A race that I really wanted to win. It was win or bust.
I was prepared, on form, and for whatever reason the tactics didn't play my way, even when I stuck to my own plan. The early pace was slow, so I moved to the front and spend 3 laps away, before a break tried to form with the sole Elite rider and Ben Simmons of Wiggle. We stayed away for 4 laps. I was determined not to do anyw ork this early so inevitably the splintering bunch caught us again. We were 30 mins in. The early stuff hadn't worked, so I stayed safely 3rd man back for the next 20 mins and tried to get my heart rate down. Attacks went, but they were caught by others just as quickly.
Most of the field had been dropped and only the contenders remained.
Attacks started to go on the climb. On one of them I was dropped. 3 laps chasing and I couldn't get back on. Even worse is I had to explain to the commentator on tannoy and in Welsh what had happened. My diction has had better days.
Gotta take it on the chin and think about next week.
