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Lloyd Coward RR - Nr Weymouth
A weekend down with the in-laws saw me at the RR headquatered at Wool between Poole & Weymouth. I did this race last year, and fancied my chances this year with a bit of experience on the course.
It's a triangular course with a long drag up a steady hill to one point on the triangle. The wind was behind us here and in the end it presented no big problem. After a 270degree turn the race turned into a head wind and the road kept on in a gentle upwards direction with rolling lumps to the finish line. THe 3rd and short side of the triangle was down hill (past Monkey World) with the pace touching 38-40mph on all laps. 4 & 3/4 laps measuring about 48miles in all. Primes were on offer for the first 3 laps which really shook things up from the word go, with break after break happening. There was a strong presence from a DHC team and a 6 man team from Nr Porstmouth. These teams tried to control the race, sending riders up the road and the rest trying the slow the pack down. It left the pack of individual riders to chase the breaks down, which they did very well and despite these 2 clubs efforts the bunch had reformed 3 miles from the finish. I had kept out of trouble and near the front for the whole race as was feeling ok for what was going to be the usual bunch sprint. No one managed to have go from a distance out as there was a constant stream of cars from the opposite direction. As the road straightened to the finish the bunch fanned across the road, only to find out that the raod had not been blocked ahead, and there were 2 cars coming towards us. Lots of breaking and a big squeeze gave the riders on the front left the signal they needed and they opened up a small gap. Despite my best sprinting efforts (no laughing now) I couldn't quite catch them and finished a credible 13th ( according to my sister-in-law who was watching).
A glorious sunny day and a fun race, followed by an enormous pub lunch (Seven Stars in East Burton outside Wool if you are ever that way) and an afternoon at Lulworth Cove with the kids paddling in the sea - Nice
It's a triangular course with a long drag up a steady hill to one point on the triangle. The wind was behind us here and in the end it presented no big problem. After a 270degree turn the race turned into a head wind and the road kept on in a gentle upwards direction with rolling lumps to the finish line. THe 3rd and short side of the triangle was down hill (past Monkey World) with the pace touching 38-40mph on all laps. 4 & 3/4 laps measuring about 48miles in all. Primes were on offer for the first 3 laps which really shook things up from the word go, with break after break happening. There was a strong presence from a DHC team and a 6 man team from Nr Porstmouth. These teams tried to control the race, sending riders up the road and the rest trying the slow the pack down. It left the pack of individual riders to chase the breaks down, which they did very well and despite these 2 clubs efforts the bunch had reformed 3 miles from the finish. I had kept out of trouble and near the front for the whole race as was feeling ok for what was going to be the usual bunch sprint. No one managed to have go from a distance out as there was a constant stream of cars from the opposite direction. As the road straightened to the finish the bunch fanned across the road, only to find out that the raod had not been blocked ahead, and there were 2 cars coming towards us. Lots of breaking and a big squeeze gave the riders on the front left the signal they needed and they opened up a small gap. Despite my best sprinting efforts (no laughing now) I couldn't quite catch them and finished a credible 13th ( according to my sister-in-law who was watching).
A glorious sunny day and a fun race, followed by an enormous pub lunch (Seven Stars in East Burton outside Wool if you are ever that way) and an afternoon at Lulworth Cove with the kids paddling in the sea - Nice