The TOC was a UCI/UCR recognised ride/race.If you wanted to race and be in the first pen, which Paul and I did, you needed a race licence, and we usedour LVRC ones.The gates for all opened at 10.30 for a noon start and riders were queuing before then.Being in the front pen we just had to amble over at 11.30 granted we weren't at the very front but close enough,all very civilised.
Some Ingear lads and a Lewes Wanderer were next to us.I really enjoy this sort of riding, the fluidity of it, the smaller groups morphing into the bigger ones and breaking up againall at a good pace, but you do have to concentrate. One lapse cost me when I realized was the back marker
in a small group, as we turned a sharp bend onto a narrow bridge the rider in front braked hard and I had to virtually stop , my foot came out of the cleat, group gone(bar the braker) and I couldn't catch them.
Cursing my lack of awareness and thinking there goes my good time I got as low as I could and pushed on.
 |
| Pucker Medals For Paul And Simon! |
After sorting the bikes out Paul wanted to check the results to see if he got into the first 25% of his age groupThis qualified one for an invite to the UCI/UCL Masters road race in Denmark but more importantly a pucker medal.Someone near me said if you were under 3.50 you qualified so I went back to the board for a squint and there nextto my name was a lovely Q
These UCI recognised events are surely going to get more popular (this was the first in the UK) with riders after qualifying points for events. This will mean the front pen will be rammed with cat 1 2 & 3 riders and I will be very lucky to get in one again. Polegate at 5am meeting Paul started the journey and I got home after 9pm a long day but well worth it. I'm writing this blog on Thursday and still buzzing from the ride
See you soon
Simon G
No comments:
Post a Comment