By my own standards I did a poor 2Km Pursuit on the Tuesday,
inexplicably going back nearly two seconds on the last two years and as a
consequence only 12th place. This was tempered fellow Brit (Scottish)
Peter Ettles taking his first World title (he had multiple British and
European) beating the milti-talented Italian and newly returned rider
Mark Wiffin taking the Bronze in the fastest time of the competition
just showing how important it is to get your best ride out in the
qualifying heat as both Ettles and Dardi (fastest qualifier) both went
slower in the Gold medal ride off - only Peter less slow giving him a
well deserved top spot. Peter has been one of the outstanding track
riders since I have come back to track racing and we have had some rare
tussles over the years but he is head and shoulders a better pursuiter
than I am and even though I had put in allot of effort to improve my
technique my speed is sadly lacking. I hope that will change with the
opening in the new year of the indoor velodrome at Derby thirty minutes
up the M1 so with some track time I may still one day get on the podium
in this discipline.
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| Pursuit Podium - Dardi (It) Ettles and Wiffin |
Pursuit Report - VeloUK
The next day I had to defend my 10Km
Scratch race title, it's not like I have to defend anything just be in
the race and make my prescience felt. Heats are always tense but I was
through OK without expending too much energy but with only twelve to go
through and seven of the eight British qualifiers in my heat there was
intense competition from the British camp and no joy as rider fought to
stay safe but out of trouble as well, no good here if you mis time your
effort or use too much energy too soon.
The final in the evening a totally different affair,
there was a consensus among the British riders with a third of the field
in the 40 lap final that we would have to make the race fast as there
were a number of excellent sprinter types who would easily win if it
came to a mass finish.
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| 10Km Scratch -Flanked by the Bronze and Gold medallist (last years Silver in-between) |
Peter Ettles and Steve Clayton made a break in
the first lap (after getting caught up a little game of 'Bunch
Bagatelle' first!) When they were eventually pulled back Courtney Rowe
had another attack until the group out front got so large that it fell
apart with lack of impetus. I weighed in shortly after to try my luck
and keep the pace high, the bunch was pretty much lined out all the time
and one of the US and an Italians pulled out and it began to fracture
as the race reached half way.
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| 10Km Scratch Race - Result |
|
|
I was watching for an opportunity to break
again but it never really arrived, the German Blasczyk stole my thunder
and with 5 to go the Dane Hartkopp went after him. I think the British
riders made for an excellent race and many in the commentator and the
crowd enthused about the race after but we lacked a coherent end plan
and played into the other strong riders hands as they had to do very
little pace setting until the end. I was marking the fast French rider
Vernet but with 3 to go I had to take up the chase as the leaders
already in an unassailable lead, I trailed in 9th the French rider
blasting past me with a lap to go thinking we were the front unaware
that the medals were up the road.
The Dane caught Blaczyk on the last
lap, a very strong rider but both these new to our group and the Chile
rider Droguette who has had some near misses in recent years the best of
the rest. Just as you get rid of riders into the age above riders come
in fresh from taking a pasting in the age group below where they are no
longer competitive but still very good riders, with me mid way through
my age group I was looking distinctly average where before I was a
contender.
Scratch Race Report - VeloUK
It
was turning into an intense few days as we had Points race heats the
next morning, each year there seem to be more riders and heats in most
age groups not necessary but another nerve jangling effort to get
through to the evening final. I had points on the board early and as I
won the third set there was an almighty crash with three riders going
down, one of these my good friend and track 'buddy' Adrian putting a
hole in his Io (expensive) and demolishing the top tube on his track
bike (very expensive) making continuing impossible and that large hole
in his wallet was accompanied by that on his hip, limbs and pride. The
only upside (fo us!) with one DNF was there was only the required riders
left in the track so we did not have to race the rest of the way. The
other heat complete without incident and ten British riders through we
could hope for better this time.
.jpg) |
| British effort - Ian Greenstreet, Courtney Rowe ?(USA) and Ralph Carter |
I had planned to take the race on early but as with
much track racing plans change and you have to modify or in this case
completely change your plans in order to just be in with a chance of a
medal, a group went away early and while they did not get a lap they
were mopping up all the points and only six sprints so after two of
these I did a massive two laps on the front to pull it all back
together, this had two outcomes, 1. i was 'blowing' and could do nothing
for a few laps and 2. Not get in with the next move that did just the
same as the first, parked itself up the road and made effectively
neutralised the race. after a bit of skirmishing and after I'd recovered
my composure (another two sprints) so I did another big turn on the
front to pull it all back together, I now had less than twenty to go and
nothing on the board. Annoying! I was in the same position last year
but had done nothing in the race, as was my plan but here I needed to
redeem myself as I had not made much impact on the race only pulled it
back together Twice! I set off over the top with Pursuit winner Ettles
on my wheel and we made a quarter lap, unfortunately Blaczyk was ahead
and the Dane Hartkoop with us and refusing to work. Peter pipped me for
second with 10 laps to go and we passed the German but our break looked
doomed but with nothing to loose I set off again, on my own this time
with seven to go
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| Points race - Result |
I held it at half a lap but had to ease off for fear
of having nothing at the end and lapping the field not an option now,
and with three t go I wound it up to keep the baying bunch behind me to
the line which I managed with a wheel to spare and take the final
points. With no laps taken and only six sprints seven points could have
got me a medal but I fell short by a point as the charging Dane took 2nd
on the final and overtook me and the point I lost to Ettles now looking
very costly. 'Close
but no cigar' as they say, the same
three riders in the medals as the Scratch race with the German and Dane
swapping and Droguette the Bronze again. I was the top British rider
making my 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 4th (with 9th) in the last 3 years not
looking so shabby but I've missed a medal this time o7ò
Scratch Race Report - VeloUK
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| Andreas Hartkoop - Michael Blaczyk - Miguel Droguette (Double medalists) |
'Supervet' Andy Hicks and myself are riding the classic end of season Redmon GP des Gents on the 15 mile Holmwood - Bear Green - Newdigate circuit this Sunday. Lots of decent riders including the final pair (and last years winners) of Michael Hutchinson and Dave Pollard (In Gear) so get out and give Andy & myself a shout before he moves to the West Country and you never get the chance to see this legendary athlete in action.
