Author Topic: 47th South Carrick David Bell Memorial Road Race (Read 798 times)

neilT · « **on:** June 12, 2012, 09:39:05 PM »

This one is a classic event on the Scottish racing calendar; last time round the addition of the gravel forest road section spiced things up, this year it was to be included again, but, to some people’s relief, had to be removed at the last minute. Instead the route was extended to just over 100miles, taking in many of the roads from classic editions of the race in the past (so I’m reliably told). A big prize fund and aspirations by the superbly organised Ayr Roads team to make this a Premier calendar race next year ensured a quality field made the journey to Girvan on Sunday morning.

The break seemed to go in 2 waves: I didn’t quite catch how the first one initiated but the second group looked to be led across by RTS Carbon’s Alex (Coutts) who was racing on home soil for the first time in a few months. I was in two minds whether to attempt to go with any breaks, but as it happened I was pretty boxed in and out of position when Alex went so didn’t have much choice not to. Probably would have got a right kicking anyway…

The pace stayed pretty quick in the bunch, but with break consisting of 4 Raphas, 3 Herbalifes, Alex, Gary Hand, Davie Lines, Peter Murdoch and Ben Greenwood at this stage (I think) it was inevitable that without much organisation in the bunch the break was soon going to have a healthy gap. I don’t know about everyone else in the bunch but the length of the race and the climbs to come meant I was partly thinking that I shouldn’t be trying too hard to chase/get away after 30miles or I’d be popping big style by the time we got to 80 or 90.

Attacks came and went, the route went up and down (well, more up than down it felt), but nothing got properly organised in the ever diminishing chasing bunch, despite some good efforts to get it sorted out. 5 folk would ride through and off then either no one would follow or the next man would ride off on his own. Now I’m the first to admit that in-race tactics aren’t my strong point but still…. This wasn’t helping anyone, apart from the guys up the road. They had about 8mins by the 50mile mark I think.

With around 30 to go the sun had almost come out, a nice draggy long climb was on the horizon and a lone rider, Liam Glen (formerly Kinesis Morvelo) had gone for a wee spin up the road. He had been looking strong on the climbs earlier. A few were trying to make the junction across to him, I decided to have a go too and ended up still feeling ok when I got to them so kept going until I got on his wheel. As we rounded a corner and the road continued to climb gradually we were joined by 2 Vanilla bikes riders and the attacking style of Jamie Kennedy from Glasgow Couriers, and the gap looked decent. This might not be a waste of time after all…

I suspect the bunch weren’t too cohesive in their chase and we were working pretty well together, so on the final 2 loops of Girvan and up the Byne (with Jamie and I doing most of the pulling on the hill) we kept them at bay, and the sun had come out. Not bad. The original break was a distant memory but at a fatigued guess we were still riding for a placing in the early teens, which I thought wouldn’t be too bad considering the day had seemed like a write-off 50miles ago.

On the final run in one of the Vanilla bike guys was dropped, then Liam Glen attacked; the hesitation amongst the rest of us gave him the vital gap, Jamie chased with the other Vanilla on his wheel, I decided to go up the other side of the road, Jamie sat up and the Vanilla guy (Kieran Banlin) jumped onto my wheel instead. We worked together a little but never quite made it across to Liam and what turned out to be 10th place. My lead out man had legs twice the size of mine - still gave it everything but there was no chance I was getting past him in the sprint. 12th it was. Wish I’d gone harder on the last 2 climbs…

Rapha’s Christopher Jennings took the win ahead of Vanilla Bike’s Ben Greenwood and Herbalife’s Kit Gilham over 10mins in front of our group. He looked pretty well practiced at popping Champagne corks on the podium, nice job. Looking at the gaps in the times the guys in the break must have had a hard run in to the finish, coming in in 2s and 3s as they did.

Super professionally organised race – proper podium truck, kilted piper at the start, screaming School kids and everything. Really good job by Chris J and the Ayr roads team. Big thanks to them and everyone else involved in making such a great Davie Bell Memorial Race.

neil_in_oz · « **Reply #1 on:** June 13, 2012, 09:23:04 AM »

Well done Neil on your race and a great report.
I noticed you were prominent in many of the photo-sets from the event and showing the (new) ERC colours with distinction.