Hillingdon - E123s - 24th Jan '09

[Keith]

A decent turnout at Hillingdon today. Certainly in excess of 50, bolstered by 3 Addiscombe jerseys ; me, Sylv & newly promoted Antloony.

A few breaks went and were brought back then one formed that I reckon had a chance, so buried myself to join. I spent the rest of the race concerned that the masses behind would swallow us up. We didn't seem particularly well organised, and I ended up investing perhaps too much energy near the front. Turns out we were still pulling away from the bunch. I have a sneaking suspision that there may well be lots of potential tongue-out photos of me. Not in a bid for the '09 trophy, more a reflection of how I was turning into a dribbling wreck.

Two Elites showed their class by pulling away from our breakaway, never to be seen again. Awesome.

2 laps to go and a rider discarded his water bottle right under my front wheel. Was a scary moment.

On the last lap I had a pop off the front in a bid for the line (like I said, I didn't think the group was that well coordinated), but was soon caught, and come the final hill I had absolutely nothing left. I just watched them ride away from me.

I guess I was around 14th, although there was only afew other 2nd / 3rd cats ahead, so should still get me a few BC points.

Still learning. Need to recognise when I'm giving too much. Need to be more aware of what's happening behind. Also I'm still a little wary in the bunch, giving way more that I could.

I'll let the others tell their tales.

[Marek]

Well done Keith, sounds like you were pretty active, always good to get away, especially hard at Hillingdon so you guys must have been going pretty quick.

Cheers

Marek...

[Antloony]

Dreadfull race from my point of view. Took it easy at the start, just sat with the pack to get used to the pace then started to move forward to ride will Sylv and Kieth. After about 8 or so laps I was coming up towards the start/finish line when my left knee just seemed to explode inside just as I was putting some power through it. I went to the back of the group to try and give it a rest but it was to no avail and a lap later did my final lap peddling with one leg and pulled off the ciruit for a DNF.

Not the start to racing in the 3rds I had hoped for but hey ho, sh*t happens. There's always next week.

Well done Kieth for hanging in there and going with the break.

Young Jack got 3rd in the juniors, great result as he was up against some tough opposition today. He was just pipped on the line.

[Sylv]

You did well Keith to get in that break - I missed it by being a bit careless just at the wrong time . Had chased down a guy gone solo round the back, but didn't realise no-one had followed suite, so I was then stuck on my own on the back straight 20m down on him and 50m up on the pack, having worked hard and expecting to take a wheel for a rest. I kept going hard which was a mistake, as that's when the break went, only time in the race when I felt truly terrible, and couldn't get on as they sped by me on the bottom corner. Ah!

The rest of the race was more leisurely for me - well I wasn't going to help chase was I - so I sat in between a few wheels back and mid-field, enjoying the sunshine . Had a go at the sprint as a bit of training, funny thing is I reckon I would have got it if I hadn't been boxed a couple of times. Next time start if from 2nd or 3rd wheel instead of 5th or 6th ...

Really enjoyed the race though, gotta love riding elbow to elbow at 41+km/h for 1h15 The second best bit of the day was taking about 150 photos of the 4th cat race which featured Michelle, then handing her the camera for her to take 300 of the E/1/2/3 race!!! And let me tell you she did well, there are some awesome ones (didn't know you were a pro Michelle) ... watch this space.


edit - ouch what's with the knee Ant, do you know?

[Andrew G]

[quote="Keith"]2 laps to go and a rider discarded his water bottle right under my front wheel.

[Antloony]

[quote="Andrew G"]Never mind Ant all good experience, hope the knee's okay they can be tricky devils.

[George]

Top training race Keith great report boy oh boy were all gonna have some fun together soon

[Toks]

Hey well done for getting into the most significant break Keith. That's a skill in itself I can tell you. Things changes a little towards the back end of the season but previously I'd be the guy cursing that he missed the break.

Good work the rest of you guys and Chapeau to Jack for getting 3rd spot in the Juniors.

[Keith]

[quote="Sylv"]
... Michelle, then handing her the camera for her to take 300 of the E/1/2/3 race!!!

[Sylv]

Thankfully she couldn't Keith - lens was way too long!

Ever the pro, I skipped this morning’s running session (you never know there might be ice) in order to finish uploading the photos. So did everyone else in fact!
4th cat race first. Well done Michelle for sticking with the men (and the one woman).

Girl power! First or second lap

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The break of 3 then just 2

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Break is caught but one of the guy keeps hammering at the front, while the other one wisely has a rest

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Run up to the sprint, eventually won by James Lowden the strong man from the initial break

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1st 141 James Lowden Lewes Wanderers 4
2nd 16 Thomas Sutherland Twickenham Cycling Club 4
3rd 66 Andrew Bryson Sotonia 4
4th 106 Roger Fowkes Hillingdon Triathletes 4
5th 169 James Bowtell In Gear Development Squad 4J
6th 64 Nick Cribb private member 4
7th 25 Martin Sigrist Newbury RC 4
8th 151 Alastair Carter In Gear Development Squad 4
9th 146 Stewart Ward Ful On Tri Club 4
10th 134 Stuart Hamilton London Dynamo/Cyclefit 4
11th 43 Mark Chan Dulwich Paragon CC 4
12th 42 Martin Evans Newbury 4
13th 144 Natalie Creswick Twickenham CC 4
14th 109 Berj Kantarjian Hillingdon Triathletes 4
15th 20 Michael Widera Hounslow & District Wheelers 4
16th 84 Lee Gollop Banjo Cycles 4
17th 133 David Murrell private member 4
18th 41 Norman Lee private member 4
19th 118 Simon North Hemel Hempstead CC/Summit Racing 4
20th 136 James McCarron In Gear Development Squad 4J
21st 148 Charles Dunlop-Cunnington 4
22nd 86 Ben Smith Welwyn Wheelers 4
23rd 143 Simon Abram Oxford University Cycling Club 4
24th 101 Dave Harmsworth Reading CC 4
25th 32 Joe Holloway High Wycombe Cycle Club 4J
26th 340 Stefan Child In Gear Development Squad 4
27th 107 Michelle Le Brun Addiscombe CC W
28th 142 Stuart Stow private member 4
29th 117 James Curry British Airways CC 4
30th 13 Martin Porter Thames Velo 4
31st 1 Dave Ryan Imperial Racing Team 4
32nd 26 Terry Chard Swindon Road 4
33rd 69 Mark Heyward-Chaplin London Dynamo/Cyclefit 4
34th 47 Alan Nixon Amersham RCC 4
35th 33 Lionel Birnie Gregarios Superclub Ciclista 4
36th 17 Donald Lance Woodman Willesden Cycling Club 4
37th 72 Tim Childs Westerley CC 4
38th 103 Duncan Tulip Dulwich Paragon CC 4
39th 74 Peter Berry private member 4
40th 98 Bruce English Lewes Wanderers CC 4
41st 83 Jai Watson Dulwich Paragon CC 4
42nd 18 Phil Wege Amersham RCC 4
43rd 65 Stephen Sibley Amersham RCC 4

[Michelle]

I'm gonna stick my report in here, as all of Sylv's ace photos are in here. And look, not one tongue out from me.

A good race for me in terms of what my body is doing, much better adaptations from this time four weeks ago, so much so that when No 144 went, I thought I would go and keep her company. Not sure I would have been able to get into a break last month. Not that she seemed to know what to do to let me through so that we could work together. Shame, we could have done a few laps like that.

The whole 4th cat race thing is starting to scare me though, there seemed to be 'nearly a crash' about twice a lap as far as I could see, I think one other person did go down as I saw her limping down the side later off her bike. There were loads of wobbles, lots of braking in very inappropriate places, lines not being held round corners, jinking. One of Adam's team mates, In-Gear bloke, quite chunky, dyed blonde hair - well what a rider! He rode like he had the palsy his bike was so twitchy. He got shouted at a few times. Not by me for once.

Anyway, what with poor positioning, getting boxed in, and general loss of balls plus with Keith's call of 'the order of the day is to get safely over the finish line' I didn't get myself anywhere near the front in the last few laps. I had enough in me to do a long sprint out of the saddle all the way up the finishing hill, but again had to dodge loads of people who hadn't got the strength anymore and were grinding to a halt. Came in 2/3 down the field. Could have been further up if I was more race savvy.

Still the signs are good for the future bearing in mind this is just January. My legs don't even hurt going up the stairs!

[Sylv]

Like I said, I then asked Michelle if she wanted to try my camera with the huge 70-200mm lens for the E/1/2/3 race (thankfully she has been working out at the gym), she happily obliged and took some great photos, so thanks for that. Weather improved for that race, with some great lighting towards the end.

Spot the Addiscombe starting at the back!

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The only one of Ant

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Phil was strong (despite the lurgy!) and often seen attacking

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Keith having made it into the break

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International sign for “don’t worry I won’t help the chase”

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Hang in there Keith!

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Moores and Walters break from the break

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Adam had a few valid attempts early on and later - he seems to scare people off though! Not sure I have your right mobile number btw Adam

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Jerone Walters wins – ditch the mudguard maybe next time Chris?

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Keith rolls in 14th after his last lap attempt

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Sprint for 17th

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Adam and Phil contest for last place finish

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1st 09 r Jerone Walters Sigma Sport 1 200
2nd 08 r Chris Moores Norwood Paragon CC E 150
3rd 29 r Will Fox Banbury Star 2 130
4th 32 r Steve Golla Sigma Sport 1 120
5th 56 r Al Murison Glenedene CC 2J 110
6th 27 r Martin Dawkins Team Quest - The Bike Shop 2J 100
7th 28 r Rob Fletcher Anders Electronics/TMG Horizon RT 2 90
8th 64 r Tom Smith AW Cycles.Co.uk E 80
9th 30 r Rudie Marais Worcester Wheelers 2 70
10th 53 r Paul Alderson South Western RC 2 60
11th 59 r Jason Salter In Gear Development Squad/OneLife 2 50
12th 14 Conor Dunne Hemel Hempstead J3 40
13th 106 Angus Macalister London Dynamo/Cyclefit 3 30
14th 92 Keith Lea Addiscombe CC 3 20
15th 46 r Doug Baldock In Gear Development Squad/OneLife 2 10
16th 62 r Jules Birks VCL 2
17th 23 r Jo Skelton private member 2
18th 61 r Jake Butler In Gear Development Squad/OneLife 2
19th 69 James Carter London Dynamo/Cyclefit 3
20th 66 David Walls private member 3
21st 102 Sylvain Garde Addiscombe CC 3
22nd 54 r Gill Andrew Sigma Sport 3
23rd 101 Drew Holmes In Gear Development Squad/OneLife 3J
24th 51 r Evangelos Christides Hernes - Greece (UCI licence) 3
25th 26 James Jones Didcot Phoenix 3
26th 78 Ralph Keeler Cambridge CC 3
27th 45 Mark Spindler Twickenham CC 3
28th 35 Rob Henderson Imperial Racing Team 3
29th 88 Jerzy Kuzminski private member 3
30th 54 Andy Fowkes Thames Velo 3
31st 35 r Sam Grant Beyond Mountain Bikes 2J
32nd 91 Paul Callaghan GS Avanti 3
33rd 68 Richard DaSilva Stevenage CC 3
34th 57 r Matthias Krippel Hernes Greece 3
35th 95 Mark Ottaway VC Meudon 3
36th 89 r Stuart Thompson Andover Wheelers 2
37th 23 Joshua Worrall Twickenham CC 3
38th 47 Kieran Roebuck private member 3
39th 108 Neil Webb Mule Bar 3
40th 12 Peter Jones Hillingdon CC 3
41st 24 Mark Walter private member 3
42nd 55 r Mike Inder Thames Velo 3
43rd 25 Dave Woods CC Luton 3
44th 83 Harry Littlechild London Dynamo/Cyclefit 3
45th 51 Anthony Chandlen Norwood Paragon CC 3
46th 87 Phil Atkins Ciclos Uno 3
47th 50 Andrew Harvey Kingston Wheelers CC 3
48th 103 Jake Martin Rapha-Condor 3J
49th 77 Daniel Royle Kingston Wheelers CC 3
50th 10 Wayne Thomas Reading CC 3
51st 110 Alan Sherman Kingston Wheelers CC 3
52nd 2 Mike Betts Vegetarian C & AC 3
53rd 16 James Graham Festival RC 3
54th 63 r Alec Leslie John's Bikes RT 2
55th 29 Adam Currie Kingston Whelers 3
56th 58 Geoff Powell High Wycombe CC 3
57th 60 r Joshua Cunningham In Gear Development Squad/OneLife 2
58th 58 r James King In Gear Development Squad/OneLife 2
59th 39 Richard Collins Imperial Racing Team 3
60th 3 Mario Manelfi AD Cycles 3
61st 107 John Powell Onelife-Fuga Racing Team 3
62nd 81 Cameron Carthew In Gear Development Squad/OneLife 3J
63rd 111 Chris Jones Bynea CC 3
64th 33 Richard Stanton Roy Pink Cycles 3
65th 82 Miles Stovold Dulwich Paragon 3
66th 105 Michael Blann Sigma Sport 3
67th 113 Edward Robinson Kingston Wheelers CC 3
68th 36 r Adam Cotterell In Gear Development Squad/OneLife 1
69th 55 Paul Bennett West Drayton 3
70th 22 r Phil Sheehan Finchley RT 2

[Stu Merckx Man]

nice going keith, your exploits are impressive. and well done sylv michelle and ant too!

[Antloony]

[quote="Sylv"]edit - ouch what's with the knee Ant, do you know?

[Sylv]

[quote="Antloony"]Fantastic pics from both you Sylv and Michelle, what camera do you use, Im due a new one and would like a decent one this time round.