Race Report - Crits at the Park #1

[thomashansell]

There was a packed field of 80 on the start line for the Cat 4 race in the inaugural 2015 Crits at the Park (http://critsatthepark.com). Sign on was smooth and it was nice to get brand new race number to pin on!

All races in the series are 1 hour long, with a lap counter given from 5 to go (timed so the race ends as near to an hour as possible), and the racing was aggressive from the gun. I was one of the last to line up on the start line so I spent most of the first lap moving up the bunch and soon settled in riding 5th/6th wheel and trying to stay out of the usual brutal wind as much possible - won't make that mistake again.

The pace was high, and a strong dig on the start/finish straight on lap 5 (I think) from a Medway Velo rider reduced the bunch down to about 30 riders. I attacked in the same place on the next lap and let the bunch chase on, but that shed another 10 or so; another attack 2 laps later reduced the bunch to around 15 riders, with everyone looking tired.

With a lull in pace at 3 laps to go I sensed an opportunity and made one last attack on the steep bit of the start/finish straight before the 2 laps to go board. I got a gap, tried not to look back and gave it everything for the remaining 2 laps, managing to cross the line in first place with a slender lead of around 10 seconds on the now further reduced chasing group of 7. It was great to win in Addiscombe colours and I'm sure it won't be long before I get the 2 additional points I need to move up to Cat 3.

Prize for 1st place was £30 and a HighFive Race Pack - not bad!

Here's my Strava: https://app.strava.com/activities/275365930

[Jonathan]

Nice one

[Paul H]

Stylish win Tom. Well done.

See you in the 3rds shortly

[Marek]

Awesome result, great stuff, I heard from a couple of the Oxted guys that the pace was pretty furious. See you in the 3rds soon enough.

Cheers

Marek....

[AshleyN]

great win Tom

[Antloony]

Great win and done in style.