28/7/2011 19:15
7th
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/40612/Hog-Hill-Summer-League-Circuit-Races-12
Possibly the most attacking race that I've ever been part of at Redbridge.
This evening was certainly a return to summer. I rode from Condor to Hog Hill just in time for the sign in and had to work pretty hard not to smudge the sign-in sheet.
As has become the norm' on Thursday nights, the cream of the Eastern crop was out in force. Only 2 Summer League Crits at Hig Hill to go, and the Sun was out. No excuse but to race on a weeknight. Jason White, Adam Norris, Andy Lyons, Andrew Griffiths, and they were just the Elites. Tonight was always going to be fun.
I was also pleased to say that although Tao and Alex of Cycling Club Hackney were absent due to other racing commitments, the Club still came out in force with Keir Apperley, Ben Brown and Clem Berril racing with the E/1/2 field. On that note, good luck to Tao who is currently representing Great Britain at the European Youth Olympics in Turkey.
The race started quick and the attacks came thick and fast. I held my nerve deciding not to go with anything unsubstantial. With such a strong field, I was banking on a strong counter attack, and I knew from experience which wheels to follow.
I found myself after twenty minutes in a bizarre bunch. There was one large break a quarter of a lap ahead and gaining time, and there were fractured chase groups littered between the bunch and the break. Crucially, I was sitting next to Lyons, White and Norris, none of whom had shown their cards yet. I also had 2 men up front, Keir and Clem, and was reluctant to make a substantial chase. When the strong men decided it was time to move, I watched and followed. We caught and overtook the chase groups in no time, and within 3 laps, we had blown past the break and had taken the strongest men with us and were gaining time on the remainder of the field behind. By this point we were only 40mins in, and the racing so far had already been as eventful as 2 crits of lesser calibre at Hog Hill.
Finally our break came down to a gallop for the line. The seven of us were still together by the bell lap and I had been feeling stong on the flat all race so I decided to attack from the back, chip off the front and try my hand for the win. I gained a substantial advantage into the wind on the back straight, but once the others had stopped watching each-other for the move, I was swamped within sight of the crest of the climb and rolled over in 7th, and ahead of the chasing field.
Certainly a learning experience this evening. Strategically quite complex and physically a very strong performance for me.
