Phoenix Cycling Club
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Sat 3 April- Surgenor Cup (by Andy Flannery)
I had a rest week last week then moneymore, this week I did a bit of hard riding
and this weekend was to polish off the hard part of the training before the
TON next week. The last time I did this race all of the phoenix men where
dropped on the first time up the climb, (Ask Mick O). So I was sh1tting myself
that this might be a short race, the surgenor is a scratch race and you've
gotta climb with the likes of Denis, Slaner and John Dempsey etc. Just to
top it off it started raining just before the start, and I still haven't
taken my tights off yet, but it wasn't as cold as it has been some weekends.
So somehow I'm standing at the front off the race as the flag went down, I
don't know what came over me but I attacked from the gun, not hard enough to
bulb myself but hard enough to go away, now I'm hoping that the race breaks
up on the undulating tailwind section and sure enough a group of 5 come past
me, just the ticket, but by the time we get to the bottom of the climb it's
all back together, and I'm about 5 from the front, absolutely perfect sliding
room, and I needed it, but the climb wasn't as bad as I thought it was gonna
be.
There where several attacks on the climb and I drifted back to about mid-way
in the bunch, I survived the first climb, but It didn't get easier there was
a savage headwind as we went down hill again, and several people told me that
they where victim to that throughout the race.
I was in my absolute element, I attacked several times on the tailwind section
and it felt good to be racing with the scratch boys, well for a while anyrate.
Second time up the hill was same game plan, attack through start finish, get
up the bunch swing as long as possible slide down the bunch but hang on trying
not to get a dodgy wheel.
Third time I couldn't do it anymore, I really was ready to let the wheel go,
the break was going up the road and the chasers where pushing to get accross,
but then it eased on the hill and I slipped it into the wee ring and I managed
to ride to the front on the hill what a turnout.
Most of the 1st cats went away in that break leaving only a few to hurt us
on the hill, but it was Nigel NITEMARE who took us up the hill at a great tempo.
The race unfolded behind us, people going out the back who couldn't cope with
the hill and the rain taking out people with half an inkling to stop. Not me
TON training this weekend I'm here to the bitter end. The legs didn't feel
too bad and I was still able to try and get up the road only going in the undulating
tailwind section.
Really thats how it finished, attrition brought our main bunch down to a small
group, on the second last lap I managed to ride accross to Matt and A.N.Other,
and we eeked a gap, Fraser Duncan came accross, I bulbed myself over the last
couple of laps, but when we 4 hit the hill I couldn't hold the wheel, they
rode away to get top ten places. I recovered enough to get back into our group
Nigel gracefully led out for about the last 3 miles and I got him and Paul
in the sprint. 13th overall, first 3rd Cat, ecstatic with a result even more
pleased to have got round.
There were a few other phoenix there as well, Gemma rode solidly in her race,
Tim was always up for it but missed the main break of the day, old cohort Denis
Cormican was looking good, although a lack of race miles did him about lap
5 laps he got best 4th Cat prize. Paul looked good on the climb, he was always
active throughout the race but was unlucky not to get accross, his ass seems
well recovered from last week, Mathew turned up with Ryan Connor, although
Mat is in heavy training at the minute he looked sharp enough.
Overall for me excellent race, used the wee ring and still stayed in the group,
glad that monkey's off my shoulder, had a wee practice at a sprint with Paul
and Nige, it's alot harder to turn the legs over after 64 miles. Marion got
some great shots of the bunch, I must say that her photographic talents have
really allowed me and I'm sure many others to enjoy the races over a wee dram
in the evening. Tomorrow is Barton's Bay, it's flat and fast, just the tonic
for a second day, hopefully it should be easy !
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