Race Update

Quick update on what's been happening with the racing season this year.
I've been racing as an A3 this year, so mostly it has been handicap races with the A1 and A2 riders. Aside from one race, but more on that in a bit.

Annaclone GP

10th in this race, a tough course and the a1 and a2 riders caught the handicap group on the last lap, I managed to stay with some of the a1, a2 who jumped through and came in strong with a good lead out.

Phoenix GP

6th position and my first point! Also got £10 for the prize money. Better than a poke in the eye. Was a great race, the a1, a2 groups didn't catch us and I had a decent uphill finish, if I had more of a kick I may have placed higher.

John Haldane

New course for this race in Newry, basically up and down a dual carriageway. Doesn't sound that exciting but a good workout. I took a flyer from the bottom roundabout and attempted to time trial to a win. Got caught about 250m from the line... ah well... gotta give these things a go.

John Moore Memorial

New course for this also, tough course at that. Finished well in the bunch.

PJ Logan GP

Hardest race so far this year, a figure 8 circuit with strong cross winds and LUMPY ass hills. Finished in the bunch. Loads of dropouts so pleased enough with performance.

Ciclosport GP

Was hoping for a better showing here to be honest. Strong headwind on the 'out' stretch of the course. One of my team went up the road, so no chasing. When the a2 group caught us I should have been on my teammate Niall's wheel, but I missed my opportunity.

Tour of Ards

Didn't know if I was to get a start in this as I was on the reserve list, but I turned up on the day and got a race. A hard course on not great road surfaces, but pretty flat. It was fast. Didn't even see the break of the a1 guys going.

This was also the first mass start race of the year. Good prep for the Tour of the North.

Aghagallon GP

What a race. Tried to break on the first lap and one guy came with me. At the end of the first lap, two other bridged to us, then one of them cut in front of me and wiped me out. End of race.

I'm now covered in road rash up my left hand side which isn't terribly pleasant.
Damage to bike:
- tape
- shifters
- rear wheel damage
- pride

Tour of the North

Ok, so I'm getting a little ahead of myself. This starts tomorrow evening at Stormont and I am nervous. The crash this week didn't help either.

Wish me luck!

Reliable Reliabilities

So its February, and the reliability not-races have started again.

Last weekend 7th Feb was the East Antrim CC trial, nice enough weather and on decent roads. Fast pace at the start with a tasty tailwind the whole way round... till we turned into it and it was headwind time. This was slightly mitigated by the fact that we took in a 3-4 mile descent down into Glenarm which was just awesome. If it had have been drier I think it would have been faster and more awesome-er.

Yesterday was the Maryland Wheelers Trial. Man, this was fast. I reckon an average of about 24mph+ over the course of around 70 miles.
The big boys were fairly hammering the pace. I felt fine till the P-stop... then something happened, either riders went on or something.. but it left everyone chasing like hell to get back on. Including me.

Right into the red-zone, then couldn't settle properly till we hit the climb at the horsehoe bend in Castlewellan, always fun weaving through those going backwards on it.
More fast paced stuff right up to the tea and sandwiches stop.. with blustery crosswinds forcing echelons.
The ride went on in this pace till Saintfield where it turned onto the John Moore race course... then I got blew out. Nothing left in the legs at all.
I'm putting that down to a number of things:
- I had a hard club run the day before
- I had a bit of a sniffle
- I ate the wrong food
- It was nigh on impossible to eat at the speed we were doing
- I was on my winter bike

Pick an excuse.. any excuse :-)

Anyways.. this weekend is the Phoenix CC (my club) reliability trial.. and a summer bike will be out to play. I reckon that alone will drop about 5-6 pounds of weight that I don't have to muscle up a hill.

Feeling somewhat toasted today!