LVRC Championships

The League Of Veteran cyclists had their Criterium Championships at Hog Hill last Sunday (31.05.09). I haven't done any LVRC races this year so it was both an opportunity to race close to home and further hone my circuit/crit racing skills. My fitness levels dictate that I'm no longer a caged wolf limited by a lack of aerobic fitness and doomed to simply bunch finishes. Nope! I've got that little edge now which means I can go in search of breakaways. The race was over an hour and 5 laps - with both A's(40-44), my group, and B's (45-49)racing at the same time

On your marks get set... the race pretty much got going from the gun and within the first few laps two guys had a 35 second gap. A 3rd guy bridged across and that was kinda it. Now this was clearly not part of my plan...the break went a little to early. Erm... Sir I wasn't ready can we start again please?... Yeah if only...so with just 30 minutes gone in this 1 hour crit the three podium spots had been assured to the breakawy group. Nobody was gonna close down a minute. With about 5/6 laps to go and nothing to loose I gave it all the power I had on the Hoggerberg and bridged across to a guy who had around 15 seconds on the bunch. I also had Huw Watkins from London Dynamo on my wheel and the three of us soon started working. However there was a problem1

A break from the B's was just ahead of us but couldn't pull away. We had been given strict instructions not to mix with each other at the beginning of the race and to ensure this the commissionaire told us to let the B's get a gap. Unfortunately the bloody B's weren't riding quickly enough and it resulted in our break eventually being force to relinquish its 20 second gap. So yes we were caught two laps later. SHIT!!!!I was bloody annoyed and on the penultimate lap went for a Bradley Wiggins style pursuit effort, but again I was told to let the four man B group break ride away which they clearly couldn't do. I then rolled around with my group on the last lap slightly dejected didn't even contest the bunch sprint. It later transpired that one guy from our group had ridden past the B group rather wait. He got Fourth place. Next time I'll do that. Ya live and continue to learn. God bless the risk takers ;-)