A 2:30pm depart meant again a morning of chilling out and trying to kill time. Luckily The London Marathon and Chinese GP was on the tv so my morning was filled! 1pm and Tony Mills senior and the Mills' family friend Alastair came to pick me up. Bike, kit bag and myself in car we were ready to roll.
A relatively short 20 or so minute drive to Bignan, a reasonable sized town the other side of Baud. Arriving and with just over an hour till race time I signed on, got changed and headed to meet my team manager to give him my spare wheels and the all important pre race briefing.
Meeting my manager he was keen to show me the map of the days racing and highlight areas of importance. In this case it was the Mountain Grimpeur climbs or KOM sprints. Five of them in total. He wanted me to try and go for them and thus began writing down a small essay on my forearm with each KOM and at how many kilometres into the race!
We then discussed who to watch rider wise. After the last couple of months I have realised unlike the UK where there might be 10 or so guys who could win the race over here there are a lot more possible victors! A quick look at the start list and two names were pointed out to me. A Lanester rider and a BIC2000 rider. Deciding my arm had enough ink on it I made a mental note of their race numbers for future reference!
A 20 minute warm up and on the start line we went. Big crowds again and a full podium with all the trimmings. Around 130 riders for 80km En Ligne then a finishing circuit of 6 laps of 6km.
Off we went and noting the very strong headwind I made sure I was sitting in the first 15-20 riders. Lucky I did, as after only a few kms the attacks were already going. I knew the race could be formed pretty early so followed wheels and after 8km or so found myself in a group of around 8.
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| finishing a bit dejected and pretty tired after a hard race |
Soon we were pulling away from the peloton. A very strong wind meant everyone was giving it full gas. Noting Bapiste Haye, the leader of the Trophee Job Morvan series, was in the break I made sure I was on his wheel. This was for two reasons. 1. He seems powerful but steady and 2. with a massive headwind and Mr Haye being 6ft 7 I was able to get a nice draft behind him!
So another 10km of through and off ensued. Yet the bunch weren't willing to let the race go up the road, well not quite yet anyway. Soon we were caught and it was back to square one. Again making sure I stayed in the top portion of the bunch we soon hit the first KOM climb of the afternoon.
Glancing down at my arm I saw 22km was 1st one. A kilometre from the KOM and feeling good I thought I'd chance it. Yet soon a Lanester rider had jumped. Still with 800 metres to go it was early but I had to follow. Soon a drag race was on as the 20 metres or so the gap to the Lanester rider was not closing. Upto the line I sat up and got rolled on it for 4th! (always glance back before sitting up!)
So not the most successful KOMs and thus I decided the result was more important than trying to go for these hottly contested sprints. It wasn't in complete vain though as over the top and around half a dozen of us had managed to move clear from the now splintering bunch.
But little cohesion and the bunch were back on us. A lot of jumping about followed then into a block headwind section wheels started to be lost and feeling good I saw a gap and took it. Getting on a Vanne rider's wheel were were soon away and before long riders came across and soon around 20 of us were away.
Glancing back and bidding farewell to the peleton, I had made the crucial split. Now with such a big group there is always bound to be problems. With a number of VC Lorient riders and VCP Loudeac riders in the break and just myself from UCL Hennebont I was in no mood to be doing to much work. Unfortunately this was noted! After a heated discussion first in French then English with a rider (the eventual winner) we came to the conclusion I'd do a few more turns if he did.
60km in and we hit another climb. At last some roads I recognised as the climb was the one used for Manche Atlantique earlier in the year. With Tony standing on it I grabbed a much needed bottle as we surged over the top.
80km and we were on the finishing circuits and the temperature had really exceeded. Pretty warm I made sure I stayed top up on food and drink as we rounded the first finishing lap. With attacks going all over the place I was surprised to see around 15 riders come upto us making a group of 35. Not ideal.
The finishing loop included lots of wind and open roads but also a kilometre or so pretty steep climb, which of cause was lined out with crowds. With 3 finishing laps to go, it began to split. Now I'm not sure why but I was beginning to suffer. I'd eaten well and drank and legs still felt ok but I felt a bit worse for wear!
Soon a break had formed and were pulling away. 7 riders. 2 laps to go and still feeling pretty rubbish I knew I had to do something as such a big group meant a sprint was on the cards. Over the top of the finish climb and with 11km to go 2 guys clipped off and I gave chase.
A momentary lapse in concentration meant I was not quite onto the wheel and I soon was no where near the wheel as the two riders pulled away. I was in no mans land. Only one thing to do....hack! So thats what I did. With a massive headwind and open roads I buried myself, but I was suffering and although in 10th place on the road I knew I had a fight on my hands.
Last lap, 6km to go and caught by the chase group. Absolutely spent I watched as the chase group splintered. Into the finish, stomach cramping (need to eat less gels in the heat) and having given it everything I crawled across the line.
A few minutes later the remanants of the bunch rolled in. 68 finishers from 130 starters, a hard windy and hilly days racing.
All going well till 20km to go but just didnt have it when it mattered, just hope I do next time. Top 30 but not the result I wanted but a big learning curve again and seeing progression week by week can only mean before long I will get the result I know I deserve.
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