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Saturday 28 January 2012

Velo29 Winter Series 1

I wasn't expecting to be donning the racing shorts for another month yet, but a good friend of mine suggested, and offered, me a lift up to Croft. Now, in terms of training, there is no better substitute than racing, as rarely do you average 26mph on a normal ride. The day itself was a crisp and clear 6 degrees. There were two men out in shorts, me and this beast of a human being riding for Velo29. The rest of the pansies where in tights. 


When you don't race for a while, you develop an air of complacency thinking that your training is working and your strength  has become that of Samson's. Racing snaps you back into reality. I was expecting that reality to be painful, however, I have seen a clear improvement from last year. I am able to stay on the front for longer, attack more often and tolerate the lactic more. In fact, I was only in trouble once when I towed the scratch group onto the back of the second group and the was a surge, but I dug deep and kept with them.


Onto the race itself. The format was a handicap, with riders being set off in their categories. Since the highest category to enter was a 2nd, I was therefore in the scratch. Now, I don't like being in the scratch, especially when there is ten of you compared to the 50 riders already up the road. I sat on the bike and leaned against the wall, and addressed my comrades in arms from the lofty position.
'Right you lot, theres only 10 of us, so we are all going to work together. No petty inter-team arguments and no soft-tapping or you getting shelled. Kapeesh? Good. Right lets go.'
And off we went.
My little speech seemed to have done the trick. The group was working well and we were slowly pulling in the other groups, which were always in sight and had soon merged into a large peloton. We where pulling them in and with about 500m between the scratch and the lead, I put a huge turn on the front, essentially towing everyone to the behind of the pack. When we made contact, something amazing happened. It was like everybody was linked telepathically and the moment I made contact, the was a huge surge, from everyone. Now I was strictly in the red zone, my legs where burning and my breathing was like a steam whistle. Luckily, there where little reserves and I stayed on.


I made my way to the front over the course of a couple of laps and when I reached my desired position, a spotted a break of five up the road around 300m ahead. My heart sank. They where working together and had broken the elastic. I knew instantly that this was the winning break and attacked instantly to try and make up the gap. Unfortunately, I'd like to believe I looked a bit too well presented to be allowed free reign off the front and the was always someone on my wheel. 


Usually, after putting myself into the red so often at this point of the race I would have been dying. My winter training was paying off and felt strong, so I went to the front and awaited the perfect circumstances for my pounce. I didn't have to wait long because the was a slight wind in one direction and nobody wanted to chase into it. I took advantage of the confusion and attacked. Nobody followed. I got into time trial mode to try and catch those pirates that had got away. I wasn't going anywhere fast, but I was surprised that I hadn't been caught after a lap. A few months earlier, I would have been caught after a few hundred meters, now, I was still chasing after two miles. However, I did run out of steam after a lap and a half and was reeled back in. Too dangerous I was to be allowed of the front for two long, said my mate Will Staveley afterwards. Coincidentally, he was leading the pack when I was caught.


This was the last nail in the coffin, and I knew that we were not going to catch the break. I settled into the pack and prepared for the sprint for 6th. Petty attacks came and went and got caught. I even had a another go or two. But people where straight on my wheel. My lone flyer was the longest so far apart form the break. My attacks from now on are going to be nitro-injected cadence fests, rather than the powerful diesel ring-grinders I have rather enjoyed doing.


Coming into the last half lap, I was slightly confused and didn't know where to put my self for the sprint. Surely, I thought to myself, after so many Tockwith sprints you should be a pro at this. My decisions proved otherwise. Coming into the last corner I must have been as far down as 20th, while my friend was much closer to the front. I knew if I had any chance of bunch sprint victory I'd have to start from 400m, and so I did. I stayed strong till the end, where I was confused by the grid lines and must have sprinted an extra 10metres or so. I finished 13th with my friend just behind. 


Not bad for an early season effort, 13th out of 60. The primary aim of this venture was to test my ability, and to identify the areas I need to work on. As always, time trialling could be better but the much more pressing issue is developing my kick, to be put to good use in attacks and sprints.


Thanks for reading. Next race North East Trophy.

Friday 27 January 2012

Man with a Plan

A lot has happened since my last post. Mainly, I've been attending the Yorkshire Junior Development Group sessions in the hope they'll pick a team for the big races at unsociable places and times around the country. The big one obviously is the Junior tour of Wales. This year the Tom Simpson returns to its natural home of being a Junior National Series race and with it being on home soil, im sure the powers that be wont let it go to a non-Yorkshire rider without a fight. Also, fortunately, theres a little stage race right here in West Yorkshire. The Holme Valley Wheelers 2-day consists of a crit, a time trial and a road race and is an open event, but preference will be given to junior and espoir riders. Clearly, its going to fill up with the above people, and some meathead of an U23 will win it. I look forward to this race.
At the time of publication, there has been no word on the Tockwith Series. I have been assured that they will go ahead but getting towards the back end of January with no development is starting to worry me. I was planning to get a lot of points from these races, with a total of 180 being on offer. I also enjoyed racing on the closed circuit and it was something to look forward to after a crappy day at school.


I've matured over the last few months with my diet, and I've lost about 3-4kg over recent weeks. Ive noticed that  hill climbing has become a lot easier and I can keep up with Joel almost to the top of Addingham Moorside.
My bike is nearly finished and a nice clear set of photos will be posted on here once I replace my spare brakes with the fancy ones, but thats at least a month away now.


This is my last year as a Junior and I have quite handily started another subject at school, which I need to finish if I ever fuck up my life and go to uni. This then would leave me as a part time student only going into school twice a week. The rest the time I would be training and hopefully I'd be on the academy or a big team, but that IS wishful thinking. I have to win some races first.


Below is my provisional racing programme;


28th Jan       Velo29 Winter Series 1


26th Feb      Clayton Velo Classic Handicap


3rd Mar        51st Eddie Soens Memorial
25th Mar      Cadence Junior RR


14th Apr      Tour of the Mendips
15th Apr      Sheffrec Spring RR - Yorkshire RRL 1
21st Apr       National Emergency Services RR


4th May       Sleepwell Hotels Isle of Man Youth/Junior Tour
13th May    National Junior RR
27th May     Batley RR


3rd Jun         Ian Mountain Memorial RR
8th Jun         Holme Valley Wheelers 2 Day
10th Jun       Langsett Cycles/Rutland CC/Stannington RR
17th Jun       BikeLine Tom Simpson Junior RR
20th Jun       Otley Town Centre Races
23rd Jun       CC Giro Circuit Races
24th Jun       The Pete's Race
26th Jun       Brighouse Circuit Races
27th Jun       Peak Road Club Evening RR


8th Jul          Hatherleigh Junior RR
11th Jul        Wakefield Midweek RR 2
14th Jul        Tour of Blackpool
15th Jul        Clifton RR
22nd Jul       Bath Junior RR
29th Jul        BBM Elite RR


1st Aug        Colne GP
5th Aug       Tumby's RR
12th Aug     Kirkless Cycling Academy Summer RR
26th Aug     Out of the Saddle Summer RR


2nd Sep       CDNW 17
9th Sep        Out of the Saddle Autumn RR