So from that opening line you can guess the weather has been playing up recently. The race at Mauron was a great 27 degrees and sunny. Today 15 degrees and rain. What's going on!?
So after Mauron on Thursday I did an easy hour on Friday and met up with my parents for a farewell meal with my team mate Sebastien, his family and Sam. A nice creperie and a good way to end a nice week with the parents.
So back on it and today's race.
GP Leclerc Hennebont
From the name of the race you can see it was a local one! 3km from my front door in fact. But that was nothing compared to about 50 metres from Sam's!
So as per normal I headed out this morning for half an hour of sprints to open up for the race this afternoon. Feeling pretty good and ready to roll. The skies were grey though and rain was looming.
Back, showered, ate and rode off to meet Sam at his house. 10 min ride away and meeting we headed off to sign on. A mere 2 roads away! Signed on and we both knew the circuit pretty well. A 20 min spin round it was in order though to warm up.
The circuit was a very unimaginative and pretty naff one to be honest. A long drag to the finish with a tailwind. A twisting descent with a fair bit of road furniture to negotiate and then a couple of left turns at roundabouts to finish it off. Not a hard circuit at all. A strange one as it felt like the majority of it was down hill!
Lined up 3:15pm. Over 100 riders. A quality field. VCP Lorient, Saur Sojasun under 23, BIC2000, Hennebont cyclisme and Lucemie Espoir to name just a few. The inform Zelinski was also present and a clear favourite having won the last 3 races he'd done. UCL Hennebont had myself, Rene, Gurvan and Pascal present. Also present was fellow Brits James Mclaughlin and Chris Seviour. So 4 Brits and lots of French!
Away we went 27 laps of the 3.7km circuit, so 100km. First lap and was a calm one. With drizzle, lots of road furniture and a nervous bunch it only kicked off as we came across the line for the 2nd lap. The line of riders soon stretched and the race was on.
Now to be honest I am not sure exactly of what happened in the following few laps, probably the story of the day for me. Moves went and came back. It was a pretty stop start race with the finishing drag a series of riders jumping about constantly. Not a real hard pace, but for me the jumping about was terrible.
A few laps later and a big group had prised itself off the front. Sam was present as well as lots of Sojasun and all the big names, well all expect for Zelinski and Beret it would seem. I dont know what happened but I'd missed it and coming into the finishing straight I knew I had to get across to it.
James was also still in the bunch with me and gave me a shout. I knew it was time and I accelerated hard on the drag taking myself and James away. Yet James was flying and coming through I just couldnt get on his wheel as he bridged with ease to the break. I was left alone between the big bunch and the break, just 100 metres up the road.
No problem though as glancing round saw a Sojasun rider and one other rider come storming across. I just managed to jump on the wheel and hung on for dear life as they bridged the gap. I was now in the break. 20 riders probably. It was looking good with Rene also there.
Yet a few laps later and lots more jumping about it all came back together. I was suffering from the constant stop start style of the course. Soon more attacks had gone and to be fair I dont know why but I watched them. Not good in a normal racing situation and over here with such a fierce style of racing if your not onto it straight away you can wave goodbye to the race.
So a big move had gone Rene and James had got in it as well as most of the big hitters. I was not content to call it a day though. Another move went this time with Sam in it. I again somehow missed it and made life really hard for myself as I bridged alone up to it.
Constantly missing the moves and having to use, what were pretty strong legs, to get across alone, was wasting a hell of a lot of energy.
Still I was in a chase group, not sure how many were out in front but knew they were along way ahead. Last lap and I gave a pretty half hearted attack. Didn't get very far and rolled in with the group at the finish.
A pretty rubbish race to be honest. Struggling with the jumping about on the finishing drag, combined with what felt like quite a negative circuit meant I was playing catch up all day. Had reasonably good legs just wasnt "on it" today. Shouldn't make excuses as that's racing. I just need to work on weaknesses.
James did an awesome ride though for the win! A real talent and surely wasted in the UK.
So for me, strength in legs just missing the jump. Plan for next day is a steady 3hrs tomorrow, 3hrs with hill sprints Tuesday, working on jump, Wednesday another 3 hours probably working on sustained power and then ease off for 3 races at the end of the week. Banallec Saturday, les Forges Sunday and Berne on the Monday.
Then an easy week, after a good 4 weeks of pretty hard racing.
All I can say is I hope the weather improves!
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