DayatRaces3 10_04_11

A Day at the Races 3

(NEARLY NOT) A DAY AT THE RACES - OLD HUTTON, APRIL 10TH

You know that feeling when things seem just to good to be true?

It was a perfect morning; still and sunny with the hint of chill in the air sure to pass as the sun intensified. A relatively straightforward, if hilly, circuit around a ridge of high ground with views of Cumbria to the West and the Yorkshire Dales to the East across a mist filled Lune valley. Our rider was keen, professing good form and we’d made the effort to get up at 0530h to arrive at Race HQ early and so maximise the chances of a “ride” as John had not pre-entered. We’d conducted our usual recce of the circuit, albeit rather rapidly as HQ was due to open very shortly, and the prospects were looking good all round until Team Management woke up as we approached HQ and asked The Question; “Er John, have you brought your club jersey?”

The answer translated roughly as “Sadly, No”. He was lucky not to be chucked off the Team bus. He’d forgotten it. No club jersey no ride, according to the Regs. Was he not pleased. Were Management looking grim.

On reaching race HQ John went off on a somewhat intense begging tour of the usual crew of SCC racers namely Simon, Steve and Spence, hoping to borrow a club top and, against all the odds, returned with a spare one donated by the amazingly well prepared Simon. Simon, you have no idea of the rider sanctions and pain your forethought averted, and Thanks! It might have been a bit tight but this was nothing compared to the imminent grip on tender parts from which it saved John.

This rocky start was followed by the first pass up the main climb (300’, roughly half the circuit total) once the field had been let loose. The temperature was already rising and it was clearly going to be a hot one. Our quick recce had revealed an 8 mile or so circuit of two halves; the wide, generally well surfaced but hilly (up and down) “B” road bit, partnered by the singletrack unclassified potholed section entered via an acute hairpin left.

We parked the Team Bus on a verge towards the top of the main climb and were shortly joined by the Wheelbase Herbalife Team supporters who parked just in front of us. This proved very advantageous for us as they were equipped to receive Race Radio, so we couldn’t help but overhear the details of how the race was going. We spent a couple of hours pleasantly alternating between reclining inside the car (someone has to do it) and emerging to watch the suffering racers heave themselves up the hill.

Apart from being radio enabled, Team Wheelbase were also very well organised, having a well drilled trio of young ladies who appeared from nowhere each lap to stand on the roadside offering feeding bottles and stuff to any of their riders who might need it. They stood at apparently carefully measured intervals, always in the same places, always in the same order, and held identical, team liveried, bottles in exactly the same way with their arms at precisely the same angle, every time. Team Findley were not so well equipped, back-up supplies being limited to a half consumed bottle of Volvic firmly ensconsed in the Mechanic’s toolbox, but I (sorry, we) took careful note of the young ladies (sorry, feeding provisions) for future reference. We clearly have lessons to learn about support team recruitment.   

The rider seemingly Most Feared By The Field in these events, who we shan’t identify but who’s earned the nickname of Big Mig (remind you of anyone?) crashed out early on at the hairpin but the field overcame their disappointment at the loss of another merciless big-gear thrashing and managed to somehow motivate themselves to bravely pedal on. 

John made two big attacks at the bottom of the main climb, one of which he was sure would have stuck for a while at least but on both occasions his front mech overchanged once he’d opened a gap, dumping him into neutral whilst almost the entire field, or so it seemed, gleefully caught and passed him. “Schlek!” he said, we think… Never happened before and our Team Mechanic reckons that in the heat of battle our rider had just loaded the mech beyond its capability. Anyhow, although we suspect John harbours doubts on this diagnosis, Jerseygate has kept his lips wisely sealed.

Organisers seem to like placing Finish lines at the top of climbs and this one was no exception. Apparently lacking a bell, they gave riders “the gate” for the last lap (a suitably tuneful iron field gate was located adjacent to the Finish, and was used – might be a Cumbrian tradition or something). John was clearly at his limit over the final few yards with nothing left in the tank to prevent several riders passing him but managed to come a creditable 16th. Spence finished 22nd. Simon suffered a mechanical when his seatpost came loose and we suspect Steve’s still out there somewhere… The race was won by Francis Pilkington for Bill Nickson Cycles RT.
On a more general note it was good to see Peter Williams (Motorpoint) back in action after his Majorca Training Camp crash – he managed a 5th place finish in the Elites race which was won by Adam Yates for Maxgear RT.

Arthur Findley

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