RTTC Junior National 10 Mile TT Championship - 21/5/11

So the time had come for my first National event of the year, the National 10 Mile Time Trial Championships, promoted by Hartlepool CC on the T102 course near Middlesborough. We headed off on the 4 hour journey at around 7 oclock to allow plenty of time before my start time at 2.20, arriving at about 11.30. We drove the course and found that this event had the worlds longest turn consisting of 2 90 degree sharp left handers, a drag up over a bride then a sweeping left hander back onto the dual carriageway, I figured the event could be won or lost there!! The wind had been howling all morning and it soon became apparent that the longer outward leg would be a block headwind, and the shorter return leg would be a flying tailwind, not ideal but the same for everybody!!

When we stopped in the service station along the course to grab lunch, it was a nice surprise to see Bradley Wiggins, the hot favourite for the mens event and pro rider, getting his bike out of his car. I went over and had a chat with him for 10 minutes or so, before he wished me luck and declared he was off to ride the course 3 times, oh how the pros do it differently!! Really nice down to earth guy though.

Me & Brad.

I started all my pre-race prep nice and early, and began warming up about 40 minutes before my start time, felt like my legs were working okay on the turbo, and by the time I rocked up to the start I was feeling warmed up and ready to go.

I started quickly down the slightly sheltered slip road, quickly getting up to 25mph, but when I joined the dual carriageway my speed considerably dropped and with a couple of drags up to the turn it all meant that my 5 mile split was 13.42, an average speed of 21.9mph.

 At the 5 mile mark

I sped round the turn in pretty good time with the rider just before me in my sights, I rejoined the dual carriageway and soon overtook the rider in front of me, Hannah Barnes of Motorpoint who would go on to take the Junior Womens title, well done to her. I sped home with a brilliant tailwind and the second 5 miles took a mere 9 minutes and 42 seconds, averaging 31mph all the way back, with a top speed of 39.7mph over the finish line!!

Pushing on down the DC!

I rolled back to the finish HQ wondering how I had placed and how other riders had got on. When I got back to HQ it turned out I was 4th fastest thus far in a time of 23.24, but with a lot of quick guys still to come in I knew I would be hard pushed to crack the top 10. I ended up in 15th place, but a lot closer to a top 10 placing than it first seemed, 13 seconds slower than 10th place. The win went to Ryan Mullen of Planet X in an astonishing time of 21.33, 37 seconds ahead of Alex Royle in second, last years champion Oli Rossi rounded off the podium a further 17 seconds down.

Overall I was very pleased with my performance, and happy to show I can compete highly at National events. The ride has also given me the confidence to push on and aim for top 10 in the National 25, which takes place on June 5th in Cornwall!

In the Womens event, Julia Shaw was run very close by Laura Trott of 100% ME, but in the end Shaw, riding for drag2zero.com won in a time of 22.53, followed by Trott in 2nd with 22.57, 3rd place went to Hannah Mayho of 100% ME, in 23.28.

The mens event went to Bradley Wiggins in a phenomenal time of 19.14, worth noting his 5 mile time of 11.01, meant that he averaged 27.2mph into a block headwind... enough said. The comp record holder Michael Hutchinson took 2nd in 19.55, with Joe Perrett rounding off the podium in 20.26.

No events planned before the National 25, but I will probably do a few club TTs, and maybe a midweek crit somewhere..

Until then.

Ciao.