World Masters - Manchester Velodrome

2Km Pursuit - Result

By my own standards I did a poor 2Km Pursuit on the Tuesday, inexplicably going back nearly two seconds on the last two years and as a consequence only 12th place. This was tempered  fellow Brit (Scottish) Peter Ettles taking his first World title (he had multiple British and European) beating the milti-talented Italian and newly returned rider Mark Wiffin taking the Bronze in the fastest time of the competition just showing how important it is to get your best ride out in the qualifying heat as both Ettles and Dardi (fastest qualifier) both went slower in the Gold medal ride off - only Peter less slow giving him a well deserved top spot. Beter has been one of the outstanding track riders since I have come back to track racing and we have had some rare tussles over the years but he is head and shoulders a better pursuiter than I am and even though I had put in allot of effort to improve my technique my speed is sadly lacking. I hope that will change with the opening in the new year of the indoor velodrome at Derby thirty minutes up the M1 so with some track time I may still one day get on the podium in this discipline.

Pursuit Report - VeloUK

Dardi (It) Ettles and Wiffin

 The next day I had to defend my 10Km Scratch race title, it's not like I have to defend anything just be in the race and make my prescience felt. Heats are always tense but I was through OK without expending too much energy but with only twelve to go through and seven of the eight British qualifiers in my heat there was intense competition from the British camp and no joy as rider fought to stay safe but out of trouble as well, no good here if you mis time your effort or use too much energy too soon.

10Km Scratch -Flanked by the Bronze and Gold medallist (last years Silver in-between)

10Km Scratch Race - Result

The final in the evening a totally different affair, there was a consensus among the British riders with a third of the field in the 40 lap final that we would have to make the race fast as there were a number of excellent sprinter types who would easily win if it came to a mass finish. Peter Ettles and Steve Clayton made a break in the first lap (after getting caught up a little game of 'Bunch Bagatelle' first!) When they were eventually pulled back Courtney Rowe had another attack until the group out front got so large that it fell apart with lack of impetus. I weighed in shortly after to try my luck and keep the pace high, the bunch was pretty much lined out all the time and one of the US and an Italians pulled out and it began to fracture as the race reached half way. I was watching for an opportunity to break again but it never really arrived, the German Blasczyk stole my thunder and with 5 to go the Dane Hartkopp went after him. I think the British riders made for an excellent race and many in the commentator and the crowd enthused about the race after but we lacked a coherent end plan and played into the other strong riders hands as they had to do very little pace setting until the end. I was marking the fast French rider Vernet but with 3 to go I had to take up the chase as the leaders already in an unassailable lead, I trailed in 9th the French rider blasting past me with a lap to go thinking we were the front unaware that the medals were up the road. The Dane caught Blaczyk on the last lap, a very strong rider but both these new to our group and the Chile rider Droguette who has had some near misses in recent years the best of the rest. Just as you get rid of riders into the age above riders come in fresh from taking a pasting in the age group below where they are no longer competitive but still very good riders, with me mid way through my age group I was looking distinctly average where before I was a contender.

Scratch Race Report - VeloUK

It was turning into an intense few days as we had Points race heats the next morning, each year there seem to be more riders and heats in most age groups not necessary but another nerve jangling effort to get through to the evening final. I had points on the board early and as I won the third set there was an almighty crash with three riders going down, one of these my good friend and track 'buddy' Adrian putting a hole in his Io (expensive) and demolishing the top tube on his track bike (very expensive) making continuing impossible and that large hole in his wallet was accompanied by that on his hip, limbs and pride. The only upside (for us!) with one DNF was there was only the required riders left in the track so we did not have to race the rest of the way. The other heat complete without incident and ten British riders through we could hope for better this time.

British effort - Ian Greenstreet, Courtney Rowe ?(USA) and Ralph Carter

I had planned to take the race on early but as with much track racing plans change and you have to modify or in this case completely change your plans in order to just be in with a chance of a medal, a group went away early and while they did not get a lap they were mopping up all the points and only six sprints so after two of these I did a massive two laps on the front to pull it all back together, this had two outcomes, 1. i was 'blowing' and could do nothing for a few laps and 2. Not get in with the next move that did just the same as the first, parked itself up the road and made effectively neutralised the race. after a bit of skirmishing and after I'd recovered my composure (another two sprints) so I did another big turn on the front to pull it all back together, I now had less than twenty to go and nothing on the board. Annoying! I was in the same position last year but had done nothing in the race, as was my plan but here I needed to redeem myself as I had not made much impact on the race only pulled it back together Twice! I set off over the top with Pursuit winner Ettles on my wheel and we made a quarter lap, unfortunately Blaczyk was ahead and the Dane Hartkoop with us and refusing to work. Peter pipped me for second with 10 laps to go and we passed the German but our break looked doomed but with nothing to loose I set off again, on my own this time with seven to go

Points race - Result

I held it at half a lap but had to ease off for fear of having nothing at the end and lapping the field not an option now, and with three t go I wound it up to keep the baying bunch behind me to the line which I managed with a wheel to spare and take the final points. With no laps taken and only six sprints seven points could have got me a medal but I fell short by a point as the charging Dane took 2nd on the final and overtook me and the point I lost to Ettles now looking very costly. 'Close but no cigar' as they say, the same three riders in the medals as the Scratch race with the German and Dane swapping and Droguette the Bronze again. I was the top British rider making my 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 4th (with 9th) in the last 3 years not looking so shabby but I've missed a medal this time o7ò



Scratch Race Report - VeloUK

Andreas Hartkoop - Michael Blaczyk - Miguel Droguette (Double medalists)