It's been a while!

So the last couple of weeks seem to have vanished before my very eyes, all in a blur of coursework and riding. And it feels like it's barely stopped raining since February too, I havn't raced in the dry since March 1st. And a goo portion of all my other riding has been done in the rain too, it's almost like it's become normal!

Anyhow, this will be just a quick one to describe the debacle that was the Addiscombe cc round of the Surrey League a couple of weeks ago.

It was my first race as a newly promoted second cat and at the start I was feeling a strange mix of aprehension and care free'ness (if there is such a word!?). It was really quite bizzare, I felt good and was eager to have a few digs, yet at the same time was unsure as to whether or not it was going to be a big jump up to proper second cat racing...

As it turned out it was a bit of both. I made a few early efforts which ordinarily in a 3rds only race would have seen me away, yet everytime I looked round the whole bunch was still on my wheel! The wind was very stong all day and on particular sections of the course forcing the peloton to spread across the road as each rider was looking for shelter. Then of course the rain came, stinging at times and every time it eased, it was never long before it was right back at you.

I spent the majority of the race just hiding in the bunch in hope of a sprint finish. As it turned out in the last couple of laps a big break went away containing over 15 riders and therfore swallowing up the points.

Now, here comes the controversy. I tell you, this bike racing business is never boring!

As we went through with 1 lap to go, the break was clear, although it wasn't impossible to say we would have caught them. However, as we approached one of the narrower faster sections of the course a Police Community Support car over took the bunch, then had to violently swerve back onto the left hand side of the road actually making contact with some of the riders just ahead of me. The car then screeched to a halt at the next junction and the race was declared over. Er, what for? Seemed to be the general consensus, oh, and a six foot Sussex Police Sergeant who just happened to be riding didn't take to kindly to the Community Support Officers blatent overstepping of the mark.

Apparentlt they have no right to stop a race, let alone use blue flashing lights on there car. Let alone nearly run some of us off the road in the process. Way to go PCSO's. What exactly do they do anyway? Apart from wind everyone up, including apparently most 'proper' Police. It later transpired that the commissaire had instructed them to stop the race on his behalf. Something which he should have done himself. Allegedly we were 'all over the road' and it was apparently some of the 'worst riding he had ever witnessed'.

Now there was a general concession that we had been crossing the white line a little too much, but I for one never saw anything outright dangerous. So was a little bemused. In the end the break were allowed to finish, and all the dropped riders were also given places, while the main bunch were disqualified. Which I think is pretty stupid, as for most of the race we were together, therefore all in breach of the 'rules'. So in my opinion everyone should have been stopped.

But there you go, another example of Surrey Police doing **** all to 'make surrey safer'. They still havn't given me any kind of response for my van incident. How am I as a young person in this country meant to respect the Police when all they do is brush you off or send their reserve team to run you down?

Apart from all that the actual organisation by Addiscombe was good as ever, was just a shame the race turned out in such a manner.

Anyhow, the next day I did my single day prep for my Tour of Flanders ride. 210kms from Epsom to Brighton to Littlehampton to Epsom again. Man it was tough at times, but I made it and felt stronger for it...

In the next episode... my 11 hour Tour of Flanders epic...