the bike storage area and banged heavily the elbow I broke 18 months ago as well as giving myself a near heart attack! Must add clumsiness to my list of weaknesses!
With my elbow throbbing and aware that I was now bleeding through my arm warmers; we rolled out of the hotel behind the neutral car at 8.30 – well it was 8.30 ‘Maltese time’ so nearly 9. Unfortunately the sun that warmed us yesterday had well and truly disappeared and the ground was wet with more rain looking likely.
We rolled out to the dual carriageway where all the local clubs had set up gazebos in a layby. The TT course consisted of 4 laps of approximately 5K and we had one side of the DC to ourselves with cones set up for dead turns at either end. The course was basically an out and back over a lump…not really what I would call a hill but not pan flat either.
Unfortunately the rain that had been threatening started coming down….luckily we had brought a lot of kit with us including a nifty turbo stocked by Planet X in the UK; that folds up and fits in the back of a rucksack –http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TRSPOMT/sportcrafters-omnium-trainer
We sat huddled under a gazebo, Izie looking unimpressed at the rain, whilst wearing all our winter kit…not quite what I had in mind when looking for a ‘warm weather’ race!
After what seemed an age it was time to warm up – me using the omnium trainer and Izie braving the road. We also had the start ramp to deal with which now that it was tipping rain had turned into an ice slide in terms of grip!
As I lined up to go Izie who was starting around 9 mins in front went past on her first lap looking smooth. She is not known for being a TTer but anyone that has ridden with her knows she is super strong and I could see she was moving well!
My race went something like….don’t fall off the ramp…ok I am safe on the tarmac….gosh its windy! Where is the turn….oh quick there it is; get in the right gear you numpty and try not to mess up the dead turn! Ok phew round that one without coming off now get moving again! Grind out the climb, now the fun descent…oh its wet! Stop being such a wuss and get on with it!! Ugh another dead turn…phew round it again…uh oh I am quite tired now I think I went off too fast, my legs hurt!…..repeat four times!
Turns out I was second, 19 seconds off the winner – with Izie in 6th around 22 secs after me. So pretty tight at the top and everything to race for over the next 3 days! Bring on the hills!
Lou
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