|
A Sunday in Hell By Steve Dennis
Race Report: Goodwood Circuit, 3/4 Cat, 48
miles, 11:30, 1 April 2001.
Agreeables Steve Dennis, Rob Wilson, Paul
Tunnel and Chris Colford in attendance.
Subtitle: My First…DNF!!!!!!!
We decided on the later and higher cat race
basically due to the fact that we thought with the later start time
we could sleep in longer! Plus we all figured the Juniors are
actually all a bit too racy so the fact they wouldn't be in this one would
help. When we arrive the circuit was covered in mist and drizzle, you
could just about see to the ends of the straights, but we could just make
out an Addiscombe jersey sweeping along with the bunch as they passed in
the preceding race. A lap later we realised it was Richard Munday, who
having entered the 4/W/J that morning rode extremely well to finish 15th
ish at the final bunch sprint in only his second ever race (having
unfortunately punctured at Hillingdon).
We grouped at the start surrounded by the
usual 6' athletes and to one side, in the pack, a very short guy who we
guessed to be about 12years old!! Very scary……..Now for a short time
I'm going to talk about me..about 5 laps in fact
My plan was to stay in the main pack,
stay at the front to avoid problems and finish. The starting pace was very
erratic and somehow I seemed to freewheel half of the lap. Trying to stay
towards the front I suddenly found myself pulling the pack up to a guy
trying to breakaway. Wow . A bit of a shock though. So calming down I
drifted back a bit and stayed about ¼ of the way back. Bunch racing is
scary ..I was determined to stick to the wheel in front, but if he's
moving around and the guys around you are sliding and someone behind is
halfwheeling ..it all gets very messy. This was very messy.
I clashed bars or pedals with the guy on my
left (VERY SCARY) and received a b#ll#cking from the guy behind
"You've been trying to do that for laps". Yeah right. We were
averaging 25-30mph but in the pack it was horribly easy and I was far too
busy trying not to hit anyone. So far so good. Through the chicane leading
onto the finishing straight I found myself on the outside but moving up
the bunch down to the first corner where everyone started slowing and
swerving out towards me. I brake, corner, straighten up and see the entire
pack, two abreast filing past me on the inside. I tried upping my pace to
match so as to swing into line but knew all I was gonna do was cause
problems, so kept outside and trying to up it. Just can't get it. No good,
I watch as the last guy passes..oh no that's me. It's the slowest part of
the circuit and they're going away. LESSON: Stay in the pack, not around,
not moving around it, in it. On the outside it is that much harder and you
have to be ready for it. So I hold the bunch at a steady gap and start
trialling mode, even gaining up to the previously bad corner. Paul is
fantastic, sitting up at the back of the pack, yelling over his shoulder
and beckoning me to get on. Believe me I tried. Sorry mate. Somehow it
just wasn't there. Even my go faster hair wasn't helping. Another lap
alone in the mist, this time shouting 'morning' to the officials as I
crossed the line. A lap just spent thinking about my pace, was anyone else
dropping off the pack, how much longer, it's a training ride I can do
this, keep it above 20 it'll be a laugh. Never quit. Always been something
I'd never do, bar an ex-girlfriend maybe, never give up. I don't mind
finishing last, being lapped, ok really, just finish, enjoy it. I will not
quit. Back into the final chicane and I look up at the pack, no one is off
the back, I've got 36 miles to go, I look sheepishly across to Glynn at
the finish and drift up the pit lane. Once you consider it, you snap.
Everyone was looking at me, looking for punctures, mechanical defects,
damaged limbs and blood or vomit….. I stop at a quiet pit and rest
against a wall. I catch my breath far too easily. Believe me it hurt more
than any physical effort on a bike. 'I feel disgusted and disappointed in
myself. I've let everyone down. God knows why I thought I could do this'.
That day I never wanted to ride a bike again, certainly never fool myself
into thinking I could compete. It didn't help that it came a week after a
rather hard tt. I quit and my biggest fear became that it would be too
easy to do it again.
Back to the action…I grabbed a cup of
tea, would have been more but my stuff was in Chris' car and no matter how
much I prayed he didn't throw the keys as he passed. Boy did they raise my
spirits. Rob Oneness (explain that one day) in 5th place, Paul and Chris
2/3rds back. Next lap Rob 5th and Paul and Chris 2/3rds back, next lap the
same, lap 12 Rob in 6th and Paul and Chris still safe, lap 17 the same,
Rob is on a stormer. This is the guy who said he'd been using me as a
marker!! Absolutely superb. I'm yelling names or 'Addiscombe' every time
and by lap 17 Paul is sitting up in the bunch and waving at me, next lap
he's encouraging a rather wary Chris to join in. Last lap Rob is still
tearing around in 5th and Paul is looking very calm as he and Chris start
to move up. Everyone's leaning over the pit wall looking at the chicane,
I'm searching for Rob but don't see him. Paul finishes in the sprint in
about 20th and Chris not far behind in the lead bunch. Figuring I'd missed
Rob in the blur I use the warm down lap as a chance to nip for a pee. In
the distance I make out the white, black and gold of an Addiscombe rider,
bike over his shoulder. To be honest I thought he'd punctured or his gears
had jammed. But you could see the blood running off his hand and forehead,
torn tights, damaged bike. The worst of luck after such a fantastic ride.
Rob has taken the skin off every joint on his left arm, hand, shoulders,
grazed his forehead quite deeply and as yet I don't know how badly his
wrist is hurt but it certainly was stiff and badly swollen. Hopefully
you're alright mate and we'll see you out soon. Apparently as they neared
the dreaded chicane two guys went off in front of him and the riders
around him reacted to this. The guy on his left swerved in and his rear
derailleur got caught in Robs front wheel. 30 mph to zero over the bars.
Rob came out of it physically the worse, also of course having badly
damaged a Rolf front wheel and the Mavic electronic gearing. The other guy
destroyed his derailleur and rear wheel….. …Racing……Rob don't feel
disappointed at all, your ride was superb and the crash unfortunate. You
did yourself and Addiscombe proud. Next time I'm sitting on your wheel no
matter what. Paul used his race experience to pick a good sprinter to use
as a lead out. Unfortunately this sprinter wasn't having a good day and
Paul fought his way to 20th ish. According to Chris, Paul hadn't made any
effort all race until the last lap, had read every move and knew that it
was staying together. Chris was thrilled to have finished in the leading
bunch of the sprint and had no difficulty during the race other than
trying to drink every time Paul instructed him to do so. His comment on
the race was "I beat Mark Cole", some friendly club rivalry or a
comment on the Surrey Leagues result compiling?.
Certainly a day of experience for
Addiscombe's newest roadmen.
This is a write up on the day's Addiscombe
events and an ongoing description of the introduction to racing etc.
Hopefully people interested in racing, but not yet out there, will see
that we all suffer now and again but we do have fun and love it. There
will be better days, things can only keep getting better. I learned a bit
more about bunch riding, positioning, gear awareness (too low possibly).
Next time I won't be moving around the bunch so much, next time I finish
in the bunch. There will be a next time. Everyone finished with a grin on
their face, mine more sheepish and Rob's a bit more blood smeared.
Oh yeah the little guy. We are pretty sure
he finished in the pack!
|