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Cowley Condors RR - Oxfordshire Road Race League
On Sunday I headed out as a lone wolf to the Cowley Condors RR - Oxfordshire Road Race League. The Cat 3/4 race was held on a fairly flat 5 mile loop in Kirtlington. The course didn't suit me, with no real gradient to break up the field and without making excuses, but making an excuse, I had a horrendous cough and cold, probably shouldn't have raced.
After a dose of Sudafed and Berocca, hoping doping control wouldn't turn up, I set off with the aim of sitting in the bunch and waiting for a split or sprint. This went out the window when a couple of guys I had my eye on started attacking. On the second lap I bridged about 100m to a break of two, we stayed away for a lap and a half bit never really made much ground on a fast moving bunch. I sat back in, before going with 3 strong attacks from the series leader, David Bigham, AW Cycle Racing. Any attack he was in got immediately closed by the bunch which had him well and truly marked.
As it came round to the final lap, for the first time in a 3/4 I saw leadout trains starting to form, Outdoor Traders had 14 riders in the race and 5/6 other teams had 5+ riders. I got stuck behind them on the final corner and couldn't work my way through as the road narrowed at prior to the finish, not an ideal location. The series leader got his 2nd Cat winning off the front at the finish, I was in the bunch, unable to sprint properly.
Not a great circuit or race for me, but more experience. I feel comfortable racing in a good position in 3/4 races now, just can't seem to get the finishing right at the moment, very frustrating!
After a dose of Sudafed and Berocca, hoping doping control wouldn't turn up, I set off with the aim of sitting in the bunch and waiting for a split or sprint. This went out the window when a couple of guys I had my eye on started attacking. On the second lap I bridged about 100m to a break of two, we stayed away for a lap and a half bit never really made much ground on a fast moving bunch. I sat back in, before going with 3 strong attacks from the series leader, David Bigham, AW Cycle Racing. Any attack he was in got immediately closed by the bunch which had him well and truly marked.
As it came round to the final lap, for the first time in a 3/4 I saw leadout trains starting to form, Outdoor Traders had 14 riders in the race and 5/6 other teams had 5+ riders. I got stuck behind them on the final corner and couldn't work my way through as the road narrowed at prior to the finish, not an ideal location. The series leader got his 2nd Cat winning off the front at the finish, I was in the bunch, unable to sprint properly.
Not a great circuit or race for me, but more experience. I feel comfortable racing in a good position in 3/4 races now, just can't seem to get the finishing right at the moment, very frustrating!
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