Imperial Winter Series - Race #2

Second race of the series and my form going into this is pretty good although my prep wasn't. I like to watch this clip of Der Kaiser in action a good two or three times before I leave the flat to get me in the right frame of mind but only managed a sub-optimal singular viewing. This upset my mojo.

On to the race. A strong north easterly meant the start finish straight was head on into the wind. This meant the average speed was well down on the first week. Attempted breakaways almost seemed to grind to a halt when they turned into the home stretch. I twice found myself amongst the escapees, the first time when I was just marking and then felt obliged to do a turn at the front and the second was deliberate when I saw Jimbo take off for a small group who had slipped away. Missed his wheel so had to do a fair bit of work to catch the group. We started to get organised with a bit of through and off but found ourselves reeled in after only 1/2 a lap.

So it looked like it would be a classic Hillingdon bunch sprint and I settled back into the peloton. A little bit too comfortably it would seem. Out of nowhere the bell rang for the last lap while I was near the back thinking there were another four laps to go. Ooops. Fortunately I managed to move my way up and by the last corner I was sitting perfectly behind Jimbo as he wound up for the line. In the bag I thought but as we made it towards the final curve Jimbo cut into my line and I had to ease on the brakes. I made a few continental style hand waving protests which almost backfired as the rider in third was creeping up on me. Second place then. Good fun although there was a pile-up behind us on the final sprint (which explains the big gap from 8th to 9th!).Place Club Cat Series Points BC Points
1st w 42 William Platt Kingston Wheelers CC 3 200 10
2nd w 41 Alan Strang Dulwich Paragon 3 150 8
3rd w 44 Nathan Smith London Pheonix 3 130 7
4th w 68 Krisitian Borbely Sigma Sport 3 120 6
5th w 51 Luke Ollett Inverse/Bike Food 3 110 5
6th w 70 Przemyslaw The Gregarios 3 100 4
7th w 53 Alex Turner FVS Tri 3 90 3
8th w 47 Thomas Sutherland Twickenham CC 3 80 2
9th w 55 Andy Edwards Kingston Wheelers CC 3 70 1
10th w 61 sean molyneux Metropolitan Police CC 3 60 1
11th w 50 Stuart Stow Twickenham CC 3 50

12th w 63 wayne thomas READING CC 3 40

13th w 59 Ralph Carter London Dynamo 3 30
14th w 3 Jon Noton Inverse Racing / Bikefood 3 20

15th w 16 Charlie Pearch Rapha Condor 3 10
16th w 60 Peter Dixon Willesden CC 3

17th w 66 Andrew Stevenson Inverse Racing / Bikefood 3

18th w 71 Estelle Rogers Rollapaluza CC 3w

19th w 62 Nick Franzini London Dynamo 3
20th w 39 Dave Ryan Imperial Racing Team 3
21st w 69 Mark Phillips Rapha Condor 3
22nd w 27 Steven Noble London Dynamo 3
23rd w 2 Paul Redman Thames Velo 3
24th w 9 paul shoobridge private 3
25th w 7 Mike Diggins Gregarios Superclub Ciclista 3
26th w 58 Mick McManus RT 316 3
27th w 67 Mike Inder Thames Velo 3
28th w 21 Lionel Birnie Gregarios Superclub Ciclista 3
29th w 52 Kieran Dineen InverseRacing 3
30th w 49 Phil Glasgow New Forest CC 3
31st w 32 adam elderfield Inverse Racing / Bikefood 3
32nd w 31 Steven Jackson Rollapaluza CC 3

Pictures from London Cycle Sport