Scaer-Guiscriff!

Scaer Guiscriff. Sounds like something out of a Harry Potter book, but was infact the two towns which made up the race I competed in yesterday.

Sunday 27th March

Woke up confused. Confused due to the clocks changing. Not usually to much of a problem but in a foreign country and not knowing if my French phone's time changed automatically, I had an interesting 10 minutes switching on multiple electrical appliances to find the correct time!


Shouldn't have worried really as was up at 9am and was due to be picked up by the two Tonys at 11:30pm to travel to the race.

Drizzle greeted me as bike and kit were packed in the car and we set off for the hours drive to the start town of the La Route des Lutteurs Race in Scaer. Part of a series of more local races this was a good race to get back into the swing of things after missing 2 weeks of racing.

winner with me in group behind going for 3rd

Arriving at Scaer we were early! Very early infact! Not a bad thing at all as we still had to find the sign on and start. Not an easy task it would seem. After a good fifteen minutes driving round the town (bigger than we thought!) we found the start and sign on. Two hours early I had plenty of time to sign on, change, talk to my team mates and manager and get a good warm up in. The weather from the drizzle in the morning had surprisingly brightened and there was a warm sun beating down on us.

2:30pm, at least 140 riders and a relatively short 114km ahead of us. This was my first local race after a few weeks of Elite National races. The race consisted of an en ligne section (basically a big loop of 80km) followed by a 5.2km finishing circuit. After a good 20 minute warm up I made sure I got to the front of the bunch for the roll out. No rush it would seem as after about 20 minutes of standing around we were finally off!


Now the main difference from  the word go between a more local race and an Elite National is the style of racing. Elite Nationals, from what I've experienced, are controlled by bigger teams, very fast and basically stay fast throughout! Local races are abit more uncontrolled meaning lots of attacks and splits. Positioning myself in the top 20 I kept an eye on the moves and followed the wheels. The pace was quite high and as with the KOM hills coming thick and fast splits were occuring. Not feeling to great I knew I can climb well enough so sat near the front and bided my time.

Then it hit me. Well more to the point I hit it! A pothole, which in turn tilted my saddle down. Not able to get it back level and after an hour of racing this was gonna be an uncomfortable ride!


Soon the elastic broke and over one of the kilometre or so climbs a split had occured. More importantly I had made it! About fifteen of us and we were moving steadily away from the splintering bunch. With the hills coming thick and fast (not helped some very skinny AC Lanester riders finding every opportunity to sprint up them!) The group were all feeling it. Coming into the end of the en ligne section and there was a lull. With a few Lanester riders and BIC 2000 riders in our group I was not keen to do any extra work. Unfortunately neither were anyone else it would seem!


Soon a big group of around twenty riders came across to us including one of my team mates. Just as they got across we hit another hill and the splits formed again. Some how even feeling pretty rubbish I made the split of 10 or so. But it was short lived. Coming onto the finishing circuit and the group had swelled again. Up the finish for the first time and with banners up and big crowds, oh and the beer tent, the race had really come to town! Through the finish and I was at the sharp end of the race, about time!


Completing the first of 7 finishing laps I was disappointed to see there was no serious climbs and nothing to really break the group up. After numerous attacks nothing was sticking. Coming into the finish and with an AC Lanester rider and VS Scaer rider dangling off the front (nearly caught on the line) it was left for our group of 35 riders or so to sprint it out for third. With my sprint not that good and feeling a bit knackered, due to numerous attempts to get away on the fast finish circuit, I rolled in mid group. Just over 40km/h on the clock...a good days racing.


So after 2 weeks of just training it was great to get back racing. With a local race it meant I could ease back into it. After 3 hard weeks of training I guess it was no wonder I didn't feel great but being a bit fresher next time I know I can get a result in these sort of races.

Disappointed no result but I gave it a good few digs and knowing who to watch/follow and a bit more about the style of racing the result will surely come.


Other positives were leg held up and felt good, which is a good sign. Next stop Grand Prix Super U on Wednesday. An Elite National race near Dinan. Can't wait!

Big thanks to the two Tonys for driving me to the race and helping out and to Bob Downs, for advising me on how to treat my injury over last couple of weeks.

Back into the swing of things and loving it!