Jersey road race

Waking up to a brutal alarm at 5am the sleepy GB riders rose from their slumbers and forced down some porridge before setting off to the road race stage which started at 7:30. After the previous days bike disaster, Karen had managed to borrow an Argon 18 from the local bike shop who kindly lent her it for the day. Lined up on the start line we watch the Elite men and then the 3/4 men set off before waiting for our start whistle which never really came. All looking at each other after about 10 mins with no commissar setting us off we had abit of a random start with a man from the side lines just deciding he would set us off eventually. The first lap was very leisurely as if we were all going for a nice Sunday ride all chatting to each other and asking what colour nail varnish the other was wearing until the Guernsey rider decided it was getting rather boring and launched a huge attack up the 2nd climb. Today we were working for Karen so my job was to chase and control the bunch as best as I could. As a result I got straight onto the Guernsey riders wheel reeling her back in until we caught her back at the top of the hill. The champion system girls worked together on the decent to drop as many riders as they could keeping it at a high pace. Along the flat into the head wind everyone seemed to just sit and look at each other so I ended up dragging the group along on some of these sections alongside Iona and a Zappis rider to just keep the pace from turning into one my grandma could ride faster than. Nevertheless up every hill the Guernsey rider would attack and attack again alongside Jo Blakely from champion system, this lead to me battering the front to bring it back each time making sure Karen didn't touch the front which turned it into a really hard race. Coming to the 4th lap we had decided within the bunch that the GB girls would try break away with the champion system girls which was initiated by Lauren. Coming over the top of the hill the Guernsey Girl attacked, Lauren was straight on it. I Waited a split second to make a gap then jumped making sure Ions and Karen were on my wheel. Drilling it to catch the other two girls we made it across and battered it down the descent to get a good gap. Hitting the head wind flat section we found the wind was like a brick wall and the girls who had sat in with fresh legs decided to work and we were brought back. A valiant effort from the girls. The rest of the race consisted of me nailing it after the Guernsey rider, who was strong as an ox, to keep her from breaking away and also trying to control Karens enthusiasm who just wanted to break off the front up the hill as this is what she's used to but I knew it wouldn't have worked in this race. Iona also took some Wind early on in the race with an attack and coming into the final stretch helped keep the pace high enough for me to get to the front and lead Karen out. With a top class sprinter, Hannah Walker, in my wheel and Lauren also, Karen did a great job to sprint and take 4th. All in all we worked well as a team in this race and it was great round up to the weekend which consisted of some good results.

Brit