It’s amazing what the mind can do. I was feeling significantly better than last week and was aiming to complete 4 out of 5 laps. The course was made up of five 23 mile laps, each containing an 8 minute climb with a horrendous crosswindy rolling descent.
After last week’s experience in the wolds I really focussed on positioning and kept fighting for places, moving up where I could. I was placed mid pack the first time up the climb and gradually moved up as riders dropped back. The climb isn’t that horrendous but it peaks towards the top and was drilled as it leveled over the top. This caused huge difficulties for everyone (including myself). The first lap involved the break getting away early on and me just holding a good position towards the front and generally staying safe.
It was the second lap when it started to kick off. Wiggins had missed the break so got to the front to bring it back. This kept the pace high and when we hit the climb, field began to split. I was a little further back than I wanted to be and this showed when I missed a split over the top of the climb. I railed the descent with a couple of others but with only a 50 tooth front ring, couldn’t do much but tuck in when we were hitting speeds of 80 kph.
Going down the descent I got into a group of 5 and we worked through and off to get back in. I was pulling hard turns but we weren’t gaining much ground at all. I was pretty gutted to be in this position on only the second lap. We kept working and as the gap grew I thought it was game over.
This was until out of nowhere John Mould (JLT Condor) pulled through after me instead of the Raleigh rider who had been. I had been so focussed on pulling turns that I hadn’t noticed a group of 20 riders had caught us. I sat in nicely and within 5 minutes the big dogs had brought us back into the front group. Race still on!
I tucked in nicely and got as far to the front as I could the third time up the climb. I still had my climbing legs on, and as Madison Genesis drilled it up the climb I hung on, following Kierans wheel as we made the second group on the road. The group was made of strong riders and we quickly caught the front group by echeloning in the cross winds. The hill had taken its toll on me and I wasn’t feeling brilliant at this point and just saved what I could.
As Madison Genesis stayed on the front the pace never eased and I was finding it more and more difficult to move up and close gaps. I knew I was on the limit so just kept in as long as I could until finally on a small draggy climb before the main climb the elastic snapped.
I was totally spent and no more gaps could be closed. I was out the back.
However, I wasn’t ready to give up. Even as all the team cars came by and Big Ian cheered me on from the Banter bus I kept going. Even when the broom wagon passed and offered a lift I declined. I still had a lap to go!
I just plodded along at what pace I could hold and reeled in several riders equally as spent on the climb. After a nice solo descent, I caught up with big Dan Bigham and we rode back together. This was until I actually blew up. In all my excitement, I’d forgotten to eat enough and got very cold very quickly. I was still 10 km from home so had a gel, a bar and a wee before carrying on solo to finish the fourth lap.
I still had a great day out playing with the big boys. My climbing legs were good, it’s just I can’t cope with constant hill reps with barely any rest with the winds and climbs. My positioning was far better than last week and that paid dividends later on. I just need some more races like this and I’ll be smashing it.
After last week’s experience in the wolds I really focussed on positioning and kept fighting for places, moving up where I could. I was placed mid pack the first time up the climb and gradually moved up as riders dropped back. The climb isn’t that horrendous but it peaks towards the top and was drilled as it leveled over the top. This caused huge difficulties for everyone (including myself). The first lap involved the break getting away early on and me just holding a good position towards the front and generally staying safe.
It was the second lap when it started to kick off. Wiggins had missed the break so got to the front to bring it back. This kept the pace high and when we hit the climb, field began to split. I was a little further back than I wanted to be and this showed when I missed a split over the top of the climb. I railed the descent with a couple of others but with only a 50 tooth front ring, couldn’t do much but tuck in when we were hitting speeds of 80 kph.
Going down the descent I got into a group of 5 and we worked through and off to get back in. I was pulling hard turns but we weren’t gaining much ground at all. I was pretty gutted to be in this position on only the second lap. We kept working and as the gap grew I thought it was game over.
This was until out of nowhere John Mould (JLT Condor) pulled through after me instead of the Raleigh rider who had been. I had been so focussed on pulling turns that I hadn’t noticed a group of 20 riders had caught us. I sat in nicely and within 5 minutes the big dogs had brought us back into the front group. Race still on!
I tucked in nicely and got as far to the front as I could the third time up the climb. I still had my climbing legs on, and as Madison Genesis drilled it up the climb I hung on, following Kierans wheel as we made the second group on the road. The group was made of strong riders and we quickly caught the front group by echeloning in the cross winds. The hill had taken its toll on me and I wasn’t feeling brilliant at this point and just saved what I could.
As Madison Genesis stayed on the front the pace never eased and I was finding it more and more difficult to move up and close gaps. I knew I was on the limit so just kept in as long as I could until finally on a small draggy climb before the main climb the elastic snapped.
I was totally spent and no more gaps could be closed. I was out the back.
However, I wasn’t ready to give up. Even as all the team cars came by and Big Ian cheered me on from the Banter bus I kept going. Even when the broom wagon passed and offered a lift I declined. I still had a lap to go!
I just plodded along at what pace I could hold and reeled in several riders equally as spent on the climb. After a nice solo descent, I caught up with big Dan Bigham and we rode back together. This was until I actually blew up. In all my excitement, I’d forgotten to eat enough and got very cold very quickly. I was still 10 km from home so had a gel, a bar and a wee before carrying on solo to finish the fourth lap.
I still had a great day out playing with the big boys. My climbing legs were good, it’s just I can’t cope with constant hill reps with barely any rest with the winds and climbs. My positioning was far better than last week and that paid dividends later on. I just need some more races like this and I’ll be smashing it.
