Roy Thame Cup E/1/2 2015

Sun 15 Mar 2015

Roy Thame Cup E/1/2 2015

Jobe Usher and I ventured of toward Buckingham to go race with the big boys in the popular early season Roy Thame Cup. The race is a popular with the race teams and this year it was being held in-conjuction with the Peter Young memorial race in Surrey the following day, with further prizes on offer for overall over the 2 races.

The 75 mile race was 5 laps of a rolling 15 mile circuit near the village of Steeple Claydon. It was colder than expected with a very present wind which appeared to be head/cross wind for the majority of the time. With riding circuits at some point you would expect the head wind to eventual become and tail wind, which it dually did. The only section the wind became our friend I can only describe to you as the closet I will get to race on the famous pave of the Paris-Roubaix. The amount of pot holes and state of the road was unreal. Fair play to the organiser for trying to make it as safe as possible, as the day before had been out with the yellow spray can highlighting the hazards. The amount of markings/paint on the road resembled that of the graffiti strewn roads of a mountain pass of a grand tour. A trench that could fit a bus was duly conned off and one pot hole right in the middle was so large I still think it had riders from the earlier race trying to get out of it. The first time we passed through here riders had bottles jumping out of cages, food out of pockets and pinch flats to order. Jobe would be one of the unfortunate ones to lose a bottle, but unlike 90% of the peloton that had a team car following and numerous associates by the side of the road in the 2 feed zones meant he had only 600mls fluid for the next 3hrs.

I fortunately did not lose anything but did come out with my gears jumping all over the place. I could use about 4/5 gears, a couple of gears at the top of the block and 3 at the bottom but nothing in-between. On inspection after the race my gear cable had frayed and to be honest not too sure how it did not snap completely.

The pace was unreal; with many teams with their full quota of 6 riders meant the neutralised zone was a fight with everyone trying to get to the front. Once the flag went in it was off, flat out with attacks immediately. To be honest I don’t really understand the tactics off the elite teams in these races because even though they may have 3 off the front, they rest of the team will continue to attack out of the bunch. Every team wants to be up the road in the break with as many of the team as they can. This meant there was no lull in the pace, it was full gas from the off and stayed there. We averaged in excess of 27mph for the first couple of laps with moves going, getting pulled back then countered immediately. Somehow I was managing to hold my position well toward the front and even making a few efforts myself. Just over an hr in, towards the start of lap 3 I found myself pulling with 5 others just off the front, 3 bridged over to make in 9 and we were clear. Once the initial hard work is out the way you can settle into rhythm but as our gap never amounted to more than 30secs the gas never lifted. We or should I say I was flat stick as I already had been there on in. The break consisted of 2 from Pedal Heaven, 2 from Spirit RT, 2 from Catford CC/Banks, Richardson-Trek, Girodana Racing and North Road CC.

My gears were all over the place I would either be spinning out or over-geared. It didn’t though stop me from taking my turn but did receive a few verbal’s when I was shouted out for not pulling through quick enough, but what could I do when I was going from 19t into 13t at the back. This would then continue for almost the next 2hrs, our avg paced dropped but this was mainly down to the drop in temperature and increased wind rather than the reduced effort. We were till averaging close to 26mph.

A couple of miles from the finish I with 1 from Spirit and 1 from Catford CC/Banks got dropped. A wheel was let go, I tried to move round but had nothing left. It is at this point I believe Jobe on his 600mls got dropped meaning we both fell back one group. Unlike the official report which states the dropped riders managed to hang on before being caught by the group to the finish is unfortunately not the case.

In the break our lead was never more than 30-40 secs and once we got dropped a chase group of around 15, being towed by the like of Wouter Sybrandy and other respected Elites/1st Cats gobbled us up. In the sprint for the minor places I had nothing left and came in towards the back of our group meaning I came in 23rd and just agonisingly just outside the points. Jobe rolled in not much later in the 36th

Overall gutted I didn’t get in the points( it was probably only a bike length in it!) after all the effort but happy that for some time at least tried mixing it with the big guys. With 80 starters and both North Roaders finishing in the top half considering the quality of the opposition is achievement in itself.

Hats off to Jobe as after the race he states he wants to be winning those at the end of the season. I commend his ambition.

Here is a link to some photos of the race:

http://markghopkins.co.uk/p300605068