Hillingdon GP - 17th May 09

[Michelle]

A few pictures from this afternoon's Hillingdon GP, part of the British Cycling National Criterium Series.

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[Keith]

Apparently some of the racing wasn't that interesting, and an alternative form of entertainment had to be found.....

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P.S. Yes, that is Chris.

[Sylv]

Thanks Michelle for taking the photos and waiting patiently on the sides for close to three hours! And cheers to Jane, Steve, Toks, Chris and Lisa for the support, I could hear you but could not see you during the race!

After a dismal start to the week (I started the Palace race but had to give up before 20 minutes, failing to even keep up with the main bunch once the break had gotten away), I had to rest until Friday, when I rode to work, feeling better, and Saturday, when I just did a 40min ride to the M23 Starbucks. If you were out this weekend you will know about the wind. On the way down I was struggling to reach 20mph, my heart rate in the 160s, and once I'd turned back I was cruising at 30+mph, and sprinting at 40.

Well the conditions hadn't changed on Sunday, except for the rain. Thankfully, despite the morning storms (apparently the course was water-logged for the 3/4 race), and how dark some of the photos look, after a downpour just before the start, we never got more than a few drops. I had left my arm warmers in the cars and was panicking a little as almost everybody had some, but once we got going I was fine. I was a little nervous, not so much about getting dropped, but more about doing a handling error which might cause the ire or even bring down some of the big guns there, Rob Hayles, Ed Clancy, Dean Downing, Jody Crawforth, you name it they were all there it seemed. And also some more familiar faces like Kevin Knox, Matt Seaton, Ian Paine, Warrick Spence, Sam Allen, Vince Halpern, Matt Holmes. But, as soon as we got going, the fears disappeared and after a few laps on the hoods I was down on the drops for the rest of the race. Fingers close to the brakes though, it was such elbow-rubbing close action at times, and there were moments when things suddenly slowed down (you could generally smell the cork half a second before), but other than that it was good fun.

As Keith said we were racing clockwise, and the worst section was what is usually the finishing hill, where going downhill was so hard you could not believe it. It was ok in the bunch, not quite so ok on the outside of it, but just as I was telling myself things were getting a bit boring in there, there were a series of accelerations which left riders stringed out in a single line. This is where it got really tough, and required full concentration to not let go of wheels. There was one moment where I very nearly lost it, can't remember what happened exactly, I think it was after I went after an attack of about 15 for the first - and only! - time (thinking at the same time, what the hell am I doing), but I was left some 10-15 meters behind a group of riders, and had to bury myself in panick to get back. My heart went over 180 for the first time (see Garmin HR graph), I just made it but then a string of riders all went past me so fast I couldn't get back on, at that point I really thought the end of the race was near for me.

Thankfully I managed to get back on and from now on was even more cautious with positioning, it became a little game as you could figure out where was the best place to be on various parts of the course, left right or centre. The laps were flying by, some under 2 minutes, and every time I looked down at my computer when we went pass the finish line with the wind in our back we were doing 54km/h or more, it was bonkers. The short sharp hill between the usual finish and the S-bend was a tough part of the course, just like at Palace you had tu jump out of the saddle with max power as soon as you exited the turn. I could see numerous attacks at the front, but it was unlikely anything would stick. I did not see the three that got away, seems it was with about 8 laps to go. How they managed to get a 40s gap in those conditions is beyond me, would like to see their power files!

So I spent the rest of the race working on the best position, when I saw the six laps to go sign I began thinking of the finish and what to do, but gaining places was virtually impossible (unless you were willing to get out alone in the wind). The action got even hotter, with a few sudden brakings which you could use to carry your speed. The sprint started as soon as we were about to exit the corner at the bottom of the course, I was about 30th down, and even though I was at full speed I wasn't making ground on anyone, well I guess all those willing to take part in such a crazy finish would be handy sprinters. I started cramping so had to sit down halfway through, then BANG I heard someone down just ahead of me (you can see him on the BC report, and I think some of Michelle's photos), thankfully it was slightly to my left and I didn't have to do too much to do to avoid it, it must have hurt though (Pendragon rider). Glad to finish!

Hillingdon Grand Prix
1 18 Jeroen Janssen Plowman Craven/Madison*
2 7 Dan Craven Rapha Condor
3 69 Roy Chamberlain Tm Corley Cycles/Cervelo/Pro
4 12 Ed Clancey Halfords Bike Hut
5 11 Rob Hayles Halfords Bike Hut
6 70 Simon Gaywood Tm Corley Cycles/Cervelo/Pro
7 17 Tony Gibb Plowman Craven/Madison*
8 20 Jon Mozley Plowman Craven/Madison*
9 1 Dean Downing Rapha Condor
10 84 Lee Smith Agiskoviner
11 9 Malcolm Elliot Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta RT
12 66 Daniel Duguid Sigma Sport/Specialised/Sportful
13 14 Stephen Adams Plowman Craven/Madison*
14 93 Warwick Spence Cyclefit RT
15 41 Shannon Dean BMC UK/Spuik/Mule Bar
16 43 Jo Skelton Brixton Cycles
17 13 Andy Tennants Halfords Bike Hut
18 30 Darrell Pembroke Agiskoviner
19 52 George Richardson Pendragon-Kalas
20 35 Jody Crawforth Arctic-Premier RT
21 34 Richard Hepworth Arctic-Premier RT
22 92 Simon Holt Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta RT
23 2 Rhys Lloyd Rapha Condor
24 78 Ben Price UKCycleshops.com/Fat Spanner
25 28 Sylvain Garde Addiscombe CC
26 38 Nick Abraham BC PM
27 60 Gary Adamson Science in Sport
28 36 Matthew Holmes Arctic-Premier RT
29 61 Andy Tinsley Science in Sport
30 6 Liam Holdham Rapha Condor
31 71 Matthew Higgins Tm Corley Cycles/Cervelo/Pro
32 68 Billy-Joe Whenman Sports Bean/Wilier
33 77 Peter Johnson Tor 2000
34 59 Daniel Davies Sabbath-Claytan RT
35 10 Graham Briggs Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta RT
36 63 Alistair Rutherford Science in Sport
37 ?? Rider Obscured
38 55 Doug Dewey Pendragon-Kalas
39 88 Tim Rowson J E James RT
40 90 Sam Allen A W Cycles
41 54 Richard Tanguy Pendragon-Kalas
42 27 Vincent Halpern A W Cycles
43 73 Paul Mill Tm Edwardes/Pinarello
44 ?? Rider Obscured
45 56 Tom Collier Pendragon-Kalas
46 74 Colin Roshier Tm Quest
47 44 James Jackson Ciclos Uno
48 89 Scott Holmes Hillingdon CC
49 39 Adam Norris BMC UK/Spuik/Mule Bar

Women's Circuit Race
1 29 Janet Birkmyre XRT Elmy Cycles
2 13 Jessica Booth Halesowen A&CC
3 31 Dani King Vision 1 RT
4 11 Nicola Juniper Glendene CC
5 23 Kelly Moore Squadradonne/Luciano Cycles
6 27 Charlotte Colclough Wielerclub Hand in Hand Baal
7 41 Melissa Mather BC PM
8 8 Kara Chesworth Dysynni CC
9 4 Harriet Owen Bicester Millennium CC
10 6 Cassie Gledhill DNA Cycles
11 10 Claire Thomas Edinburgh RC/Bicycleworks.com
12 35 Jackie Garner Max Gear RT
13 56 Gema Habard Met Police CC
14 22 Hannah Rich Pinarello/Candi TV RT
15 14 Hayley Edwards Halesowen A&CC
16 21 Hannah Barnes Pinarello/Candi TV RT
17 ??? Number wrongly postioned Rider Unidentified
18 43 Elise Laverick Pearsons Cycles
19 49 Jayne Paine Willesden CC
20 51 Natalie Hill Hilingdon Slipstreamers
21 40 Diane Moss BC PM
22 20 Marianne Brietten Max Gear RT
23 24 Natalie Creswick Twickenham CC/Evans
24 12 Cheryl Owens GS Metro
25 25 Emma Williams Twickenham CC/Evans
26 52 Elizbeth Chittenden Eagle RC
27 19 Cath Weiss M&D Cycles/Specialized
28 50 Bernadette Hards Max Gear RT
29 38 Karen Price Dulwich Paragon
30 16 Emma Patterson London Dynamo
31 32 Nikki Wheeler i-team CC
32 33 Jeanette Caldicott Max Gear RT
33 36 Joanne McRae VC Londres
34 7 Rohan Battison DNA Cycles
35 15 Charlie Blackman London Dynamo

Cats 3/4
1 33 Chris Baldwin Eagle RC
2 22 Oliver Rossi Glendene CC / Biketrek
3 17 Charlie Heffernan VC Jubilee
4 34 Russell Painter Norwood Paragon
5 43 Miles Stovold Dulwich Paragon
6 26 David Williams London Dynamo
7 13 Dan Hayes VC Lincoln
8 30 Ben Spurrier Team Mule Bar
9 21 Jason Ormston Team Quest
10 20 James Norris High Wycombe CC
11 38 Scott Amory Gemini BC
12 1 Kieran Dineen Amersham RCC
13 25 Mark Walters BC PM
14 55 David Gayler Kenton Road Club


http://connect.garmin.com/activity/5615779

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[Andrew G]

So they kept you on your toes then Sylv?

[Marek]

Awesome result Sylv, staying with those guys must have been no mean feat. I saw the picture with the crash and was wondering who that was. Was Huw there trying to pass him a bottle in the sprint?

Cheers

Marek....

[-Adam-]

Good ride, Sylv.

[Sylv]

The rest of Michelle's pics is here http://www.flickr.com/photos/patronchou ... 284186801/

And some more here http://www.flickr.com/photos/adman_jamj ... 81/detail/

Marek I did see a rider chuck his bottle straight into the barriers it bounced back straight onto our path ..

I think you could have worked your way to a top ten in the bunch sprint Adam

I'm not sure what happened to the rest of the riders (49 finishers listed, over 94 starters as per list), as someone who was watching said they didn't see anyone droping out. Maybe those that did left straight out of the exit to the circuit at the bottom. Saying that, I doubt everyone started with that weather. I can make about 70 helmets from the BC start line photo.

[-Adam-]

[quote="Sylv"]I think you could have worked your way to a top ten in the bunch sprint Adam.

[Toks]

Someone once said (Jon from LondonCyclesport, I believe ) if you can ride well at Palace you can ride anywhere. From my humble place on the sidelines Sylv's ride was an almost flawless display in economical bunch riding. If you're not a member of the "300watt+ club" your margin for error in circuit/crit races at elite level is minimal. Just a few too many close that gap efforts or a poor bit of wind dodging and you're literally chilling on sidelines sipping sh1t coffee slightly uncomfortable with the fact your bad luck wasn't down to a puncture. Sylv never looked in trouble (although I'm sure it was pretty tough) and only every now and then did you see those 'I gotta gig in and focus' lines form on his face...its always nice to see some of the regional riders that 'put the hurt on' in local races pacified by the pro's and other elites in these National races.

Elsewhere the women's race looked pretty quick there were digs at the front Emma Trott (we're fans now, right Michelle ) and another girl got away for a lap I think. OBG (Oldie but Goody) Janet Birkmyre sat in for the whole race and and sprinted to glory in the end, but credit also has to go to Daniel King who was always up there sprinting for Preems

In the 3/4's my Regents Park training buddy Chris Baldwin (Eagle RC) rode away from the field with 30 minutes to go. He got a big 30sec- 40sec gap and they could never bring him back. He's part of my favourite club - IWNEIMRWPP (I want Nobody Else In My Race Winning Picture Please!)

[carl f]

Exellent result sylv
nice to see some bright yellow amongst all that in the pix

[KeithK]

Well done Sylv to finish in the bunch with all those top riders is a superb effort

[Sylv]

Thanks Michelle for a great big photo and write up in the Advertiser