SL Handicap - South Nutfield - 9th July 09

[Keith]

Paul, this where you tell us all how you got on in your first ever road-race.......

[-Adam-]

Top ride mate!

[Keith]

Pos Name Club/Team Cat Time

1 Jim Burdett TriSportNews.com 4V 1.17.55
2 Peter Hooper Bayeux Landscapes 4
3 Paul Ingram Addiscombe CC
4 Serge Hunt Addiscombe CC
5 Kevin Stroud Redhill CC 4V
6 Lee Tunnicliffe Fit-For 1 at 2.16
7 Daniele Santoni Pearson Cycles 1
8 Steven Saunders Kingston Wheelers 1
9 Michael Staines Team Corridori 3V
10 Keith Lea Addiscombe CC 3
11 James Waite Pearson Cycles 3
12 John Heaton-Armstrong Fit-For 1
13 Matthew Spurgin Private Member 3
14 Guy Powdrill London Dynamo 2
15 David Kennett Norwood Paragon CC 2V
16 Daniel Clark Private Member 2
17 Jake Martin Rapha Condor J
18 Martyn Potter Brighton Mitre 3
19 Dominic Clegg Redhill CC 4
20 Rob Marcus Private Member 4V at 1 lap
21 Leigh Smithers Redhill CC 3
22 Richard Whitworth AD Cycles RT 4V
23 Ian Russell Kingston Wheelers 4V
24 Paul Gosling Bayeux Landscapes 3V
25 Ben Instone Torq 1
26 Russell Childs Racing Team 316 3V
27 Gavin Beveridge Addiscombe CC 4
28 Greg Hunt Racing Team 316
29 Chris Goodman VC de Londres 4
30 Stuart Stow Twickenham CC 3V
31 Christopher Scarlett TriSportNews Racing 3
32 Nigel Wood Dulwich Paragon CC 3V
33 Jonathan Masters Redhill CC 3V
34 Mario Manelfi AD Cycles RT 3V
35 John Leitch Festival RC 3V at 2 laps
36 Michael Grigg Pearson Cycles 4
dnf Gavin Garrett Redhill CC 3V
dnf Phillip Burgess Norwood Paragon CC 3
dnf Stuart Grieg Redhill CC 4V
dnf Simon Hazeldine Norwood Paragon CC 3V

Bonus Points
1st 4th Peter Hooper Bayeux Landscapes 4
1st 3rd Michael Staines Team Corridori 3V
1st 2nd Guy Powdrill London Dynamo 2
1st J Jake Martin Rapha Condor J
1st Vet Jim Burdett TriSportNews.com 4V
1st W n/a

[Andy E]

Awesome result Paul & Serge, chapeau . Looks like you dropped most of the group to stay away, looking forward to the report

[-Adam-]

About time that dodgy triathlete won a handicap too, it's been coming for a while!

[Sylv]

Well done guys!

Serge (the day) after a win at Beastway it's all coming together nicely for the Nationals next weekend, looking forward to it !

[Paulos Fandangos]

What a rush! Great first race, a little apprehensive before the start but when it kicked off it all disappeared, and I had to concentrate on holding a wheel making sure I wasn't spat out the back before it even began!

The first few laps were furious, I did some stints on the front, but being my first outing was keen to keep it together and make for a strong finish. Along with Serge (my Addiscombe counter-part going well) there were about 8/9 in the lead group. We had a good first few laps and the pace varied through-out, with a lull in the middle before the pace wound up for the finish, alot of the work being done by Jim Burdett, going super-strong through out.

Riding the short course, instead of the usual 10k long route, meant that we had to climb that hill before the finish 11 times,and after about 8 laps it was getting silly. Riders were beginning to struggle, and a few mis-timed efforts on the front left me feeling worse than necessary. We shelled 3 riders in the closing stages and by the last 3 laps our group was down to 5. Down to the last lap and we knew we couldn't get caught. After a brief rest at the back I came forward to lift the pace before the final climb.

On the final km it was a bit edgy as the group was bunching and had everyone shooting glances, seeing who would break first. It all started, and finished, on the last climb of the hill. It seemed quick at the time but looking back it was a slog to the top, dodging potholes etc. I was just losing touch with first & second place, I probably should have gone earlier, but I dug deep one last time. I could hear Serge shouting "Go on" from behind as I was trying to hang on. When the sprint came I was too far back to contest, not that my legs would have made the difference, but I cruised home pleased with my third place first time out.

Still lots to learn and experience but what an experience! Thanks to all who talked me into it, Keith for the jersey and pre-race tips, and Chloe for her stylish eye-wear (at least I looked good, haha!!)

Paul.

[Andy E]

Awesome stuff Paul, well done again mate, especially on the shortened version of that course, it's a killer

Good win for Jim, definitely well deserved.

[ThePinkDreamMachine]

wooop wooop de woop woop!!!!

go paul...... its all in the lucky glasses

awsome and so the racing family is extended.

chloe x

[Antloony]

Well done guys, hopefully more to come now

[Jim B]

Great fun and a superb effort from the 2 ACC guys. It was good to see people getting points that they deserved.
We worked as a group and that made all the difference. We never mucked about looking round for someone to work. It doesn't take a genius to work out that the 4th cats are going to get hammered if they get caught.
I got slightly confused at the end as we lapped a rider with about 2k to go and then a few seconds later he came steaming past us making me think we had been caught by the scratch group. He then died a death and we all rode round him again and dropped him. What was that all about?
I think the race could be improved by starting with a swim and ending with a run though!

[Michelle]

Chapeau to Paul and Serge. That's awesome chaps. And hats ahoy to that engine Jim B!

[Keith]

[quote="Jim B"]It doesn't take a genius to work out that the 4th cats are going to get hammered if they get caught.

[Sylv]

[quote="Jim B"] It doesn't take a genius to work out ...

[Andrew G]

Excellent rides Paul and Serge, and Keith making it 3 in the top 10. Nice win Jim, not just quick on a DC .