Storey on the way to silver
The ride itself probably my least efficient and enjoyable I have done all season and it reaped =49th place which was all it deserved, I had a hard week of training behind me and I just could not retrieve my legs to produce more than an average (C+) performance. I had done several recovery rides a massage and stretching before setting out in air conditioned luxury (Fi driving) up country and we had enough time to recce the course and follow the Women's top riders as they returned from the turn at Kirk Deighton just North of Wetherby. We were hit by the hot blast of the day to cheer Julia Shaw (UTAG Yahaha) to a 2 minute win (54:30) over Sarah Storey (Horizon Fitness) and Dutch student Mathilde Matthijsse (Ferryhill Whs.) another minute behind
The Junior race saw Conor Dunne (Glendene) step up from the silver in the '10' with an amazing 54:04 but not as amazing as Ryan Mullan (Planet X) only 10 seconds behind at 15 years old! Third '10' Champ Oliver Rossi (PCA Uno) inside 55 minutes as well.
Old SWRC lag John Thacker was out for the day from his home in Bradford, he came out to the National '100' last year at Dishforth just up the road and still follows the Time trialling scene and the clubs riders although his racing days are long gone.
John managed a lap of the course starting just before me and finishing getting caught by Dr Hutch as he crossed the line so that makes 1:50 for the 25 miles, a good ride for him as he has arthritis in his right knee which gives him a bit of trouble, he saw that eight in the club had done the recent Etape du Dales and would love to be able to do some of the hilly sportive as he was a handy climber in his day and still has the physique to make Bob 'sparrow' Maylin look over developed.
John Thacker doing his '25'
The Men's result was a repeat of the '10' without the Motorpoint professionals in the frame Dr Hutch again the Champion with the only +30mph ride 49:34 (24:42) and 4th and 5th Mark Holton (drag2zero) and Matt Bottrill (i-ride) moving up to the podium just under and over 2 minutes behind the fourth time Champion.
For myself all I can report is that I went out to the turn in a respectable 27:43 (same as Julia) but came back to record 56:22 as I went to pot in the heat of the day with little or no fight left for a better placing, Championships are not about times they give a result of who performed 'on the day' I was good enough for third in my age category and beat a fair few who I would usually be in the same bracket but still there is a sense of having not done my best on the day and for a racer to not leave his mark on the race that is unsatisfactory.
I used way too big gears for the way I normally ride, my pedal revs were 82 RPM (FFS!) down at least 10-15 on normal but when I tried to take my racing 'in hand' after the initial adrenalin and rush from the start had settled down I just could not hold my cadence in anything near sustainable level. I passed my minute man (a reserve as Sean Childs DNS) at 5 miles and closed in on my two minute man all the way to catch him in the final 1/4 mile but still I did not get any satisfaction from the ride.
I finished the week with my biggest mileage of the year (420m) as I have the BDCA '100' at the weekend and in my mind this is where my challenge for the season (the BBAR) begins, I hope I have prepared well and I will have forgotten the disappointment of the National '25' which like every race promises much to the athlete but will only garner a reward if you get it right on the day, Michael Hutchinson seems to be able to do this with ease (Who knows if this is the case?) but a good performance has a reward in its own right that a fast time will never yield.
Ultimate performer - Dr. Hutch (Photo www.cyclingimages.co.uk)
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Women's Result
Junior Result
Men's Result
Video Here
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