HCC Kew Crits - 23/01/2008

20 starters in A grade, and much warmer temperatures than last week.. around 27-28, with only a slight wind to contend with. Lap 1 and I was 100m off the front, I was just trying to clip in and press the interval buttons on the PowerTap as we started so gave it some gas to get clear of the bunch, I sat up on lap 2 and waited for the bunch. Tom Crebbin held back his standard attack-from-the-line until lap two.. he comes flying past from the bunch and I yell out "damn, where were you last lap Tommy!"? He's smiling, but keeps the hammer down, I jump on. Everyone responds, and we're into standard A grade pace.

Dylan Newell was racing and was on the attack after 20 mins or so. I found myself on his wheel most of the time and was able to hold his attacks but not offer much assistance as I was red-lining just responding to his attacks. We'd blown out 12 riders and the break was down to 8. Another few attacks were brought back over over the following laps. Someone I didn't know in the break had a shot at me for not rolling through to the front as someone "swung off" (which was more of a swing over, we weren't pulling turns). If this was a handicap race I'd have taken his "words of advice" on board.... Still red-lining with 5mins to go I slipped out the back of the break and spent a few laps in no-mans land with Tom Crebbin. We'd both been smashed by the younger generation and needed a rest! We rolled a few medium laps together until we were back in the main bunch. 10 or so A graders who were spat early on were still plugging away. Tom and I sat in for the '3 to go' call. '2 to go' I had a dig... got a good gap hoping someone would jump across, nobody came. Bell lap an the 6 up the road had it, 7th spot was all that was left. Everyone in the bunch was looking jumpy for the sprint so I positioned myself well and hit them up the hill. I took the sprint easily with a big unit on the chase.. 7th place, HR was 2bpm above threshold for the entire time I was with the break - no wonder I entered popsville! Still, best of the rest... giving it all I had on the night.

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