, Adam, Marek (big thanks mate, Dewrmot, James, John ok that enough. But seriously it was like being on a club run - all be at a very fast very very painful one.

Hey cheers Adam I didn't realise I'd won some dosh. can you believe in my totally thrashed feeble state I left my cycling shoes at the HQ. Does anyone live near Eastbourne?

Result

Number Time gap
1st 53 Jaco Ehlers Wildside RT 2hrs 49min 18s
2nd 27 Jamie Howard EWCC 46 sec
3rd 55 Ben Wilson Private Member 50 sec
4th 59 John Heaton-Armstrong Fit-For ST
5th 41 Richard Mason London Dynamo 3min 8 sec
[color=#0000FF]6th 50 Adam Cotterell Tri Sport News 3min 15 sec[/color]
7th 46 Simon Lawn Sigma Sport
8th 61 David Seager San Fairy Ann CC
9th 51 Roger Smith VC Etoile 3min 30
10th 33 Will Hedden Glade CC
11th 60 Mark Sussex Wildside RT
12th 69 Bartlomies Bielecki Private member
13th 67 Nigel Ling Citihub
[color=#0000FF]14th 58 Toks Adesanya Addiscoombe CC 3min 34 [/color]
15th 72 Andrew Eagles Dulwich Paragon 3min 44
16th 35 Mark Jones GS Stella
17th 38 Philip Peters I Team CC
18th 48 Simon Fox Team MK 3min 55
19th 64 James Gibson Peak Fuel 4 min 13
20th 68 Daniel Felstead Dulwich Paragon
21st 2 Tom Spreckley Ingear Dev Squad 10min 36
22nd 19 Robert Bordi Beyond MTB 16min 55
23rd 63 Ian Franlin Ciclos Uno 20min 44
24th 57 Philip Moore Private Member 21min 10


K.O.M Jaco Ehlers

1st Junior Philip Peters

1st 3rd Cat Toks Adesanya

[Andrew G]

Well done Toks and Adam for the results, and Marek for such a stirling display of sado-masochism.

[quote="-Adam-"]I couldn't see with my glasses, I couldn't see without my glasses... So what do you do!?

[-Adam-]

One note, 24 finishers... around 75 took to the start!

Oh, and I also have a gilet of yours Toks, you really must have been in a state at the end! lol

Anyhow, we shall have to arrange a rendevouz for the your belated prize presentation... as well as your £30 (yes, THIRTY! which is a lot more than I won!!) there's a DFL winter jacket. Although rather comically it is a large, so will be like a sail on your skinny little frame. I tried it on and its even pretty big on me! (Although of course I'd take it off your hands if you didn't want it )

[kieran]

well done guys, sounds like it was nae too pleasant. Toks where is this late season form coming from then? I must say given your form lately I'm kinda glad your spoke popped on Tuesday prior to Palace or you would probably have pushed me back to 9th and then I'd still be a 4th cat

[Andrew G]

[quote="Andrew G"]Good luck next week, I'm racing in the far more prestigious Addiscombe Open 10 so won't be there for cheerleader duty, sorry.

[Sylv]

Well done guys!

Hope to make it to watch you race Adam

[Toks]

[quote="-Adam-"]One note, 24 finishers... around 75 took to the start!

Oh, and I also have a gilet of yours Toks, you really must have been in a state at the end! lol

Anyhow, we shall have to arrange a rendevouz for the your belated prize presentation... as well as your £30 (yes, THIRTY! which is a lot more than I won!!) there's a DFL winter jacket. Although rather comically it is a large, so will be like a sail on your skinny little frame. I tried it on and its even pretty big on me! (Although of course I'd take it off your hands if you didn't want it )

[-Adam-]

Yes Ben won the day before at hillingdon so was already a 1st cat! Think there was another 1st in there too. Not to mention Jaco, Richard Mason et al who are all closer to 1st than I am.

But yeah, 57 points to go. Only the win will do on Sunday!!

Hopefully see you there...