Gareth hangs on

Tour of the Border - 6th to 9th April - Northumberland

Stage 1 - Stamfordham

Todays stage should have been the easiest with very little climbing apart from the finish climb in the village of Stamfordham. The sun was out but there was still a chill in the light breeze blowing from the west. The race started furiously as we averaged over 25mph for the first hour. I had a dig off the front joining Alistair Kaye (York Cycle Works) for a while until we were brought back by the bunch. Almost immediately another break went clear containing a dozen riders. This stayed clear for the rest of the race and I tried to conserve my energies for tomorrow and rolled into the finish with the bunch 2 hours later. We finished about 2 minutes down on the leaders leaving me about 30th on GC.

Stage 2 - The Ryals

A beautiful and warm day for the Ryals climb. After studying the map and the stage details which showed 2 climbs of the Ryals we were informed on the start line it was 3 laps before heading back to Stamfordham fr the finish in the opposite direction to the day before. I tried to conserve myself by following the wheels and started to move up the bunch over the last few miles to the foot of the Ryals climb. Despite positioning myself well, as we turned onto the approach of the climb on the narrow road, I lost the good position and ended near the rear of the bunch as we started the long steep climb of the Ryals. As riders were going backwards quickly on the climb, all I could do was hang onto the riders moving forward. At the top of the climb the bunch had splintered into at least 6 groups. Adam Waever (Doncaster) and myself worked tirelessly for the next 15 miles closing down the gaps to groups in front. Despite feeling really strong, after the second ascent of the Ryals we dropped the pace to save ourselves for Stage 3. Eventually we caught more riders until the group swelled to about 20 riders and we finished together about 10 minutes down on the leaders. I was really frustrated by today as I felt I had the legs to stay with the leaders. At the end of the day I was still about 30th.

Stage 3 - The Gibbet

Not so warm today and the wind had picked up overnight and was positively strong as we headed off on one big loop over the moors. I was determined to make amends for yesterday so after a small group went clear on the main roads away from the race HQ, I jumped across to the chasers and we eventually caught the lead group to form a break of 10 riders which had nearly 2 minutes on the bunch.

After some serious climbing we took on the fearful Gibbet climb. At this point my legs started wobble and only 100 metres from the top of the climb my legs just went as I exited the back of the break. I took it easy for the next few miles until the bunch caught me, which now only contained about 30 riders, but I only lasted a few minutes with them as I went out of the back again. I eventually ended up in a small group of 6 riders but a we swung into the cross winds I was struggling to hold the deep section front wheel I was riding and ended up taking to the grass verge for a while as the group I was with disappeared up the road without me. I eventually crossed the finish line shattered and having lost 15 mins to the winning group.

Stage 4 - Netherwitton

Today was about surviving with the main bunch. No heroics just hang on for 3 hours. Immediately after the neutralised zone an attack went clear of the bunch who were happy to roll together a little longer. As we turned onto the tailwind section of the course another attack caused the speed to jump to 37mph for the next 6 miles. As we turned off the main road and up the short but steep climb another move went clear to join the first breakaway which meant there were about 8 riders in front of the bunch. At the top of the climb there could only have been about 40 left in the bunch and as the climbing on todays course took its toll the bunch whittled down to about 25 riders. Despite some really bad moments, I had to go really deep and hang onto the wheels and I thought we were over the worse of the climbs as we approached the finishing circuit. First time over the finish line the attacks were on and it was flat out holding the wheel in front. Eventually someone let a wheel go and a gap appeared between me and the back of what was left of the bunch. I was dangling about 50 metres off the back and dug really deep to claw my way back on. Despite some more lumpy climbs on the finish circuit I clung on to finish in the bunch and about 30th on GC.