Hog Hill:LVRC

'You're only as good as your last race' apparently so perhaps thats what drives the phenomenal Russell Downing. Whether or not its a truism I definitley felt the need to put last Saturday's 2009 Nocturne adventure to bed. The choice at yesterday evening's Hog Hill Summer Series was 7.15pm race with the E12's or 6pm race with the VETS.. Hmmm... my chances of being truly competitive in the E12's were slim and racing with the OBG's (Oldie But Goodies) cuts me a little slack and I get the chance to ride in my own space. At the front ;-)

Just after six o'clock and we got away (a handicapped race where the CD VETS were given a 1 minute gap) riding the circuit the opposite way around which meant freewheeling down the Hoggernberg rather honking up it. The pace was comfortable and I quickly found myself in the front 3 places. For a while I shadowed this chap from Team Quest thinking he was Colin Roshier. Er... no wrong bike, wrong man. It stayed quite steady for the first few laps with nothing but a few leg warming surges going on at the front. Mostly Craig from Cyclos Uno, a fella from Eagle RT, myself and a couple of others shared wind buffetting duties. The climb (which is normally the descent) was better for me and didn't require that leg sapping 'power stomping' synonymous with the H climb

Soon the pace ramped up for a preem and which was comfortably taken by Craig. I decided to take advantage of the lull in pace. It wasn't exactly a match burning dig, just an aerodynamic tuck with a surge, but a lap later I was on my J's. I probably had 10 seconds so I pressed on and wondered if anyone would come across. 3 laps later and I was still Billy No Mates. At the top of the climb people were shouting encouragement and I think someone said I had 20 seconds. By lap 5 a chase had begun and my pace had eased a touch. After 6 laps away an Eagle man bridged across with Edgar (1st cat, Finchley RT) and we had just a lap to suss each other out before the group were on to us. The lap board went up ten minutes later and the chase was on to reel in the CD cats which included Eastway Sprint King (Rapha's Dominic Gabellini).

I burnt a couple of matches attacking in an effort to get across to the CD group alone. At the bell lap fatigue caught up with me and despite getting across on the climb the 'all systems shut down now' message finally arrived at my legs. So thats what they did. Its cool, see you at Palace.