The term semi nocturne I think is rather misleading as here they all seem to start 7:30pm or later and unlike the UK, where its usually an hours race, here they seem to range from 60km to 100km. This can be hard to get the head around, especially when your still racing flat out at 10pm.
At this time of the season there are a lot of these semi nocturnes and last night was my second one.
Picked up by my team mate Sebastien and Sam Allen at 5;50pm we had an hours drive to the race, in a town called Sarzeau, by the coast. There seems to be a very French approach to timing here, as Sebastien actually was meant to meet at 5:30pm. So we had to hack!
Arriving at the race with 35 mins to go! Slightly pushing it for time. Signed on, kitted up and off for a few laps of the circuit.
A 1.83km circuit made up of a climb, steady descent and wide open finish. With all these semi nocturnes it was going to be flat out from the start. Warming up legs were ok, nothing special, just ok.
7:30pm and on the start line. Myself and Rene representing the team for this one. 60 or so riders lining up and 45 laps to race. Just over 82km.
It was a barmy 27 degrees, yet Sebastien told me one bottle would suffice, I wasnt convinced! So away we went and straight up the 500 metre or so climb. I was sitting 10 or so riders back and knew the block headwind on the climb would mean hiding was the best policy.
I wasnt hiding very long though! As half way up the climb a VCP Lorient rider attacked. After the last few weeks of getting stuck in the peleton and missing the break I was keen to get going, even if it was only 300 metres into the race!
Attacking I bridged the gap comfortably and glancing round as we crested the climb I saw we had a healthy gap to the bunch. Head down we began doing through and off. The Lorient rider was quite happy to do long turns and I made sure I did as little work as possible into the headwind finishing straight.
Soon another few riders bridged the gap and after half a dozen or so laps the break had swelled to 10 of us. The bunch were out of sight, we were working well together, could I have finally made the winning break?
Through the finishing line and riders began sprinting, a prime it would seem, yet through the whole duration of the race I couldnt work out when these primes were! Surprisingly I still managed to pick up some 2nds/3rds in them and thus got some money.
20 laps to go and my one bottle had been drunk! Luckily I managed to pick another up from Sebastien and Sam (both spectating) and with a couple of gels was feeling relatively good.
Soon another 4 riders bridged to the break, including Rene. We were secure and had a minute over the peleton which was now in numerous groups around the course. Soon we were lapping groups. Yet the break at 14 riders was not working that cohesively and soon riders were missing turns.
10 laps to go and I knew I needed to get away to have any chance of a result. Just as I thought this a rider ,from The US La Gacilly team, attacked hard on the hill. Sensing this was the time to go I attacked and got across. The break looked around and we were gone. Two of us away, just under 20km to go!
Riding hard we were soon joined by a LOIRE & SILLON CYCLISME rider. Three of us away we rode hard. Soon we had pulled out a 30 second gap on the chase group. 3 laps to go and the Gacilly rider was beginning to struggle. 1 lap to go and knowing the sprint was not an option for me I attacked hard on the bottom of the climb.
I got a gap, yet the short duration of the climb meant over the top the Loire rider got back on. We had though dropped the Gacilly rider. Under a kilometre to go and I sat on the Loire rider. A sprint was on the cards...great :(
300 metres to go and a bit of cat and mouse meant the Gacilly rider got back on. 200 metres to go and the sprint opened up with MARTIN FREDERIC of the Loire team getting it with ease and myself just getting pipped on the line by a wheel for 2nd.
So 3rd place for me.
So there ended my best race out here to date, pretty close to getting away for the win which is a shame, but still a 3rd place in a semi nocturne, which on paper doesnt suit me, is very satisfying and very much needed for the head.
Onto the podium afterwards, a big bunch of flowers, a nice trophy and some prize money. Also managed to string a few sentences in French together for the interview on the podium!
Might be June but finally off the mark, lets hope theres more of this to come and if I can improve on it all the better!
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