John Saysell wins bronze at World Masters Track Champs
Sun 20 Nov 2011
UCI World Masters Cycling Championships – Manchester 9-14 Oct 2011
750m time trial
Just before I went up to Manchester for the World Masters Cycling Championships, I thought I had better do a bit of research into whom the competition was. Big mistake. I was going to have to go close to or better than my 2006 750m time trial personal best to have a sniff of a medal. But the top speeds on my drag strip, despite the fantastic September weather had not exceeded 40mph since training for the National Masters in Newport at the beginning of July.
There was also that bloke from Newcastle, Phil Houlton who had the audacity to beat me by 0.016 sec to take my national title. It was going to be a struggle. Whatever.
Me and Andy Lancaster set off the day before. We called in at the track on the way back to the hotel to drop off the bikes and have half an hour on the rollers to get the 3 hour drive out of my legs. Oh look Uncle Geoff Cooke’s just won the 500m time trial in his age group.
We were up bright and breezy to get to the track for a gentle spin round the boards as I had not even been on Welwyn track since July. Why are my legs killing me? The shoe plates on my new Bont shoes had moved again. Better put my old Shimano ones on again. Time to put the right gear on and put the discs in.
Okay. Time for a quick nip around Evans Cycles then an hours kip.
1300. Still an estimated 7 hours to go until race time. Got to sit still and disengage brain. The BC endurance squads were doing team pursuit drills for a couple of hours. It was great playing spot the star. Geraint, Swifty, Clancy et al under the watchful eye of Rod Ellingworth and Paul Manning. Paul Manning – what can he possibly know about team pursuiting?! Then there were the girls: Joanna Rowsell, Sarah Storey, Laura Trott…..
More protein drink. Better have a tuna sandwich. Feeling a bit icky dick now. Ought to have a quick gander at the new indoor BMX track. Wow, that looks scary! Are we nearly there yet?
1700. Better get someone to help me roll into this skinsuit. Time for a quick roll around the boards. A couple of very short standing start efforts. This gear feels big! Better watch some more sprinting.
Very gentle roller warm up. That’s Fabio Alberti over there. He was my nemesis in the 2008 Euro masters in the sprint. He was also Euro masters time trial champion earlier this year in 51.4. Can’t he warm up somewhere else?
My age group has started. I’m in 14th of 19 heats. No time to worry about it just yet. Better up the ante and put in some short efforts. I wish I’d bought my turbo rather than rollers. I feel a bit nervous and wobbly.
Crikey that’s a fast time. 51.0 something. Todd Hayes – who is he? Better give it a bit more oomph. And again. Time to move into the middle. One of the whips who’s patrolling the centre line of the track for timing tells me to stop. So I do.Too late. Get an exceedingly dirty look from Kay Ball as I hear the gun fire and that heat is aborted. “Sorry!” In my nervous state I nearly wet myself laughing as I continue to warm up on my road bike.
Couple of standing starts now with Andy holding me up. Would have been better if I had not pulled my foot out.
Time to panic. Before I know it, I’m in the gate and the clock is ticking down. Back as far as possible in the saddle on two, stand up on one and go on the B of the bang. Silence. Then pain. Legs have gone at 375m. Just got to focus on keeping a good line and hang on for grim death. Bugger. Hit a sand bag with half a lap to go. Then it’s all over. I look up at the scoreboard. 51.3. I’m happy with that. Even if I get nothing. That’s just over 0.1 seconds slower than my PB.
The next four heats go by. Andy and I can barely watch. All I know is that I’m in second place.
Then the reigning world champion, Wilhelmus Zegers goes in the last heat all by himself. There is confusion as he comes home in 51.0 something. They think he’s won. But then they’re not sure. Who cares? I’ve got a UCI world masters bronze medal!
Ooh I can relax for a few minutes. Oh look. Geoff Cooke’s just won the 65-70 sprint. It was never in doubt. Better go and have a quick shower. While I’m in there chatting to Phil Houlton and Martin Stephens, in comes a breathless Andy. “John, the medal ceremony is on now!” I had just donned some cool cotton for the first time in a few hours. No matter, time to put that sweaty skinsuit back on and run back into the track centre.