The rain was coming down quite hard but it was forecast to brighten up during the race. The rain had stopped when we got there allowing for a dry warm up on the rollers.
Walking back to the car numbers in hand I got the feeling people were looking thinking who is this guy, being among the company of some talented riders.
Post briefing we shuffled out to discover it was raining again. Lined up shivering behind the lead car waiting to start. Maybe I should have put on over shoes and arm warmers. Too late.
It was good to get started and warm up. The rain wasn’t too bad, but the roads were wet and felt a bit greasy. I’d cleaned my rims and the breaks weren’t working too well. Thankfully riders were cautious and the pace wasn’t mental. The standard of riding was good, respectful, shouts for cars and potholes on the first lap. It stopped raining, and the roads were dry in places.
The pace stayed pretty calm, with the distance in mind. A lot of riders sat on. There was the odd moment of excitement but no real “if I don’t give 110% I’m gonna get dropped” moments. A break got away because there was no cooperation in the chase as is often the case.
In my race there were two age category’s roughly 50/50 split. No obvious strength difference was apparent. In fact more of the older masters b’s were in the break.
Early on I hit a pothole and lost a full bottle. I’d bought it the day before and it wasn’t my favourite brand. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t go the distance without it. Susan had been cheering me on from the start/finish line I threw her my empty to the right (we’d been told in the briefing to only throw them to the left). It was safer at the time, but it I imagined being DQ’ed for it. Earlier Susan had asked if i wanted any bottles and I’d said no, but now feeling dry I was hoping she would have it by the time I came around again. She did, I’m back in the race. What a lifesaver.
Looking around at some of the favourites they seemed so relaxed, hardly touched their water bottles, I tried to relax as well. The average speed was over 25mph. My hands were feeling a bit numb from the rough road surface.
2 and a half hours in, starting to feel some fatigue i tried to work out just how much longer it would be. About another hour. I caught a glimpse of the lap board only 2 to go. Even less, good. Shadowing wheels now of guys I knew may be able to get away. A few breaks went and I went with them. Nothing stuck.
Final lap coming into the village riders are getting frisky, not too far to the finish. I usually get cramp when I’m dehydrated but this time the legs were fine, although i had a bit of a head ache. Near the front of the bunch I went early, up the first of two rises to the finish, then someone else, so I got on their wheel, others came past, I went again, feeling fine no crippling cramp. The spirit is relatively calm compared to a crit where everyone is fresh, there was room to move out and attack again. Head down, no ones coming, a rider to my left is going backwards.
I finished 21st, 13th in my age group, points down to 15 for a band 3.
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