A slightly long blog this time, but then, so was the race!
08:40: To tell you the truth I was just a little nervous as I lined up for the start of another broiling hot day in the rolling hills of the Morbihan. I felt decidedly under prepared for this race.
Since completing winter training my rides this season have largely been limited to the 70-to-90 kilometer mark. Admittedly, my training and racing speeds have been higher, but as I waited at the starting line I didn’t know whether this would stand me in good stead for a 4-hour undulating ride; time would tell.
About 150 riders lined up for the start, somewhat fewer than the 200-odd that started in 2011. Another change was the 20kph speed restriction that was put in place for the first 5 kms; a safety feature installed to protect us from all the street furniture that littered the roads throughout Malestroit. This suited me, and allowed me plenty of time to warm up properly before the start of the climbs on the first circuit.
Circuit 1 (48kms): A few long slow climbs, a couple of sharp bumps, fast descents but nothing too serious.
When the lead car and safety-motorbikes eventually pulled away to allow the real racing to begin I felt strong. The main group stayed together for about 20kms until a detachment of strong men (including my mate Andy Shaw) pulled away on one of the long uphill drags towards the brewery town of Le Roc St-André. I worked hard and, to my surprise, managed to remain in the middle of the second 30-strong group.
By the time we completed the first circuit and found ourselves back in Malestroit to start the second circuit our average speed had clicked up to over 34kph; not bad considering the earlier speed restriction. This shows the advantage of being able to stay with a pack. I was pleased at my progress and still felt quite. There were only two things of concern during Circuit 1.
The first was a couple on a tandem that kept being dropped on the climbs and then overtaking us on the flats and descents. That wasn’t too much of a problem, but they kept cutting me up as they overtook me. The ‘Captain’ (the guy on front, the one in control), obviously didn’t realized that he needed to give more room before cutting back onto his racing line. Unfortunately I don’t have enough French to get my point across without using hand signals (if you see what I mean), so I decided to keep my council, and my hands on the bars.
The second thing was the sharp little climb into the village of Caro. I regularly train on this part of the course so I knew that the preceding descent was fast and a little technical (twisty). I managed to get to the front of the bunch and attack the hill to give myself the chance of staying with the group. I knew I’d be caught before the top and that’s exactly what happened.
However, as we swept through the village at the top of the climb I had managed to stay with the group; success. My quads were on fire as we sped through the villange and onwards into the countryside, but I recovered over the following few kilometers by staying at the back of the group and doing almost no work. I like it when a plan comes together, (I don’t know who said that first[1], but it’s true).
Circuit 2 (50kms): Gently undulating and quite fast.
This was the long, fast circuit, identical to the 2010 race. We motored along and our average speed ramped up above 36kph. Nothing of note happened until were caught by the leaders of the 98kms race a couple of kilometers before the race split onto the 130kms circuit. They had started about 15 minutes after us and were motoring.
Surprisingly, as they reached us, it gave me a real boost because I was able to measure my progress from last year. There were a couple of reasons for the uplift in my spirits.
Firstly, when they joined us our group doubled in size and our speed immediately increased. Secondly, in the 2010 race, I had been caught by the 98kms leaders a hell of a lot earlier than this, confirming that I was riding so much better, and what’s more, I still felt really strong. I was riding well within myself and felt confident of being able to put the hard miles in towards the end of the race.
All too soon though, the bifurcation of the route arrived and the 98kms riders turned off to the left while my group turned right onto the final loop of the course.
Circuit 3 (32kms): Fast, undulating and, the return of an old ‘friend’.
This is where the organizers changed the route from 2010. They more or less reversed the loop from last year and added a nice little surprise 15kms from the finish.
We rode through the pretty villages of Treal and Reminia and I was able to keep towards the head of the group, covering any potential breaks and looking forward to the sprint finish. How’s that for optimism, eh? Then the course took a sharp left up a hill and a road sign told me we were 5kms from, yes, you guessed it, Caro.
We were on our way back to bloody Caro again!
The race organizers, acting out of a particular form of sadism had included a second bite of the Caro cherry; the ‘friend’ mentioned in the section heading! I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach.
As we approached the descent before the climb I tried to attack again as I had on the first Circuit, but this time I simply didn’t have the strength to break to the front of the group. I tried, but there was just no real strength left in my legs and by the time I crested the hill into the village I was well off the back of the bunch. My hopes of a grand sprint finish were shattered, as were my poor old quads; on fire again. With fifteen kilometers to go I was on my own; just like old times really.
This year though, I am stronger so I buckled down and punched the pedals. Before long I actually had a couple of stragglers from my splintered group in my sights. This spurred me to make a greater effort and I actually managed to pass half a dozen riders on my way to the finish. I can take some solace in that, but I am still disappointed in failing to keep with the group.
Falling back like that probably cost me about 20 places and about 5 minutes. Such is the help you get when riding with a bunch. Hey ho!
Round up: Position: 107th (out of 134 finishers) - Time: 3:43:32 - Average speed: 34.9kph (official).
Compared with last year’s race this was a real success for me despite the hill-climbing blunder. I was faster, placed higher and if you do a little bit of ‘Top Gear Maths’ (the winner’s time was 9 minutes slower than 2010), I was some 18 minutes faster than last year, and the weather conditions were about the same!
Reasons to be cheerful then!
No race next weekend, but the dreaded sportive, ‘La Ange Roussell’ in Remungol is coming up on the 24th July – my nemisis! (See last year’s blog for reference).
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