Surrey League - Cutmill 3rds - 14th Sept

[Andy E]

Finally, a good day for a race! With dry roads and even a bit of sunshine, I headed down to Cutmill for the morning's 3rd cat race. A field of about 50 started with myself and Dan G flying the flag for ACC

After the disappointment of his 2 punctures last week Dan's legs were obviously raring to go as he and 4 others quickly established the first break of the day. They pulled out a lead of maybe 30secs before the bunch started to pull them back half a lap later, and as soon as they were within striking distance two riders jumped across. One of these was a Dynamo called Cameron Austin, who I'd heard through the Dynamo grapevine was an incredibly strong rider who in his first ever race last month rode away from the bunch at Hillingdon halfway through the race to solo to victory. As soon as he went I was straight on his wheel, but as we got across to Dan's group and I sat up to take a breather Cameron just went round everyone, tapped Dan on the shoulder and away they went.

They were pretty quickly out of sight and I was confident they had a decent chance of staying away. After a quick chat with one of my Dynamo associates we reached an agreement that we would keep in the top 5 and cover any attempts to bridge across to the break. Unfortunately there were lots With no-one organising a proper chase and 8-10 riders constantly taking turns to attack the bunch and join the break it was un-relenting. For 4 laps I was constantly dragging people back, setting tempo on the climb to make sure no-one got away etc. Hard work, but it was great fun

Unfortunately on the penultimate lap Dan started to tire and he came back to the bunch. Now I wanted to start attacking myself but I was completely spent so after 1 failed attempt I took shelter in the middle of the bunch. Amazingly Cameron was still out on his own for a lap but got swept up with about 2 miles to go. I think 3 guys managed to get away just before the end but I couldn't do anything other than hang on at the back.. Approaching the finish I was right at the back of the bunch (now reduced to about 20 riders) but swung out wide so I didn't get boxed in. At the bottom of the hill I just put my head down and went up the outside, cresting the steep part there were only 2 guys in front of me I tried to pull them back but had nothing left, so finished 3rd in the sprint and 6th overall I think.

Great effort from Dan to stay away so long and still be mixing it in the sprint at the end. It's only a matter of time before the results start flooding in buddy!

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

fantastic....awesome....amazing.....on that course guys - well done.

Shame Dan got caught - he's only ever in 2 places - out the front or the back

Guru P

[-Adam-]

September 14, 2008 - Surrey League/VC Meudon - Cutmill - 3rds - 57 miles

Pos Name Club/Team Cat
1 Sebastian Ader A3CRG 3
2 Martin Weinberger CC Basingstoke 3
3 Philip Peters iTeam Cyclist's Club 3J
4 Tom Spreckley In Gear Development Squad 3
5 Alexander Mackmin Norwood Paragon CC 3
6 Andrew Ellis Addiscombe CC 3
7 Cameron Carthew In Gear Development Squad 3J
8 Neil Bradford Twickenham CC 3V
9 Torkel Dohmers London Dynamo 3V
10 Alan Parkinson South Western RC 3V
11 David Wilson Charlotteville CC 3
12 James Beaumont Kingston Wheelers 3
13 Richard Collins Imperial Racing Team 3V
14 Robert Cranstone Royal Navy & Royal Marines CA 3V
15 James Dunsbier London Dynamo 3V
16 Paul James Norwood Paragon CC 3V
17 Clive Copeland Crawley CC 3V
18 Graham Wood AD Cycles RT 3V
19 Ian Jones Bayeux Landscapes 3V
20 Giles Wingate In Gear Development Squad 3
21 Joshua Worrall Twickenham CC 3V
22 Warren Peters A3CRG 3V
23 Doug Baldock Beyond Mountain Bikes 3
24 Alexander Bastin London Dynamo 3
25 Damian ??? Addiscombe CC 3
26 Adam Dallison Priavte Member 3
27 Cameron Austin London Dynamo 3
28 Howard Radcliffe iTeam Cyclist's Club 3V
29 S Alston Priavte Member 3
30 Russell Scott VC Meudon 3V
31 Chris Campbell London Dynamo 3
32 Joe Frend South Western RC 3
dnf Mario Manelfi AD Cycles RT 3V
dnf Tim Lawn Kingston Wheelers 3V
dnf David Faulkner Charlotteville CC 3
dnf Andrew Redding iTeam Cyclist's Club 3V
dnf Christian Yates In Gear Quickvit RT 3V
dnf Peter Griffiths Private Member 3
dns David White Private Member 3

Well done guy's, especially Damien! Haha

The Elite race was fun. What the results don't show you is the time gaps . And one other note, Alex Higham (Plowman Craven, who was DQ'd from the TOB last weekend!) was in my group at the finish but decided not to cross the line and instead did a U-turn back down to the HQ, bizarre. Was obviously upset at being dropped by myself .

Pos Name Club/Team Cat
1 David Clarke Lacuna [E]
2 Paul Holdsworth Hounslow & District 1V
3 Paul Robertson Sportstest.co.uk
4 Stephen Gowar Sigma Sport RT 1V
5 Mike Hawkins Norwood Paragon CC 1
6 Gary Dodd Sigma Sport RT 1V
7 Christopher McNamara Wildside RT E
8 Adam Cotterell TriSportNews.com 2
9 Toby Meadows Team Corridori 1J
10 Steven Richards VC Meudon 1
11 Simon McNamara Wildside RT 1
12 Marcus Brueton Norwood Paragon CC 2
13 Roger Smith VC Etoile 2
14 Lewis Atkins agiskoviner.com 1
15 Andy Betts Twickenham CC 1
16 James King In Gear Development Squad 2
17 Justin Callaway DHCyclesport.co.uk 3
18 Mark Sussex Wildside RT 2
19 Kevin Davey Norwood Paragon CC 3V
20 Lee Smith agiskoviner.com 1
21 Roger Morgan VC Meudon 1
22 Robert Enslin awcycles.co.uk 1
23 Jason Edwards Wildside RT 1
24 Benjamin MacLand VC Meudon 2V
dnf Steven Saunders Kingston Wheelers 2
dnf Martin Hulbert VC Meudon 3V
dnf Mike Cripps Army CU 3
dnf David Kennett Norwood Paragon CC 2V
dnf David Creeggan VC Meudon 1
dnf Alex Higham
dnf M Neil
dnf Mattias Kune
dnf Christopher Scarlett TriSportNews.com 3
dnf Paul Pickup Team Cycle Kingdom 1
dns Niall Digby Sigma Sport RT 2

[Michelle]

Really excellent results for the 3rds, you must have been on fire Dan. And good strategy Andy to try and keep them all away. Well done for your 6th place in such illustrious company.

Well done Adam too, mixing it with the big boys and keeping up as well.

[Andrew G]

Another top result Andy.

[-Adam-]

[quote="Michelle"]Well done Adam too, mixing it with the big boys and keeping up as well.

[Andy E]

Thanks guys, tired today though..

Great result Adam, first 2nd cat again

[Daniel Gee]

Perhaps attacking @ the start of the second lap really wasn't the best move however there were five (5) of us & I did think that that might be enough

I didn't realise we'd been caught but Andy had pointed out this Cameron chappie @ the start of the race & as I saw him go past I just went with him.

I did @ the time sincerely doubt the wisdom of the move, early break, just two (2) of us plus an unbelievably tough course

but I was absolutely stuffed with adrenaline & thought why not?

The first couple of laps were fantastic-we hurtled round the course, working together really well & egging each other

All the marshals were shouting encouragement as we went past & just being out there for so long was absolutely incomparable (though maybe not as nice as actually winning )

after two (2) laps away @ the bottom of the course one of the marshals shouted as we went past that the time gap was up to 1:50.

Unfortunately that had dropped down to 1:20 by the top of the hill but I hoped I could rest enough on the way back down to ensure that we statyed away.

When we turned off the main road & started the initial gentle section of the claim I was setting tempo & we were absolutely flying but then as things steepened I lost me rythym & all my strength & pretty much ground to a halt.

Cameron continued on & I have to admit I was awestuck-he is so strong its terrifying .

About half a lap later I was caught.

Hung about in the bunch after that and did my best to rest but also ensure that I stayed fairly near the front. Unfortunatley in the final push for the end someone touched my back wheel & I was slightly distracted from finishing by the sound of him hitting the deck behind me & trying not to come off myself!

An absolutely fantastic race though, I absolutley loved every minute. Just a shame that I'm getting a feel for this racing business just as the season draws to a close.

Another good result for Andy though & after all the extra work he had did while I was being a Prima Donna up front

There's probably a lesson there.

[Keith]

Excellent ride and write-up, all 3 of you.

Dan, it must be nice to get to the end without having to repair a couple of punctures along the way!

PVT will have to shorten the odds on all of you in the book he's running for the ACC race on Saturday.

[Toks]

Well done Andy a good result given the circumstances. Nice work Dan too, hopefully more good luck is on the way... I see my Rusper breakaway buddy did the business again

[Sylv]

Good reports and good rides by everyone.

Adam, def a 1st cat next year. You have to do it all over again to build up the points though!

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]plus an unbelievably tough course

[quote="Sylv"]Adam, def a 1st cat next year. You have to do it all over again to build up the points though!

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote="adam"]Try following the likes of Dodd and the McNamara's on a vicious last lap attack then!! And even that was nothing like the speed Dave Clarke went up that hill. OH MY WORD HE WAS QUICK! LIKE CONTADOR HE TOOK OFF LIKE A ROCKET!! Dave K and I looked at one another and thought f*** that!