After the disappointment of The GP Super U on Wednesday I took an easy couple of days and after a light spin with a few efforts to open up on Saturday I was raring to go for Sunday's race.
The Trophee Job Morvan. A four race series, all relatively local and from what I can gather all on circuits. 11;15am and both Tonys and Nick arrived to pick me up. A relatively short half an hour drive to a town called Colpo. Arriving in the picturesque, very typically French town the sun was out, the weather mild and the town...quiet!
hmmm...Through the town we drove until we were ushered in to park in a school carkpark. First here it would seem. I do like getting to a race early but little did I know what was in store today!
So being early we decided to head into town and grab a coffee. Sun beaming down I was keen to get going and headed off to the sign on at the start finish line. Arriving there and there was a hype of activity as the start finish banner, barriers and even the beer stand was up. Lots of official looking people in Trophee Job Morvan logoed jackets were milling around. Not entirely sure where to go I asked one of them where to sign on. I was then promptly told I couldn't yet as my race wasn't until 3pm. It was just gone 12! We had misread the start time and had turned up in time for the cadets race!
So three hours early I headed back to the others to break the news. With this newly gained information I promptly went and chilled out in the car. After a bit of a wait I got changed, got bike in order and headed to sign on. Number on and ready to roll I headed off for a good warm up.
Being a circuit I was able to warm up on it and as it was 5.9km a lap I got a couple of laps in. Riding round warming up I noted a few things. One, there seemed to be a huge amount of down hill/tailwind sections. Two, A good few tight left handers and a very open crosswind section and three, the finish was a flase flat and very long windy section.
3pm. Lined up with 102 other starters for 17 laps. A relatively short race but with primes and a fast course it was sure to be interesting. Off we went and positioning myself on the front of the bunch as we rolled out I knew, with small roads, this was a race to be ridden in the first 15 riders.
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| front row on the line ready to roll.. |
One corner down and attacks were already flying. Following the wheels the bunch was soon in one long line. Attacks came and went yet the fast nature of the course meant nothing was sticking. The last few weeks I have been struggling to work out who to watch and what moves were dangerous. Unfortunately this was my downfall today as after another few kms a group of seven had forged out a lead.
The bunch though were in no mood to hang about.
Coming into the crosswind section and the pace was electric. I was struggling as well which didn't help. In the gutter I just couldn't seem to get that gear spinning whilst getting battered by the wind. Survival was the name of the game in this section of the course. The seven escapees soon had built around a minutes lead. The only action in the bunch were small groups making very little headway only to get brought back into the still lined out bunch. Riders though were pinging off the back at regular intervals.
Coming into 3 laps to go and I wasnt feeling great but knew I wasn't here to make up the numbers either. Coming into the finishing straight and into the wind I attacked and got a nice gap. Soon joined by three others we began working well together and were soon pulling away from the bunch. Yet after 5 or 6kms we were soon back in the fold. The bunch moved quicker than anything else on the circuit and wasnt going to let anything go (well except for the 7 riders in the break!)
Last lap and the bunch was half its original size. With the break now holding a minute to two minutes lead we were going for 8th. A sprint was on the cards..my favourite! Coming into the finish I was looking for a gap to launch an early one but the bunch eased into the last corner causing a crash right infront of me. Slamming on I came to a stop. Not ideal with 400 metres to go! Foot back in the pedal and I charged back into the remanants of the bunch and came across the line in around 30th place.
Race done, 100km, 44km/h average, lots of suffering into a crosswind, 50 finishers a lined out bunch and a doomed attack. This was not my day. Can't beat myself up to much as the circuit couldn't have been less suited to me but still I want that result and should have been in that 7 rider break. All part of the learning experience and today again highlighted areas to work on. Namely that top end speed!
Disappointed not to get a result and seeing it was still sunny and warm I put a few more layers on and headed off for the 30km ride home. Little did I know a block headwind all the way back! Luckily back I was greeted by Mrs Mill's great Sunday roast, perfect!
Still a bit more training making a solid if unfruitful day. A good week of training ahead hopefully, some motor pacing, sprinting and group ride all on the cards before an Elite National race on Saturday and the second round of The Trophee Job Morvan on the Sunday..
Lets hope the Belgium kermesse round of the series is behind me and I can pull out that much needed result in the next few races!
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