A 0.9mile course with two hairpins… 40 mins + 3 laps.
This is only my 4th Criterium and still learning the ropes. So far, the outcomes have been a little bit like this:
Race 1 – Nervous in corners, losing too much time. Sat on the back of the pack ‘Yo-Yo-ing’. Too tired to sprint at the end.
Race 2 – Again, sat back in the pack ‘Yo-Yo-ing’ too much. Attempted a break in the last lap but blew up and had no sprint.
Race 3 – Got stuck behind a crash on lap 3. Spent the whole race chasing the front group. To tired to sprint at the end.
Race 4 – Was aggressive all race along with team mate. Tired the group & won an early sprint.
Following the advice from an experience racer & cycling coach I attempted to form a breakaway. After about 2 laps I attempted my first break but I was reeled in shortly after. A few laps later I repeated. This time I had someone come with me but they were reluctant to do any work, I continued for a bit longer but when I made them get on the front he basically sat up. It was a shame as a Bristol South rider was bridging the gap and we would have made a good trio.
I sat back in the group then for a while to recover. Someone else went for a break. I sat back for a bit to let the group chase him down. After a few laps I then attempted to bridge. The gap was quite large and by the time I bridged, the main group had basically caught us.
It was good to see my fellow Dursley Road Club team mate, Mike Davis, take up the offence and produce his own attack. It was good to sit in and watch everyone chase him down.
By this point, we were only a few laps from the end. I kept my position within the front few. If I ended up on the front, I would put in enough effort to keep everyone happy but not too much then sit back into the top 4/5.
Someone made an early break in the final laps. Again… I tried not to do any of the chasing but If I found myself on the front, I would do a little. The guy on the front as coming back in as he was tiring so wasn’t too fussed.
Instead I held my ground at the front of the pack round the last lap. We hit the hairpin at the half way point and I went for it. As no one wanted to take up the front of the back, they started to back off… only to realise I was on the other side of the course at full speed. I came into the final corner with the pack chasing me down… fortunately I had put in enough of a gap to take the win.
I was lucky enough to have the in-laws in the right spot with a camera to get an awesome shot of me sprinting up the home straight with the mob behind me!
Good tactics, team work and a bit of luck secured the win on this occasion. Certainly felt good being on the attack all the time. Feeling like you’re controlling the pace a bit more and not wasting energy with the Yo-Yo effect off the back certainly helps.
Got a few weeks of TT’s now until the Castle Combe & Odd Down summer series start.
