Race Day 3 Arendonk

Race Day #3

15/07/2009- ARENDONK
86 starters
58 to finish
78km 12 x 6.5k

I get a ride out to the races to day so no stress. Get my number, warm up a bit and get a half way descent start position.

And were off, they start us around the corner from the start finish that is located in down town Arendonk, we start to head out through residential brick streets, kids come running across their lawns to cheer us on. We make a right hand turn and yes more of the same brake and sprint, im getting used to this. The residential road turns in to a narrow country rode through corn fields, nice bit of head wind and, ooops there goes a girl off the road she tumbles a bit but seems to be fine pretty green grass to land in.

Brakes are on, we make a left hand turn, sprint and keep speed up in to a swooping right hand turn then a left turn, the speed is on as we head in to town again, left, right left left long straight stretch in to the finish the speeds are up but still a great place to move up before back on the brakes for a quick left hand turn and then a right back out in to country roads.

So that's the course fun and fast and i feel better today. A break goes up the road with 5 to go i attack and a group goes with me the field is strung out single file, no one wants to work i sit up and we come back some one else attacks and i go with it. We are brought back with all the attacks and high speeds the break comes back. The group starts to get even more nervous and antsy then it has been the whole race. A few more attempts at forming a break but the pack is super motivated and nothing sticks.

Two to go and a solo rider attacks and the pack lets her go. Not a great idea she manages to stay away for the win.

One to go and im focused and make my way up to the top 10 and stay there through the finishing circuit, we head in to the long finishing stretch and im wheel surfing but the lead out train starts to dissolve way to soon, i start to get nervous the speed starts to slow and and i do not want to get swarmed so i start to half way sprint to keep up the speed a few girls are coming around and starting their sprint i get on one girl but she blows right away so i come around and am sprinting hoping i can keep it up to the line a girl bounces in to me on the right, another one on the left and then the same girl bounces in to me again on the right, i admit i get nervous and sit up just enough to be squeezed out of the area i was in and now no where to go. We all start to get swarmed, girls are coming up the right and the left and we cross the line.

I'm not sure where i came in, i think the top 20? I was not able to stick around for the results and possible prize money but new i could check them when i got home. They are on top of it, or at least i thought they were, i checked the results when i got home and im not in it nor was an English girl i rode out with. Very disappointed my best result so far and no result. This makes me sad.

I'm learning more with each race and ill have my day!

Lesson #3 Be more patient in the sprint





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Starla Teddergreen
www.starladesign.com