Saturday 17 March 2012

Surrey league race - first of the 2012 season :-)

Morning of the race day, I was pretty nervous for a change as it was the first race this season. With everything prepared we were off, we being me and my mum a.k.a taxi driver! got there about 45 mins before with more than half the field already signed on! keen! no rush at getting ready with a small warm up I was ready for the neutralized section to start. off we went and people fighting for position in the neutralized made for some interesting manoeuvring of the bunch on to get through really narrow country roads, good thing there were no cars coming up the other way! flag waved but no real change in speed as the race started. sat in on the right hand side waiting to see if anyone good will go up the road but strangely nobody did?... but after about 15-ish minutes people tried half hearted attacks. I had a little go just to see if there would be any reaction and I didn't attack lets say but just a little jump to get somebody with me as I felt strong. I looked round and nobody wanted to follow so I decided to push on but not ever so hard and see what happens. then I get about a 25 second gap and im thinking... 'wow! what would happen if I had a go!!' did about 2 laps solo (about 18 miles). I look back to see I can see anybody coming up and yep here they all came! so I sat up and took the decent easy and was back in the bunch by the time of the bottom. decided to sit in the bunch for a bit to recover but I didn't notice a breakaway going away and I didn't think they'd be any threat as not really anybody i reconsigned but a 2 laps later I stared thinking that something inst right! so I tried to get away several times I did but only for about 5 mins each time. It was very VERY frustrating as other riders were just sitting on me and it was if everyone had a team mate up the road (only 3 riders were up) so at the bottom of a climb I had a really hard dig and success! I was gone! :) road for about half a lap and was joined by 5 other riders, 2 at first but other joining in the latter stages. the rain was getting very annoying. not because I was wet or cold, but just the sheer mud and tyre splatter going in my face! It was fine but I then had to take my Ockleys off because they were steaming up :( I was forced to either hover off the back or ride at the side or on the front. I was scared that I might crash because it was really difficult to see. half a lap to go and I stop working mainly because I was just wanting to not crash and also save myself for the sprint in hindsight maybe I should of helped a bit more to catch the riders upfront but I didn't know that they were as close as they were... 1k to go and becomes very tense im sitting about 4th wheel and had the idea to go on around 300 metres to go (uphill finish from 700 metres) I was worried people would sit on me when I attacked but when I did I was gone and came up 4th quite tired wet and a little frustrated I didn't win... I knew I could have I was in that break... oh well :)
17 BCF points in the bag. I feel so much stronger than last year. today was so much fun. last year it was more of a case of staying in the bunch and getting lucky hopefully now I can dictate races more now!

next stop Wally gimber trophy, there are a lot of teams there two UCI Continental teams IG-sigma sport and UK Youth Team. here is the start sheet: http://www.riderhq.com/events/wallygimbertrophy?p=3#e12

also here is the results of todays race http://www.surreyleague.co.uk/results/results2012/mar2012/mar17.htm

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