World Masters Track II - Points Race & Team Pursuit (Cossavella 10 Mile)

Sprinting it out with Baxter Pereyra and Faris

The next day we have the Points Race so the same thing again, heats in the morning and finals later that evening. Even with the attrition of the previous day there were still enough riders for heats, one rider with a very black eye and a fair bit of skin lost in the Siberian wars! But only twelve to go through and with only three sprints (30 laps) only twelve lots of points available (5, 3, 2 & 1) so in theory one point enough to go through, unless riders got a lap (unlikely). In reality some riders would get more than one so it was possible to go through with zero if you were well up in the final sprint, this was still beyond the current British National Champion who went out without a point but I gleaned a single in the first sprint so I could afford to take it easy while the others sprinted and sweated it out (to be fair one of the S African riders did get a lap on his own!)

Points Final - Half way

The final would be an altogether different affair and require different tactics, I like to wait until the second half but its only a twenty minute race and with only six sprints (60 laps) these days its a game of Poker how long you leave it. Two sprint places (if one of those is a win) enough to get you a medal these days and with such a good field riders unlikely to gain a lap. Those first few sprints are always ferocious but the British rider Blair Buss (Swift) getting away from the gun and takes the first sprint so that means reduced points for all that effort but its the first three from the Scratch race Faris, Baxter and Rice in the frame for the rest of the points.

Unsurprisingly its Peter Ettles the fourth placed rider from the Scratch taking the second sprint from the other Argentinian Pereyra and that man Baxter again with previous World Scratch Race Champion Peter Toth (CAN) edged out for the single. I had a go at splitting the field before the previous sprint but with a rider away its not possible so I use my timing and I manage to clip off the front and overhaul him keeping the bunch at bay (2:55:00) to take the third sprint, five points on the board and second at half distance behind Peter Ettles who has scored in the second and the third behind me (8 Pt's.) Toth is also there again picking up two points this time but two consecutive efforts like that for so little return is almost too much to recover from and he does not score for the rest of the race. Buss who took the first sprint by staying away has gone straight out the back and lost a lap (eventually DNF) its 5 points that will not count in the overall so even less points needed to get a medal. For the next sprint an Argentinian and an Italians are away with Ian Greenstreet in the middle picking up three, the other Italian Dardi picking up the one remaining.

I could afford to gain my composure in the bunch but top road-man Mike Twelves (MI Racing) riding his first Masters goes away solo to win the next sprint just from Baxter and the Faris the first two in the Scratch close on his tail. The top six all separated by three points so it would all come down to the final sprint, the other Pereyra & Ettles leading with eight Twelves, Baxter and myself on five, Faris third in the middle with six.

Breakaway with Ian Greenstreet

50-54 Points race - Result

I attack at the first opportunity (3:02:50) while the others are still blowing, slipping between two riders to shake off any company, only Greenstreet gets up to me and I have to make a big effort to get on. We have a decent lead and press our advantage with six laps to go. Unfortunately we were the victim of a bit of teamwork from the Italians who kept the pace high and although Ian and I work well together we do not get the lead we need. We were caught with a lap and a half to go, its the first time I've been the victim of this type of partisan riding and the culprits were docked their points in the result but the 'leadout' not only took us out of the sprint but helped Faris and Baxter to first and second in the final sprint and in the overall result. Peter Ettles held onto the Bronze by virtue of being well up in the final sprint and Pereyra dropped from first to fourth so the biggest looser  When you analyze the points scoring its the same riders in the points as were up there in the Scratch Race, The same Gold and Silver Medalists (as last year and the year before when I was Champion in the Scratch and Silver in the Points) It leaves very little but scraps for the others in the race  My five points still good enough for Fifth place to go with my Silver and two Fourth places in the last four years but I was in the mix right up to the end was so close to taking a medal

The Points Podium Baxter (AUS) Faris (ARG) and Ettles (GBR)

Team GB1

 We had a days break and then the Team Pursuit on the Saturday the final day of the Championships. I'd had to purchase a GB skin-suit for the performance so we all 'matched'. It was a little on the snug side! But then I guess a 'speedsuit' does what it says "On the can" It kept everything in place and a little unforgiving but I don't think I'll be using it for a '100' TT any time soon
Not being able to come up with a suitable name, some don't want it to be humorous or a pun and others not wanting it to be to serious or Po faced like 'The Apprentice' we settled on the hopeful and catchy GB1, it made us sound like a record speed attempt but at least we got in early and did not have to be GB2. Three Kilometres that's twelve laps of the track, only three efforts each on the front and then hang on in between.

The Team - Ian, Peter, Nigel and myself (and a nice bike)

We are a team who have all won medals at the World level (Two Gold, a Silver and five Bronze between us) so plenty of fire power, what we have not done is practice enough, not short of experience and speed but what you need for the TP is technique. We had sorted our order at the practise sessions and had Ian the slower of our more experienced riders going 'Man One' as he was the steady option as managing the start and the transition to speed the crucial thing you can only do under race conditions, Peter took the second part here with me third and Nigel tucking in at the back. The  ride went as well as could be expected, we had Rachael (new '30' Competition Record holder) at track-side calling our numbers. We had no problems with the changes or splitting up, I think this being the last event of the week we were all pretty tired. Nigel did two turns and swung away leaving the three of us to finish, I did the final two lap stint as its negledgible if a change on the last 3/4 lap is worth doing as the front rider has to swing out on the final banking to let the other two inside and we finished nicely

We were half a second a lap off the pace to qualify with 4:31 for the ride-off (only four) and had to settle for 6th. Not bad for a team of all 50+ riders giving away quite a few years to the other teams. Baxter (AUS) and Tim Lawson (GB) the only 50+ riders in the teams that qualify. We have to look on it as good practise for two years time when we will all be in the 55-64 group for the TP. We were a little deflated as we did think we had a chance but like many of the other events the competition gets tougher every year and this time age and practice against us but we looked good and feel that we will go faster in the future

In the finals it went to form with the Welsh squad just holding on for the Bronze and in the final the Champions for the last two years the USA made it a triple crown with another World Record time (to go with breaking it in the morning) The Aussies had to be content with the Silver but they went inside the previous WR as well.........o7ò o7ò o7ò o7ò.......

10 mile Result

For the final event of the week there is the Brian Cossavella 10 mile, (Brian to organiser of the Masters for 10 years until his untimely death at 54)  a race open to all competing during the week, Its always a good race and with the full age range from 35+ always a test for us in the upper reaches and I was the only 50+ finisher last two years in 13th and 11th place albeit a lap down. This year I try and do better. Amazingly fast from the gun to the sound of Rolling Stones music in the background (Brian's choice!) riders are already getting shelled out the back. I hang in there and at half distance the race splits apart and I manage to stay in the front half. By the time I get to the end I have no effort left for a sprint which goes to Matt Glanville (AUS) from Martin Van Wyk (RSA) and John Mc Clelland (GBR) I roll over in 8th place one behind Baxter (AUS) the only two 50+ finishers o7ò

Cossavella Winner with the Director of the Masters Ian Emmerson

A nice innovation this year the organisers (BC) had most of the racing put on the UCI You Tube channel), I have put links below and approx. time


Points race video (from 2:46:00) 
 
winning sprint (from 2:55:00)

Team Pursuit Final  video (from start)

Cossavella 10 mile video (from 2:34:00) 

World Masters Track I - Pursuit & Scratch Race

I thought I'd come up with the perfect solution to avoiding the dreaded lurgy in the run up to the World Masters, I'd work from home away from all the germs and risks of cross infection, the house in need of attention so why not kill two birds with one stone and re-paint the house as part of my preparation. I was careful to not overdo it on rest days (Mon & Fri) so light duties only, nothing above ground level.

2KM Pursuit Heat Result

This year I'd been asked by some other riders to be part of the Team Pursuit discipline, age groups are blocked together 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and >65. two of our number are the Bronze from last year but we are all 53 and above now so it will be tough to qualify against those nearly 10 years younger. In the normal five year age groups you can feel the competitive edge drift away as you progress and with tight competition and always a stream of young talent results are more difficult the older you get until you graduate to a new age group. This is my forth year on the 50+ so I'm expecting it to be tough, the riders that took the titles last year were new-by riders like I was the year before

I have not ridden a TP since 1983 the All London Title and the SWRC were the winners! Alan, Phil and myself, our fourth man on holiday so we rode as a three, myself doing full laps (on Herne Hill!) we beat the De Laune and the Old Kent. Alan was at University so not very fit, we gave him my best wheels (Campag 28 spoke shod with silk tyres) I'd won the Individual Pursuit earlier in the meeting. Equipment a bit different these days, bigger gears, faster speeds, on a banked track (I'd ridden a TP at Leicester) but not on aero bars it was all pretty daunting

We had a get together for a weekend in Leicester, utilising the new Derby track. It went pretty well, we did some flying 2Km with changes at race speed (16.5 second laps) and some starts, hard on your legs, cant do more than a couple in a session. Then we did a day at Newport, the day after a Derby Track League meeting, two days in succession in what I kindly describe as 'Petrie dishes' of germs, and of course the day after I come down with a head cold, all my good work to avoid picking up a bug and 10 days before it's all come to nothing

GOLD - Monthier (FR)

I have a few days off the bike, all the heavy work is done so just the taper to complete, it's started a few days early, hopefully this will clear up before my first event the Individual Pursuit. I'm hoping the TP practice and TL will have benefited my performances. IP not my best discipline but It gets you into the swing of it all, get used to the pressure of competing at this level. The feeling of going out for a final (heats even worse!) is quite exquisite, almost unbearable during the time you are there, and then so soon it is over and you need to be doing it all over again. The only drug sanctioned at this level, adrenaline!

BRONZE - Wiffin (GB)

I do my usual preparation for the IP and I go two seconds faster than last year, only 2/10th off my best but such is the competition I drop from last years 9th to 15th this. Can there really be that much competition? Last years Champion Scot Peter Ettles (Sandy Wallace) does not it into the top four! So does not qualify to ride for a medal. The winner is French Ex Pro Pascal Monthier from the Italian Luciano Pasquini but as last year Mark Wiffin manages to move up from fourth qualifier to take the Bronze from evergreen Italian Roberto Dardi

Next up the Scratch race, we have no rest this year, three events in three days, heats in the morning and finals in the evening. I have done three day training/racing sessions all though the season to prepare for this, What you cannot prepare for is the sheer psychical stress of it all. The Scratch race always the most nervy and fractious, heats are only 15 laps, not enough time to have a sort out, always skittish and dangerous. I'm in the second heat so watch the pattern of the first, whatever happens ours will always be different, It pays to pay attention, only twelve to go through. We have all three Argentinians in our heat, they always come to race, but they leave a trail in their wake, everybody need to be careful

Three to go in the Scratch - Argy Bargy on the inside

Our race is twitchy and fraught, just a continuous series of involuntary lurches as Ian Greenstreet (GB) tries to get things moving but there are too many good riders and you have to be confident you can sprint it out or pack up and go home. Coming up the final sprint I feel a rider try to push me to get out of the pack, I'm concentrating on my race and stay put. On the final lap there are three incidents that split the pack, I'm in front of the first as a rider (Argentinian) hits the deck, there is the sound of metal and carbon as well behind me then in the final banking a South African rider on the inside also comes a cropper, I have to swerve up the banking lifting myself over the incident I pull my foot out the cleat in the heat of the maneuver, I manage to hold onto the bike and cross the line in 11th place, a near thing for both crash and qualification, if there had not been so many incidents I'm sure others would have got past me and I would not have made it

Scratch Race

The final in the evening, we are the last race so 10pm, I always go into the Scratch race with an open mind, its not my preferred event and I don't think one rider can influence the outcome, you have to get your position right and keep your powder dry for the final strike as there is unlikely to be a chance for a second. Its been a good few years in our event since anybody has got away in the final during the race it all happens in the last five laps. Daniel Casper (USA) won the 45-49 yesterday with a well timed break with six to go, a perfect move after a tough race where the British riders made all the running but slipped up in the finale. Would I be so lucky? Our race is shorter 30 laps, they go past at a rapid rate,Ian Greenstreet has a go early on (again!) with the IP silver Pasquini and Dardi gets up to them but it all comes back together as last years silver medalist Blasczyk (Ger) and Toth (Can) get across. There is no more concerted attempts to get away and its lining up for a big sprint. I have kept well out of the way up the back watching the moves but with five to go I follow Toth up the inside (3:36:20) as I sense he will attack but the bunch comes down on us and we have to kick back hard. This effort takes me to the front, not the place I need to be but as my dad always said 'In the last five laps you just keep going forward until you hit the front' the back of the bunch is not where the race is.

Mike Rice - Bronze

As we enter three to go I am perfectly placed at the front, all the main players are there, the speed is high and the riders 'wall to wall' so going over the top not much of an option. Crossing the line I am in a dangerous squeeze with riders coming at me from above and below and I touch riders on both sides but manage to hold it and not hit the deck. I have to get out of my 'box' and in doing so loose my place at the top table but it was just too dangerous. As i extricate myself I see that it is an Argentinian rider coming up the inside on the Cote d' Azure (3:37:32) that has caused the squeeze in getting to the front up the inside, he goes on to follow Dardi's attack from two out with a lap to go and win the race by a long way (3:38:25) I come behind the inital scrum in 8th place but lost my place when it just got too risky with riders crowding the front caused by the mass of riders crowding the front.

Scratch race - Result

I go to make an official complaint to the judges about the 'Argy'  riding up on the blue, they say they are looking at the video, its outside the last lap so I don't hold out hope that they will find anything but they inform me it was this rider who 'manhandled' me in the morning heat (and got an official warning for it on the result!) The result stands Gustavo Faris (ARG) the winner from Geoff Baxter (AUS) and De Laune Michael Rice third closing fast but just mistimed his effort. Last years Champion Blasczyk has crashed on the final bend in the melee, He was foregoing the Points and had booked the track for an hour the next day (£750) to attack the Masters Hour Record so I guess that will be off!  I have to say its the most dangerous and perilous days racing I've ever been involved in. I feel a bit disconsolate with my effort and the fact that I backed off at the crucial time, all I can console myself with is that I survived to race in my favorite and best event tomorrow o7ò

50-54 Scratch Podium - Baxter (AUS) Faris (ARG) and Michael

A nice innovation this year the organisers (BC) had most of the racing put on the UCI YouTube channel), I have put links below and approx. times

Scratch race final video (from 3:28)

Lap it up!

So you get to bed at one O'clock and rise at six after the most momentous day of your racing career, thinking you have no more to add but I still have a point to prove.

Steve Clayton takes some points in one of the
ferocious sprints o7ò

The Points race is my favourite event and with the confirmation from my brother that he had never seen me win a race in the style of the night before. Phil had spent the last lap thinking I had blown my chance victory would slip by once more. Thanks brother! No heats in the morning so we could all slope off to get a bit more rest, Adrian was not riding, he was off after almost grabbing a World medal, with no racing for ten weeks and a chest implant and other undesirable interruptions to his season he had finally diagnose a heart fibrillation issue he has had since childhood. He has the satisfaction of heart surgery to come and the knowledge he will be back stronger next year

Going for broke in the break

The reality was that I got ten minutes lie down before the evening session and only ten minutes on the track Claire (Hands on Recovery) gave my legs a rub in her new occupation as a masseuse, the last time we met I was screaming down the A50 in the BDCA '100' "Go Claaaaaaaaaaaaire!"

It's ten O'clock at night before the twenty four riders take the starters gun, I have only one plan wait until the last third of the sixty lap race, ignore four of the six sprints and then go for broke and gain a lap. A lap gain is worth ten points and that might be enough to get me a medal, last year I had seven points the same as the third place rider, but he had gained a lap in the race. I figured after last night I would be marked out the race, so it was "Shit or Bust" (it's a plumbing term!) as my dad would say, I always go better at the end of the race. The first two sprints are red hot anyway, I just have to mark the breaks and make sure nothing gets away so I roll through a few times to make sure the speed does not slow.

Result!

Past the middle of the race, my legs are getting twitchy and I go for some points with twenty to go but I only place fourth and with a rider ahead I strike out, this is my time to go and it takes me two laps to find a lull in the pace to break from the pack and get up the 'road'. I catch two riders Gerry Cross (Manchester Whs) and Nigel Stephens (Finchley RC - Adrian's heart consultant, always good to know there's a doctor on board!) I know I cannot take a lap on my own so I pitch in with them, we do half laps but its a bit slow, I'm chomping at Gerry's heels every turn but i have to bide my time, we have a third of a lap and getting onto the next sprint. I lead out for a full lap and take the points, we almost have the bunch at a third of a lap and I begin to calculate can I get across the gap on my own before the end, the bunch will speed up with three to go and we will not bridge the lap so I have to go soon. But when?

Final Sprint - (Pic Steve Walton) o7ò

The bunch splits ahead and they draw away, I think I have to go, then it comes together and we are in the same straight, one more turn and we are on, five to go, I have my lap now I need to get up for the final sprint, my place may be down to how high up the finish I am so I head straight for the front just as the wind up for the final sprint begins, I have no time to gather my breath or thoughts at this stage its truly 'eyeballs out' Toth my lucky Canadian leads again (Damn! he's good) I come over the top, over Ettles the European Champion and I place second, a couple of riders up the track but I've done what I set out to do, I have absolutely no idea who has won, where I am placed?

My breakaway companion Dr Stephens
 Bronze and Silver for GB o7ò

As I circle the track brother Phil holds up two fingers, is it second? it is second! UNBELIEVABLE! Perfect tactics, from me and only last years Champion has beaten me, Stephane Le Beau the Canadian, he went for the lap just before me and mopped up the points ahead of me, he gained a lap on his own! And then attacked at the end to get second at the finish What a rider, What a Boy.

My position last year Gerry Cross 4th place o7ò

The Doctor has taken the Bronze by virtue of one more point on the penultimate sprint, Gerry is 4th he did a valiant ride but loses out this time. We are the only ones to take a lap, all other activity in the race is as if nothing, this race was won (not lost) in the last 20 laps, I think Le Beau had the same tactics as me but he can do it on his own, he is supreme in this respect.

The Podium - Parkinson with Le Beau (CAN) &
Dr Stevens (GB) o7ò

Stephane was second in the Individual Pursuit an event he won last year, he and I pass pleasantries at the podium, we both have a Gold and Silver (he went on to get Bronze in the team Pursuit) I'd like to think my 8th in the Individual trumps his 18th in the Scratch but I'm happy to share top billing in this age group with this superb athlete, even more so when he tells me he goes up unto the 55-59 age group next year.

Silver smile o7ò

The British riders have done well, two medals here and two in the Scratch (six in the top seven) We miss out in the Pursuit Ian's 4th one down on last year Adrian Dent (Team Terminator) holds our end up in the other events with Silver in both the 500m TT and the Sprint (Gold in the Team Sprint)

I was convinced to ride the Cossavella 10 mile race to finish the Championships on the Saturday, it was a super fast race with all the best riders from the week in every age group. I just tried to keep well up but at one third distance one of the Argentineans (of which there were a few!) made a somewhat sudden and unusual blocking manoeuvre while one of his team mates was away and brought one of the Americans down, unfortunately I could not avoid him coming down the track and he took my back wheel away, I was sent tumbling into the infield in a heap. I got up quickly and was back in the race in no time after straightening my bars and finished with the main bunch after leading out the winner John McClelland to the bell as there was a genera consensus that we did not mind who won so long as it was not an Argentinean! Job done! o7ò

All Photo's Larry Hickmott - VeloUK

VeloUK - Day 6

I had a Dream.............................

When you do a bit of sport, whether you do something with a passion or a passing interest, when you talk with your mates about what to ride or aim at. Do you ever dare to dream? Of course you do, but you might not share it with your friends for fear of what they might think, Failure? Cost? Humiliation? Delusions of grandeur even!

Two to Go  (Photo's Larry Hickmott - VeloUK) o7ò

I had a dream to win a World Championship on a bike, I had it from being a kid, I stopped dreaming it in my twenties and I only started again in my late forties, I'd got fit enough to race at a good level, raced on the road and in time trials, won a few medals, little dreams but what about the big dream I even talked about it with my pal Adrian, he loves the track, he's 'quick' and smart. "Let's ride the Track Nationals", 'The Masters'  we shared it together. I won a couple of medals (never Gold!) Adrian won a medal we were close but it was still a dream.

The bell- Peter Toth the defending Champion o7ò

When people say when you lose something "Why are they in the last place you look"?  Dreams are like that, they do not come true until the last moment, they remain lost, in terms of a race they remain unwon until you cross that line. As the finish hovers up into view approaching you at speed there is still time for you to wake up and then like crossing into another world, like stepping through a mirror, a reflection of your own life but one that exists with you as the Winner! , so when the line was getting closer and in all my other dreams when a rider comes past me and the reflection gone. At about ten thirty last Thursday night the line came up and passed under my wheels

The Finish - Parkinson wins World title, Adrian 4th o7ò

Sure I won a European Masters Gold! It was a nice feeling but like all dreams when you wake up you just want to slip back under the covers, enjoy the detachment, the warm cosy world of altered reality, the realness of winning in a real race is cold and harsh. Last year my best chance I went up an age group away from most of the riders who beat me year after year in the British title races. And even though I was the best Europe could offer I came up against others, Canada, Russian Australia and America, a bronze seemed like a brilliant success, I gave it my all and two! Canadians beat me in both races.

Parkinson celebration (Photo - Steve Walton) o7ò

Another year, another tilt, the Canadians are still there but so are all those Brits Aaah!, Second and fourth was all I could manage at the Nationals, consistent but not dominant, I can't even win a British title! How can I win a World Title? The Europeans are also in the UK this year, good practise but I need to focus and I put all my eggs in one basket, Its the Worlds or nothing, I train in isolation, I do not step on a track but I do believe. Belief is a hunger but it is also an itch, it's inside and outside you, all you can do is eat and train, drink and breath and rest.

The Pursuit is much the same as last year, I am so well rested but I am out of touch with the feeling of competition its hard to know if its good or bad, in the end I decide its nothing. Back at work months of preparation float in the air and I pace through it with purpose but like all big moments they start with small waves, ripples that you feel in the middle of the night, on your chest and at your finger tips. I go around at work cleaning the door handles, am I turning into Howard Hughes? I sit down when I brush my teeth, does it all adds up to a World Title? I've done it for years, a devotion to the line, my own genuflection to myself, the dogma of winning, strangely I do not consider I am not a natural winner, its not pathological with me, it's not a necessity and sometimes it does not feel right I have to make it a methodology, I feel unwell

Podium with Michel Lacouline (Can) Parkinson & Scotland's Ivor Reid (Clachnacddin) o7ò

My 'niggle' has developed into a sore throat and I wake up at six O'clock, Adrian and I are sharing a room in basic hotel near the track, I have lain awake most of the night, I have learnt to rest without sleeping, the days events will be the test, rest has no place there. We get on the track to warm up and wait for the heats to be drawn, both in the second heat, so we can watch and learn, only six to go out but the tension of the heats are worse than the final, some are paralysed but Adrian and I go through in the confusion as the American Tolson laps the field and the judges get the lap numbers wrong, but you have to be prepared for everything, Ian Greenstreet is out, the Pursuit taken more out of him, an Argentinian is relegated for riding on the Côte d'Azur letting in the Manchester rider Jerry Cross

The man and his 'Iron' o7ò

We line up for the final in the central pen, the Whip insists my steel bike is weighed, the scrutineer does not even put it on the scales, "No weigh it" I say "What does it weigh"? 1.5Kg over the 7.6Kg, most have spanners taped on or chain down the tubes, 400g the most I found. So were on the track 40 laps, its ten O'clock at night, the day like no other has lasted longer than my longest race but that is track racing, you eat and drink, you rest, you warm up and down, you shower and you eat again and you try not to dream, we go back to the hotel to rest away from the fuss of the track but you do not allow yourself to sleep because you know if you dream you might wake up and there is nothing here to be gained from that, not now at least

Parkinson Wins! The Result

Back at the track the race is fast, no chance to get away let alone gain a lap, I balance at the back of the bunch, observing the group, I trail riders up through the field, I follow Tolson and then Peter Toth (Can) he moves with such purpose like a shark in a shoal of smaller fish, he is defending Champion but I have two other Canadians to observe as well, you can only choose one so Toth is my man. Its ten to go, this is my zone, my time of the race, my throat is dry and 'claggy' the suspense is only held at bay by sheer excitement and panic. I trail riders up the track once more in one last effort to find my opportunity but there is none, I move to the back again high on the banking scrubbing off the speed as I climb higher and then in a split second Toth makes his move, I have to barge Ivor Reid off his wheel and chase him over the group, a split second decision to go over a stray rider as Toth goes under I almost come a cropper but it gives me the height I need to latch onto him

Phew! I'm exhausted o7ò

Toth is on the front from three laps out, he does not glance around or ease up, he does not waver in his intent, I admire his certainty he has taken the race on, the mark of a Champion, I have now been dealt my hand, this is not the way I would plan it but you have your cards and you have to play them. I was certain as I ever was to take the race on early, Toth had not faltered but hesitation would hand the advantage to others, there are plenty faster (quicker!) than me but Toth had handed me two aces, the front and the speed, with 300m to go I begin to pass and take the front, I have not looked over my shoulder (mistake?) I'm on the front with a lap to go and I play my own aces. The last lap is just as fast as I can make it, I'm still expecting a rider to come past, still expecting the dream to end, as I pass over the line, I have become a World Champion..........................o7ò

World Masters - 50-54 Pursuit

Champion - Monthier (Fr)

First up the 2000m Individual Pursuit, I have to do my stretching at 10 O'clock the night before after driving from Leicester but I managed to get some sleep although waking with a flat phone battery caused a mild panic until I was able to confirm it was only 6.00, too late to go back to sleep, so I had a leisurely breakfast in my room

Qualifying

Twenty five minutes warm-up on the track before the session is all the riding I'm going to get on my Time Trial bike that doubles for Pursuiting but the position has to pass UCI regulations for dimensions and weight so the position always feels a bit weird compared to my other bikes. My alloy P2SL Cervelo makes for a lovely light bike but Its a good job I left my sensors on (UCI says No! to computers) as its only 8 grammes over the 6.8KG weight limit, I didn't realise it was that close otherwise its cutlery down the seat tube time.
Formalities over I just managed 10 minutes on the rollers before my ride, it's so hot in the velodrome that any more leads to over heating, sitting in a pool of sweat on the line with it streaming down the inside of your visor a tad distracting before an all out effort so just get over to the waiting area

Silver - Le Beau (Can)

I'd done a final session with the starting gate on Saturday evening and it was fresh in my mind so no need for visualisation just keep it all together as practised, 22.1 is better than last year 22.7 with 100.6" (97.4" 2012) and the whole ride goes to plan. With me up against closely matched Steve Clayton (Litchfield RC) in the 7th heat I'm up at the start then loose a bit over the next few laps then come back with my usual fast finish to beat him by a slim margin 2:27.203, I would so like to get inside that 2:27 but without track time it seems I'm stuck at the same speed a fraction down on last year at 30.4mph Av.

Bronze - Dardi (It)

Fastest is recent Euro winner Pascal Montier (Fr) 2:20.197 (31.9mph) from reining Champion Stephanie LeBeau (Can) 2:20.956 although I think he eased up on the last lap when he knew he had enough over third man Roberto Dardi (It) and Ian Greenstreet (Newbury RC) keeping up the British end less than a tenth apart on 2:23.793 and 2:23.810 respectively. I am placed 8th as last year and 3rd British rider.

Ian goes to the start

During the break in the middle of the day we are treated to the GB squad tuning up for the impending European Championships going through their sprinting and TP drills, its a fine sight and the riders watch in rapt awe as the new generation of riders with some of the established stars (Trott, Barker & Tennant) show what they can do

The finals in the evening go to form, Le Beau not able to turn the tables on the Frenchman as he did last year and slipping back to 2:21.34 while Monthier moves up from the Bronze in the 45-49 age group to take the title in a faster time 2:19.292 In the bronze ride off Ian after leading for all the ride slipped back over the last lap and a half and Dardi won out marginally slower in 2:24.973, he's a big rider and I've no doubt he will pose some problems in the other races as will all these riders. o7ò

Result

Follow World Masters Track developments HERE on Facebook

Masters of the Universe

A terrible week at work compounded by bad weather meant I'd only done 30 miles on the bike up to the Friday and even a ride before I set off  for the British Masters Track Championships was thwarted by the rain and wind so I arrived at Newport 11pm somewhat unprepared. The previous weekend had almost been as bad and I rode the Walsall RC '25' on Etwall and then a more local  Hinckley CRC '25' in the wind and then wind and rain to undistinguished 57:12 and 1:01:06 respectively on my 94" fixed that was supposed to prepare me for the challenge of racing on the boards at high speed.

Silver,  Bronze and  4th - Almost a set

I could not face the 500m first thing on Saturday morning and sat it out thinking that the 10Km Scratch race would get me in the mood for racing, I went out for a 20 mile spin late morning to ease my legs off but it was still blowing a gale outside our little Velodrome bubble but I could not face being inside with dozens of other riders and opted for the lanes around the stadium which were quite and flat.
The Scratch race in my new 50-54 age group was a fairly tame affair. with only twenty riders and fairly tactical, although (Ex Old Ports) Phil Watkins and Mick Davis (Loughborough) made a valiant attempt to get away the bunch kept them in sight and nullified the move with 3Km to go, a new name to me but he had won the Sprint the previous day Ralph Carter (London Dynamo) and Jeff Baird (G S Metro) had a go but it came apart under the pressure of the finish with only Carter off the front doing a strong ride for a 'Sprinter'. Trevor Burke (Finchley RT) went after him, I was a bit slow off the mark and he had 20 meters on me but I made my way over the top of all the other riders at the bell in an effort not to become trapped on the inside and led out the sprint with 500m Silver medallist Ivor Ried (Clacknacuddin CC) a black clad shadow on my wheel and despite my best efforts he pipped me by less than half a wheel, Trevor had an even closer winning margin (Photo) over Carter on the line.

2Km Pursuit

I was pretty pleased with my effort, a bit of inattention and leading out Ried for the last 3 laps cost me a medal but as my coach (and father) used to say, in the last 3 laps only go past people, let them sort their own race out. I had a disturbed night probably the result of too much excitement and stimulation, coffee and red wine not helping. The 2Km Pursuit the next morning was an event I'd never won a medal at so with the reduced distance and no specific preparation to speak of I was in the dark as to how I would compare.
The judges rated me for a medal as I was in the penultimate heat against Carter but in the home straight so third seed, I only had a 95" gear on as getting away the key and so it proved, my 'lineman' had me up but Carter came back and was up with 3 to go, I put in my customary strong finish from 3 laps out, I was level with 2 to go and pulled out a second to record 2:28.745 to Carters 2:29.619, the final heat was an easy win for Burke 2:25.040 and as his opponent Davis could only manage 6th fastest and no other rider had beaten my time I had the Silver and my first Pursuiting National medal.

There was a long wait until the Points race in the evening so I went out for another 20 mile ride at lunch and those Pursuits surely take it out of your legs. There were only 15 riders for the final 15Km event, sixty laps and six sprints to decide a winner, I always sit out the first as they are always too hectic but I may have to revise this as there is little enough to get your teeth into. I went away with Davis after Baird and we made a trio but the speed was not enough and even though I won the next sprint easily we were pulled back, Burke took my 'softening up' to his advantage and went for a lap and nobody could go with him, he was the class rider of the weekend in our group and this effort to lap the field in less than ten laps netted him his third title of the Championships. I attacked allot to make sure there was no chance for others to recover and even though I only missed getting points at one other sprint I was pipped for the Silver by one point by Carter, I think as Burke had the lap he did not contest the remaining sprints that vigorously and that made it difficult for me to contain Carter even though I got up for 2nd place in the final sprint (with one away) and him out of contention but I had my second podium spot for the weekend.

15Km Points race

Full Masters Results here