Darley Moor E/1/2/3
What a messy race, with the two going up the road on the first lap, nothing to panic about, then next time I look, theres 5 up the road with almost a minute! What happened there!? So I hit out and got joined by Matt, Andy Eagers, Webbie, Tom Lowe and Duncan Putman, to form a good chase group and we cut the gap down fairly quickly, but in the end it ended up with Matt, Eagers and me rolling through, So I fisted myself to bring the gap down as much as possible, because Matt was longer strong, he clipped off with 5 to go and took Webbie, who might I add had been sitting on for the whole race! Bandit! And Eagers, so I was left with Lowe and Putman, and was fairly happy to secure 9th out of the sprint with them, but they knew that as well and sat on me, so for the next 4 laps I kept jumping them, then counter attacking myself until they cracked! Which worked and I road the last lap on my own for 9th, with Matt getting 6th was not a bad result.
Gerry Thurlow Crit
I was unbelievably up for smashing this race to pieces! My legs felt mint and it was on a real tight, twisty circuit, like being a youth again, but actually having the legs to ride!
I jumped away straight from the start, not wanting another cheeky break going away like yesterday at Darley. I road the whole lap off the front and as soon as I was brought back, Matt countered and was away for 20 laps with another lad.
I sat in trying to disrupt the chase a bit, because Matt looked good for the win, and kept jumping on to chase groups going. I got in a chase group that got across to Matt and hit them straight away, but was brought back almost straight away, so I counter attack myself, knowing Matt was absolutely swinging after his effort. I road about 3 laps solo, then another 4 with a lad who jumped across to me. When I came back, Matt hit out and got the winning move of 3 going. I absolutely reamed myself and got in a chase group. Sitting on, because Matt was up the road. But kept hitting them for the last 10 laps to try and solo across to Matts group and not bring anyone else across. But I couldn't make it. Happy that I knew Matt would win I set myself up for winning the sprint out of my group and getting 4th. But messed it up and ended 6th. Not bad considering I don't know what the term training means since my exams have started! But really made up for Matt! What a race to win, him and me 1 - 2ing a 40 man bunch for an hour and a half!
Curborough National Series Crit
Felt quite strong, but pretty drained after my last exam yesterday. It was incredibly hard, and was hitting out early on to try and get a move away. But ate too much before the start! And went through a real bad patch for 20mins, when the break and chase group got away. Just swinging around last man, about to throw up, or go out the back doors! Managed to hold on to the bunch and felt good again, so kept hitting them for the last 5 laps trying to get another move away, but didn't have the legs to make it stick. Then got 4th wheel coming into 450m to go, round the hairpin on the last lap, and just I was about to hit out for the finish, a load of riders came round the outside and just sat up with about 300m to go! So I was boxed in and wasn't keen on sprinting for 20th. So not a bad day, but eating a bit too much before was not clever!
Belgium Trip
It was never going to be the most successful trip, after getting a bit of an ear infection the day before I left!
The first race on Saturday was never going to good for me, after a long car journey, which always makes my legs feel like metal. It was spitting but warm, did a bit of attacking getting in a few moves, but they didn't stick, I just haven't got the legs to keep things going, after having to back off a bit during my exams. Then the bunch split in two about 3/4 of the way through the race, and I was in the 2nd split, but put in one huge effort and managed to get across! Which made me use all of my bullets, and was absolutely fisted now. So missed the break and put in a good a sprint as I could and got 23rd.
Sunday was better, because my legs felt real good, but my ear infection had flared up loads and was killing me. But decided to just get on with the racing. A break of 5 were up the road around a third of the way into the race, and I kept hitting out, until I eventually took then eventual winner and my mate Tom Moses from Glendene. And we got across to the break. But I was hurting now, possibly because of my ear, and the race was split to pieces, with only the break pretty much left as the main group on the road. After about 5 laps I completely cracked and blew my tits going out the back of the break. And decided to call it a day as my ear was throbbing now! So a pretty eventful trip, but I got a PB in the go-karting so that makes up for the poor legs!
Oakley Road Race
My legs felt quite good, but got major carried away and just kept hitting out and attacking far too much and again I missed the break again. I need to be much more patient I think! Then rolled round in the bunch, as the break looked like it was coming back as it was at 20secs for 2 laps, but on the last lap the gap had opened up to a minute. I then got good positioning for the sprint for 10th, but it was slightly downhill and tailwind, and hit it with 250m to go and went hard, but my junior gears felt a bit too small and got a little swamped with 50m to go. But I've learnt a hell of a lot about road racing and how I need to race them now, so I wont be missing that many breaks anymore!
Well that was a fairly lengthy post! But exams are all finished now, so time to be a bike rider and to actually train now!
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