Midweek Stuff.

Since my last blog I have done 1 local club time trial, and 2 midweek crits.

Last Thursday was the Didcot Phoenix 10 mile club time trial, the weather wasn't great, fairly windy and rain was in the air. It did however stay dry for the race itself and the 18 riders who had braved the weather were pleasantly surprised that it turned out to be a fairly fast night. The course was a single carriageway course containing no less than 11 roundabouts... But by no means a slow course. I ended up winning the event in a time of 22.04, only 3 seconds off my pb, and this on a much slower course, so things are looking good for when I get back on a quick course!! My winning margin for Thursday... 53 seconds put into 2nd placed Alan Alcock of Didcot Phoenix who record 22.57.

I had a weekend off racing last weekend, playing cricket instead for my local team, not a bad weekend, scored 93 runs, nearly a century!!

Back to cycling, on Monday I went to Ludgershall for the cat 3/4 race. The track was covered in muck, flints and looked wet!! The race started fairly fast and I felt strong, always staying up near the front of the pack. After 30 minutes I discovere my front wheel had punctured, I quickly stopped to put in my spare and was back in after a lap out. The race was still fast but my legs felt good and going into the final lap I was well placed behind team-mate Chris Boote who was there to lead me out, then disaster, at the start of the final lap I felt my back wheel go down, a puncture, but I couldn't bring myself to stop when in such a good position. I was completely blowing and was deep into the red, I kept pushing on behind Chris, but could simply not compete in the sprint, we both finished outside the top 10, I rolled in 17th, still in the top half of the bunch, not bad on a flat tyre... Team-mate Andy Mckay took a brilliant 4th place in the sprint. Overall I was happy with my positioning and strength in the race, and felt good for a top-3 finish, but bad luck at the wrong time put paid to that. Ludgershall, not a track I will be returning to any time soon!!

Finally, this evening I travelled to the Eelmore for another 3/4 criterium race. Conditions were good and the race started fast, remained fast and finished fast. But once again I felt strong and followed a few attacks off the front, but nothing stayed away due to the ferocious pace of the race. I tested my sprint on the primes after 20 and 40 minutes respectively, taking 3rd in the first, and 5th in the second. Not bad and looking good for a top 10 finish if I could position myself correctly in the line up to the final bend before the sprint. It didn't work out that way, the bunch slowed on the straight before the final bend, it bunched up and i found myself boxed in. No chance, I still sprinted hard but nothing came of it and i rolled in around 20th place... Not a complete waste of time however as my team-mate Chris Boote remarked after the race... "I think I won" ... Turns out he was right!! 10 more points for Zappi's and we're moving up the Central Regional Rankings!! It must be my turn to bring in some points for the team, it's been too long that I have been 'riding well' with no reward.

More motivated than ever before.

Bring on the National 25.

Ciao,