My First Elite National. 151km.

The guys in the team seemed pretty excited about this race, they had mentioned it a few times even weeks ago saying it was the first big race. The manager of the club then as we were in route to the start of the race said that a top 20 would be a fantastic result today so I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. My parents and brother had made the trip over the day before to check out what the story was and to see where I was living etc. they also would come to watch this race so inevitably I wanted to do extra well as they were here to watch.

As we were all getting ready, pinning the numbers on and getting changed it was absolutely freezing but it had give decent weather for the afternoon so it’s a big decision whether to wrap up for the start of the race and risk overheating and making the trip back to the team car to off-load mid race when the pressure is on and let’s face it no-one wants to do that. The other option was where very little and hope it warms up very quickly. I opted for the in between so was quite well wrapped up and just hoped I wouldn’t overheat when the pressure was on, thankfully it was the right option.

Straight from the off I knew I hadn’t good legs and could only put it down to being tired as I didn’t get a great nights sleep for a few days before for whatever reason so I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the 150km. It was a very windy day and everyone knew the wind would play a massive part in the race. The first 10km was into a headwind and after that the race turned and had a cross to tail wind for about 100km before hitting the finishing circuit. As a result the first 10km was very slow but still everyone was trying to get to the front so the peloton was very bunched up and it was very dodgy as at all times you had a rider rubbing shoulders with you at either side. Just before the race turned and the wind would change there was a big up in the pace as everyone knew it would most likely be lined out in the gutter from then on… But thankfully it wasn’t too bad. There was the obviously fast bits where everyone was in the gutter and trying desperately to hold the wheel in front but there was always a let up after a few KM’s so you could recover, thankfully.
I found it not to bad to hold my place towards the front of the bunch and as a result found myself following a few moves off the front after about 60km in as I could see more and more people becoming active so I thought a move might get up the road but it wasn’t to be and I settled in again about 20riders back. Once again I inconveniently dropped a bottle at about 60km in so knew if I didn’t either go back or grab one from the feed zone if bonk and my race would be over. Luckly I grabbed one last minute of an unsuspecting swaniur for some other team in the feed zone which came a few KM’s later, so disaster averted for now.

The profile of the race was pretty rolling until the race hit the 20km finishing circuit of which we had to do 2 laps of and which had a hard climb on it. I managed to get to the front again just as we hit the circuit and started to climb, by this stage there was only a few riders off the front for about 10seconds so we hit the climbs flat-out and the attacks came. I managed to hold my place near the front only dropping a few positions over the steep bit of the climb. After which it flatted out a little and held about a 3% gradient for about 2km but it was totally open and exposed from both sides so the crosswinds would do the damage. As the echelons started and most people where in the gutter I found myself struggling to hold the wheel and was sitting at threshold just to do so. I hung on just about over the climb and got a breather on the decent with everyone else. At this stage I looked over and the race had blown to bits.. I was nearly last man in the group of about 50 and and their were 7 guys up the road who managed  to stay clear over the climb. At this point everyone sat up and the bunch slowed way down, the pressure didn’t come on again until we hit the climb once again. Straight away as the pace lit up the climb I knew I hadn’t the legs and just sat on the tops of the bars and rode my way up it as did many others as the bunch blew to bits again. Over the top I found myself with 3 others and it was obvious they were in no rush and so be it as the race was over for us so it was just a matter of riding into the finish. They then shared a few words in French and proceeded to pull in for a Pee stop, so as I was also struggling with my bladder I took the opportunity do the same. Our toilet break had allowed a big group of about 15 to catch up with us and these guys weren’t hanging about…we jumped onto them and started up and over the last 15km to the finish. In the end I ended up in 65th position out of almost 200 starters and with being such a quality field comprised of Conti teams, Espoir teams such as AG2R and FDJ, I suppose it was alright.

It wasn’t however another great race for Foley as he had picked up a bug during the week and had to pack after a few KM’s in after seeing the doctors car… Disappointing but hopefully his luck will pick up soon.
The next one for me is Annemasse-Bellegarde, another Elite National. 185km and in the Alps so very mountainous.

3rd race of the season. All category race (1+2). 131km.

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 I was occupied the whole race with trying to stay up near the front as it was very hard to do so since in every corner the whole bunch swamped you and then sprinted out for position. As I was up near the front I tried following a few moves early on and made one half decent break with about 10 others which looked promising at one point but it was quickly all back together so I thought I’d try bid my time and wait for the last 2/3 laps when everyone was starting to get tired as we where briefed before hand by the manager and he predicted that’s when the break would go. Foley was also well positioned most of the race and turned out to be the most active in our team and made a good few moves (one of which would stick). I always try use the first lap in a circuit race as a sighting lap, looking for the hard bits of road and for the road furniture and its a good job I did as there turned out to be road furniture around every corner…which was unknown to one unfortunate fellow as I saw him out of the corner of my eye completely t-boning a traffic island. Ouch.

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As the race settled in to the second lap and the twitching and nervousness of the bunch died off, all was going as planned until my bottle bounced out so I was left with half a bottle only 35km into a 131km race…ohh great. I quickly finished that half a bottle so went back to the car and got 2 more which thankfully was during a bit of a stall in the bunch so that took no effort out of me at all and just as well as the next lap then again I found myself at the front when wee hit the crosswind section and I got to know the gutter quite well as did most of the rest of the bunch, at one stage I looked over my shoulder and the bunch was lined out in single file strewing for about 500metres as everyone tried to his from the wind.

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As the attacks picked up in the last 3 laps Foley managed to get into a break which looked very promising and at one stage probably had about a minute gap over the rest of us, I thought personally it would never be seen again but then wee hit the crosswind part of the circuit again and some team who obviously missed the break out in a massive turn and the bunch split into 3 groups as guys started tiring with the distance and letting wheels go. It all came back together again quickly once we got out of the windy section and the effort put in by the bunch managed to close the gap to Foley and the rest of the break to about 10seconds so with 2 laps to go it was all together. I made sure to be well near the front at this stage not wanting to miss anything big.

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Foley again was active and had a go off the front with another rider during a stall in the bunch. They quickly opened up a decent gap and then where joined by 3 others. I thought this had no chance as the sprinters teams would close it quickly but they never did and the gap grew to over a minute as wee hit the last lap. In the bunch now it was getting very sketchy as guys twice my size where starting to throw elbows and shoulders all over the place as the teams tried to form there sprint trains and stay together. I don’t mind all the pushing and shoving at all so I held my place pretty well in the top 20 of the bunch as we neared the finish, meanwhile Foley and the breaks advantage was narrowing to within reach but no-one really committed to the chase in the last 3km so the break just held us off with thanks to Foley as I could see him driving it and sacrificing himself to a 5th place instead of getting swamped by the bunch and ending up 50th so fair play to him and it was a very strong ride, especially with such a fast race and strong crosswinds.

Here he is driving the break;

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I meanwhile didn’t try to contest the sprint and risk anything so I rolled across the line and ended up 36th I believe which I was happy enough with considering I coped well with the speed and the winds which wouldn’t be most suited to me at all. So in all another decent performance and another race behind us. Onto the next one.

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Full result here;

http://www.directvelo.com/actualite/40656-tour-du-canton-de-wittenheim-classement.html#.VQdUFxh4WK0

You don’t know what to expect going to France; but I can cope”