Traditionally the first race of the year for many and so it was for me. The APR (Australian Pursuit Race) is what we used to call back in the day a handicap event with the seeded riders having to make up ground on the groups ahead. This years event had given us in the scratch group a handicap of six minutes on the first bunch of riders, although it felt like a lot longer to me as the varying groups disappeared down the road from the lay by just East of Buchlyvie.
The pre race banter soon disappeared as, in glorious sunshine and with the tailwind start our group settled quickly into it’s work and it was quick with three Dooley’s, Paul Rennie, Martin Lonie and Greg Brown sitting together like a black clad express train followed by Peter Murdoch, Fin Young, Craig Adams and the rest of us hanging in there as the speed hit well over 55kph in places we hurtled towards the Kippen roundabout which was bedecked with more Day-Glo than a Farnesse Vini jersey. Through the turn and having negotiated the twists on the road to Thornhill the crosswind did little to deter the speed and we caught a glimpse of the group ahead, still working well together we hit the first rise into Thornhill. This threw the rhythm of our group for a while until normal service was resumed with Lonie looking strong (and far too tanned for this time of the year!) obviously benefiting from having had a warm weather training camp and regular visits to Manchester’s track league through the winter, his strength began to tell as gaps appeared as he took the front spelling through hard on the rolling roads towards Port of Menteith and the Lake which gives the event it’s name. His luck however was about to change as a loud pop from his rear wheel could only mean that a spoke had given up the ghost and stopped his progress.
The rest of us ploughed on into the headwind and slowly started to pull in the preceding riders. Up and through Port of Menteith and swiftly down to the Rob Roy Roundabout almost onto the back of the group ahead. As ever Flanders Moss didn’t disappoint, it’s always a crosswind up Flanders, always, and it always hurts. With everyone fighting for shelter in the gutter the catch was made just at the bottom of the drag and the line strung out, making progress to the front somewhat impossible. There was an inevitable lull at the top however which meant that the now forty or so strong peleton was a twitchy place to be, so it was time to move up the line. Just as well because Murdoch and Rennie plus a few others had decided it was time to stretch their legs again. A long fast line developed again including Lonie who had fought back to the pack having obviously had some superb service from the boys at Solid Rock Cycles. I had to get towards the front knowing that there would be some pain dished out and a selection on the climb through Killearn and so it turned out. Murdoch again hit the accelerator and I was glad I could slide through the bunch just about maintaining contact by the top.
The fast descent towards Balfron and the finishing circuit beckoned and I again needed to move through towards the front so in true Cancellara style (I wished) I tried to make up some ground on the descent. It was going swimmingly too, until at about 65kph I hit a huge pothole and heard the bang and hiss of a front wheel flat. Thankfully I held it upright and pulled to the side, where I awaited the Solid Rock Cycles service van out popped Mark with a replacement front but even as he ran towards me I knew the game was up, there was no way I was catching that flying group ahead on my own. Wheel in, I gave it a go until the finish line where it was time to face the fact I was going nowhere fast. So abandon I did.
Still it was a fine workout for the first race of the season and a super day’s weather to boot. Thanks to Alan and the team at the Glasgow Nightingale for another top racing day out and congratulations to Gary Maher from Ayr Roads CC who narrowly pipped Craig Adams of GJS Racing to win the sprint with Dominic Hines VC Edinburgh third.
