Quite a long drive to the strip at the Storey Arms, west past Cardiff then north through the valleys and right up into the Brecon Beacons where it was howling! Cagouled walkers were streaming down from the hills as we steeled ourselves for what was to come. I went for warm-up and as I wheeled up the drive to attend the pre-race con-fab 'bang' i was over the bars thwacking my helmet and knee on the way down. Never happened to me before, but my chain had snapped - could of happened at a worse time!
Neutral service were right on hand (courtesy of London's Bath Road Road Club) and got busy taking a link out of my chain whilst I dived indoors to get cleaned up. Here is my Pinarello back ready for action, seconds to go - and oh yes and that is the British RR champ in front!
We streamed north down the hill, neutralised at first, cold and wet before a swing west into the wind got us working up a sweat. Many attacks as we headed up the valley, most brought back but a Cwmcarn +3 went off the front before we hit the major feature of the days race course, the mad steep 16% Defynog hill. First time up was terrifying, right on the limit, second time was mad, racing full pelt staggered at the speed and ease with which Emma Pooley rode it but I would be surprised if there was any oxygen left on that hill we were all breathing so hard. 3rd time up was relatively easy. Heres one of Dave Nyons photos of that gasping effort:
By this time another group of 8 had got off the front to join the first break. I had tried to get off the front on the 2nd and 3rd laps, measuring my energy and finding some to spare but I got nowhere other than back in the thinning bunch. Sobering that, I had nothing to show for my digs other than stinging legs and I suppose pride restored that I'd at least had a go. I was tired and by this stage clearly not a player in the race but I was absolutely not going to relinquish my hard fought position towards the head of the bunch, but I was reduced to just watching the attacks go and come back, riders disappearing for a spell before raggedly re-entering the fold. There was a mighty battle on for KOM points between Carl Dyson (Cyclingbargains) & Lee Tunnicliffe (DHCyclesport) both chasing the tally of Tom Crouch (Team Certini/Felt) and setting that competition up to be decided tomorrow, on the final slope of the race.
So it turned into an epic race on what was a great circuit, with its super smooth and fast descent from the climb and, an exposed valley road and pretty village to pass through. They used it for the Welsh RR champs last year.
Shane had a crash during the race and packed. Rob just packed. It was just me left from our team now.
We pulled back Crouch in the purple jersey of the KOM just before the finish, totally blown. Nicole Cooke immediately attacked and led our bunch of 20 or so back up the Defynog one more time and over the line with a commanding display of measured strength. We were 4 mins down on wild eyed Tim Wallis (Red Kite) who had soloed home with 9 hellhounds on his tail including the clear young talents of Jack Adams (Loughborough) and Tunnicliffe. These 3 riders all secured their 1st cat licences during the course of the Ras. The South Wales shake-out was nearly complete, just one more day to go...the end was almost in sight, but twas atop a mountain so harsh, so bleak, so steep.
Listening to: Duffy - 'stepping stone'
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