This weekend was the first Prem of the year, Chorley GP. I did this race last year (see report) and managed to
complete 4/5 laps and was hoping to finish this year. I’d had a very good week of training and was feeling very strong but nervous. Last year the break was established from km zero and had I been at the front I potentially could have got in, so this year I was aiming to be at the front and go for it. I mean, there’d be no way I’d actually finish but the prestige of being in the break would be big enough. Alas, as predicted the break went straight away but I was nowhere near the front so missed it.
Once the break went, we just cruised up Rivington Bank to give them a gap to chase. I was reasonably well positioned in about 30th wheel. About 1/3 of the way up however, my rear wheel came out. Not what I needed. I had to get off and reinsert it. Just didn’t put it in tightly enough. Frustrating, but as the bunch was cruising, getting back in wasn’t too hard, just a massive waste of energy. Only issue now was that I was towards the back for the descent.
We descended reasonably quickly and hit an open crosstail-wind section. The pace was naturally drilled by the pro teams and I just stayed sheltered. With the wind, we were absolutely flying, I peaked out at over 80kph and averaged69.5kph for 2 minutes. I was just aiming to move up as I could but was towards the back as we went over this narrow bridge. I couldn’t quite see what happened but two riders crashed causing a split in the bunch. Canyon Eisberg missed this split so got to the front and drilled it. I was still towards the back but nicely sheltered, just couldn’t move up in the wind. Hilariously the front riders took the long way around a roundabout allowing me to snake through the short way and gain 50 or so places.
From there, I held my position and as we went through the start line I was at the front. There’s a small hill on the outskirts of Chorley. I was dropped there last year but ended up following moves and being very active this year. In ever made a move, but was canny and followed the right wheels at the right time. I was in 3 separate groups of various sizes off the front but nothing stuck.
My thinking was that if I’m at the front for the climb I have some slippage room when it kicks off. With about a km to the base of the climb, the race was on but I felt like I was riding in treacle, only to realise I’d punctured. I pulled over and took a wheel from neutral service. He gave me a solid push off and I began the chase. I swerved between the cars and worked my way forward.
With a lot of ground to make up, I hit the climb hard. I was pushing high 300’s/low 400W but was barely encroaching on the peloton. I really dug in deep and caught several spat riders but just couldn’t quite catch the tail of the bunch. I didn’t give in and rode hard to bridge for the next 5km but 1 vs 90 isn’t going to work. As I rode on, I caught several dropped riders including a gassed Eugene Cross. I pulled long, hard turns on the front just as the rain (hail) came barrelling down.
After a couple of k’s later, I was in a group of 5 but they’d all been dropped so weren’t much use to my chase. It was pretty frustrating, as I still had good legs and was giving it my all but had almost no help getting back in. It was a lost cause.
As we came back into Chorley everyone in my group except Daniel Pullen (Giant-Sheffield) pulled out in the feed zone. So we just rode the next lap together. We kept the pace up but never saw anyone and I rolled into the finish to be heckled by the commentator. He was doubting my form but I assured him my placing was due to a mechanical and not bad legs. To which we all laughed (HAHAHA)
Pretty disappointed to have punctured in literally the worst place but still had a good day racing. The form is there now. Well done to Andy who came 35th and the rest of the team for their efforts. Good legs, bad luck.
Onto the next one.
complete 4/5 laps and was hoping to finish this year. I’d had a very good week of training and was feeling very strong but nervous. Last year the break was established from km zero and had I been at the front I potentially could have got in, so this year I was aiming to be at the front and go for it. I mean, there’d be no way I’d actually finish but the prestige of being in the break would be big enough. Alas, as predicted the break went straight away but I was nowhere near the front so missed it.
Once the break went, we just cruised up Rivington Bank to give them a gap to chase. I was reasonably well positioned in about 30th wheel. About 1/3 of the way up however, my rear wheel came out. Not what I needed. I had to get off and reinsert it. Just didn’t put it in tightly enough. Frustrating, but as the bunch was cruising, getting back in wasn’t too hard, just a massive waste of energy. Only issue now was that I was towards the back for the descent.
We descended reasonably quickly and hit an open crosstail-wind section. The pace was naturally drilled by the pro teams and I just stayed sheltered. With the wind, we were absolutely flying, I peaked out at over 80kph and averaged69.5kph for 2 minutes. I was just aiming to move up as I could but was towards the back as we went over this narrow bridge. I couldn’t quite see what happened but two riders crashed causing a split in the bunch. Canyon Eisberg missed this split so got to the front and drilled it. I was still towards the back but nicely sheltered, just couldn’t move up in the wind. Hilariously the front riders took the long way around a roundabout allowing me to snake through the short way and gain 50 or so places.
From there, I held my position and as we went through the start line I was at the front. There’s a small hill on the outskirts of Chorley. I was dropped there last year but ended up following moves and being very active this year. In ever made a move, but was canny and followed the right wheels at the right time. I was in 3 separate groups of various sizes off the front but nothing stuck.
My thinking was that if I’m at the front for the climb I have some slippage room when it kicks off. With about a km to the base of the climb, the race was on but I felt like I was riding in treacle, only to realise I’d punctured. I pulled over and took a wheel from neutral service. He gave me a solid push off and I began the chase. I swerved between the cars and worked my way forward.
With a lot of ground to make up, I hit the climb hard. I was pushing high 300’s/low 400W but was barely encroaching on the peloton. I really dug in deep and caught several spat riders but just couldn’t quite catch the tail of the bunch. I didn’t give in and rode hard to bridge for the next 5km but 1 vs 90 isn’t going to work. As I rode on, I caught several dropped riders including a gassed Eugene Cross. I pulled long, hard turns on the front just as the rain (hail) came barrelling down.
After a couple of k’s later, I was in a group of 5 but they’d all been dropped so weren’t much use to my chase. It was pretty frustrating, as I still had good legs and was giving it my all but had almost no help getting back in. It was a lost cause.
As we came back into Chorley everyone in my group except Daniel Pullen (Giant-Sheffield) pulled out in the feed zone. So we just rode the next lap together. We kept the pace up but never saw anyone and I rolled into the finish to be heckled by the commentator. He was doubting my form but I assured him my placing was due to a mechanical and not bad legs. To which we all laughed (HAHAHA)
Pretty disappointed to have punctured in literally the worst place but still had a good day racing. The form is there now. Well done to Andy who came 35th and the rest of the team for their efforts. Good legs, bad luck.
Onto the next one.
