Big thanks to Mark for organising, and also to all those who helped push, cheer, jeer, take photos, video, ride and race.
Sprint heat - Rich went for a long'un from the gun, catching me and Mark napping. He'd obviously planned it and it almost paid off. Good try Rich
. Andrew made it through the other heat with a good canny race, passing Sylv with about 30metres to the finish. With about 150m to go we thought Phil might steal the honours with his dive up the inside coming into the final bend.
Andrew then sat out the Pursuit. I almost joined him and sort of wish I had. I went off a bit fast and with 2 laps to go I was hanging. Legs and lungs burning I kept going, but Sylv had the better of me by those 2 seconds, nice work Sylv. Coming off the track my throat and tubes were as dry as a dry thing, and I started to cough. It quickly got worse ending up with me in the middle of the track on my hands and knees coughing till I very nearly chucked up, my eyes watering and unable to breath in, swallow or talk. It was very disconcerting and something I'd never experienced before
15 minutes later things had calmed down and it was the call for the sprint final. I led, Andrew close to my wheel. When you watch it on the telly, the tactics look easy. When you are doing the racing, all tactics go out the window and you haven't got a clue what your'e doing
. I decided to wind up the pace fairly early hoping to keep Andrew behind or having to go the long way round me if he wanted to win. Fortunately I had enough in the legs to keep him at bay. Next year Andrew?
Scratch race - All took part including de Laune, making 12 riders. Easy start, slowly picking up pace each lap till just before halfway (of 18 laps) when an attack happened as I was at the back
. I didn't initially see it go and had to make up 50m coming around the other 5 riders who had been distanced. Back in and the final half of the race was pretty quick with various attacks going of the front and being pulled back. Everything was hurting now but the end was near. The rider in front of me pulled up the track leaving me at the front with a lap and a half to go. I was quite happy with this as I felt I could control the race from there, until Rich came flying past down the back straight. He'd gone a bit early though and I came back past round the final bend to take the win.
I didn't feel at all well on the way home, and all evening, I think I left everything out on the track today. All in the name of fun though
Well done to the 2 young lads today (Tom and ? Sorry didn't catch his name). We'll see more of them in years to come I'm sure.
Steve