Having ridden in a couple of crits at the tail end of the 2014 season and having achieved some positive results (but alas no race license meant no points), I was keen to get a solid winter of riding under my belt and then have a real crack at this racing thing in 2014 with the Echappée boys.
So team registered and license bought I resisted jumping in too early and aimed to kick things off at the end of Feb, the classics were starting then so its spring right, road race season?
San Fairy Ann Spring Series #1 - Cat 4
San Fairy Ann Spring Series, sounds nice right? Spring means warmer sunny weather so Andy and myself popped our names into the hat for the first round Cat 4 race on the 28th Feb. Arriving in Gravesend Cyclopark at 3pm I thought maybe I should have bought my lights with me, the sky a thick steely grey and the air wet with a constant drizzle, added to this we were greeted by what could only be described as a raging gale. A brief spin round the local neighbourhood and a few sprints in the car park before we were lined up and waiting for the off.
The commissaires whistle went and immediately the pack was torn to shreds by the wind and cold, wet conditions. I made the early break with four others before the end of the first lap and noticed Andy was working hard with the second group on the road. A little too long on the front on my pulls and I found myself distanced by the break at around the half way mark, settling into a steady rhythm I put my head down and pushed on waiting for the second group to catch me and offer up some wheels for a little refuge. The gap we had opened up in the front group was sufficiently large enough that I spent 3 laps on my own in no-mans land before Andy and a select second group finally showed up. A quick glance around at the faces in the group showed the conditions were taking their toll so I tried to work with these guys to keep the pace up and make sure we stayed away from the next group back. It was a relief to finally hear the bell for last lap and I took it up on the front to ramp things up a little. As we came into the bottom of the final drag I sat up a little to try and force a move from further back, it worked and straight away I jumped to onto his wheel before coming round with about 100m to go.
A solid 6th place meant a few points on the score sheet and Andy rolled in just behind but unfortunately in 11th and just out of the points.
MK Bowl Spring Series #1 - Cat 4
The following week saw me line up on my own in Milton Keynes. Knowing that a Cat 3 license was one really good result away had me hoping that this would go well especially with a vast improvement in the weather. The week had seen my head full of cold and lacking in riding though so I was left wondering how things would pan out.
Racing at the bowl was completely different to what we had experienced the previous week. The main bunch stayed together albeit with five or six of us really driving the front, attacking each other, chasing and ramping the pace. Attacks would some on the drag up to the start finish, only to be bought swiftly back on the swooping downhill towards the first corner. No one stayed away and coming into the bell lap everyone was together.
I came out of the final corner in third wheel, nicely positioned for the finish as we started up the final drag. No more than half way up though a jump came from quite far back and as they raced past me I figured that was the winning move and decided to chase. I had a long gap to claw back but as we approached the line I came along side and threw the bike forwards.
Half a bike length, a win and 10 points, Cat 3 target achieved.
MK Bowl Spring Series #2 - Cat 2/3
Having achieved my upgrade and already being entered into the Cat 4 at Milton Keynes a quick email was all it took to find myself on the start sheet of the Cat 2/3 the following Saturday.
A decent week off work, on the bike and having just watched Andy put in a super strong ride to finish 7th in the 4s I was feeling excited but racked with nerves as we rolled round a neutral first lap. As soon as the car pulled off the suffering began, the first fifteen minutes was an unrelentingly brutal series of attacks and chases, I was well into the red and we weren’t even a quarter of the way in!
Fortunately as the break was established and the Corley-Drops team came to the front to take control things settled down, a little. I quickly realised that this level of racing is a completely different kettle of fish, organised teams and very strong and experienced individuals. I concentrated on trying to maintain my position somewhere around the middle of the main pack. In hindsight I spent way to much time on the outside and burnt too many matches moving up on the uphill drag. But I was hanging on and feeling ok, although I was pleased when we passed the hour mark and the board came up with five to go. Coming into the last lap I was able to move up in the bunch and into the first ten wheels but got boxed slightly in the final bend and found myself on the outside without any wheels to follow as the sprint began to wind up. I dug in and gave it my all but 30m or so from the line my legs decided they had had enough. I still finished in the top half of the finishers so all in all it was a good day out.
So three races down, points earnt, an upgrade obtained and then a baptism of fire with lots of lessons learnt; looking forward to what the rest of the season will bring!
Words: Steve Revill-Darton
Photos: Tom Krause, Lucy Revill-Darton, Andy Ainger, Steve Revill-Darton
