Solo ride for Gareth

Charlie Cain Road Race - 09/07/2006 - Oxford

Gareth travelled down to Oxfordshire on a weekend starved of races to ride the Charlie Cain Road Race in a quality fields of Elites.

Gareths race diary.....

'when we got to the race it was raining and miserable but I thought this would suit me more than the higher temperatures we have been getting recently. Just as the race started the sun came out and the temperature rocketed.

I kept near the front just following wheels as I didnt know how I was going to go today as it was my first road race for 3 weeks and there were about 25 elites riding. The race started quickly and despite the course being a bit undulating with 2 decent climbs in it we averaged 27mph for the first 30 miles. A few breaks went clear but it was mainly just lined out and after 2 ascents of the finish hill the bunch was thinning out quickly as many smaller groups were appearing on the road. I got into the second group and we managed to get back to the leading group of 12 riders and on the second climb on the circuit a small group went clear and they quickly gained ground. A lap later another larger group of about 9 riders went clear and then I crossed to a move and was joined by 3 others making 6 in our group.

The high winds took its toll and our group wasnt working well and it split on the roll in toward the finish hill. 2 riders went clear and I found myself between them and the rest of our break. All I could do was put my head down and work but the 2 in front were disappearing up the road whilst I was pulling clear of the 3 chasers in the original group. Great I thought, Im not going to last another 20 miles on my own. Halfway around the last lap my legs started to go and I was groveling into the headwind at one point only doing 15mph. Bit if I were suffering then the others behind must have been because they never caught me and despite the legs completely packing up I crossed the line alone for about 21st.

That was the first time I have completely blown in a road race this year. This wa just the sort of hard and fast racing I needed after 3 weeks of time trialling to get me back into the throws of road racing'.