A quick hop in the van up to Abergavenny and on with the racing. We started nice and easy, only gradually picking up speed as we wheeled SE out of town. I relaxed - a little too much as I hadn't read the race profile and before I knew it we were on a climb and I was near the back of the field! I did know this first climb was a long one so despite the vision of the bunch spread out up the road I didn't panic just got on with the job of weaving through the heaving riders. Hard work but hey, its not the Trossachs and I made my way onto the 40 strong first group. We sped along greasey forest roads, rolling and diving about like it was Ayrshire. An over signed descent had folks panicking and slowing unnecesarily, then bang we were at a sharp junction (badly signed) and really braking! I got through that and despite a lot of dangling and grimacing I was back up there at the front of the race. Dave Nyons took a photo of precisely that desperate situation, Tom rescues his race...
Yeah thats me scrabbling for Joanna Rowsall's wheel. She's a tough one, though I think she punctured later on in the day - as did my team-mate Shane. Neutral service were clearly having a hard time today with the race split into chunks by now on the flint strewn roads. Nae luck for Shane as he is a strong rider and was going well today. On we headed back down to the valley where we incongrously had to ride some miles on the A40 dual carriageway. By this time 4 had got off the front and we slowed to piss about prior to a fast sprint for the line. I cruised to the line =18th.
That night I hooked up with Barkee's old pals the Cambridge CC (yes I did get the trophy back to them Colin) who were good company drinking wine and checking out the next days parcours via the OS fly-through software. Looked easy!
After a lot to eat I had a great leg massage on campus but I was beat so got an early night like a good stage racer.
Listening to: John Cale - 'wall'
Yeah thats me scrabbling for Joanna Rowsall's wheel. She's a tough one, though I think she punctured later on in the day - as did my team-mate Shane. Neutral service were clearly having a hard time today with the race split into chunks by now on the flint strewn roads. Nae luck for Shane as he is a strong rider and was going well today. On we headed back down to the valley where we incongrously had to ride some miles on the A40 dual carriageway. By this time 4 had got off the front and we slowed to piss about prior to a fast sprint for the line. I cruised to the line =18th.
That night I hooked up with Barkee's old pals the Cambridge CC (yes I did get the trophy back to them Colin) who were good company drinking wine and checking out the next days parcours via the OS fly-through software. Looked easy!
After a lot to eat I had a great leg massage on campus but I was beat so got an early night like a good stage racer.
Listening to: John Cale - 'wall'
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