Since the last blog Ive been deciding whether to carry on with my season or whether to listen to my clearly knackered body and call it a day.
After speaking to my team mate he convinced me to take a couple of days off the bike and give the last few races a go. So that's what I'm trying. A relatively lazy Thursday and then the laziest day I think Ive ever had on Friday. Literally stayed in bed all day. Clearly knackered and something not right as not in my nature to do this!
Still Saturday came and race day. Half an hour on turbo easy in the morning to remind legs they are still needed (for now anyway) and then normal prep before being picked up by team mate Seb at 1:30pm.
The weather forecast was for rain. Yet the morning, if very grey, was dry and warm. Sods law then dictates just as Seb pulled up in the car the rain began hacking down!
Away we went anyway. The race was a mere 20 minutes away at Lorient. Arriving and the circuit was a 1.55km affair. Just a square, 4 right corners, a slight drag to the finish, tonnes of road furniture and white lines...oh and it was still pouring with rain!
Signed on and kitted up in the car. 15 mins before the start I headed out for a warm up. 15 mins later absolutely soaked and standing on the start line with 50 or so other equally soaked riders, ready for the off. I had though already made it further than team mate Rene who had signed on, pinned number on, saw the rain and decided not to leave the comforts of his motorhome!
So just myself and Seb for UCL Hennebont. Away we went. Normal guys here today. Lots of Lorient riders, Lanester and Vendee U as well. Straight away I could see this was not gonna be a good idea. Was so cold, after we were held on the line for a good 10 minutes!?, Legs were not working. Couple that with some dodgy French cornering and treacherous road surface, it was more a question of survival than a race.
After a few near misses and feeling cold and rough I did something I very very rarely do. I got off. Seb did the same. Feeling disheartened I headed to the car. Just as I did I heard a crash. Fellow Brit Mike Cuming had crashed on one of the corners and was in a bad way. I ran over to see him and watched as he was carted away by ambulance to the hospital. Luckily just a mere 1km away.
Literally a minute later and another crash, different corner, but shows just how dangerous this circuit was when wet.
So that's it I'm home now. Dry and safe. Yes its annoying to get off and not finish a race. But I know I dont usually do it, and sometimes its better to be safe than sorry and crash. Yes probably also my head is going a bit now as well.
Dont do not finishing, so any more DNF's and decided season will be over. Its a hard decision to make but without head in the right place and the legs, it just is not possible .
Next then is Trophee Aven Moros on Monday. Meant to be a safer circuit and hopefully will be able to make amends for today.
Oh and by the way...its sunny here now!
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