the start was quick and attacks began to fly off the front from the start with every move being reeled back in including a few of my own that I launched on my Raleigh militis, however, it soon became apparent you would need a strong bunch of riders to stay away, my group set off 3 minutes ahead of the elites and we held them off for 12 laps before being caught and the attacks really began to kick off with riders from pedal heaven constantly sending riders off the front to try and stay away and I had a few goes myself in putting a few digs in as well as following some wheels off he front, but it wasn't until around 10 laps to go when the move that went would stick, and sadly I didn't go as I had been pushed further down the group, I continued to have a few more goes when I got close to the front to try and get another move to go to chase down the group of 18 riders ahead but everything would come back together, the final few laps became frantic as everyone wanted to be at the front, with 2 laps to go I was within the top 10 but all of sudden going onto the final lap I found myself boxed in down in about 40th, I found little gaps and moved up quick before the final corner where if you were near the back it most probably wouldn't end well, I sprant in finishing well within the main group finishing 18th in my bunch who were sprinting for 19th which meant I finished 36th O/A and 4th junior which I was happy with especially being my first proper road race I've done in the uk.
On Sunday I went to my local trails for the first round of the welsh mountain bike series, the course was quite hard offering not much rest throughout the whole course with the descents being really fatiguing, again it was another frantic start and I had a good start allowing me to move through the experts and leach onto the leading elite with a group of 4 of us getting away including an elite, and expert and 2 juniors including me, we hit the single track together and not many gaps opened, it was only on the second lap when gaps began to open as attacks up the main climb began to go off the front but the descent allowed it to come back together again, on the third lap they managed to drop me on a short climb but before the start of the 4th I had managed to close the small gap of about 10seconds to two of the riders ahead, including Chris Rothwell, the junior I was battling with for the top spot and the expert rider Rob Rogers, but I could feel myself beginning to fade especially after yesterday and halfway round the 4th lap a gap opened to them that I wouldn't be able to close back, I pushed on hard for the 5th and final lap trying to at least keep the gap to a minimal and to make sure that my second place was secure, I was happy with this result finishing behind a strong rider and also giving me an indication to how I will go against the junior field at the xc nationals this year, next week I will be down in south wales for the cadence road race the first of the national junior road races this year,
I'd just like to say massive thank you to Graham Weigh cycles for supporting me for this year supplying me with all the equipment I will need for this season!
