flyingdutch said:and an awesome finish by the big Jazz in C!
6 inches never seemed so far, huh? write-a-R/report fella...
Okay here's my race report. BTW, 58kph down the back straight!!!!! That's positively flying man! I don't think I barely got to 51 kph going down there.
This is what I've just written in my ride spreadsheet.
Race Report: C Grade at the Boulie.
The one that got away.
Race started off nice and easy. Couple of breakaways that eventuated to nothing (surprise, surprise).
Felt pretty good the whole race and was doing it reasonably easily until the intermediate sprint (damn that intermediate sprint!) where I came third (again - same as last week). Again, similar to last week, 4 of us got a gap on the main field over the top of the hill. The four of us group together going down the sweeping bend. The first and second riders fron the intermediate sprint were too tired to continue so it's then just me and the guy who came fourth in the sprint who go around the hairpin first. I lead us up the climb after the hairpin. Guy behind then tells me he's going to give it up so I acknowledge him with a nod and go on harder up the climb. Over the top again and I still have a break but my heart's not in it and the gap isn't that big. I know I'm going to be caught down the back straight so I ease up. I sit up halfway down the back straight and take the opportunity to have a drink of water as the group catch me.
With 3 laps to go I find myself way down the field. Not a good place to be. So on the next climb up the hill I make my way towards the front going up the outside. I hear people warning the guys up ahead that I'm coming up pretty fast. But I just stop when I get up next to the guy in the lead over the hill (now two laps to go) and we go around the sweeping bend. Now I'm near the front in the back straight and am falling back while trying to find shelter from that strong cross/headwind. I eventually slot in at about 8th or 9th position - not too bad.
Coming up the climb just before the finish line with 1 lap to go there is a fierce attack and 4 riders go. They go around the back straight together. I don't panick and just stay seating behind a fairly big guy who takes up the chase. As we complete the sweeping downhill bend we can see the breakaway disintegrating and people are blowing up from their effort up the hill. We catch a couple of the breakways and as we do so the guy leading the chase peels off and the rest of the field starts moving up. It's a bit chaotic as we catch the 3rd guy from the break. I go around his right and another guy passes on his left. I get on the other guys wheel. I'm now in 2nd wheel and we're approaching the hairpin - this is ideal and I'm starting to see at least a placing coming my way- I'm pretty excited as I can see opportunity knocking. The final breakaway dude is still dying as we go around the hairpin and is caught just after we go around. I go past the guy who lead me around the hairpin as we get out of the saddle for the final sprint. I'm now leading it out. Going really hard. It's not hurting yet as I start going around the bend. Still sprinting up towards the finish, 70m to go. I start hearing some really heavy breathing to my left. I try to put even more pressure on the pedals but I just can't rev it up any more (maybe needed a higher gear). 20m to go and we're just about neck and neck. I'm giving it all I've got and we both throw our bikes over the line.... but I know he's taked it by a matter of inches. Second place for me - I'm very happy with that despite being so close to first. I sit up on the bike while coasting next to the guy who won - I'm feeling a bit sick in the stomach so I know I gave it all I had.
Post race - I'm now thinking how I might have been able to win that one.