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Hillingdon Winter Series 2009/2010
www.imperialracingteam.com
A series of 12 races split into 3rd cat (50 mins + 5 laps) and 4th cat (40mins + 5 laps) with a separate E123 (60mins + 5 laps) for the properly fit!
1st Date was 5th December. Three members turned up. Jon Sinclair, Geoff and Tim H. All entered in the 4th cat race.
Geoff had an unfortunate technical problem involving cleats and pedals so didnt start. (Hope you stopped swearing by the time you got home)
4th cats Average was 24.4 miles per hour.
Circuit was damp but grippy.
Sprint finish was somewhat hampered by the 4th cats catching the 3rd cats.
Congratulations to Jon Sinclair for nipping 10th position, a great result for his 1st race, well done!
A series of 12 races split into 3rd cat (50 mins + 5 laps) and 4th cat (40mins + 5 laps) with a separate E123 (60mins + 5 laps) for the properly fit!
1st Date was 5th December. Three members turned up. Jon Sinclair, Geoff and Tim H. All entered in the 4th cat race.
Geoff had an unfortunate technical problem involving cleats and pedals so didnt start. (Hope you stopped swearing by the time you got home)
4th cats Average was 24.4 miles per hour.
Circuit was damp but grippy.
Sprint finish was somewhat hampered by the 4th cats catching the 3rd cats.
Congratulations to Jon Sinclair for nipping 10th position, a great result for his 1st race, well done!
Comments
Tim was at the head of the race for much of it, got involved in a four man break I think. I was hiding at the back and missed all this.
Can't wait for the next one, be the 19th for me. Got the racing bug well and truely now!
Circuit dry with a head wind on the finish straight. Race average 24.2 mph.
Two and a half CCA Ashwell riders attended! Phil Adams, Josh Maynard and Tim Hector. Jon Sinclair was unfortunately unable to make it this week.
Josh rode a strong race, on limited youth gearing. He displayed impressively high cadence on the straight as the pack raced down it with the wind behind at 30 odd mph! He battled for the eventual winners wheel in the sprint but just missed out and came in 14th. Well done Josh a great result, especially as it was your 1st race mixing it with the adults.
Phil Adams, repeatedly attacked hard and fast down the straight, the pack chasing him down on each occasion as they entered the finish straight/head wind. Phil finished in 18th position, a great result for his 1st race at Hillingdon.
Oh I should explain the 2.5 Ashwell riders, Josh was riding for Welwyn Wheels his 1st claim, Ashwell 2nd claim.
I finished in the top ten, hurray... just shows my diet of cheese and beer is eventually coming good!
Link to Results
http://www.imperialracingteam.com/imperialracingteam/results0910.html
See you all next week...
Unfortunately I will not be able to make next weekends race as I am already committed to an activity.
I really enjoyed the whole race and it is much better than racing at U16's level. I also challenge anyone to do the entire race as I did in my top gear! I will make a better attempt to win next time which involves me practicing bunch sprinting or making a break. Phil should be up for the break seeing on how much he loves attacking.
I woke up on Boxing Day morning pleased that I would have a lovely lie in for the next few hours. I was just drifting back to sleep when a piercing yell dragged me back into wakefulness.
Joshua get up youve got a race!
Why oh why did I choose to race on today of all days?
However the early start was worth it as my father, my sister Rebecca ,Phil Adams and I arrived at Hillingdon race circuit about an hour early. There was plenty of time to sign in, pin numbers on and assess the circuit. It was a cold day with bright sunshine and a slightly damp track. In fact the only obstacle that there would be for the fourth cats, Phil (CCA) and I would be the small puddle at the bottom corner. The race started on time and we all lined up on the start line. There was a few minutes to go and I was unhappy with my start position (midway through the group of about 30) so using a technique I had learnt from riding with Welwyn Wheelers I walked around the field onto the grass and backed my bike into the front row.
I looked around and saw that I was probably the only youth in the race and therefore probably the only one not suffering from post-Christmas symptoms. The commissar gave the go ahead and I attacked straight away much to the annoyance of everyone else in the race. This attack (caught after half a lap) set the mood for the entire race. The wind was howling down the back straight and lap after lap another doomed attack would be caught half a lap after it had gone off. The longest attack stayed away for roughly three laps with a brave group of three struggling away at the front with Phil Adams doggedly pursuing them but not quite managing to join them. The break came back with five laps to go mainly because of some dedicated chasing from yours truly and some others who recognised the risk.
With the first glimpse of the five-lap board the race pace picked up dramatically but still the attacks continued to come. The four laps to go board came up and I watched another break group go away. The three laps to go board came up and I watched as the break away that could have been slipped past us utterly bonked. With two laps to go I was feeling good and even had time for a little chat. I asked the person next to me (a Lewes wonderer who had been very prominent in the race) do you fancy a break away? he only had the energy to shake his head and laugh bitterly. Because of my limited gearing I reckoned that a break away was my best chance of a position. So with the final lap board coming up and the bell ringing in my ears I attacked through the line and hammered through the first bend pulling off I looked back to see my break away companion.
Phil Adams did a huge turn on the front but alas we were not strong enough to hold the field off and we were swallowed up with half a lap to go. Phil was boxed in and as much as he tried to get up the outside he could not and so he managed a respectable fourteenth place. I however was somewhat luckier after we had been caught. I dropped back through the pack and started to make my way through the centre. I was midway up the field when I became suck behind a giant cyclist who was not going anywhere. I thought my race was over. But just as I gave up hope the rider moved to the side and I was presented with a me sized gap. I took the chance and burst onto the finishing straight. By this time the eventual contesters of the finish were already sprinting it out and with my limited gearing I was only keep pace and not overtake them. I crossed the line in sixth place.
Altogether I had a brilliant day and I could not have done it without the support both on and off the track. Thank you to Phil Adams for racing with me and thank you to my father and sister for shouting their lungs out on the side of the track.