First let’s get formalities over and done with – no I didn’t score a point, yes I did enjoy myself. Last race of the series and there were a few friendly faces to race with, in particular “wee” Scott and Matt, so it was a good laugh. Here’s me and Scott trying to liven things up early on:
Image: http://www.londoncyclesport.com by Dennis Sackett
We carried on trying to liven things up throughout, be it by encouraging people to race a bit (mostly Scott) and by heckling (me shouting “Venga! Venga! Venga!” like a deranged Spanish DS). It never looked like a group would get away so it was a case of keeping on putting in digs and seeing who would crack. Not many did as far as I can tell but it sure as heck beats all trudging round like a training race for an hour and then a cavalry charge from the last bend. If it’s just going to be a charge from the last bend then why not just skip the hour going round?
As I have alway argued, it’s far better to lose gloriously than to win without racing. Anyway I bottled it a bit when someone cut me off in the sprint – it didn’t drift right across the last bend and then someone changed line right across me. I’m going to have to get some balls and elbows if I’m ever going to challenge in these sort of races. Winter series, here I come.
Matt managed to get third and with it his third category licence – you need ten points to move up from fourth, which is the entry level in British Cycling. So that’s one less person to race with and work with come the winter or next year. Scott needed a third and got fourth.
I am a bit pissed off not to get a point as I thought I was fairly well positioned off the last corner. But I’ve finished more races than not this year and I’m strong enough to animate races when I want to. If a break sticks then I’ve got a chance, just none of mine have.
Now it’s time to bed down to some more weeks of training and keeping my fitness levels up. I’m trying to persuade myself that I need a turbo trainer but I know it’ll just sit there and not get used. So that’ll be a Tacx Flow in my bag within the week no doubt.