Friday 11th Every Friday it’s the same, getting into a nice routine of wake up wait for my mate Nick, ride to meet Brian spin slowly with them, taking the mickey out of each other, or me moaning about the last nights events! To Stamford to check out ladies and drink coffees and ride slowly back. So this Friday was nothing different just me moaning more about how bad myself and the team rode in Kettering, but that’s the thing with road racing if you ride bad one day the next days are better!
Saturday 12th easy ride and another drive up the A1 to Newcastle pet!!! for the Beaumont trophy Premier calendar. Great to hook up with team mates again, always mickey taking and banter with the Pendragon boys
Sunday 13th Beaumont Trophy, hard race only 165kms but with 4 times up the evil climb of the Ryhals with its 30% slopes =mucho pain and oh it was raining again....
Move went early after about 6kms and I made sure I was part of it! So we settled into a good tempo with 3 raphas,3 motorpoints 2 endura 2sigma and a Raleigh,myself, Will Brejgfelt, and Cervelo test teams Jeremy Hunt’s younger brother Josh I knew it would stick. First time up the Ryhals myself Chris Newton (rapha) Jack Bauer (endura) and Simon Richardson (sigma) got away for a short lived time but the lack of motorpoint it came together, the next time up the rhyals I sprinted for the KoM got it and thinking there would be a reaction again as there where some tired legs but nothing happened.
The next lap the big teams laid it on the line, attacking like it was the last 5kms but with no team mates I was isolated couldn’t chase everything so the last thing I didn’t or couldn’t chase went.... 2raphas 2motorpoint 1each from endura and sigma...great still 80kms to go and missed the winning move.... and it was raining heavier!! Worked with 3-4 others for a good 60kms when 2 groups of 6 or 7 came across then it was full on attacking getting in moves I sat on the back wishing my legs would come back. 9 guys got away with 7km to go and myself and an Endura chased got 16th not so happy as was away all day was was sure of a top 10 but ho hum.
Monday 14th laid in bed, and when wasn’t in bed was on the toilet...great must have picked something up from the wet roads yday, great with my "hometown" crit tomo!!!
Tuesday 15th Peterborough Tour Series rd7 felt much better today did a 2hour spin in the am normally only do an hour but with no traveling to do I had time!
Was weird racing in a big race so close to home, small things like pinning my numbers onto my skinsuit in my bedroom!
The pressure was on today as I had interviews in the local paper plus some of my club was watching and mates form work..... but no nerves strange, race started crazy fast got the face on TV by sitting behind the motorbike in the neutralised laps!! Tried getting in a few moves early but my legs after Sunday were sore, and then Yanto my team mate got in a move so I went to the front to slow things down a little, then Rhys got a chase group, great all we needed to do then is deliver Chris the sprinter to the line and that’s a win.... but a pit infringement by Yanto led to him being disqualified, so we had to really get up there, Myself and Casey came in together mid pack as the sprint was choppy and dangerous! 5th team and now 5th overall.
Wednesday 16th 3hours spinning on le velo avec Nick and Brian and triantalope Josh scopped out a new coffee shop that sells jumbo extra shot americanos!!!
Thursday 17th Stoke on Trent Tour series rd8, Nearly there.... lovely sunny day chilling on a grass bank few seconds of shut eye to be awoken by "what pressure do you want in your tyres lamps?" huh where am I blissfulness before the storm....
The lads that rode the tour series say this was the hardest with tight corners and hills, should be good I thought. Normal adrenaline/caffeine charge from the line made one long line from the off, with tired legs and twisty nature of the circuit wheels where being lost everywhere, but I sat tight mid field on the fine line of comfy and f*%k£d!!
After 25mins Dave got in a move and Yanto in a chase group myself and Rhys and Casey waiting in the wings, Dave did a ride to finish 3rd last in his group but bless him when he stands up he goes slower but show him a mountain and he will put a day between himself and the rest! Yanto dived into the last right hand corner but sprinting on the right into it, I s..t myself for him but like he says "I had a R1 you don’t know fear till you try and tip that into a corner at 130mph!!!" Nutter but he stayed upright and finished 5th myself and Rhys top 20 3rd team.....
Well at this point in the season I’m kinda tired, legs feel strong but no zipp as not fresh, Yanto took a week off so going well now, Dave didn’t ride tues so fresh, loads of other guys from other team take the prems off but oh not me, riding them all only myself and Andy Tennant have ridden every tour series and Premier since May!!! No prizes so maybe I should have tried not being 'ard and took a race or two off to be fresh! Oh well only 2more tour series to go!!!
Steve Lampier - Pendragon le col colnago
