A progressive agressive Weekend

Right so this weekend just gone I had 3 races.  Saturday an Inline race as the French say,  Basically we departed from the Town of Noyal did a loop of around 75km to return to the town and finish off with 7 laps of a 3km circuit.

Tale of the race- It took quite along time for any moves to stick in the race but once one did we were represented with George. It wasn’t so much of an attack more of a drift of 20ish riders moving clear off the front. When the gap had grown to around 30 seconds “out of site” I decided to have a go and get across. My first attempt was brought back half way up a climb so over the top I went again and I was pleased it stuck. Shortly after  1’s and 2’s came across and we formed a good working group. We had the break in site “1 minute” but of course ideally I didn’t want to take anyone with me so I stuck with the group and saved myself from going alone. As we reached the circuits riders from our group began to get ahead of themselves and started attacking the group thinking they were Vino’s . I just followed all of these moves until they were all burnt out, and after 3 laps it was me and one other.  Still he persisted in trying to get shut of me although we were only going for 20^th place. Anyway his energy soon ran out and with 3 laps to go I was on my own. I rode very hard for the final 3 laps not sure of where the break was, with the bell lap ringing the now “split break” came into site, I had 3kms to catch them i tried desperately but they kept looking back and decided not to mess about, round the last bend with 300 meters to go I was a mere 100 meters off them. I came home in 20^th, I was happy with my race and pleased I could get away from the bunch so far out and last till the end.

Me and the levitating bidon

 Sundays race was a circuit race – 17x 5.8km. There was quite alot of pressure to do well in this race for 2 reasons. One it was the 1^st of a 4 race series with 1000€ and a 40 inch tv up for grabs for the eventual winner and secondly both me and George were in the previous days news paper as potential favourites.  The race was hard, with the previous days race in my legs and unbelievable winds I was finding it pretty tough, people were attacking every lap and been brought back on the same lap so we decided to save ourselves for a last hard hit out for victory. With 7 laps to go a group of 20 riders slipped clear both me and George in this move. The group worked for a little while but with so many people its very rare that everyone will work and soon it turned into who could attack in the daftist place. With 2 to go 4 riders managed to get away “one of whom was George” Happy days let that go sit on and get 5^th!! Hmm no.. on the last lap one chap found an extra gear and I could not get to him but 2 others did. 8^th was my hope now, coming into the sprint I was sat around 10^th wheel and this is where I stayed, a disappointing sprint left me in 18^th. But George managed 2^nd and put him up there in the series. There’s 3 left so time yet, one of which is this coming Sunday.

And Finally to Monday. Another circuit race this time 18 laps and yet again very windy and cold with heavy roads. The bunch stayed together for  4 laps but then it all kicked off, and I had nothing in me to follow, 2 known strong riders were in this group of 5 and so despite how bad I felt it was crucial to try and get there if I was to have any chance of a result. I got halfway to the break before I was joined by 10 or so more riders.

Between groups trying to bridge to break

 We were working but not well and the gap went out to a minute. Lap after lap I was sure my legs would come round but they just didn’t and I was suffering, I managed to keep with the front of the group and as legs were getting tired this group also split now into 5. So now it was 5 against 5 and we were getting closer but I was getting more and more capput. The wind was amazingly strong and on the long dragging grovely climb i felt like id put 20 kilos on and lost 200 watts. With 4 to go i couldn’t hold the group on the hill and their wheels disappeared from my sites, they got a huge gap on me over the top and through the village and by the finish they were out of site. I road alone for half a lap and recovered catching another dropped rider we worked for a lap and then he went bang finally after 16 laps my legs felt normal, I pressed on and was catching the group of 4 who in turn were almost upon the break. The bell lap rang and I was maybe 30 seconds off  them, along way in only 4.5km but I rode hard and gained on them on the climb in the last km I was 200 yards from them and caught one on the approach. I was absolutely knackered but happy with my race, I was disappointed to have lost contact but this was with 3 days racing in the legs and in the end I was more or less back with them. I came away with 8^th hopefully my 1^st top ten of many to come.

2nd Groups split, me following eventual winner

2 laps to go suffering like a dog