RACE REPORT.
Ok, here we go, it has been a while since I have done this.
Sunday saw my second race of the season at Thruxton, my second race since coming back from a 5 year break. After my 5th place last week I was some what on a bit of a mission. Our team captain Maz wasn’t able to race due to not being very well. I travelled down with Jason, so it was down to Elle and I. I hadn’t really had much of a plan for this, just a bit of a test to see where I am and good training session.
The sun was shining and the wind was blowing as we arrived, although being a fair few years since I raced at Thruxton, nothing has changed since my Junior days. I have memories of being dropped on slope up to the last chicane and that it felt like an epic hill back then, but having grown up slightly and being slightly fitter, it seems a mere push to the top. I went to sign on and had a nice welcome from Sue Knight, it is really nice to see every one again.
I made sure this time I had a warm up so had a good spin on the rollers with Elle, we both finished our warm ups and headed to the start line. I was also looking forward to trying out my new spangly wheels from Matrix, which the night before Jason kindly fitted Tubs to, with a little help from moi! When I say help, putting the tape on and adding that last little bit of pressure to get them on. Luckily it was tape and not glue, that most definitely would have ended up with stuck fingers and knotted hair, I am some what a bit of a disaster around things like paint, glue well most spillible things really….
Anyway, as we sat on the start line I recognised some faces and more of a surprise they recognised me!
We set off nice and steady, I sat on the front for the first few minutes, realising that no one particularly wanted to take the reins I swung off and to the back let some one else sit on the front, wasn’t too far to go as there was only 12 of us. The race pretty much bowled round like Sunday club run, no one doing anything, after 2 laps I was bored.
Last week at Ilton Maz was really attacking and positive, I didn’t quite have the legs to keep up with her, but, no maz meant boring racing! I had to do something, other wise there was no point riding round. As we approached the hill on the end of the 3rd I was getting itchy feet, wasn’t quite sure if I should attack now or wait until the chicane, there was a head wind along the finish straight, knowing this I thought best to attack in the chicane after the hill. Doing so I managed to get a gap, watching my heart rate get higher and higher. As I hit the back straight I had a half decent gap, with no one looking to come across, I wasn’t quite sure what to do at this point. I carried on for 2 laps hoping some one might join me, I couldn’t just stay out here on my own, I then made the decision to get caught ( to be fair I think they would have caught me anyway J ). As I got back in the bunch at the bottom of the hill I was expecting some one to attack, but they didn’t. as we came out the chicane I attacked again, with Nicky Wheeler coming past me, we got a gap, but just not enough to stay away. Again, we got back in the bunch.
The race was pretty much like this with a few attempts from a couple of girls, but no one really doing anything. As the laps counted down I was thinking about if I should attack the last lap and put one big last effort in for the line or to wait to the bunch sprint….. I had planned how I wanted to ride the finish as we rode round at the start. I thought about it and made my decision at the bottom of the hill. I was going to wait to the bunch sprint, attack into the chicane and just go balls out to the line from there, might work might not, but that was my plan.
With a lap to go the girls picked up the pace, Hannah Manley moved to the back on my wheel, realising that in doing that she was out the back, forcing her to move up. I just sat at the back waiting for the hill where I moved up to 3rd wheel which was Hannah, the bunch strung out a little towards the top, I wanted to be at least 3rd wheel for the chicane. As we hit the chicane the wheel that Hannah was on slowed up, I had to make my move now, not knowing if I could hold the sprint for that long, I just went for it!
I came out the chicane in front and just gunned for the line.
It was a bit of a shock to have crossed the line so far in front, as I used to suffer something chronic on that circuit.
Its really good to be back racing, having such a great team around me makes a huge difference. I am really looking forward to the bigger road races and riding as a team.
Jo.
