Conquering my nemesis - Banbury Star road race

THAT hill - Huw Williams

Sunday 24th May saw Nicola Soden, Lou Collins, Caroline Guest and myself take on the Banbury Star women’s team series Road Race. The course is well known for its half a mile climb of roughly 14%, which does split the field somewhat.

The weather was ok, only a slim chance of a shower, nothing too much. We rolled out from HQ after a short* briefing, through the traffic lights and past the left hand turn that sees the finishing climb.

The descent on that main road before the left hand turn was awesome, lovely and fast and perfect for hammering down.

Now, Nic knows my riding and tactics well, so when Lou announced back at HQ. “Well what a fantastic break you made on the road before the climb, well done!”

Nic laughed and said "Really?? That’s Sandra bailing out. Basically saying 'I’m going to get dropped on the hill anyway so I may as well have a good reason for getting dropped and make a break!!!!'”

True to form off I went full gusto, not expecting any company at all, and surprised to see someone offering a wheel. Ooopsie, turn the corner, down the gears hit the rough road and bang!!!!

What’s that I hear gear changes galore as one, two, three, fortypeople came breezing past, with a bit of encouragement from Nic "c’mon sandra", "bugger off" I sad!!!

Caroline "c’mon Sandra", "bugger off"!!! Puff pant huff puff and the brow of the hill is in sight, so is Caroline, as is a nice group up the road.

I see Caroline chasing, I am chasing Caroline, with company on my wheel.

I’m thinking, if I can get to Caroline, we can work to that group and then we have company for the rest of the race.

I had to keep going. Banbury has been a nemesis for me, but I had to keep going because Nic and Lou were up with the bunch, at any point they may need me, who knows, but thinking of them kept me working.

We made the next group on a lovely downhill that swept round to the left then up and round to the right, just before the sharp left hand junction that lead us to the road to the uphill finish.



Some serious suffering going on - Huw Williams

Had a tiny bit of recovery then as group we started working well together, once again we negotiated the climb, something I feared. I had to stay with the group id worked hard to get to. There seemed to be a pattern for me with this climb, the first part of the climb was the hardest, then on the nice tarmac I was able to get into my rhythm and made it to the top. Wanting very much to have a rest I heard a WNT rider up the gears and I thought I cannot and will not let that wheel go.

The last lap came, the last climb came, one WNT rider and a South West rider had climbed better and were working quite well together, but none the less we gave chase and worked well to get them back just before the last part of the course, the right hander followed by the left turn towards the very pleasing 500m to go. At this point WNT was leading WNT out nicely and at good pace. It’s always good to have a group to work with, so thank you to the lovely group I ended up with, my nemesis conquered, and will I be back next year?? Brrrrrr that’s a very good question.

* long