Concerntration..or lack of in Crach

Third day of racing and if you have read my previous posts you would see this was to be my final day of a 3 day block.


Final race was at a town by the coast called Crach. After feeling pretty heavy legged the day before, I had gone into mega recovery mode and compression tighted, feet up and very early night in a bid to be as fresh as possible for the final leg!

After a morning of cleaning the bike (yet again after the second wet race in a row!) I was picked up by the team car at 1pm for the 40 minute drive to the seaside town of Crach. With myself, Laurent, Sebastien, Gurvan and Laurent's daughter it was a tight fit but the mood was jovial and although tired I was feeling upbeat about the race.


Arriving and the smell of the sea greeted us! Whatever happened it was at least a day by the beach. Signed on and kitted up we set off for a warm up. A 3km circuit lay ahead, with flowing corners and a very very small drag upto the line. Basically a kermesse.

With the back of the circuit literally skirting the sea, it was very picturesque. Warm weather and sunny skies were the order of the day and after the last two days of getting wet and covered if Brittany's finest mud, it was a welcome sight!

A good half an hour warm up with some efforts and my legs felt surprisingly good. 3pm and on the start line.


As like the race on Saturday this was a 1/2/3 cat race, so quite a big one. Just under 90 starters including riders from Veranda team, Cotes D'armor, AC Lanester and Saur Sojasun under 23 team. This was a star studded field yet again.

Off we went.

Feeling good I sat in the top 10 or so riders and soon with following wheels got away with a Saur Sojasun rider and one other. Through and off and I was feeling the best I'd been in the three days, promising signs.

Soon though we were caught and as we were a counter attack was launched. Now I dont know why but for some reason I watched. Yes, just watched as riders pinged off the front. Why!!? It was one of those cases of really missing the boat. Before I knew it the break had gone up the road. Luckily 3 of my team mates had got in it!

So good legs and I was stuck in a now uninterested peleton. What followed was a constant pace yet no real action. 3/4s of the race done and the big group of the break was miles in front. Still in the bunch was, the usually amazing, Zelinski (VCP Lorient), who had also seemingly missed the break and 70 or so riders. A few laps to go and wanting to get something out of a bad situation I attacked, hard. Yet the bunch were in English racing mode. I mean they didnt want to race when it mattered and now when I wanted to stretch my legs and get some training in they were happy to chase. A few failed attempts and back to the bunch I rolled in for the finish mid bunch. A day of little wind and sunny skies had get the pace high over 40km/h in a very unmotivated peleton.

Safe to say I was annoyed with myself. Good legs and wasted a perfect opportunity due to lack of concerntration.

So after 3 races what can be taken from these:

Positives:

1. I recovered well. 3rd race feeling strong hopefully is a good sign.

2. Got away, all be it in a chase group, on Saturday and felt stronger as the race progressed. Had my group contested the finish a top 10 was a possibility.

3. Hid and used my head on Sunday's race when I didn't feel so good

4. Finished 3 days of hard racing and although results werent there came away with a top 20 against some good competition on the Saturday.


Negatives:


1. Did not feel good on second race, not sure why

2. Results still not reflecting strength.

3. Concentration, or lack of it on Monday's race, only myself to blame...huge wasted opportunity

4. Not adapting to stop/start racing, change of pace and sprinting from slow speeds need to be looked at.



So over 300km of racing. All races completed and lots more learnt. Tour des Mauges, a stage race consisting of two days racing and 3 stages, is next up this coming weekend. Hopefully this block of racing will put me in good stead for a good result next weekend, just need to think and use my head!