Bedford Report

This bank holiday I took part in the second round of the Women's Team Series held in Bedfordshire over three stages, proudly racing for the Surrey League Women's Team (although the jersey was somewhat large).

Fifty plus women started the event on Sunday and I was racing with some of the best women in the UK, including pro riders and first cats as well as 2/3/4 and juniors. I knew this weekend would be a baptism of fire for me and it certainly didn't disappoint. I have never been is such a big field of riders on the road and I was the most nervous I have ever been (even more than at the start of Flanders).

Day 1

Stage 1 on Sunday morning was the Team Time Trial which was won by Belgium based Global-Swift who put 42 seconds into the next two teams - Team Luciano-Kuota and FatBirds Cycling Club who tied for second. Unfortunately, getting the first stage over and done with by late morning really didn't cure my nerves and I felt quite sick in the afternoon from all the energy gels, drinks and food I had to get down between stages. The whole experience was brand new to me and it's hard to judge how much to eat and how your body will react to fuelling and re-fuelling for two stages in one day.

After the first lap of the afternoon stage I was ready to quit. I have never experienced riding like this. Breaking into corners, riding on the wrong side of narrow country lanes. I was surprised nobody was pulled over for this or even worse, hit by a car. I know of a local race that was stopped recently for much less indiscretion. The group that did ride on the right had side of the road pulled back into the bunch when vehicles approached forcing us to brake to let them in or be forced off the road. I was dropped on the climb which went up to the finish. I managed to get back on but was dropped again after a left hand corner and the sprint out. This was poor group positioning on my part despite being told to stay in the top 20. My excuse is lack of experience and fear (and I really need to work on my cornering). However, our rider, Susannah Osborne, defeated Elite rider Helen Wyman in the sprint and Surrey League Women's Team won stage 2. That evening I was grateful we were staying in Bedford and I could just go back to the room and lie down. It was a great excuse to do nothing.

Day 2

The race moved on to Millbrook Test Track just north of Amptill (Bedfordshire) for stage 3 for an 11am start on Bank Holiday Monday. The temperatures were already in the 20's and at last there were no decisions about whether to wear arm warmers, knee warmers or take a waterproof. I rode the 3 miles by myself to the start along the lanes and felt quite optimistic as summer really did feel like it had arrived!

Millbrook test track is quite something, it's a huge, awesome area with a banked speed oval and in the short time we were there it felt like a special circuit. It was twisty and hilly measuring 9 kilometres with a 7% climb and a 14% climb (the Horseshoe). Luckily for me the 21 per cent climb was not used this year but I have to confess when I saw it in the distance on the warm up lap I thought we were going to have to race up it!

The race began quietly and we were all together as we passed under a bridge on the circuit. Our rider and Round one winner, Charlotte Blackman, attacked over the climb and for me the race split apart. I chased on the descent to catch a Welland rider just ahead of me so I at least had some company. We were later joined by a third rider and we worked well together to the finish. With 13 minute laps being knocked out by the girls, there were riders spread out over the circuit and we passed some riders who had DNF'd so it was encouraging that we were still going and going to finish. My team mate, Naomi Anderson, crashed heavily during the stage and had to abandon via A&E. She is OK now, thank goodness. Charlotte's breakaway didn't last as the rest caught up to her and it was a bunch gallop to the finish after 7 laps of the course.

It was a determined race by everyone on a tough course and a fantastic example of how good the standard is in women's road racing. I felt really privileged to ride in that event and although I didn't set the world on fire I'm proud of my first experience of that level of racing. I didn't DNF and I didn't come in last. I'm more motivated than ever to train harder and iron out all the flaws in my race technique that are holding me back right now.

Thanks to my team mates who I only met on the day. They were a pleasure to ride with and always encouraging. Thanks to Chris for driving me up to Bedford and for being our team manager, mechanic, Soigneur, etc for the weekend. Thanks to Adam for riding up from Epsom to see the stage on Monday, his race tips, arriving on time, and shouting me up the climbs.