The Addiscombe Club Race

[Toks]

Well well what can I say! Considering the weather over the last few days it was a pretty good turn out!... Rob wisely split us up into two groups: yellowish race numbers for novices and white ones for those who'd raced before...interestingly enough, Ajay has never raced before and was therefore wearing a yellow number!.. As one of the most popular crits in London Hillingdon, race circuit was a good choice for the agreeable only annual race: one mile long, fairly wide, slight up hill drag near the finish and some manageable but not too tricky turns .... After we'd done a training lap we all set off in one big group - for what proved to be quite a testing 25 lap race...Almost immediately the racing group (whites) went to the front. Tim, Keith, Marek, Kevin, Simon and myself all took turns dragging the Addiscombe Possee around the very windy track. Unfortunately I had to call it a day after about six laps because I punctured. A prime (chance to sprint for money) was available on the 10th lap and that was won by Richard. With about 8 laps to go Keith, Richard, Marek and Tim managed to jump away and gained a 14 seconds lead on the bunch. However hard work by the yellows (can't remember the guys names on the front) soon brought them back 2/3 laps later. The race stayed together till about 2 laps to go or when the original four-some from the break started to string things out. Keith unfortunately jumped on the penulltimate and would have taken a great win. However, Rob decided not to change the lap board from 2 to 1 so Keith just won the sprint to the bell. When the bell did finally go and the finish line truly did appear for the last time a tired but determined looking Marek managed to hold off Tim to take a fine win...

Special Mention to all those guys who've never raced before I think you all did really well: Menacing Mark -pulling into a headwind, Kick Ass Kwai, Super Sean, Awesome Alan, Steve the shadow etc etc -great Job geezers!!

Also a superdupa BIg 'BIG UP' to Rob - you are definitley the man!

Well done Monty the cinematograpy...I look forward to seeing some of you at races in the future. If Ajay can do it then...(Super you know I love you!!! Take care dudes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rob]

jon was lap boy!!!!

[sylv]

God we had it easy, 43km with cakes at the end - yesterday Tony Kelly was racing 100 miles in horrendous conditions and 25% climbs ...

[img]http://www.londoncyclesport.com/pic_2005_rd/rev_1_2/36.jpg[/img]

And today another 97 miles ... and tomorrow etc ...

[kwai]

Chewed up, swallowed and spat out the back of the peloton! That sums up my first race. Think I managed to hang in the group for 5 laps before I blew up and completed the rest of the race as a solitary 20 mile time trial! If there's one lesson I learnt, it's don't play tag with the big boys. In my attempt to stay on their wheels, I was yo-yo'ing up and down the field like Vinokourov; except Alexandre does it a whole lot better!

A thoroughly enjoyable (and humbling) experience which has given me the incentive to take part in more races in the future. Cheers to Toks and the rest of the guys for the encouragement, and a big thanks to Rob for making it happen

[sylv]

Well, I really enjoyed that! We had a nice warm-up ride to Hillingdon, and a pre-race snack of cakes, and energy gel courtesy of the sponsors. The wind was incredible and having done a few practice laps alone I wasn't looking forward to the dragging climb to the finish, with that mighty headwind.

For my third road race ever (and second in the week) I chose to ride in the slower yellow group, still a bit traumatised by being dropped by the 4th/3rd cat group at Crystal Palace on Tuesday. Fact is we held onto the white group's wheels for most of the race, until they really went for it on the last couple laps.

The climb wasn't so bad when you hung onto someone's wheel (I was a bit close on an early lap and rubbed wheels when someone got out of the saddle with the unavoidable slowing down it leads to), but it must've been a nightmare for those who got dropped. The whites did a few attacks led by Marek mostly, we sometimes tried hanging on to make the most of the drafting, but mostly kept going at an even pace, and got back to them a few times after they'd slowed down.

Had some good fights with Mr Seven, Mr Bianchi (sorry names?) and Simon J amongst others, did some work at the front of our group for a couple of laps, but had nightmare visions of the peloton catching up on the last lap and leaving me behind so worked a bit harder towards the end. I loved the speed and tight turns, something you don't often get to experience in mountain biking. You also got time to recover a bit on the downhill (that's if no-one attacked) and that's also different from MTb where it's pretty much a constant effort. Never thought I'd win a sprint though, what's more uphill, but gave it all and I think tenths of seconds separated the top three yellows. My average speed for the 41km was 39.1km/h, probably the fastest I've ridden over an hour so far.

Well done to Marek, and thanks to Rob for organising, Mr Medic (who thankfully didn't have to work), the supporters and Butlers for the supply of energy powder which should last me a year or two ...


Right, next on the list, Herne Hill derny training (got lent an old steel track bike, very nice), and a time trial ...

[Tamar Collis]

Sounds like it was a brilliant event and a perfect way for people to get started in bike racing. Top marks to Rob for organising in such a short space of time. I'm gutted that I couldn't make it.

Jackie, Maria and myself were marshalling the Women's World Cup in Wales. Oh my! They raced up proper hills!

[stevefunkster]

what a great day, the last time i raced was BMX's way back in 1980(phwew),the first couple of laps the pace felt high and my only thought was "why am i here", however i soon got to enjoy it, clocking 30mph on the back straight i had to slipstream most of the time, started to feel comfortable learning to take the corners at speed, after about 17 laps on the small climb i saw someone starting to break away, as i was actually feeling quite good at that point i thought "ill have some of that"so i shot off the front only to realise i was on my own, i pushed too hard and that was the last move for me, i next felt a rush of wind as the group swept me aside, no matter how hard i tried i just could not keep up and fell way off the back, a lap or so later i was lucky enough to be caught by kwai who got me on his back wheel and pulled me along for a few laps(thanks so much mate..)with about 3 laps left i called it a day and enjoyed watching the remaining laps, considering until 3 weeks ago i was a heavy smoker i was quite pleased with myself and glad i have given up with a new and healthier buzz from racing, ill definately have my racing licence for next year and look forward to many more days in the saddle, thanks to rob and everyone for putting on a great fun introduction to road racing for me. Vive la Addiscombe annual road race....

[Toks]

Hey Sylv well done mate! I completely forgot to mention you in my report. Sorry!. You were definitley doing your share of the work in the race. Even though I only rode for a few laps it was tough. In fact I don't remember fourth cat races at Hillingdon being quite as tough as saturday. Good luck if you do Crystal Palace on tuesday - I won't be there this week. If you or Tim wanna race on bank holiday monday (29th) I'm doing the 3/4 race at Eastway. Take care

[sylv]

Thanks, shame about your puncture. I'm doing a 24h (team) race on bank holiday weekend, and possibly riding in Wales on the Monday. Not sure about the weather for tomorrow either!