It all began at 8:15am when Tony arrived to pick me up for what was to be a very long day of travelling and racing. Bag and bike packed we drove the fifteen or so minutes to Hennebont where we met up with Sam Allen and the Hennebont Cyclisme Team van. The plan today was to get a lift with Sam's team to Plancoet, near St Malo.
With the mechanic, myself, Tony, Sam, one of Sam's team mates and his brother all packed into the van it was a squeeze. Still by 9am we were off on our way to The GP Super U Elite National race!
After what seemed like quite a long drive we arrived to rain, dark skies and wind...savagery! From what I can see most French races seem to start in supermarket carparks, in this case a Super U. Arriving a good two hours before the 1pm depart we had time to have a bargain, yet very good and strong, one euro coffee. Perfect to wake us up after the drive. Signed on and back to the van to pin numbers, get bike ready and decide how to tackle the next 142kms of racing.
After a discussion with some of the Hennebont riders ideas about race food (the French are very old school it would seem) I got out for a warm up. With drizzle and a biting wind I was soon back to the car to put another undervest on. This process of going out for a warm up then deciding I was still improperly dressed for the conditions was carried out at least another three times until with 2 undervests, arm warmers, mits and knee warmers I was relatively happy!
1pm and we were off. Just over 100 riders making one of the smallest fields Ive ridden in since being out here. Yet the quality of the field was very good with Saur Sojasun u23, AC Lanester, Cotes d'amor, UC Nantes, Veranda Rideau, Hennebont Cyclisme and Vendee U, to name a few, all fielding teams. Off we rolled under dark skies.
After the last five weeks of racing I have learnt positioning, especially at the start is key, so I made my way nearer the front. From previous races I was expecting the flag to drop and the pace to explode, yet for some reason this didn't happen. Maybe the weather, maybe tired riders, maybe lack of motivation. Whatever it was the peleton weren't their usual lined out selves. After a few kilometres a break went. Thinking surely in this 142km race it was to early to attempt a break, I tried to position myself in the first 20 or so riders, stay out of the biting crosswind and bide my time.
Little did I know a lot of the big hitters had gone up the road. Soon after an hour or so racing the pace began to lift and coming down what was described as a dangerous descent (not wrong there) we hit climb where the bunch decided to blow to pieces! Slightly to far back, some good riders began losing wheels and cracking. Still feeling ok I managed to weave round them and get back onto the remanants of the dwindling peleton.
Glancing back I saw the remainder of the bunch disappear backwards, this was pretty hardcore! Yet this effort needed to move up ultimately cost me as over the top groups began clipping off into the headwind. Still paying for my efforts I hid and tried to survive the battering the much smaller bunch was giving out!
So after around 85km of racing, some steady, some definately not, there were a number of groups on the road. I was in what was left of the bunch along with Sam and thirty or so other riders. Hitting another climb and realising the race was literally riding away I put in a dig and was followed by a Veranda Rideau rider and one other. Working well together we were soon pulling away from the bunch. After a couple of kilometres a group of five or so, including Sam and some AC Lanester riders,came across and we continued to go through and off.
Yet it wasnt to be as AC Lanester in the bunch decided to chase us down, including their own team mate! Very strange and disappointing. Even more disappointing was once caught the bunch sat up and basically decided they'd had enough. So after 90km of racing we were plodding along at 30km/h talking. Annoyed, confused and frustrated, after another 15km myself and the majority of the bunch decided enough was enough and called it a day.
To say I'm confused with the events of the day was an understatement. There was still a top 30 placing up for grabs, which I know is not great, but in a race of this quality is still not something to be sniffed at. Gonna put this down to experience and the fact that most people just weren't that motivated today. Just need to make sure I'm in the break next time to avoid this!
Positives:
sprinting has definately improved out of corners and onto wheels, the training is paying off
starting to work out which riders are worth watching, not easy when everyones good!
Hiding when needed and climbing well
Negatives:
Top end speed! When pace is really on I am still struggling. I still need to work on spinning that 53x12. Think some more motorpacings in order
Positioning, still an issue sometimes. Hard when with point to point sometimes not sure whats coming up! Still staying in first 20 riders needs to be a priority, although easier said than done sometimes!
Aggressiveness, or lack of it. Again another easier said than done one! Need to get stuck in and try to attack or follow attacks more, better to try and fail than not risk it. A real shame as I usually like to be attacking but maybe feeling a bit in awe in bigger races.
So plan is to try and get away more, work on that top end, V02 like effort and concentrate on the positioning. Lots to do but lots of races to do it in!
next stop a local race in Colpo this Sunday, bring it on!
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