edinburgh rc cycling club

posted: 9 May 2009

In an incident filled, tough tough race, Ali Easton gets a great result

So much for a neutralised zone - today's race started farily much as it was going to continue - with a jostling for position, and at a fair lick.  Today Alasdair McNicol raced under the ERC banner for the first time - just back on the bike after his part in the accident a few weeks ago that saw to Colin May's racing for this year.

The first few miles were fairly much into the stiff breeze that was blowing from the S West today.  Tim, Ali, Ross and a good few other ERC worthies  had moved themselves well up the bunch - as had I - but a mere 4 miles in, the rider immediately in front of me suddenly splayed himself across the road, and without any time to veer round him, I did a nice summersault over him, and ended up seeing the peleton pass from a rather jaunty angle over my left shoulder-  would have made a very stylish photo opportunity in other circumstances.  My thoughts at the time were less artistic - as I had had high hopes to today's race. Having picked myself, my bottles and my bike up - and sorted brakes etc, I jumped back on the bike (mercifully unharmed) and buried myself to rejoin the peleton.  It took 2 or 3 miles, but I got there, and with lungs bursting, I got myself through the bunch just in time before the hill, and rejoined the race.

Stuart McGregor (I think it was) from Dooleys was one of several people really pushing the pace, and trying to break things up with constant bursts off the front.  Ultimately the whole bunch  stuck together over the top of the first lap climb, and it was only in the flatter stretch towards Gifford that a break away managed to form.  It was such a big break, it took a bit of time to work out whether we were genuinely in a break away or whether those behind us were in fact 'the bunch'.  Getting into a break is in large part a matter of luck, and right place, right time.  Unfortunately Ross, Alastair McNicol and I think Tim, were not quite in the right place - a real shame, as it was a course that would have suited them.

In fact, the ERC team back luck continued today, as Tim's recently post-crash repaired back wheel decided to break several spokes, and so he too, in Lap 2, was out the back, and had to spend just too long sorting it out to get back into the main body of the race.  Alasdair mcnicol too had a small scale reprise of his recent crash (so many minor crashes today - was it the wind, or the sheer pace, I don't know).

Ali and Ross were looking really strong in the break.  I might have occasionally been looking strong, but I knew that (and my excuse is my solo chase in lap one to rejoin the race) my legs had a limited shelf life on that circuit.  I still tried (and failed) to get the second and third lap primes - which at least meant I was well places for the tricky descent and corners immediately following.    Great also on the prime to see a few ERC supporters - not least Colin May, and our very own team support for today's race - Claire Thomas - thanks both.

I decided to do my bit for the break at the end of lap 3/start lap 4 - as I knew that I had nothing left to see me to a strong finish - so I went through and did my bit at the front before I died at the start of the climbs in lap 4.  Ross Crook and Ali meanwhile carried on strongly, though Ross got caught up in the the next of the many crashes, and so that was his chances of a sprint finish over.  It was left to Ali to carry the can - and he did so admirably, and sprinted to a 5th place, which in the company, and given the amount of work he had himself done in the race, was an excellent result. 

So a race of positives and negatives - but at least we had a really good result from Ali Easton.  Well deserved.

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