Blogs
Tue, 3 May 2011
Bedford Two Day Victory
By Sarah Storey - Horizon Fitness Racing Team
After the elegance and poise of the Royal Wedding on Friday 29th April, which I watched and thoroughly enjoyed! It was time for the Horizon Fitness Prendas team to head for Bedford, whilst our team mates were rocking the roads of Luxembourg!
As defending yellow jersey winner from the Bedford Two Day last year, it was time for me to don the number 1 and try and defend the title whilst leading a very talented group of our young riders. Fresh from winning the bunch sprint to place 5th at GP Dottignes just a few days earlier, Hannah Rich was in fighting form, having also placed 2nd at Cheshire Classic. Penny Rowson was also on the team sheet and after a very strong ride in Cheshire Classic and her amazing climbing performances at the team training camp in Italy she was ready and raring. Ruby Miller was joining us for her first team race in Horizon Fitness Prendas colours and with her bunch race experience and Ella Sadler Andrews the Time Trial specialist we knew we were lining up as a strong unit.
Looking at the start sheet though we weren’t alone in our strength and with very strong line ups for For Viored, Motorpoint and VC St Raphael, not to mention some talented riders like Claire Galloway, Corrine Hall, Nicki Juniper and Lowri Bunn also riding within their own respective teams, it was a class field and a race we knew we would have a tough job to control.
First up for the four stages is a short but challenging Team Time Trial, just 9.5km in length and into pretty much a block headwind. The challenge of keeping the team together and finishing with the minimum requirement of four riders was always going to be tough for all concerned. We had practiced our formation and rotations during the training camp in Italy, so we were confident we could spread the energy around the team very well.
Two thirds of the way down the course we got a time check from Penny’s Mum to say we were 15 seconds down, so we all stuck our heads down and gave it everything to the finish line, which was a nasty kick up in the road. The extra drive worked and we won the first stage by 25 seconds which meant it was very much “race on” for the rest of the event. As first Horizon rider across the line in the TTT I was also wearing yellow for stage two.
With time bonuses of 5, 3 and 1 second available for sprint and hill primes in both road stages, it was important to make sure the riders snapping at our heels didn’t get too much of a chance to pick up these valuable extra seconds, so going into the 1st road stage on the afternoon of day 1, we knew we needed to stay alert at the front of the bunch and try and make sure we didn’t let our rivals score too many points. This of course is no easy task and with the bunch bashing round the circuit the primes came thick and fast, but we managed to cover them and take some points before the final bunch sprint. With Hannah safely on my wheel we manoeuvred through towards the front and I gave my best shot of a lead out, but the Motorpoint girls were all gunning for the win themselves and Lucy Garner streaked away with Hannah coming in 7th and me holding on for 10th, losing just 3 seconds when the bunch split up the finish rise.
With Hannah and I both winning a sprint and a hill prime each, it meant we’d retained the yellow jersey with Hannah being the overnight leader and me in second with Penny, Ella and Ruby all still occupying 3rd, 4th and 5th spots having finished with the lead bunch. Unfortunately though, in keeping me safe at the front, Ruby had turned herself inside out and came down with a heavy cold, so was unable to start the second day.
Day Two was perhaps even more windy than day one and the prospect of the 6km Individual Time Trial around the amazing Milbrook Testing Centre’s “Speed Bowl” everyone was wondering whether a rear disc was going to be the right choice of wheel. In the end, thanks to some great advice from VC St Raphael’s Hannah Layland, everyone who had a disc, used one and it proved to be a quick day. I sliced 20 seconds off the time I’d done on the same circuit last year and was able to win the stage by 35 seconds from Claire Galloway and most importantly for our yellow jersey put a bit more time into the next placed riders on the General Classification.
With the final stage being 9.5 laps of the hilly and technical road circuit of Milbrook, there is always the chance for riders to go on the attack up the fantastic climbs, so we knew as a team our cushion of 1 minute 25 seconds was going to be very important. I was back in yellow and after a rousing team talk from Barney we were all set to defend our lead.
Overnight, I’d been placed second in the climbers jersey competition, so it was in the back of my mind that I could maybe pick up some points on the final stage’s hill primes, to not only add some seconds to the lead, but also to maybe sneak another jersey. From the off the racing was fast and attacks went up every climb. Hannah, Penny and Ella all did a great job keeping me safe at the front of the bunch and each lap got me to the bottom of the climb in the first few riders. Ella unfortunately pulled out with breathing problems, but Penny and Hannah stepped up and were ever present to protect me.
I picked up some hill primes along with V C St Raphael’s Sarah Byrne, the overnight climbing leader Lowri Bunn and stage two winner Lucy Garner. Emma Grant was also attacking hard as the highest placed rider on GC after Horizon Fitness Prendas and Claire Galloway was riding very strongly on the front too. It was fantastic to ride in such an aggressive and hard race, everyone was working hard to get a break up the road, whilst I was staying near the front and making sure that if anything did go then I was going to be in it.
As the bell lap came through the bunch has been whittled down to an elite group of about 30 riders and all the big teams were in there, For Viored, Motorpoint, VC St Raphael, Abergavenny and Zappi’s. Coming into the speed bowl for the final few kilometres I drifted to the back with Hannah and we decided a lead out wasn’t the right thing, I needed to try and win the stage whilst Hannah covered some wheels and tried to make sure my attack stayed away. I lurked at the back, the “Speed Bowl” is a nightmare because it all looks the same, there are no distinguishing markers and only the 1km to go sign to let you know where you are in relation to the finish! I didn’t want to go too early, I needed to time it well, and so I thought I’d have a go at around 800m. I’d managed to stay pretty fresh so I gathered my focus and stamped on the pedals to get over the bunch and off towards the finish on my own. I’d gone at about 900m, a bit earlier than planned, more because the bunch had started to accelerate and I didn’t want to lose the speed advantage I thought I could gain. I was willing the line to come but I had no idea whether it would appear round the next bend!
I pushed and pushed and there the line was. I crossed the line looking left to see Lucy Garner right by me. It was probably a really comedy finish, everyone thinks I’m there but then the bunch charge gets there first as my dying legs lose the momentum! Hannah Rich was right there on Lucy’s wheel so we scored 2nd and 3rd in the stage and most importantly had secured the overall win and the bonus of both Hannah and Penny being 2nd and 4th respectively!
What a great day and what a great race! I’d scored enough points to secure the climbers jersey too!
It was a great team effort and we were all delighted to secure the top two slots on GC for the second year running!
With the car packed and the riders presentation done, it was time for Barney and I to head straight to Heathrow Airport and a flight to Australia. As I write this we’re having a brief transit through Bangkok and very shortly we board the Sydney flight. When we land the 1st ParaCycling Road World Cup of 2011 will be getting underway, but I have 24 hours after arrival before I have to be back on the start line again! So it won’t be long before the next race report!
Sarah x
For more information on the Horizon Fitness Racing Team, visit www.horizonfitnessrt.com.