Was a little chillier than I wanted this morning but the sun was out and the track didn't seem wet by comparison to some of the training sessions I've done there. After a gentle warm up about 35 riders lined up on the starting grid, a quick briefing later and we were racing.
The first lap was fairly neutral at around 32kph (20mph) with nobody really wanting to take up setting a fast tempo, from lap 2 attacks started to fly in, possibly part of a game plan, possibly a few first race of the season (or in Tom and my cases career) nerves. After 15 minutes I told myself I had been one of the largest, if not the largest protagonist off the front and I should save some energy so when Tom came riding past and launched an attack with a member from iTeam I looked at the bunch and said "not my problem", it was a few laps before they pulled Tom back but like every other attack it ended with the bunch back together heading for a sprint finish.
With 5 minutes and 3 laps (race for Cat 4 is 40 minutes plus 3 laps) to go I found myself next to Tom towards the back of the bunch, albeit a slightly smaller bunch due to drop outs for whatever reason. I realised that we had to make a move now or when the pace really kicked in we would be stuck at the back. I had Tom on my wheel as I went scarily close to the barrier on the outside of turn 1 to find space. Using the banking I was able to accelerate towards the front of the group where I slotted in and over the next 5 minutes made my way up to third wheel behind two riders from Team Wiggle. Unfortunately I had lost Tom by this point, or maybe I hadn't, I was concentrating too much on the rider in front and those trying to come past me to look at what was going on behind. One of the wiggle riders stayed on the front and I figured that he was trying to line the sprint up for the second rider so I made sure I sat on his wheel.
With half a lap to go a large group came around the outside on the back straight and for a moment I had a horrible realisation that I was about to get boxed in and stuck on a faltering lead out train. Fortunately a slight gap appeared and the second wiggle rider went for it, I quickly pounced on his wheel as another rider tried to close the door and I held my nerve to escape through back into about 5th or 6th position. Keeping the inside line into the last bend I was making progress on two riders outside and at an opportune moment a gap appeared between the 3rd and 4th placed rider and I was able to work my way outside mid way through the final corner. Kicking hard I soon relegated the rider from Team Wiggle to 4th and had my sights firmly set on the Southern Velo rider who had a two bike length lead. I felt I had the speed at the end but unfortunately not the distance to the line and had to settle for 2nd place although to be honest, in my first ever race, I can't complain really.
I'll leave Tom to recount his experience, and Andy who is currently racing with the elites as by the time he got to sign on the 3rd Cat race was full. Andy...what do we learn? lol
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/150774419
The first lap was fairly neutral at around 32kph (20mph) with nobody really wanting to take up setting a fast tempo, from lap 2 attacks started to fly in, possibly part of a game plan, possibly a few first race of the season (or in Tom and my cases career) nerves. After 15 minutes I told myself I had been one of the largest, if not the largest protagonist off the front and I should save some energy so when Tom came riding past and launched an attack with a member from iTeam I looked at the bunch and said "not my problem", it was a few laps before they pulled Tom back but like every other attack it ended with the bunch back together heading for a sprint finish.
With 5 minutes and 3 laps (race for Cat 4 is 40 minutes plus 3 laps) to go I found myself next to Tom towards the back of the bunch, albeit a slightly smaller bunch due to drop outs for whatever reason. I realised that we had to make a move now or when the pace really kicked in we would be stuck at the back. I had Tom on my wheel as I went scarily close to the barrier on the outside of turn 1 to find space. Using the banking I was able to accelerate towards the front of the group where I slotted in and over the next 5 minutes made my way up to third wheel behind two riders from Team Wiggle. Unfortunately I had lost Tom by this point, or maybe I hadn't, I was concentrating too much on the rider in front and those trying to come past me to look at what was going on behind. One of the wiggle riders stayed on the front and I figured that he was trying to line the sprint up for the second rider so I made sure I sat on his wheel.
With half a lap to go a large group came around the outside on the back straight and for a moment I had a horrible realisation that I was about to get boxed in and stuck on a faltering lead out train. Fortunately a slight gap appeared and the second wiggle rider went for it, I quickly pounced on his wheel as another rider tried to close the door and I held my nerve to escape through back into about 5th or 6th position. Keeping the inside line into the last bend I was making progress on two riders outside and at an opportune moment a gap appeared between the 3rd and 4th placed rider and I was able to work my way outside mid way through the final corner. Kicking hard I soon relegated the rider from Team Wiggle to 4th and had my sights firmly set on the Southern Velo rider who had a two bike length lead. I felt I had the speed at the end but unfortunately not the distance to the line and had to settle for 2nd place although to be honest, in my first ever race, I can't complain really.
I'll leave Tom to recount his experience, and Andy who is currently racing with the elites as by the time he got to sign on the 3rd Cat race was full. Andy...what do we learn? lol
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/150774419