Obviously the most sensible thing to do when you’ve gone an entire fortnight without riding bike at all, let alone racing, is to sit in the bunch and just get round. Everyone knows the drill: sit in the middle, maybe take a pull if a break needs pulling back or you accidentally roll to the front and cross the line.
Script, window.
So I went on the attack at Hillingdon on Tuesday in the 4ths. I managed to resist the first dig until a few laps in and stayed away for a lap or so then sat up when I felt like I was going to blow. Then for some reason, assuming that if one of those digs stuck I kept on attacking.
I think I went off the front four times in the course of the race and felt pretty good each time. The only problem was that no one came with me and I haven’t got the form to try and go solo all the way. Actually, solo-ing away at Hillingdon is pretty hard to do unless no one has noticed you get away, like Mark D did the other week.
Still it makes it a more interesting Tuesday night attacking and made me push myself hard. OK, I rolled in last after going a lap early to try and get the jump. A mix of forgetting there was still a lap to go and the bunch switching across the back straight and leaving a huge gap in front of me which I couldn’t resist trying to make best use of.
That should all come in handy come the mayhem of the Smithfield Nocturne where I’m riding in the folding bike race again this year. I want to win it or at least get a podium place in the final to improve on my 4th place last year.
It’s next weekend, 6th June in Smithfield Market. It’s a great evening of bike racing entertainment, well worth coming down for. Last year it rained a bit but that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm or racing. This year, I’m hoping it stays sunny. See you there.