News: First win for Catford CC in 2017

New CatfordCC Equipe/Banks Junior signing leuan Woods wins the first race for his new team at the Imperial Winter Series at Hillingdon

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News: First win for Catford CC in 2017

The CatfordCC Equipe/Banks team achieved it’s first win of the year via new Junior Team member leuan Woods. He reports “the beginning of the race started out briskly, a few small digs but nothing substantial that looked like staying away”.

“I chose to spend this time of the race wearing my legs in, and testing my gears, as it was the first time I had raced on the bigger junior gears. The race stayed a consistent speed, averaging between 25 and 26 mph. As the race progressed, just before the midway point a large concerted effort was made from one of the E/1/2 riders. Seeing a sizeable group moving away, I jumped across the gap, and closed the group down, to create a six man group off the front.

Co-operation broke down almost immediately and we were caught and I hoped my legs would recover quickly. Thinking that the race would come to a bunch sprint, as is the norm at Hillingdon, I sat in the front quarter of the peloton, and held my position there, to prevent any more breaks going without me. With 8 laps to go, I saw a strong E/1/2 senior rider, making his way to the front, ramping up the gears, looking as if he were going to attack.

Feeling strong, I sat on his wheel, and followed him off the front. With the riders team mate slowing the pace, the gap quickly stretched to 10 seconds and one lap later, another rider attempted to bridge the gap, and, although he managed this, less than half a lap later he couldn’t live with the pace and dropped back.

Lifting the speed up to 27 mph, for the final 7 laps, we managed to extend the lead further and further until it was around 20 seconds. Time trial mode activated, and I worked strongly with my companion, pulling through strong turns, and working for the gap. As we edged into the final lap, tactics came to play, and I pulled off the front, allowing the other rider to come through, with 800m to go, up the long drag at the back of the course.

As he flicked his elbow, encouraging me to come through, I dropped back a tadge, and put on a pain face. Unfortunately this caused my partner to sense an opportunity and accelerate. Half committing my legs, I accelerated across the gap, down the hill and into the ‘S’ bends, 500m from the line.

Sensing a quickly accelerating peloton, breathing down my neck, I attacked, up a short kick, and round the corner at the top, with just 250m to go, I went head down, complete effort, giving it everything, as the line neared, I felt the other rider coming past me, not to be denied I willed my legs on, and made it to the line, half a bike length ahead.

A feeling of joy rippled through me as I was able to hold my arms aloft over the line, for my first win, hopefully of many, for the CatfordCC Equipe/Banks team.

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