Race Reports 2018
UOSCC/B38 Road Race - Nat B
For my final road race of the season I competed in the inaugural B38/UOSCC road race. It’s on a revived course through Stannage. It was sold to me as “having the least amount of flat in any road race”. It consisted of “just” 105km but around 2200m of climbing. It’s 15 reps up a 4-5 minute climb and makes it almost ideal training for hill climb season
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North Wales RR Round 3 - Nat B
My preparation for this race was not ideal. Just 12 hours before the race was due to start, I was topless and in the care of a paramedic in Albert Hall, Manchester. I’d been to a very hot and very intense gig and became so dehydrated I was beginning to pass out...
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Yorkshire Championships - Nat B
This year the Yorkshire champs was on the Penny Pot circuit. I’d already raced this twice this season at Ilkley 2day and Harrogate Nova RR. The former I was in the break but blew on the last lap and got caught with 5km to go, and the latter I came 2nd, again in the break but I made it to the line that time. This race was to be 7 laps totaling 130km with 1500m of climbing.
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Team Chronomaster RR - Reg A
I raced this exact course last year and got a nice second place. It was purely attritional and came down to a sprint with the remaining 11 riders. I got handily beaten by Matt Langridge who I’ve never actually seen again but I wanted to win this year. I had two teammates (Eugene and Kieran) with me this time. Our plan was to repeat last years strategy, make it...
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Harrogate Nova RR - Reg A I’m really riding myself into some form now. On Tuesday I took my 5th win of the year at the Cragg Vale hill climb holding 401W for just over 10 minutes. This puts me into the lead for the Yorkshire hill climb championships. Even though true hill climbing season is way away, I enjoy the efforts and can ride an hour each way to keep my endurance topped up. I was pretty disappointed to puncture two weeks ago (at Leisure Lakes RR) so…
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Leisure Lakes RR - Reg A
Having smashed (been smashed) some National B road races the last couple of weeks I was on some pretty good form. Leisure Lakes RR is a level down and considering my current results I was truly fancying myself for a win. The race was only 80km or so, with just one long but shallow climb and a long shallow descent back to the start. As usual attacks went from the gun but let everyone else work to chase them…
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Sam Walton Memorial Road Race - Nat B
Warming up for the 82 mile race I wasn’t feeling tip top. Still ready to race but I was planning on racing conservatively, biding my time and even if I missed the break, getting into a chasing move towards the end. After getting my head kicked in by John Archibald and Alex Luhrs last week at Anderside Classic I did NOT want to repeat a full day breakaway. To ensure this didn’t happen, I sat towards the back third of the bunch as we set off
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Anderside Classic - Nat B
Eugene and I traveled up to Scotland for Anderside Classic. Unlike almost every other road race the Anderside Classic is a point to point race made up of three unique laps. This meant each stretch of road was new and you can’t learn the course as the race progresses. The race was 130 km (82 miles) and features some seriously hard climbs, some full blown technical descents and long stretches of single track farm roads. It was to be a true classic!
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Ilkley 2 day stage race - Reg A
I’d picked out this race as one to target
this season. I’d just come off a really good block of training and was feeling prime. The race consists of 25 teams of three riders battling it out over 4 stages over two days. Stage 1 was a 1.5 mile prologue. Earlier in the week I’d done some aero testing and I backed myself for the short effort. I gave it a good go, averaged 440+ watts and really tucked in to come within the top 20. I can’t compete against the specialists on such a short effort. Still all to play for in stage 2... |
Stamfordham GP - Nat B
Just as in Beaumont Trophy last year, Stamfordham was, almost unexpectedly, blessed with glorious sunshine. The race consisted of 7 laps of an undulating circuit, finishing on a minute long, reasonably steep climb. Unfortunately the race didn't go up the Ryals but totaling over 140km in that heat and with a moderate wind it was going to be a rough day in the saddle.
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Chorley Grand Prix - Prem
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… |
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