I decided to do my first Road Race in nearly eight years with Chris Ware!!
The Ray Levers Road Race (run under TLI) is held on the Torworth Circuit (nr Blyth) by the Harworth & District Cycling Club. The race is run under a Handicap System and sees three groups set off at 2.5 minute intervals. 7 laps over a relatively flat course sees the total distance at 33 miles.
Leading the scratch group over the line!
I ended up in the Scratch Group (eek!) and was now expecting a bit of an ass kicking, having not road raced for so long. The front two groups were away and then finally it was our turn and off we went. The group worked well to start with and everyone seemed to be putting in turns, and then the wheels fell off!! So each time a good chain gang was formed it seemed to die with people interupting the flow! I even ended up riding off the front on a couple of my turns due to nobody being on my wheel! There were people falling out with each other left right and centre! Nothing changed then 🙂
We did not seem to be making much headway with the two front groups one containing Chris, and they had now joined into one big peloton and were working well. The sprint was now gathering pace and a couple of riders went down in the surge! Onimpex Bioracer rider Steve Davis takes the win, showing the younger lads how to finish.
Two had got away in our group on the last lap due to the messing about and stayed away, we then geared up for the anti-climax of a bunch gallop, Joe White was sat on my wheel and we headed towards the line at a reasonable pace and then with 250 to go Joe gave a kick and went for it. I wasnt that far behind and chuffed to have gone as well as I did in my first race back.
I saw Chris at the line and asked him how he had gone on, “F$%king Awesome” he said with a grin the size of Lincolnshire, top 20 at least he said. We both rode back to the HQ buzzing at having mixed it up and looking forward to the next race.
A big thanks to all the organisers, marshals and volunteers. The event is very well run and look forward to having a go next year.
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