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Mildenhall grass track racing, Sun 28 August 1.30pm
Just watch Brad and the boys on the track, and felt inspired, so entered me and the kids into Mildenhall - and noticed the deadline is this Sunday. So go for it and register this weekend too!
Youth
https://britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/138256/Mildenhall-Rally-Youth-Racing
Senior
https://britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/138257/Mildenhall-Rally-Junior-and-Senior-Racing-(Incorp-BC-National-400m-Grass-Champ)
Youth
https://britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/138256/Mildenhall-Rally-Youth-Racing
Senior
https://britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/138257/Mildenhall-Rally-Junior-and-Senior-Racing-(Incorp-BC-National-400m-Grass-Champ)
Comments
Team: Robbie Martin Barron Mitchy
any other seniors?
But first, the juniors... There were a good mix of CCA riders in the omnium. The Bracewells did well among others getting on the podium, as well as Sophie and Harley who are clearly proving good for each other. The girls made it a one-two on the podium. I threw in my 6 year old on a fixed bike and he did just fine. The youth are fearless and so instantly adaptable to change.
The senior races were individual events. Mitchy, Barron and myself representing the Club. In the National 400m, Mitchy did really well and was a whisker away from qualifying for the final. The final was very exciting and well fought, and thrilling to see Andrew Leveton pushed to the limit - but retain his crown for another year.
Despite lacking a fourth rider in the team pursuit, the three of us were up for the challenge. I will not lie: our plan hinged on dynamic duo Mitchy and Barron working together like billyo for a murderous 10 laps to carry me over the line as the all-important third man. A fourth rider down, I was a little surprised to find out we put in the fastest qualifying time to make it to the final, where we'd face Kent's Medway. We put the same plan into effect and I kept my head down, held the lads' wheels and fought off the urge to throw-up, to lift my head on lap 8 to see we'd actually caught Medway and won the event. A great feeling to win as a team, and get a few pounds in the pocket on the podium.
Buoyed, I looked forward to the 20 lap scratch 5km race next. At this point, it began to rain quite hard and the programme knocked the Devil race on the head - but we'd squeeze this one in. I got myself into a nice race-within-the-race to place somewhere in the bottom third, and was delighted to see both Mitchy and Barron zoom past and lap me in the latter parts of the race and for them to bag a brilliant 1st and 3rd respectively from the full field of riders. This was Barron's first ever time on grass track too.
Their celebrations were initially muted however by a nasty crash that happened in front of me on the final lap when a touch of wheels flicked one rider over the bars and take out four more at high speed, including the classy Team Terminator rider. After treatment, he seemed ok, but another rider suffered a suspected fractured pelvis as he went off track some 30ft, and was stopped by a parked car while avoiding a spectator. Old Chinese proverb: 'Tis a brave spectator who chooses to watch on the corner of the home straight.
Anyway. Another great day of racing, celebrated by blowing my winnings in Thetford Forest roundabout McDonalds. Really hard physically, but very rewarding. There was much talk of the final meeting in the calendar at Ashwell - so go for it. There was a noticeable Olympics bounce with curious people asking me about how to get into track cycling. Everyone's at it.
https://britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/138258/Ashwell-Autumn-Gra
I chatted to Spalding CC and promised I'd mention their grass track event next Saturday;
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/152620/Spalding-CC-Grasstrack
Mitchy's family filmed our team pursuit final... C'mon Ashwell!