Percy Stallard Race Results

28/05/2012 - DERRICK WOODINGS' STRATFORD STALLARD BLOG

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Event 3 of the 2012 Percy Stallard Series May 27th. 2012
The Rotor Componenents RR Promoted by Stratford Cycling Club
Finally a real summer’s day arrived, so different after last weekend. What a wonderful day for cycling in this part of the world.
Robin Corder and Steve Faulkner had moved the HQ to Ettinton in Warickshire to ride the usual Tysoe course, a race of 3 laps of this very testing 14 mile circuit for riders of 60+. In my opinion the facilities are a great improvement even if they are somewhat remote from the finish. The event was again well run , the marshalling really excellent.
It was good to have some words of encouragement from a former colleague of the great Percy Stallard - Danny Mason.
These events are extremely demanding now. The standard of racing is so competitive in the EFG groups and it is not just the arrival of new blood either. When you have several strong men together in such an event no attacks are allowed to gain more than a few seconds before being chased down.
And so it proved, apart from an early attack after a long neutralised procession from the HQ, by Dave Woods and I think Clare Greenwood, one of the lady contestants who gained a good lead until after the first ascent of the prime hill at Upper Brailles. These two were brought to heel on the headwind northern section up to Tysoe. No other breaks gained any significant advantage, so it was all down to attrition, of which I was one. Foolishly I ignored the cardinal rule of racing: never let a gap open between you and the rider in front. This happened to me on the 2nd. ascent of the prime hill where there was an actual prime awarded, this always creates problems for weaker riders.
I managed to close the gap on the descent to the left turn up to the finish line and committed my 2nd. error: make sure that the rider in front is reliable. Having gone into the red regaining the wheel, I made the left turn and watched the rider in front proceed to sit up, already in oxygen debt my legs exploded and the inevitable gap opened. One man came past; Ray Brummitt from VC Lincoln and got halfway across the rapidly growing gap I clawed my way onto his wheel and eventually recovered enough to start working, but finding us alone it was an impossible task, after a couple of miles we realised that we were dropped, so opted to do through and off to the finish, thanks Ray you made a great contribution to our futile chase.
Meanwhile, and this is only hearsay of course the rest of the field remained intact until the final climb and then the inevitable bunch sprint, which again was started by colleague Mick Allen but who again was surpassed by our great sprint finisher Alan Kemp towing newcomer(to me) Tom Wilson(VC Invicta) to the line. That was the result of the actual race. Alan of course winning his category, Mick Allen the F cat. And old adversary Tony Woodcock winning the G cat from my boss Mick Ives.
My one small criticism of the judging. Somehow I was missed of the finishing order on the result sheet. Because I finished a few seconds in front of Ray who was recorded, I was perplexed as to how this had happened. Anyway discussion with both organisers the problem was soon resolved.I would like to make the point that if there are anomalies in the placing of riders, the organisers should always ask the riders as we are mature enough to know where we finished.