Ok so since my last update, which admittedly was quite a while ago I've done 4 races. 2 x 2/3 cat races, 1 1st cat race and 1 Elite National Race.

After the two previous races which I spoke of in my last update I had the 4th and final event of the Trophee Job Morvan. The race began in wet conditions "not my favourite" it was an inline race with a big loop and then as far as I can remember 8 laps of grippy up and down windy finishing circuit on single track lanes. My team mate Josh managed to get himself into the winning break and I was left to salvage something for myself in the latter stages of the race. The break contained 20 people, I knew that on this hard finishing loop this would dwindle and weaker riders would be dropped and be swept up. On the 1st loop I went on the climb and pushed myself hard to get a gap over the bunch. I managed to force a gap with maybe 10 others, we worked well for 6 laps but after a while people began to sit on and not do their share. This in turn allowed the bunch to come back to us, but I wasn't going to have riders taking vital points from me which would serve well for the overall team prize. So therefore before riders from the bunch could recover I went again this time with 2 laps to go. I had good legs but so did 5 others, next time around bell ringing i went again and got rid of 3, I rode hard to finish with one of the lads rolling me on the line. He took 20th which was the last points scoring place but we secured the team prize nonetheless and I was happy to have had the legs to keep myself ahead of the peleton.

And so on to Sunday. It was the Championships of Morbihan "a region of Brittany". The race was 100 km in line over very hilly terrain followed by 6 finishing loops taking it up to 140km. I began very attentive at the front and was very close to making the break of the day but just didn't have the legs to make this move. I stayed in the first 15-20 riders all day, something that in this category of race I had struggled with before. This kept me well positioned on all the key climbs of the day and therefore saved me a lot of energy. Unfortunately I couldn't keep this up on the finishing loops and found myself going backwards. I went pop with 8 km to go but managed to hang onto the coat tails. Afterwards I had quite a bit of food still in my pockets and kind of put this down to my "blowing up". 

Now almost a week later I had my first criterium of the year. I was the only rider from the team entered and was really looking forward to it. It was a 20:00 hour start, the sun was shining and after my morning spin I had good feelings for this race. The circuit was a 1.8km fast flowing circuit around the town centre of Chatres de Bretagne. There were well over 100 starters and I was very keen from the beginning. After a few go's myself and watching others I realised nothing was going to stay until the latter stages of the race. After it was 45 laps 81 km "50 miles for you oldies". People were going bang all through the race and more so in the last 20 laps. Moves were going in the last 10-15 laps but none were dangerous. Then with 5 to go a group of 10 chipped off, I watched and counted there gap, "10 seconds Hmmm bit too much for my liking" I hit the front and rode up to the group in just over a lap. I felt unreal next lap I attacked up the finishing hill splitting the group off again, now it was 10 of us; I was like jesus we are away, the gaps massive this is it!!!!. 2 laps to go sitting well, which was more than I could say for the others. Final corner 1 lap to go, BOOM!! guy in front of my came down allowing the remanding riders to jump and get an un closable gap. I kept my self upright rode strong to end but just ran out of road to get back. After all only had 1.8km. I held off the bunch for 12th but this was no consolation of what could have been. I "KNOW" it was my race for the taking but thats bike racing, especially in Crits. I was gutted.

And Finally my latest race. An Elite National in the beautiful village of Moncontour. The race was very prestigious and I could see why. The setting was amazing "shame about the weather" the route was 17 laps of an 8km circuit taking in a 2km climb every lap.

 I felt pretty good from the start and kept myself up the front. The speed was pretty high too, we averaged 26.8 mph for 3 hours solid never letting up. After the first 5 laps I was starting to feel it but I kept plugging away and managed to crawl my way back up to the front quarter of the bunch. The winning brake didn't get away until the last 2 laps on the climb but I was no where near getting in this. I was just happy to be up there in the bunch at the end after a hard day in the saddle. I came home 58th from over 170 starters. 

Tomorrow "Sunday 26th I have a 1st cat race will keep you posted..............

Getting back in the game

So I neglected the blog last week as I had such a terrible weekend there was nothing much to say. Long and short of it was I took in far too much sun during the week and at the weekend felt trained with sunstroke and tired. Coupled with a few mouth ulcers and two DNF’s I felt seriously run down and tired. However a good few easy days and nice early nights have got me feeling ok again.

 Fortunately there was a race Wednesday so not much time to dwell on the weekend prior. The race went ok, nothing special I felt ok but did struggle at times. As the race went on I began to try and get in the moves on the finishing circuits but none of my attempts stuck. I had 1,2,3 jumps in the tank but the critical one went on the fourth and I just had to watch it sail of up the road. I rolled in 44^th from well over  100 starters and was just pleased to get the full distance in my legs after the bad weekend.

And so on to this weekend. The race started and finished in the same town as Wednesday but the finishing circuit was an entirely different beast. The race was very aggressive, everyone who could was attacking on the inline loop but nothing was getting away, little groups got 10 seconds and then were shut down. I was very attentive up at the front not dropping out of the top 15-20 riders. When we came on to the finishing the sun was at its peak and it was getting pretty warm out there. The loop was a 4km slog with not one inch of recovery.  The climb continued through the finish line and then swooped down a fast long open section, at times I wished I had a 56 chain wheel on. Then there was a steeper decent and finally up the climb to the finish, the climb was pretty pacey but also kicked up at numerous points into the town. The best way I can describe it is like a typical Spanish village, every road to the centre goes up to a church at the top. On the second lap I had a go on the fast downhill which was a mistake..... I rode my nuts of here and as I reached the bottom of the accent the whole bunch came by. I grovelled onto the back and held on desperately through and over the crest after the finish, I was then dropped and distanced on the decent and had to make up around 200 meters. I managed it and held my speed and got myself back in the first 15 for the climb. I know that if I hadn't made this decisive move I would have been dropped on the climb.

And so we kept at it, I followed everything and kept myself safely up there. Lap after lap after lap the pace didn't ease at all if anything it got quicker and I was in a world of pain, all these stick legged climber types twiddling next to me on the penultimate lap. And so one to go I was right there first ten final time on the hill, thought right this is it lad “COME ON” the pace eased slightly and this allowed some riders further back sneak up, I rounded the last bend and just sprinted with anything I had left. I was 19^th in the end from well over 100 starters.  

My next one is this Wednesday, Hopefully I can build on this weekend....