Saturday was the inaugural London Dynamo Club Championships, a 30 lap open race down at Hillingdon. It was an absolute hoot so big thanks to the huge number of people in the club who helped organise it.
There’s some great pics on Flicker here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61744043@N00/sets/72157602898492830/
And more here on photobox:
http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/6907700
Where you can see me attempting the daring tactic of going a bit blank off the bend and flying across the grass. Note to self: this is not cyclocross. If you skip to pic 49 you can get a rough idea of what happened. I think I looked up as Rob J came past me and drifted across and onto the grass.
I’d just tried to jump across the gap to the break and was nearly there as well but just lost concentration. Couldn’t get back on so decided to just have fun and get in the bunch again when it came round. Tried to drag a few people up towards the front and came off the back again.
Then someone went down right in front of me and I sort of rode over them. Unfortunately their bike kicked up under me and I got the chainring through my shin/calf which didn’t look too bad until I paid attention to how much blood was pouring down my leg. Hopped off with three laps to go and the medic took a look and patched me up.
Paul Delahunty won it by apparently using the grass, as he is wont to do, the loon. The sprint was a real cavalry charge job that looked fierce from where I was lying by the line. Those sort of finishes terrify me still. That’s something I’ll need to learn not to bottle this year. 2008 is going to be a points season, not a sportif one.
OK, I didn’t place, but I tried to jump off the front and, had I not gone onto the grass, could well have stuck in the bunch I reckon. But sitting in the bunch just isn’t the way I ride, patience not being a particular virtue of mine. As Paul C pointed out I’ve come a long way from him having to give me a push to get back into the bunch in a 4th Cat race at Chertsey.
Thanks again for a fabulous afternoon’s racing. I’ve now got a couple of weeks to recover from injury/not get fat as I’m working next weekend and the next ‘cross race isn’t until 18th I think.