Christmas Pudding Races

Location: Heffron Park
Grade: C Grade
Race Distance: 26.3km (13 laps)
My Average Speed: 35.0km/hr (45:00 mins)
Placing: 7th in Bunch Finish (1 off front)
Conditions: Windy, SE, headwind down the main finishing straight, but tailwind on the back of the course, pretty strong. Temperature about 29C. Sunny.

Fairly big turnout for the last RBCC race for 2009. As many as 30 starters in C Grade meant a big bunch.
From the start a rider from Sutherland hit off the front. He gained about 50m on the first lap. I rode to the front of the bunch and brought him back into the fold. On the second lap he attacked again. This time I chased off the front, and the 2 of us managed to get about 100m on the chasing peleton. As I got onto his wheel, he kicked again and I was stuck in no-mans land for the next 3 laps, him not getting too far away, and me not losing ground to the peleton. Eventually, I resisted and fell back into the fold knowing I couldn't bridge across on my own and another 8 laps on my own would possibly prove fruitless. We never saw him again, winning by about half a lap.
Rider off the front on Lap 1

On the left, I begin chase

All back together - Lap 2

Apologies - no photos of me off the front - the photographer couldn't believe it, and missed the opportunity of a lifetime!

Once back into the peleton, I felt pretty strong, comfortable doing a turn every now and then, and chasing down the minor breaks that happened all race.
Coming into what should have been 2 laps to go, we got the bell. I was well place in about 6th wheel. At the top of the straight, it was going to be a bunch sprint of about 12 riders for 2nd place. I hesitated for a moment when I should have gone from a long way (300m) out. No-one would have been expecting it. Instead it turned into a bunch gallop where I finished 7th overall. Pretty happy with that. What was more surprising was the fact I was on the drops in the sprint. I hope this was a natural instinct after weeks of track riding. Still having 3 gears left I crossed the line fairly happy with my ride.
Mid-race - back in the peleton

Presentation Night
Friday Night was the Annual Presentation Night for the Club., I wasn't expecting to get any trophies this year from lack of racing, but went along for the commeraderie anyway.
A little bemused, I won a trophy for getting 3rd in the C Grade 1 Lap Time Trial in April (see club-champs-round-1)
Can't help bad luck sometimes, but I'll take it.
Rumour has it I've been promoted to B Grade for next year. Okay, now the miles and training have to increase if I'm to make any sort of impact there.
Smarty