A 5th but not a good 5th...

Tuesday just gone was one of the local events hosted by our club and therefore a must win race for us really. It was a 90km nocturne of 60 x 1.5km laps around a twisty but not too technical circuits including a sweeping downhill followed by a long uphill drag to the line.

There isn't that much to say about the race itself apart from we cocked up pretty bad and ended up getting 2nd 3rd and 5th (myself coming 5th) but allowing Laurent Pichon to nab the top podium spot. Needless to say the DS wasnt in the best of moods after the race.

My race panned out quite well after i started the race's break after 4laps by attacking on the drag finish and after a few laps 13 of us were away including 5 from Bic2000!! However, then numbers game didnt play to our advantage as the other riders in the break didnt want to contribute much to the pulling on the front, plus the primes on the finish helped to kill off any sort of rhythm we had built up so after holding a maximum of 45seconds, we were finally brought back with 11laps to go. A few attacks followed before 4laps to go when Clement clipped off with Laurent Pichon and quickly opened up a good gap. However it was in Clems interest to sit on Laurent as at the moment he is unbeatable at the finish and has already got his pro stagiere place lined up for the coming months... however Clem must have given too much and as the junction was made on the final corner at about 500m to go, Pichon jumped away and held a tiny gap to the line as the bunch sprint opened up behind. Between myself and a Cotes D'armor rider we got a lead out going behind for our speedsters and on the night we came out on top with their fella coming in 4th while i just managed to hold on to 5th. Not a bad sprint by me considering my twig like caracteristics.

Tuesday was the first race of the week since last fridays Pro-Criterium which turned out to be a bit of a procession. I'm next racing Thursday night and Saturday afternoon so with some good rides between i'll be set for a good hard weeks training before taking a few days rest Sunday, Monday before winding things up heading into the national champs in two weekends time.

Between this week and heading home i've also got a two day Elite stage race somewhere in France called Aurillac...? I'll just get in the team car next friday and see where we end up stopping! All i've been told is that its pretty hilly round there. Should be a blast.

Sorry haven't blogged for a while...

ciao