#cyclopark

Serrl Winter Series #2 #Cyclopark cat 2/3 29/10/16 11th overall #Gemini bc #orangemachine #newkit # finishline #homesoil @bioracerspeedwear #keepfaith (at Cyclopark)

FireSpring by KP Projects.

The gates to hell are opening November 5th at 9:30pm #HelloftheAshdown #Catfordcc #Cyclopark #Primrosecentre #ChartwellCancerTrust

The QRCC Race Team took part in there first ever race on Bank Holiday Monday 31st August in the SERRL event at the Cyclopark in Kent. A great learning experience in tough conditions for all 8 QRCC riders. Pleased to say Luke Coleman scored the first British Cycling points in the clubs history with a 6th place finish in the first race! Chapeau to all who rode in horrific conditions and all 8 finished the race. This would not have been possible without DS Keith Johnson ... On to the next race in a few weeks :)

There was a packed field of 80 on the start line for the Cat 4 race in the inaugural 2015 Crits at the Park. Sign on was smooth and it was nice to get brand new race number to pin on! All races in the series are 1 hour long, with a lap counter given from 5 to go (timed so the race ends as near to an hour as possible), and the racing was aggressive from the gun. I was one of the last to line up on the start line so I spent most of the first lap moving up the bunch and soon settled in riding 5th/6th wheel and trying to stay out of the usual brutal wind as much possible - won't make that mistake again. The pace was high, and a strong dig on the start/finish straight on lap 5 (I think) from a Medway Velo rider reduced the bunch down to about 30 riders. I attacked in the same place on the next lap and let the bunch chase on, but that shed another 10 or so; another attack 2 laps later reduced the bunch to around 15 riders, with everyone looking tired. With a lull in pace at 3 laps to go I sensed an opportunity and made one last attack on the steep bit of the start/finish straight before the 2 laps to go board. I got a gap, tried not to look back and gave it everything for the remaining 2 laps, managing to cross the line in first place with a slender lead of around 10 seconds on the now further reduced chasing group of 7. It was great to win in Addiscombe colours and I'm sure it won't be long before I get the 2 additional points I need to move up to Cat 3. Prize for 1st place was £30 and a HighFive Race Pack - not bad! Here's my Strava for the race. Next on the shopping list: a heart rate monitor.

Some briefly edited footage from Saturday's race. I'm in the yellow kit with yellow overshoes wearing number 13. Jon, my team mate is in the same kit (minus the yellow feet) wearing number 12. Despite his fantastic leadout I completely died in the sprint after my earlier efforts in the break. And yes, I did almost crash at 1:22.

It was my second race of the season yesterday - a handicap race at Cyclopark, Gravesend. There were just two riders from my club entered - me and Jonathan. Nevertheless we were both active - I got in an early 2 man break and stayed away until 3 laps to go. While I recovered Jon looked after me well in the reduced first group and did a superb leadout on the last lap, but my legs just didn't have anything left after my earlier efforts, and I rolled over the line in 30th place; Jon was 26th.