For my first road race of the year I chose the E/1/2/3 hilly Capernwray RR. Comprised of 8 laps and a 3-4 minute climb the race totalled 100 km with1500 m in climbing. This of course, meant it was quite tough.
The race started quick with riders trying to break away from the gun, but with four other team mates, one of us covered every move until after a lap and a half Paddy got away with Matt Garthwaite from Rhino racing. This was the most ideal situation for us as it left all the chasing to VC UK while we just cruised in the bunch marking any attack.
I was having a great time, sat in about 5th to 10th wheel monitoring everything whilst Dillon Byrne kept crying about doing work to all our amusement. He actually never stopped moaning the entire race.
Anyway, after nearly two hours in the break and with two laps to go, Paddy and Matt finally got brought back on the climb. This led to Archie applying the pressure shredding the field. I wasn’t even badly positioned on the climb but the pace was so high that I only just clung on to make the decisive split. I was literally the last mad who made it, but I made it!
Maybe 20 riders made the cut, and with 4 from B38 (only Paddy missing out) we were in a great position. The pace was high but not high enough and a second group of 10 (including Paddy) made their way back to us with a lap and a half to go. Nothing happened until the next climb.
By this point I could feel my legs starting to cramp up from the effort but I was resilient and unwilling to give up. I worked my way to the front of the peloton for the climb and span an easy gear holding on to the favourites as the group split in two. Again, we still had four team members in the new split, but Kieran was stuck in the big dog and I was knackered.
So, we hit the final climb with less than 20 riders left. All I was thinking was “hold on, hold on as long as I can”. I kept it in a light gear and just kept spinning as riders fell away from me. I was really hurting but kept holding on as I passed Kieran who had been setting the pace for the final lap. However it was not to be. 200 m before the top I couldn’t hold the wheel of the wheelbase guy in front and a gap opened up. I gave everything I had to hold on and no one caught me from behind placing me 11th overall. My best placing in a national race so far.
We had such a good day out as a team, with Andy and Archie coming 3rd and 4th, me in 11th, Kieran in 13th and Paddy in 16th. My own performance was good, form is building nicely and I made every split there was and even threw in an attack on the penultimate lap. Great race and good christening of the new bike
The race started quick with riders trying to break away from the gun, but with four other team mates, one of us covered every move until after a lap and a half Paddy got away with Matt Garthwaite from Rhino racing. This was the most ideal situation for us as it left all the chasing to VC UK while we just cruised in the bunch marking any attack.
I was having a great time, sat in about 5th to 10th wheel monitoring everything whilst Dillon Byrne kept crying about doing work to all our amusement. He actually never stopped moaning the entire race.
Anyway, after nearly two hours in the break and with two laps to go, Paddy and Matt finally got brought back on the climb. This led to Archie applying the pressure shredding the field. I wasn’t even badly positioned on the climb but the pace was so high that I only just clung on to make the decisive split. I was literally the last mad who made it, but I made it!
Maybe 20 riders made the cut, and with 4 from B38 (only Paddy missing out) we were in a great position. The pace was high but not high enough and a second group of 10 (including Paddy) made their way back to us with a lap and a half to go. Nothing happened until the next climb.
By this point I could feel my legs starting to cramp up from the effort but I was resilient and unwilling to give up. I worked my way to the front of the peloton for the climb and span an easy gear holding on to the favourites as the group split in two. Again, we still had four team members in the new split, but Kieran was stuck in the big dog and I was knackered.
So, we hit the final climb with less than 20 riders left. All I was thinking was “hold on, hold on as long as I can”. I kept it in a light gear and just kept spinning as riders fell away from me. I was really hurting but kept holding on as I passed Kieran who had been setting the pace for the final lap. However it was not to be. 200 m before the top I couldn’t hold the wheel of the wheelbase guy in front and a gap opened up. I gave everything I had to hold on and no one caught me from behind placing me 11th overall. My best placing in a national race so far.
We had such a good day out as a team, with Andy and Archie coming 3rd and 4th, me in 11th, Kieran in 13th and Paddy in 16th. My own performance was good, form is building nicely and I made every split there was and even threw in an attack on the penultimate lap. Great race and good christening of the new bike
