Author Topic: Womens + Vets RR (Read 711 times)

LouiseB · « **on:** June 18, 2012, 04:54:55 PM »

On Sunday was the first round of the womens and vets series for this year. The race was up in Meigle but luckily didn't start till 1. I travelled up with Claire Martin and we arrived with plenty of time to get numbers on and warm up. After a quick briefing in the hall we headed to the start line and had a short wait after the 40+ vets started till our group of 50+ vets and women started onto the course which was 3 laps of a 17 mile circuit.
We got underway and I had made sure I was near the front on the start line and made sure to hold position near the front. The course was fairly rolling until we rounded a fairly tight corner and I could see a bit of a hill rising up in front of us. Going up the hill the pace wasn't too high but I was in slightly to big a gear, reminding myself to change down before the next ascent. After the hill there was a fast descent with a few corners on it, I had slipped back a bit on the hill and I could see the bunch lining out down the descent and cracks starting to appear so I used my cornering skills to move and overtake a fair few people and get up to the front group of riders. Unfortunately the attack didn't stay away and the bunch all came back together. There was a relatively flat section before a descent and uphill to the final corner to end of one lap. This section was pretty fast with plenty of attacks and 2 men eventually getting away. They stayed away till the tight corner before the climb on the 2nd lap but were always within sight of the bunch. Again the bunch didn't go too fast up the hill and I got my gearing better so felt much better up it. Again there were a few attacks but I just followed the wheels and concentrated on holding my position in the bunch. Made it round to the hill again for the final time and I was expecting there to be attacks up it but surprisingly there wasn't so I stuck in and over the top Colin said to me "you've got to attack down the hill" so I attacked, my legs were screaming and Colin came past me to lead down the hill, I had to accelerate onto his wheel and it hurt but we stretched the bunch out a bit. We didn't get away but there was no time to think about that because immediately more attacks were going and I had to accelerate onto the right wheels, my legs were really hurting now but I knew gaps could appear quickly and suddenly people would be away so I kept digging. I hung on through all the attacks and when we turned onto the final descent I knew we only had 1 more bit of climb till we were in the sprint where I knew I would have an advantage. So I tried to stick up the front and make sure I didn't get boxed in before the sprint, I managed to hold my position well and came into the finishing straight first woman, I accelerated onto one of the mens wheels knowing if another woman came up beside me I had room to sprint round, no one did so I just waited and sprinted round the vet to take 1st woman and 9th overall which I was super happy with.
Well done to Georges who was 5th, Colin who was 13th (and thanks for the encouragement!) and Claire who was 4th woman and 22nd overall.
Full results here: http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/77959/Women-&-Vets-Road-Race
Thanks for reading.

Jarlath · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2012, 05:48:00 PM »

Great stuff guys and girls ... lots of great results this weekend

Marco · « **Reply #2 on:** June 19, 2012, 08:07:13 PM »

Lanterne Rouge Finlati at 20 mins (!!) down. Worst ever performance in a race methinks. Final lap doing speed/power/HR at which I'd get dropped on an easy Sunday run.

The conversation with Dr Balfour on Monday sheds some light

Me: - my throat's been a bit rough lately & I was spitting blood on the last lap of my race yesterday can you take a look

Dr:- Hmm looks like someone's poured acid over your throat. And a couple of burst blood vessels. Take these antibiotics ..

Call me SickNote. Arnie Sicknote - I'll be bock.

Jorge · « **Reply #3 on:** June 19, 2012, 11:14:39 PM »

Well done Louise, you rode very well and looked comfortable throughout and a great result with 9th overall and 1st women. As you mentioned Colin provides great encouragement to all fellow ERC riders and acts selflessly in helping riders in a race. It is always great to have him around.

My tactics for the day were to take the first lap steady as I had rode the Lothian Flyer the day before and wanted to see how I was feeling on the small climb and see how the Leslie Bike riders reacted. They have strong V50 riders with years and years of experience and thought it would be best to try and get in a break if one of their riders was in it. I felt good on the climb and decided to ride off the front at the top of the small climb to see how the other riders would react. As I expected I could see the bunch getting strung out, but with a Leslie Bike rider at the front trying to close the gap and knowing that there were other strong V50s in the bunch and not wanting to use to much effort on the first lap, waited for them to catch up. Lap 1 ended with two riders ahead by a few hundred meters but with the bunch riding at a comfortable pace and gently closing them down, I just tucked myself in and waited for them to be caught. The final lap and a half there were a few attacks which I joined but none ever managed to split the bunch, so decided to stay near the front for the last section to the finish. I took the last corner safely, but far too slow and made my sprint for the finish, but was never in contention for the top spots, but was pleased with 5th.

The race was won by Graham Barclay, who I had noticed a few weeks ago was in in the David Bell handbook as the winer of that race in 1984 and is still going strong.

There were good rides by Colin and Claire who both finished comfortably in the bunch and also well done to Mark for finishing the race when not feeling great.

Final thanks to the organisers, marshals and NEG riders for putting on good race.

neilT · « **Reply #4 on:** June 20, 2012, 06:08:23 PM »

Great results all round, well done Louise... and Georges. Not too mention Colin - always full of sage advice and support - and still got some fire in those legs!