WORLD MASTERS TRACK - ( War on drugs!)

WORLD MASTERS - Manchester - 2Km Pursuit

After a shorter season (started racing in June) than of late the World Masters my ultimate target for the year, It's been good to get a couple of Time Trial PB's under my belt in the past months to know that I have decent fitness but the track such a different discipline, Do I have the 'form' to win a World Title? It's my first year in the 50-54 age group so in theory my best chance to win but I have at least Trevor Burke (Finsbury RT) to contend with the triple British champion and fifty other riders from 14 nations to contend with. I've done a diet of Turbo and Interval work to compensate for not having any track time but to be honest I do not know where I am as my other racing seems to be suffering and I have no Power in my normal racing and put in a series of poor or lack lustre performances in the weeks coming up to the Championships.

Waiting for the off - 2Km Pursuit

This year the events I've entered Pursuit, 15Km Points race and 10Km scratch race compressed into three days so there will be no let up from the pressure that accompanies heats and finals, warming up, and diet over the programme of being prepared and focused to race. First up the 2Km Pursuit down a kilometre from last year and only eight laps of the velodrome, I was second to Burke in the Nationals with a 2:28 and I feel I can improve with more rounded fitness and Adrian's lent me his disc front wheel. I have put my gear up an inch as well to 55 x 14 (97") as I figure with the race over quicker I'm not going to run out of 'puff'

First Lap

I've had a niggardly hamstring these past few weeks so I have been limited in my starting practise, I can feel it after a couple of efforts so I have to be content with being stylistically efficient if not powerfully correct, I take Emma Trott as my model, she hardly ever seems to be putting an effort in when starting, just a serene look of composure when all i can feel is grunting and a gnashing of teeth! I have a bit of a scare on my warm up when my rim splits and explodes with a BANG! The riders and officials around me think its another starting pistol but the only upshot I have to use a tri spoke (and 6oz tyre!) for the rest of the week which gives my winter bike a 'sporty' look to go with the mudguards (well it is Manchester!) and rack.

Last Lap

Brother Phil is here to 'walk the line' and add support but mostly its down to the individual so I'm up on the starting gate against Gonzalez (COL) I've been up on the track with the 'disc' and there is a definite difference to a conventional wheel, the need to steer the bike now, it won't just go around the banking on its own like I'm used to. Out of the gate I crash a few foam blocks but 22.701 for the first lap and over half a second up on my opponent, it's difficult to know how the race went in retrospect as it was over so quickly At the kilometre I was 1:15:171 as opposed to a long 1:14 last year and giving the foam blocks a bit of a beating as I 'threepenny bit' my way around the banking's walloping one onto the sprinters line, I bet Rubiel over the other side was wondering what was going on and how I was staying in front of him. I ended with my usual flourish for 2:27.192 over five seconds up on the Colombian and the fastest to date. I had gone nearly a second and a half faster than earlier in the year and the next two heats provided nothing faster but I feel I need to be inside 2:25 to get in the last four to contest the medals
Burke also went over a second faster than his National time 2:23.066 it was only good enough for third fastest, Michael Popplewell (AUS) was fastest with 2:20.311 only marginally faster than Stephane Le Beau (CAN) 2:20.485. Clause Christiansen (DEN) was fourth 2:24.044. I could warm down knowing I would not have to ride again that evening but get ready for the next days Points race. In the ride off Burke took the Bronze with a similar time while the Dane went backwards the result of two recent crashes and not having the form to back up his morning effort. In the Gold and Silver ride there was a reversal with Le Beau going faster and the Australian so we had a Commonwealth 1-2-3 and I ended up in 8th place and second Brit once again.

Warm down (with Tim Mulrooney - USA)

While we were having our own ding dong battle I had to take note of what was happening to my old pals in the 45-49 group, I was billeted at the track next to the USA pen and got talking to last years champion Daniel Casper who was a bit worried about the riders coming up from below but was here to enjoy himself and enjoy the camaraderie and the racing as were most of us.  One of his countryman Kenny Williams was fresh into the group and making everybody a bit uncomfortable for returning from a 2 year drugs ban He proceeded to win this age group taking the wind out of the sails of many who might train a bit harder if they thought there was a level playing field for Masters like there is in the post Lance era (should that be Cera?) There was much muttering but little we can do but 'Play up! Play up! and Play the Game!' More Here

Results Here

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