Hannah Ormesher - Spring Racing
Thu 30 May 2013
Hannah Ormesher - Spring Racing
A month or so after the end of the CX season and feeling rested from the season’s efforts I wanted to find some new racing to fill my weekends. To my surprise I actually missed trekking along various motorways in all different directions with the bike in the boot and the buzz of racing in my belly. I thought I might write a report for those interested to hear about what I’ve been getting up to over the last few months!
Keen to race on the road, but with little knowledge of how to get into it, I attended a Fan Backed Women’s Cycle Racing training day on Easter Sunday at Hillingdon. This was one of a series of training days led by Huw Williams, a British Cycling accredited coach (and great photographer), who imparted some invaluable cycling wisdom to the 30 or so eager faces looking back at him. We did some cornering drills, learned how to work together efficiently, practiced riding in a chain gang and finished off with some mock races which I really enjoyed. The session really helped boost my confidence in riding as part of a group and gave an insight into the tactical world of road racing, a whole other ball game to cyclocross! It was a great introduction in a friendly and unintimidating atmosphere with all abilities catered for and I would really recommend them to anybody (sorry guys, female!) looking for a foot in the door to racing on the road. I met some great girls, some of whom I have now raced against, found a great training partner and, importantly, the cake was awesome..!
With a taste for circuit racing I decided to put my newly learned skills to the test at Round 2 of the Elveden Estate events the following Saturday, a 26 mile race in Suffolk which was on closed roads and through farmland. The circuit forms a rough square of 3.7 miles with a gradual incline and sweeping bend at the start, followed by exposed and generally flat sections of road with 3 sharp corners in the mix. Initially the pace was modest and we rolled round in one large bunch. The roads were flinty and several girls fell prey to punctures very early on. A few laps in and the girls on the front started shaking things up a bit, smashing out of the corners to shed some riders off the back. I stuck behind a couple of riders I knew were pretty handy and I stayed in with the chasing group for 4 of the 7 laps but made a tactical error and found myself falling off the back after going too hard on the front (to my horror as I rode past the start line on the front and then the next lap completely off the back!!). The remaining 3 laps of the race were spent time trialling to the finish which was disappointing but I was pleased nonetheless with a solid average speed and thankfully didn’t get any punctures. As far as placings go, unfortunately if you finish outside the top 10 I have found it difficult to find published results for the rest of the field, so all I can safely say is that I wasn’t in that!!
Over the May bank holiday weekend I rode the London Phoenix Open TT on the Brickendon course. My race was thankfully uneventful and I had a clear run but struggled into the wind on the low road (like everyone else that day!). I came 25th of 37 riders and was the first woman with a time of 26:38 which earned me a bottle of Beaujolais, I was happy with that! On the Monday I headed up to Suffolk for some crit racing in Ixworth (20 mins + 5 laps) on a ½ mile course, another square circuit with two very sharp corners and two sweeping. There was a top class field out with around 25 entrants, only around 4 of which were cat 4. The pace was fast and furious and I really enjoyed it although was glad when the lap board appeared as it made for dizzy work! I spent a lot of time on the front working with (well, if I’m honest, for!) a group of 4 girls. I was happy to set the pace and be first through the corners though as the roads were quite narrow and, as they were through the town centre, lined with houses - I didn’t want to end up in someone’s front door! It did mean that when the last lap came I had to fight in the sprint for 3rd place in the bunch which I definitely could have played better in retrospect. Again, another great experience and also great training. The event was organised by West Suffolk Wheelers and the turn-out was fantastic with high quality racing throughout the day. Spectators were out in their masses and weren’t afraid to make some noise for those out on the circuit. I don’t know where I came (top 8 were published) but I was pleased with my race as I beat a couple of girls who usually beat me in cyclocross! Small victories!
On Saturday 11th May I rode at Elveden for Round 3
of the series, this time the race was 38 miles and also formed round 4 of the
London Women’s Cycle Racing League. The league points up for grabs meant there
was a large field of riders out, some others quite possibly drawn to the event
by the fact the headliner of the women’s race was no other than.. Laura Trott!!
Emma Trott also featured on the start list and the standard of racing on the day
was fantastic. I got stuck in early and a group of 10 or so riders formed a
chain gang and we quickly closed down the gap on the small group ahead. We
formed one big group and worked together really efficiently although the pace
was really hard and I wondered how long I could stick with them. It was so windy
which made me more determined than ever to keep up and hang on as I didn’t want
to get dropped and be working on my own. Thankfully the roads were in a much
better state this time around and had been thoroughly swept of any flinty debris
but the addition of neutral service was welcome insurance to those with spare
wheels nonetheless. About an hour in I lost touch as I found myself struggling
on the back and a small gap opened between my wheel and the rider’s in front, we
were on a straight into the wind and I just couldn’t close it, the wind making
it more and more difficult to get back to the group. I did about ¾ of a lap solo
before managing to catch a couple of girls who’d fallen off the back after me.
They were familiar faces from CX racing and as I passed them I picked up one
girl on the way through and we worked well together for a couple of laps,
sheltering each other from the wind. I was on the front going up the incline on
the final lap and I checked over my shoulder at the top for my buddy and
realised I had inadvertently pulled away from her. I had opened up a significant
enough gap to risk finishing the race on a solo effort so I made a break for it.
I got my head down and got as low as I could, checking up occasionally for the
corners and behind for my chaser. I was the second rider to finish the race and
was hoping the organisers wouldn’t notice I was in fact a lap down on Laura
Trott who (inevitably) won the race! She rode an impressive 9 of the 10 laps
solo after breaking away from the group on the first lap, lapping all but 20 of
the 50(ish) strong field at least once, some twice! She was signing photographs
and having photos taken with fans in the 5 or so minutes it took for 2nd place
and the rest of the group to finish the race!! Truly phenomenal!
My next race is the East London Velo Road Race
which is on a circuit near Hatfield Heath and I plan to do the Tour d'Fowlmead
at the end of June with a couple of TT's thrown in between. July sees the start
of a Summer CX series and all those who have been missing the cross action will
have their boots filled!
If you've made it to the end of this thanks for
reading!
Admin - Photos to come