John Saysell wins two silvers at European Masters Track Championships

Sun 29 Aug 2010

European Master Track Chamipnships 27th-31st July 2010

Mancherster Velodrome

750m time trial, 45-49 men

Result here

Sprint 45-49 men

Result here

North Road cyclist, John Saysell approached the European Masters Cycling Championships in Manchester with plenty of confidence having won the 45-49 years 750m time trial title at the British Championships only three weeks earlier. The time trial is three laps, out of the gate, flat out. “As there is no brain involved, I usually do quite well in this event,” explained Saysell, who has previously won bronze and silver at the European Masters. “You do have to stretch your imagination somewhat to compare my drag strips of Sacombe Road and the Old Coach Road to the 42 degree, steeply banked Siberian pine track where Sir Chris Hoy et al, strut their stuff!”  Philippe Vernez of France, fourth in the 1984 Olympics, won the time trial in a time of 51.260. Saysell was second in a time of 52.103sec, beating compatriot Tim Lawson by three thousandths of a second.

The sprint is a psychological and physical battle. At Manchester with the straights being so short, it is often better to lead out. However, if you are behind, you have the opportunity to surprise your opponent. Saysell went faster than he had qualified in the 200m flying start time trial for 15 years in 11.786, in fourth but was still 0.4 sec off the pace set by Philippe Vernez and Jim Varnish of Halesowen. The first round was quite straight forward, but the second round was more tricky against Martin Stephens who was second in the national championships. Saysell led out, stalled then went again with Stephens unable to come by.

In the best of three semi-final, Saysell was up against Varnish, whom he had never beaten. “At the top of the banking with 2 laps to go, Varnish looked away from me, to see where he was going. I really surprised and hit him with everything. He got no where near.” In ride 2, Varnish was taking no chances, leading from the front, winning narrowly to even the score. “Despite losing this ride, it filled me full of confidence as I knew if I managed to lead the final ride out, there was no way Jim would get past me.” 

At the bell in the last ride, Varnish left a tiny gap at the bottom of the track. “I needed no encouragement, as I committed and went underneath, the shortest way around the track, half expecting to go down in an expensive heap of broken carbon fibre bits. I just floored it and held on until the line.” 

The final was against Vernez of France. Saysell led it out but the Frenchman showed him a clean pair of wheels to go one up. In the second ride, Vernez led it out and beat Saysell by a length to win the European title. Cue massive celebrations from Vernez, punching the air at 40mph with both hands and screaming. “What’s that all about?” thought Saysell. “He only beat me….”

eurosprint10podium

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