Stage 1
11am Cyclops Race 1 prologue tt
5 laps of the full circuit.
“There was a lot of scare mongering leading up to the start about whether it was a good idea to ride a tt bike or not, I decided to stick to what I know and with only 2 corners presenting an issue (after getting to ride it a bit before the race) and stay on the tt bike.
I managed a 17:58, really happy with that as it put me in 3rd spot and only 10 seconds off the winner. Great start to the weekend! Next up the criterium…”
Stage 2
2pm cyclopark 1hr30 circuit race.
“The organisers decided to run this anti clockwise which was a bit of a spin ball. The finish line was after climbing up the lazy s bend into a headwind. As such it made the race very tough from the start, almost immediately it was strung out and gaps appeared. I managed to get to the front after a lazy start. After 10 minutes or so a break went with a lot of strong guys including Jake Martin and a few other elites. I’d decided that if I was going to do anything I was going to join it. As I was cornering better than most I got in the group and we were away taking spades out of the chasers.
Jake as ever was determined to ride off and timed to perfection attacked into the headwind and got clear. I tried a few times to do the same but just didn’t have the kick to get away. I did however end up dragging the break around for most of the race. With 15 minutes left I decided to sit in and hope for the best knowing full well that I’d be smashed in a sprint.
I went a bit early so I could string it out and drag back at the finish, rather than just finishing last. Managed about 7th place I think but need to see the results. We lost over 1:30 to Jake who won, but gained loads over the chasers. I think I may still be 3rd but waiting for the results.
So happy to finally know how my form is going, feeling great for tomorrow’s road race, should be amazing!”
Stage 3.
Chilham 10:00am 140km road race.
“Today was amazing and awful all rolled into one. It was so fast on the first 2 laps with attack after attack, there was the main climb which was very long with a cross wind section just after a steep ramp only a third of the way up. This was where all the suffering happened. Every time I went up it I thought I wouldn’t finish the race.
Jake Martin was also riding his heart out with no support as race leader, I tried to help him on the first 2 laps but there came a point where this would simply be suicide for my result, so decided to sit in eat and recover.
With 2 laps to go a large break was 40 seconds up the road, when we went up the climb most of the GC contenders had a real go and gapped me at the cross wind section. Naturally they were annoyed when I came back dragging everyone back, but that’s all I could do. They did it again on the next kick but this time when I dragged it all back again I just kept going. They all sat up and I got clear, amazed by this I just got my head down and carried on up the climb.
So I had Francis Cade on my wheel and he didn’t do much work, but as he wasn’t a threat to me on GC it was fine. I felt great and rode faster than I thought I’d ever be able to at this stage in a 140km race, we managed to bridge to the group ahead within half a lap! At this point there was 1 lap to go, I felt the group was going too slow and loosing time so I dragged it over the climb for the last time. Finally I sat in for the final climb realising that George Harper was present who was next up on the GC.
Amazingly I still had good legs and on the final drag (which seems to go on forever) Francis got clear and held on for 4th and I kept a gap of about 2-3 seconds and came 5th! (results of stage not confirmed yet)
In hindsight I was still 2 seconds off 2nd on gc to George and only 16 seconds off winning the event! So close but not quite.
Over the moon with the result though first ever podium at a stage race and best result so far in an E/1/2/3 field, hopefully this is the start for my best season yet.”
Report from Rob Moore.