Cyclauto 78 – Gold or……. BUST!!!!

The last words I said to my wife when I left the house were, “it’s going to be a disaster”. And so it proved. I could give you reasons why, but to say it was all because my mother came to stay would sound a bit lame, but then you’ve never had my mother to stay.

I had a goodish start position, and when the flag went down I stayed with everyone in the first 5km to the first climb, and I made a good effort to just about be at the back of the lead group of 100 riders when we crested the hill. But God, the pace was hard, I hung on and hung, down to the back on the climbs, moving up a little when I could. An hour gone, and I was hanging in there, only another 3.5 hours to hang on for a gold. An hour and a half and it’s a real fast section and I am dying, there are two riders behind me, then one, then I am the last, the very last. I claw back up, get in, ride a little, try to eat something. What a mistake, my mouths full of food and I can’t breathe, bang! Shot out the back. 10 metres away from the last wheel. Shit, shit, shit – it’s all over.

100km still to go and now I am on my own.

I rode alone for a good 20 minutes waiting for the next group, and when they caught up I thought well at least they aren’t so fast. Well until we reached the first hill and Bang! Shot out the back, I’m gone. Fucking hell, this is terrible. That’s it.

I climb off after just 75km tear up my number and hide until everyone’s gone past. Then ride home, well at least the GPS is useful now, I can’t get lost. I am so angry, that was it, Gold award or bust, and hey it was bust. I actually found my way back to the route for the closing parts of the race. And I find the last ravataillement, where I sheepishly get out my torn number and ask if I could have a glass of coke and a slice of cake! They are very sympathetic, and I feel a whole lot better. I get to the finish (having ridden 115km instead of 165km) a good half hour before the leaders arrive, by which time it is pelting down with rain, so at least I missed all that. But it sure was embarrassing, I’ve never packed up before. Still I rode with the leaders for 90 minutes didn’t I? That’s got to be worth something.