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Dundalk: what a race!!
by Andy Flannery
Actually felt reasonably good after a bottle of red and an Indian last
nite, the sunshine and good heat meant it would be a great day for
riding a bike, and since I'd only ridden every other day this week
my legs should be recovered from the TON.
3mins to juniors and Vets over 50, Con Short of note, 3rds and Vets, Shaun Gray, McCall, Lennie Kirk, then 4 mins back to the 2nds, Mert and Sean. The race looked like one of those Lord of the Rings movies must have been thousands signed on.
Anyway, started at the front and stayed there the whole race nore or less, more to do with being afraid of the bunch than any sort of tactical genius. Attacked many times and I tried to get them working it wasn't an easy race for me although some people said they got it easy. I would try to attack on the little climbs allowing someone to go first then come off his wheel, but the few times that I got away the bunch where all there like a bad dose of the cold, just wouldn't go away.
On one lap Soup came from the back and tried several times to get
away, as I was up for I went with him, this time I was able to breath
out of more than
just my a$$, but it didn't work out.
With a couple of laps to go I was conscious of my positioning for
the final lap. It was a bit tricky, I remember David McCann telling
me top 5 over the bridge, 400 to go down hill, but the hordes where
swamping me in the penultimate lap, what would it be like in the last
lap. So I decided . 1. I would contest it 2. top ten position into
every corner then top 5 over the
bridge, 3. My legs had more in them.
So Last lap wasn't particulary hard I tried to get away again on the drags in the tailwind but to no avail, now I had to maintain my position. As we came to it I found it very hard to maintain position, trying not to put my nose in the wind in the last few miles then trying to shift wheels as guys came down the right hand side of the road, somehow I managed it.
At about two mile from the finish I seemed in trouble got a bit swamped,
but I was putting myself accross to the right hand side of the road
for the final run in and I saw McCall move up infront of me I moved
up with him, about a mile to go I moved in front of Davy and Assumed
my 5thish place position for the bridge, just before the bridge there's
a mad descent at about 35-40mph (I was looking for the 11) I had to
be up for it and right enough I was there just before the bridge I
made a big effort to move up but as we rounded the crest of the bridge
I suddenly thought we where a little
close to the finish. I decided to empty myself. 500 to go I better
get
over this bridge further up 400 to go Feck it..... full walt 53x12
and
I'm looking for 11, 38 mph on the clock, 200 to go sh1t my nose is
in
fresh air I'm gonna win this. 20 to McCall and Lennie nip by me on
the right hand side, half a wheel in it.
So ended a great suny day in Dundalk, absolutely overjoyed with my
PODIUM placing, (First ever). Two top quality lads beat me in the sprint,
no shame there, and as far as I'm concerned that 3rds bunch was as
hard as any 2nd, but I guess I'll find out for sure very soon. As for
the other guys, Maurice (who's riding very strongly at the minute)
broke his chain, Mert and Sean were frustrated by the lack of organisation
in the 2nd Cat bunch, PS Wel done to DMc on what looked like a fantastic
ride at the Shay. NExt is the Tour of Glens and then maybe the Tour
of the Mournes.
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