English
21st, 23rd & 24th May 2009
Presidents Handicap Road Race – this race took place on Thursday evening and has been running for many years now and is a popular event. Lee Williams was also there at the event representing Wiggle and we both rode in the scratch group that had a 7.5 minute handicap. With such a big time gap and strong riders in the front two groups we were unable to catch them even with the group working well together at a fast pace. Lee and I attacked towards the finish for a bit of team practice and training, we both took a few turns and then Lee lead me out to the finish (even knowing we wouldn’t get a position).
Totnes Town Centre Criterium – This race took place on a Saturday evening and was well attended with a full field of riders and the course lined with spectators all the way around. The race was on a tight circuit so from the start to the finish I made sure I was in the top 10 so that if gaps opened up or if there was a crash I would have a good chance of avoiding it. The race was fast and soon a selection was made as a small group of us lapped the field with every one of us attacking regularly to break away from the group. This made for a fast exciting race as every one is chasing each other and with the encouragement from the cheering crowd made you want to ride faster. In the last 10 minutes of the race a rider broke clear and managed to stay away leaving the sprint for second place up a long cobbled climb. I entered the climb in 5th position and was soon in 3rd place until the last metre where a rider managed to creep around me leaving me to finish in 4th position.
Kings Of Wessex Road Race – After a hard and fast race Saturday night it was time to race Sunday morning in what was meant to be a 160km race but was shortened to 122km due to course being so tough. The weather was gorgeous so I made sure I was well hydrated drinking plenty of fluid and keeping topped up with energy gels throughout the race. The race was fast from the go with some long dragging climbs that began to take make your legs tire towards the end of the race. Three riders broke clear early on and managed to stay away until the end although in the closing stages of the race the riders were in sight. I was trying to ride the race conservatively by spinning easy gears on the climbs and following moves that I thought would be successful but I missed the most important break of the day and finished yet again in a blanket of riders that was a bunch sprint.
I have really been enjoying the weather recently and racing in the sun makes such a big difference to people’s morale and attitude to racing. I hope the weather continues to be good for next weekend because I’m racing the NPS XC at Margam Park on Saturday and the Welsh Road Race Champs on Sunday.
Ben