Race Report: Thruxton Spring Classic - 'Solo Flyer'
In the style of Jens Voigt: "breakaways don't often work; but, in order for a breakaway to work, there actually has to be a breakaway!". Bike racing is a numbers game, and today I decided that although breakaways don't often work, neither do my sprints; so, I was better to try and make a break stick, than sit in and wait for the bunch gallop.
An open airfield circuit race, with an uphill section into a Force 6 headwind, probably isn't the best place to try and instigate a solo break, but it seemed worth a shot...
Bike racing is a numbers game; and I knew the more attempts I made at breaking away, the more likely one would come good. Straight from the first lap of the 11 lap course, I tried attacking. One, two, three; I would go off the front, sometimes with others, sometimes on my own, but all three times I got swallowed up by the chasing pack. Finally, on lap five, it came good.
Just after the chicane, and as the bunch had slowed a little, I went... hard.
The following six laps were a bit of a blur of speed (when the wind was from behind), and painful pedal mashing (when the wind was in my face). In short though, I managed to hold off the chasing peloton of 100+ starters. 25 kilometres on a solo flyer.
My first win on the road/circuit racing circuit this year, and a nice result after taking first place at the local time trial yesterday as well. A good start to the season.
P.S. loving being able to race in shorts!
An open airfield circuit race, with an uphill section into a Force 6 headwind, probably isn't the best place to try and instigate a solo break, but it seemed worth a shot...
Bike racing is a numbers game; and I knew the more attempts I made at breaking away, the more likely one would come good. Straight from the first lap of the 11 lap course, I tried attacking. One, two, three; I would go off the front, sometimes with others, sometimes on my own, but all three times I got swallowed up by the chasing pack. Finally, on lap five, it came good.
Just after the chicane, and as the bunch had slowed a little, I went... hard.
The following six laps were a bit of a blur of speed (when the wind was from behind), and painful pedal mashing (when the wind was in my face). In short though, I managed to hold off the chasing peloton of 100+ starters. 25 kilometres on a solo flyer.
My first win on the road/circuit racing circuit this year, and a nice result after taking first place at the local time trial yesterday as well. A good start to the season.
P.S. loving being able to race in shorts!
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| Guess at which point the successful breakaway started! |
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