My first crit win!

My win, captured by Graham Atkinson

It was the last round of the Salt Ayre Crits and I was in it to win it. I covered every attack and I was feeling good throughout the race. This week there was only Frankie and myself racing for Maxgear but we still worked well together as a team. The race was really different to the week before - slow one minute and then fast the next. As soon as I saw the 5 laps left on the board I started to position myself near the front. At one point I managed to get myself right at the back, but made my way back to the top 5 again before the sprint. I sat in and this week I was patient, remembering to sprint later than the previous week when I sprinted early for the lead out. This time I waited for someone else to go first so I had someone to catch. One of the girls made a move and another and then it was time to go. I had two targets to aim for and sprinted past them both to take the win with my first ever celebration!!! Frankie also got a top 10 with 7^th, so a good day all round!

My next race which was Tockwith a couple of weeks later. I was really looking forward to it after winning at Salt Ayre, until I got there and the weather was miserable, cold, raining and very windy. I sat in the van to keep warm whilst watching the other races. After a good warm up and a couple of laps around the windy circuit it was time to race.

Sprinting away from the bunch at Tockwith

I was feeling good at the start of the race, ready to have a good time and to get a placing, and then disaster struck. I got dropped after someone attacked on the 5th lap. I carried on round on my own, but each time I came past my dad I got ‘the look’ - the look of disappointment!!
I put a massive effort in and started to bridge the 20 second gap that the bunch had on me. Finally after 4 gruelling laps on my own I reached the bunch. I was absolutely shattered. With 8 laps to go two girls got away, I couldn’t have gone with them; I had wasted too much energy, so I just kept sitting in. With 2 laps left I started to position myself for the bunch sprint for 3rd, remembering my good race at Salt Ayre. Even though on the last lap I was totally gone, I still found some energy from somewhere (probably Dad’s stare) to attack on the last corner and take the bunch sprint for 3rd place.

I am so glad I got 3rd place, but I did it the hard way!!! Note to self just put that little bit more effort in when someone attacks, never want to time trial my way back onto a group again!!

Now I am really looking forward to racing at the Cheshire Classic on the 22nd of April with my amazing team mates.

Lauren x

Racing as a team, lush weather and ‘oh look croutons’!

As Dad and I arrived at Salt Ayre on Saturday the weather was lush! All the way there I had been watching the temperature gage in the van. By the time we had reached Salt Ayre, it was a very warm 15 degrees, perfect temperature to start my tan!

Me & Mel after the race

After signing on and getting myself sorted, the whole team warmed up together, and the weather just kept getting hotter and hotter, perfect for a race. So we discussed team tactics, aims and objectives with team manager Ian and then we were ready to go!

Get ready, get set, go! Throughout the race I felt comfortable and confident. Really enjoying the race, and of course the sun! We all worked together as a unit and dominated the race, and in the last five laps we managed to form a little lead out train. Mel went on to win the race and I came 8th, which I was really happy about!

On the Sunday we went on a team training ride, setting off from Eve’s house. Again the weather was great, tanning weather! There were a couple of hills in the ride, which aren’t my favourite, but I’m working on getting better, so Hayley and I encouraged each other to the top of them. When we eventually got to the cafe, which was small but cute, I thought it would be a good idea to eat my marzipan (which is meant to be good for you!) but it had melted! 

After making the hard decision of what to have to eat, I picked crumpets, which is small compared to my average cafe stop meal, we settled down and were sat chatting. Then I really embarrassed myself. Someone had asked for a little jar which was in front of me, so I opened it and said ‘oh look croutons’ but my team mates then corrected me and told me they were actually sugar cubes. Everyone was in hysterics, and tweeted straight away. I don’t think I will ever live that one down!

Overall the weekend was really good and for once the weather was on our side, which made it even better! Thanks girls and well done to you all! Looking forward to the next one!