Here's a write up from Tom Whalley, one of the CC London riders. Always interesting to have a look at the race from inside the bunch for those that haven't ridden one before:
Having read this I realise that Tom Whalley didn't realise that Tom Trimble was off the front for the whole race... Shows how you have to pay attention in these races otherwise you might do something embarrassing like going nuts and waving your arms around on the finish line to find out that you weren't the first person going over the line after all.
I was chatting to Stephen Nunn (a rather seasoned vet rider) at the Welwyn Hilly the other day and he mentioned that when he won the primavera in 2014 nobody realised he had one it. There were two guys away with 2 laps to go, on the bell lap Steve bridged over to them and then carried on going, gaining enough of a gap to be able to put it in the small chainring and pootle up the hill in front of the bunch and still go over the line first. He didn't raise his hands (said he didn't have enough energy left!) and just stopped... I think everybody at the line thought he had just been lapped and was pulling in. It wasn't until he said something along the lines of "Hi, I think I've just won" that people realised what had happened!
There was an awkward moment back at the HQ when the young lad who had won the bunch sprint's (both hand in the air) dad was chatting to Steve over a slice of cake about how good a season his son was having and how this was his first road race and he was really excited to take the win... Steve quietly pointed out that he had actually won... Erm...
Comments
Such a nice atmosphere all round all day, amazing event, nice people
Great photos, Nat. As ever. Captured the atmosphere perfectly!
link
I was chatting to Stephen Nunn (a rather seasoned vet rider) at the Welwyn Hilly the other day and he mentioned that when he won the primavera in 2014 nobody realised he had one it. There were two guys away with 2 laps to go, on the bell lap Steve bridged over to them and then carried on going, gaining enough of a gap to be able to put it in the small chainring and pootle up the hill in front of the bunch and still go over the line first. He didn't raise his hands (said he didn't have enough energy left!) and just stopped... I think everybody at the line thought he had just been lapped and was pulling in. It wasn't until he said something along the lines of "Hi, I think I've just won" that people realised what had happened!
There was an awkward moment back at the HQ when the young lad who had won the bunch sprint's (both hand in the air) dad was chatting to Steve over a slice of cake about how good a season his son was having and how this was his first road race and he was really excited to take the win... Steve quietly pointed out that he had actually won... Erm...