Unlike Tuesday evenings with the big boys - 2,3,4's races are generally steady-eddie affairs. The sprinkling of 2nd cats and strong 3rd's can't quite deliver the goods so these races aren't the seamless speed procession that Elite and 1st cat riders make them. Nevertheless the challenge for non sprinters such as your truly remains. How the heck do you get a good placing or shock horror bag a win?
Today's lovely spring afternoon meant an impressive 97 riders on the start line. If you've read reports from me before you'll know too many riders create concentration problems so it wasn't till the 20th of the 35 laps that I made my way into the top 15positions. Things had been non eventful up until that point. The big Pole, Rafal Radiej got clear for a couple of laps and a Stuart Spears (London Dynamo) and a couple of Finchley RT boys also got lively but alas there were no meaningful liaisons. The promotors tried to energise the bunch by making preems available every 10 laps. However, without a threatening headwind and Hillingdon being a showground for flatlanders this race had 'bunch finish with possible crash written all over it'
With 13 laps to go I made a bid for freedom and was joined half a lap later by another dude. We took turns briefly before a guy from Team Quest joined us. We were all hovered up by the bunch on lap 10 and I took a breather I saw Mark Wilmot (Team Quest) just get pipped for the final preem. I couldn't quite get away again for a few laps because it was quite difficult getting back up front. Not helped by a few riders whose bunch skills were a bit rusty to say the least.
Finally on lap 6 Brian Taylor (VCL)and a couple of others pulled clear of the bunch and held us at a few seconds. Two laps later I jumped away on the drag and bridged up to Brian. I gave him a look -implication being, do you fancy 10 mins + @ around 350watts? I'm guessing he preferred not to join me so away I went. A quick glance back a lap later and things were looking promising - bunch not insight and know one chasing. Hmmm! Hold that thought. With 2 and half laps to go I could see Stuart Spears from London Dynamo coming across. I thought about easing up but didn't SS caught me a lap later and the bunch caught me just before the bell. Game over for me. More good training and YES the vibes are good!
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