18th
July
2011

Unlike last year where I built up to the National Championships feeling a podium finish in U23 was within my grasp, this year I had little pressure on myself in my first year as a Senior. The pressure I put on myself for the result in U23 seemed to leave me with no legs and I finished a disappointing 9th. So my plan for the race yesterday was to ride my own race and just enjoy it, without any preconceived results in mind.

I had some apprehensions of the course after the pre-race report and going round for the first lap of practice. With non-stop rain, greasy singletrack and decents were dish of the day; not my forte. I did a few laps and left still feeling pretty neutral for the coming race. Thankfully given the weather, myself and Liam Glen had the luxury of his Grandparents 20mi away. It offered a great opportunity to really relax and get racing off the brain, plus, get stuffed to bursting with lots of good home cooked and even grown, food.

A good warm-up and I lined up 2nd on the grid, a good place to be with a headwind start sprint. My was start good - banishing my trackstand at the lights is paying off! - and the headwind did a good job to stop any of the usual elbows out pushing and shoving. We were lined out with me within the top 8 or so. The lap had a couple of short steep climbs at the beginning and feeling great, I dug in and moved up to 4th at the head of the chase; the Lee, Oli and Liam group still visible.

Throughout the techy singletrack, my nerves created by having such a strong start for once got the better of me and I rode like a bag of potatoes, loosing time and a number of strong wheels. I finally settled in for the first lap with Dave Henderson and Ant, also having a strong ride. Unfortunatly for Ant, he crashed out the next lap of the greasy shoot, breaking his mech; leaving me and Dave riding for 8th and 9th. Still riding well on the small hills that were on the course and actually riding the singletrack like some sort of mountain biker, I got a gap on Dave and came across Ade who seemed to have burped his tyre. Holding his wheel for as long as possible - pulling some Voeckler like pain faces - I gained more distance and then pushed on for the remainder of the race of the race, knowing other riders were not far behind.

I finished 8th, first of what I like to call the ‘new generation’! Or first U23 graduate and first U2-something, I have to tread carefully there as to not insult anyone! In the money and topping my UCI points back up for a good gridding next year. I pleased with the result and it is probably my best this season, showing the training is working well with a perfectly timed peak. I can also see room for improvement concerning my composure at the start and breaking into the top end of the race doesn’t seem an impossible task.

A great note to end on with a week of rest and then 24/12 with my teammates, one of which is a newly crowned National Champion!

John.