. Tuesday night was the next round of the TLI at Wistow. I'd planned to do more of these this year, but after doing two of the early races, because of the usual conflicts I'd not managed to do any more. So naturally with little racing in my legs and after finishing work late and not having time to do a warm up I was rather nervous. Only three groups this time and I set off with Dave Cook in the first group with Phil and Ian H in the next.I'd not done this circuit before and didn't know what to expect, but after completing the first lap, the nerves had gone, I knew because of the circuit I'd be finishing the race with the lead group; windless, wide roads and with only two climbs (railway bridges) which weirdly for someone who really can't climb, small steady drags like these seem to be the easiest bit.
The riding in our group was a bit strange, one chap attacked at many opportunities, Dave and I would go with him and he'd want us to work with him to get away from the rest of the group which seemed odd, it was better to keep the group together, more helpers to hold off the faster groups, so naturally his attacks came to nothing. Most of the group were very keen to get the prime and there was a strong sprint for it. I couldn't contest it and Dave didn't either. Trouble was after that the rest of the group seemed spent, unwilling or unable to ride. It's not a criticism of the other riders, it's a race and people can ride however they want but the result was Dave would do long turns on the front with no-one able to help other than me. It's indicative how spent rest of the group was that I'd end up on the front for long turns chugging on at 23-24mph (normally at that pace you'd expect people to come straight past you) until Dave had got his breath back and got us back to race pace. Clearly with this going on we weren't going to hold off the other groups. It's a shame Ian H hadn't started with us, I know how Ian rides and I think the three of us would have worked together very well, who knows we might have even held off the other groups, failing that, three Clifton guys working as a team on the front, driving the group would have made some good photos on the TLI website.
Inevitably the lead group caught us containing Phil and Ian, second or third lap from the end. It was comfortable enough to sit in and keep a good position, but there was no way I was going to put my nose into the wind at speeds of 27+. It didn't take a rocket scientist to work out that the winner would have a good position out of the final bend, the trick was getting it and somehow I don't know how I was at the back of the group once we were through the bend. The sprint opened up and in no time there was a gap between the leaders and me and I came in on Ian's wheel. Phil I think got tenth and Dave fifteenth.
It seems only now I realise to succeed at racing you need to able to do two quite separate things, firstly you need aerobic ability to ride at race pace, that just takes some good miles in your legs with some of it at high intensity. Having got that ability must have pure anaerobic power for the sprint. I don't have that. If I do another year's cycling and do a full series of TLIs I've always hoped I must talk to people, Phil, Muzzy? who do have a sprint to find out just how it is achieved.
Don't let all this talk put you off the TLI's, I rate them. We're busy people and they give you a chance to dip your toe in the water of racing without having to give cycling full time commitment.
. I know you don't want to blow your own trumpet but you're hardly the average club cyclist. I've got to the age that I rather like things I know I can rely on like the sun coming up, grass being green and Muzzy being able to ride away from pretty much anyone I know. You've got ability so I can understand that TLI racing for you can be nothing more than a frustrating training session.