Bignan - 17th April 2011

Bignan – 17^th April 2011 - 9x 7km Laps

Bignan is a small town about 30 minutes south of us. The race start line is half-way up a ruddy steep hill but the rest of the course is fairly flat with four sharp right-had turns. The road surface is pretty good but there is a short stretch at about 5 kms that is a little lumpy and badly patched.

(Picture courtesy of Eric Coué, Club Taupont Cyclisme)

Power to the people: There was a slight kerfuffle at the start; and a good indication of the "French Way". The organisers originally intended to start us all off together but an angry French voice at the rear of the awaiting pack (it wasn’t me, I swear), shouted out that the race had been advertised as a dual start. It was supposed to be the same setup as the Brandivy race (see earlier blog).  The race announcer gave the archetypical Gallic shoulder-shrug and said (something like), “If you want two races, that’s no problem!” 

I love the French; pragmatists to a man.

The reformatted race started bang on 14:30 with the D1/2 group away first. I went off a couple of minutes later with the rest of the D3/4s; including the powerful Englishman Bob Jones who had finished third at Brandivy.

The early laps: After the big climb at the start there was a wonderful non-technical downhill stretch through the town where we reached speeds in excess of 60 kph. The middle third of the course was gently undulating, a little uneven, and into a moderate headwind. At about 6 kms the route turned back towards Bignan and a sharp right turn pointed us to the foot of the horrible climb up to the finish.

I stayed with the group and managed to keep to the front of the pack when we reached the foot of the big climb as per the grand plan. Interestingly, the pack took it easy on the climb and I found no difficulty keeping with the group.

I managed to stay with them, but I was finding it a bit of a struggle at about the half way point after we turned sharply right and hit a long uphill stretch into the wind. It was at this place on lap three that the elastic snapped and I just lost contact. I tried damned hard and I dug deep but I could not stay in touch. I could feel the presence of some riders behind me and waited for them to overtake so I could use them to help pull me back to the fast-disappearing group. 

The trouble was they did not pass! They just hung on to my back wheel and let me do all the work until we were well and truly dropped. It turned out that there were just two of them sucking my wheel. 

Before the next monster climb one guy, whose name I later learned was Eric, pulled alongside and suggested we took it easy up the hill and then work together for the rest of the race. I quickly agreed to this. To be absolutely honest I was happy to have some company for the next 6 laps, as you know, I'm normally alone by this stage. 

Dropped: The three of us worked together as a team. Each taking short turns on front until we reached the bottom of the hill again. Even though we took it steady on the climb, Eric and I soon dropped the other guy. By the time we had crested the hill the other fellow was gone. Imagine that, I’d actually broken someone during a hill climb! Will wonders never cease?

Lapped: Eric and I continued to work together until lap 6 when we were overtaken by the leaders of the D1/2 race. We were then swallowed up by the main group of that race shortly afterwards and I found it quite easy to stay with them until the penultimate lap. They dropped Eric and me at the same stage as I’d been dropped by my race group. Damnit!

The next time we passed the line the race-timer rang a bell; we had started the final lap. I was on the final lap, and what's more, I had company!

Eric and I finished the lap working together. Towards the end Eric said he wouldn’t work on the finish climb; he'd give me the honour as thanks for my having done so much of the work. I accepted the offer, but still drove hard for the line,  in case he tried to beat me in – he didn’t.

Finished: I felt great; I had managed to stay away from my group and I had not finished last! 

Then the other shoe dropped.

A group came in at the gallop and finished with a big sprint to the line. Realisation dawned. It turned out that Eric was a category D2. He had caught me up after starting with the first race. I still had another lap to do! B*gger it!

Off again: I completed the second ‘final’ lap and won a sympathetic round of applause at the finish line. Evidently Eric had told some of his mates about my cock-up and some of the crown seemed to admired my honesty, if not my actual ability!

I really must learn to count my laps while I race. 

Positives: I wasn’t lapped by my group and I take some comfort in that fact. In fact I've just realised Goal 2 has already been reached. I managed to work hard with the help of Eric and the course was tougher than the one at Brandivy. I also met up with Bob Jones after the race and had a beer and a pleasant post-race chat. Bob managed a very impressive third place.

Wrap-up:

This was a longer course than Brandivy, so I had a much better chance of staying away from the pack. Despite everything I think I did quite well considering my perpetual handicap, (me).

Next week it’s my home race at Guilliers. Due to road works in the village, the organisers have had to shorten the route, which means 15 or 16 times up the long hill outside my house as opposed to the 8 times I climbed it last year! Oooo errr!

Race Stats:

Total distance: 65.5 kms (41 miles)

Time: 02:00:05

Average Speed: 32.99 kph (20.5 mph).

Next race: Guilliers 24th April.