Attacks still came during this period the last of which I was represented in, just as I was using a short drag as a spring board the lead motorbike Commissare pulled in front and asked me to stop. As you can understand there were many frustrated riders in the bunch, however I decided to defuse the situation by suggesting a cafe stop........ There weren't many takers. However we were soon rounded up and told that the break had been stopped and we rode neutralised back to the intended course. The break was let go and then we resumed, you could just tell it was going to get ripped up after a lull in the racing.
Team Loudeac basically sat on the front all day controlling the race like a pro team. It was pretty good I saw 70kph at one point and wasn't even pedalling. Anyway to cut a long story short that break was caught coming onto the circuits and a further 5 more guys got away. I kept in the front of the bunch which was down to about 30 riders by this point and then made a spectacular job of cocking my sprint up, which left me boxed in and rolling over in 26th. Ok from more than 100 starters it doesn't sound so bad but there was a sniff of a good top 10 and I messed up but Hey Ho!!!.
Next up was a local race the following Sunday, the sun was out the wind was blowing "hard" the circuit was good, what could be better?!! Well I tell you, my legs that's what, I felt terrible I was grinding up the "hill" on the circuit like it was the Zoncalon. I was unable to follow attacks and this left me in the bunch crawling around while the break gained a healthy advantage. However after 15 laps of 19 I dug something out and rode away from the group and finished alone just behind the front group. Ok I didn't get a result "28th" but I just needed to take something from the race. "Personally".
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And so to the week after, where the previous Sundays condition came to light. I couldn't even get out of bed and stayed in my pit for 2 days. Some kind of virus I'd picked up was doing his work and gave me about 18 hours sleep in 24. Ok I felt terrible but it kind of made me feel better about my feeling on Sunday, as there was no way I should have felt so shit.
Consequently I DNS'd a 1st cat Crit on Thursday night which was disappointing. However Friday I felt much better and decided to go along with the lads to another crit, only to snap my gear cable in the opening 4 laps!!! I groveled round for two laps but even the 39, 11 was too hard on the short sharp climb. So I did what any right minded bloke would do and found a bar and drowned my sorrows ..... if your going to have a bad week may aswell go the whole way....
And very Finally onto Sundays Race in the very famous Plouay "in cycling circles anyway". A circuit of 5 kilometres which each lap too in the finishing climb of the Year 2000 World Champs. After a week in bed I wasn't expecting much from this race but surprisingly I managed to get in a 6 man break on the 2nd lap which was later joined by a further 10 riders. In to the final laps I couldn't hold the group and was dropped, I came away 20th but was quite pleased to say I'd had such a bad week.
All for Now Tonight I have a Criterium and Tomorrow a race in the town where I live......
http://www.directvelo.com/actualite/26994-le-chemin-leclerc-les-engages.html#.UbxEyYBBvIU
