Goodwood E/1/2 17/5/11: 1st
Another win! Rolled through in the Elite group initially, following wheels and somehow found myself in a big break of 15 or so hardly realising it. I kept rolling through gently and a few people get dropped. Stayed pretty steady and I resisted making a move knowing my sprint has been pretty strong recently so forcing other people to break it up. All stayed together until about 2km to go then a group of 4 jumped away. I jumped across to this group on my own and we had a gap of about 50metres. They all rolled through and looked like slowing up a bit so when it was my turn to work on the front I jumped and crossed the line with a gap of about 300metres! Couldn't believe the gap and how strong I felt, great result especially with some decent riders turning out.
Hove Park 2/3 20/5/11: 2nd
Thought I had this one wrapped up! Guess 3 wins in a fortnight might have been a bit excessive! Sat on Euan Evan's wheel for first few laps but was keen to make a break with some pretty hairy handling from some of the riders. Euan made a good jump and we were quickly in a group of 3. Mike Coyle was pushing a massive gear and I had no idea how good he was and so was focused on making Euan work as much as possible. Was feeling pretty comfortable. Mike and I dropped Euan when we had to go on the grass round the circuit after lapping the field. Mike then kicked and while I initially caught him, he pulled out a gap after I kept taking bad lines through the corners. He held 10metres on me through the finish line. Will definitely keep a closer eye on him next time! Thanks very much to Mike and Claire Leonard who always organise such a friendly event. So hungry for wins now though!
Next weekend I will be racing in Jersey after being selected to ride for the Surrey League team after my recent form. Town Centre crit on the Sunday and Road Race on the Monday. Its going to be epic!
Sunday 22 May 2011
Sunday 15 May 2011
Cutmill
About February time last year I got a sinus infection, just behind my right ear. Despite being on antibiotics, the infection spiraled out of control, being so close to the brain, and I ended up being rushed to A and E after collapsing in the middle of Eastbourne. After a week on a drip and I was back and returned to racing quite quickly. I have been lucky in that I have not any problems since then but on Monday the symptoms fired up again and I have had to have a rather quiet week of training to recover and left it late to decide to ride today at Cutmill.
First time I have done the course and despite leaving home in plenty of time, got pretty lost and arrived 30mins before the start. Not helpful but still managed to squeeze in a good warm up. I felt ok through most of the race but then felt a little something behind my ear, didn't feel I was really in a position to get a top 10 and was put in trouble by my seatpost pin breaking on one on the many outrageously big potholes on the course. I decided to pull out with 1 lap to go.
I must say though, even after racing at this level for two years now, it still amazes me how some riders will chase someone who is trying to make a break away down for absolutely no reason. While I don't want to brag about having more national points than the whole of Dulwich Paragon at this point in time, I can understand why-bizarre racing.
Down points of the weekends riding:
1/ Incredibly negative racing from some riders, chasing down breaks rather than trying to get in them
2/ Getting sent completely the wrong way by a marshal back to the HQ after the race
3/ After being sent completely the wrong way, asking a local where to go who lived probably less than a mile from the HQ who then sent me the wrong way. Again.
4/ Having rubbish ears
Plus points of the weekends riding:
1/ Legs felt awesome yesterday and Friday
2/ Digging out "The Colour and the shape" by Foo Fighters, singing along all the way there and knowing every word
3/ Talking to lots of riders about possibilities of new teams, all of which sounds very exciting
4/ Ears almost better
5/ Didn't feel too horrendous and at least felt good enough to ride!
First time I have done the course and despite leaving home in plenty of time, got pretty lost and arrived 30mins before the start. Not helpful but still managed to squeeze in a good warm up. I felt ok through most of the race but then felt a little something behind my ear, didn't feel I was really in a position to get a top 10 and was put in trouble by my seatpost pin breaking on one on the many outrageously big potholes on the course. I decided to pull out with 1 lap to go.
I must say though, even after racing at this level for two years now, it still amazes me how some riders will chase someone who is trying to make a break away down for absolutely no reason. While I don't want to brag about having more national points than the whole of Dulwich Paragon at this point in time, I can understand why-bizarre racing.
Down points of the weekends riding:
1/ Incredibly negative racing from some riders, chasing down breaks rather than trying to get in them
2/ Getting sent completely the wrong way by a marshal back to the HQ after the race
3/ After being sent completely the wrong way, asking a local where to go who lived probably less than a mile from the HQ who then sent me the wrong way. Again.
4/ Having rubbish ears
Plus points of the weekends riding:
1/ Legs felt awesome yesterday and Friday
2/ Digging out "The Colour and the shape" by Foo Fighters, singing along all the way there and knowing every word
3/ Talking to lots of riders about possibilities of new teams, all of which sounds very exciting
4/ Ears almost better
5/ Didn't feel too horrendous and at least felt good enough to ride!
Sunday 8 May 2011
Win
Goodwood 8/5/11: While Goodwood racing does get a pretty bad press at times, going down to race twice this week has been a big morale boost. After picking up 10th earlier in the week, I was a bit disappointed with missing the break and was determined to do better. My legs were feeling shocking on Thursday and Friday and still pretty stiff on Saturday after some hard intervals on Wednesday, possibly getting a little cold between intervals. I decided to sit in for the first few laps and not waste any energy. Two riders made a bit of a gap and while I was wheel sucking as much as possible, eventually had to roll through, I pretty quickly flicked the elbow to come off the front- the guy behind me called me something French I think and told me to do some work so I just gradually put some watts down while staying in the saddle and rode across to the two who were away and only Matt Green followed me.
We maintained a gap for a bit and then started to pull away. In the last lap, another rider had a dig and I got dropped off the group of four, the other riders then sat up watching each other and I joined back on. I got a really lovely lead out but knew I had Matt on my wheel so had to dig pretty deep to nudge ahead across the line. Matt is a quality rider so pleased with the win, his riding made the break work in the first place.
Big thanks particularly to the guys on the development squad for being so supportive (apart from hiding my bike-cheers)-look forward to catching up next weekend!
We maintained a gap for a bit and then started to pull away. In the last lap, another rider had a dig and I got dropped off the group of four, the other riders then sat up watching each other and I joined back on. I got a really lovely lead out but knew I had Matt on my wheel so had to dig pretty deep to nudge ahead across the line. Matt is a quality rider so pleased with the win, his riding made the break work in the first place.
Big thanks particularly to the guys on the development squad for being so supportive (apart from hiding my bike-cheers)-look forward to catching up next weekend!
Saturday 7 May 2011
Recent racing
Last few results:
Goodwood 3/5/11: 10th. Did a bit too much work in the E/1/2 group as the 3rds and 4ths (handicap) were caught, tried to force a break and wasn't particularly savvy about it, in retrospect maybe should have been a bit more patient and followed wheels. Legs felt good so had some fun trying to bridge across a few times. Spent most of the time on the front end of the bunch getting some race intensity in and had a bit of a joke or two with some other guys who missed the break. Broke with 2 laps to go, got caught with 1/2 lap to go then came second in the bunch sprint to pick up 10th. Legs feeling super strong but should have been smarter and got in the break.
Hove Park 29/4/11: 7th. Made a few school boy errors in my preparation that made me feel sick about 10mins into the race and missed the break. Chucked up after a bit and then felt better. Cheers to Drew for helping me try and get away but didn't have much snap in my legs and bike handling was a bit rusty around the tight bottom corner. Tried to break with a lap to go and got pulled back which I wasn't too pleased with. As always such a friendly race run by Claire and Mike Leonard.
Portsmouth 23/4/11: 15th. A very frustrating race where nothing I did worked! Not knowing any of the riders meant I tried to go with all the wrong moves and wasted a ridiculous amount of watts going at inappropriate times. Well raced by Team Felt but must say got taken back to school a bit. After getting in the perfect break so easily last weekend, probably a little overconfident and a little tactically rusty.
Goodwood again tomorrow (E/1/2), then probably Portsmouth Weds night (E/1/2) and Cutmill at the weekend (2/3).
Goodwood 3/5/11: 10th. Did a bit too much work in the E/1/2 group as the 3rds and 4ths (handicap) were caught, tried to force a break and wasn't particularly savvy about it, in retrospect maybe should have been a bit more patient and followed wheels. Legs felt good so had some fun trying to bridge across a few times. Spent most of the time on the front end of the bunch getting some race intensity in and had a bit of a joke or two with some other guys who missed the break. Broke with 2 laps to go, got caught with 1/2 lap to go then came second in the bunch sprint to pick up 10th. Legs feeling super strong but should have been smarter and got in the break.
Hove Park 29/4/11: 7th. Made a few school boy errors in my preparation that made me feel sick about 10mins into the race and missed the break. Chucked up after a bit and then felt better. Cheers to Drew for helping me try and get away but didn't have much snap in my legs and bike handling was a bit rusty around the tight bottom corner. Tried to break with a lap to go and got pulled back which I wasn't too pleased with. As always such a friendly race run by Claire and Mike Leonard.
Portsmouth 23/4/11: 15th. A very frustrating race where nothing I did worked! Not knowing any of the riders meant I tried to go with all the wrong moves and wasted a ridiculous amount of watts going at inappropriate times. Well raced by Team Felt but must say got taken back to school a bit. After getting in the perfect break so easily last weekend, probably a little overconfident and a little tactically rusty.
Goodwood again tomorrow (E/1/2), then probably Portsmouth Weds night (E/1/2) and Cutmill at the weekend (2/3).
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