Roll with it

As before its a late start for me but last year I was into June and did not give myself enough time to get race ready for the British Track Masters at the end of the month so this year I got out and rode some evening 10's on 92" fixed just to ease myself into it. Times were pretty slow but trying to spin that gear at 100RPM is like being punched in the stomach so I just had to lean on the ropes and take the blows. My first open was the Nottingham East Midlands VTTA '25' on my local Six Hills course (A46) just North of Leicester, It was sunny a brief interlude between the rain making it the wettest month since the early 30's. I put my gear up to 95" as its nearly all DC but 'roll'in' and a stiff breeze was going to make it tough in places so I thought best to not make it too hard for myself. In the end it was the faster sections that were more painful (note to buy some more chamois cream!) as I nearly topped 150RPM on the down wind downhill sections Ouch! 58:10 good enough for 10th overall and second Vet on Standard, won by Phil Hunt of the Nottingham Clarion 55:31
Second event came after a two week break and a week in Devon schlepping up the hills when I should have been honing my speed but no worries its all training at this stage still. Sunday 1 June arrived like the Summer was here, Movistar professional Alex Dowsett had broken the 10 Competition Record the day before 17:20 on the E2 at Newmarket but the Sunday was also hot and windless. The Nottingham Clarion '50' I have ridden numerous times and its 2 1/2 lap course on the Vale of Belvoir is flat and well broken up a good thing in the windy Midlands, I was on gears here but with no 'form' I set out to keep my gears low and attack the second half. A brief ride to the start and a few efforts tells me that it may be too warm for just the one bottle but its all I have as I sit on the line with sweat dripping down my nose (riders were actually warming up on their turbos!) I find it difficult to hold back once out on the road and maybe I started too fast but by 15 miles I was blowing a bit into the wind on bumpy B roads, I eased off a bit but still trying to keep up my 90-95RPM and attack every incline and hard section. I allowed myself to put the gears up a bit on the fast A52 section between Grantham and Nottingham. A car came the wrong side of an junction island so I was faced with an on coming car on the second lap, that and another trying to run me down on the longest straightest Long lane because I was passing another rider made me feel a little concerned
The first half 57:20 and I could feel the un-natural pressure in my arms and neck from the position and the effort, I'd got to the HQ early and remembering I'd put my most aero position on for the last race of last season I'd raised the front end a couple of inches but my saddle was a bit too sloping and I kept having to push myself back as you tend to draw yourself forward with higher revs. It was now mid day and very hot, my bottle was nearly gone and a second gel just to smooth out the last half lap effort but the finish came along too soon before I got all my effort out and coping with a newly 'dressed' road surface (Why do they do that?) and a bit of headwind I was over the line and done. My time 1:55:59 is two minutes faster than I've been on here before but 93 RPM Av. is tidy and good enough for 6th place, the best over 50 rider and contented with my effort. Winner was local Scott Walker (MG Decor) 1:47:33 o7ò

Zipp action o7ò

Nottingham Clarion '50' Result