Crikey! A win!

Sometimes good things come when you least expect them. Last night at Kew criteriums I had a win in the B grade race (results weren't updated on the Hawthorn website at the time I published this). I was working out a plan with Fraser (a mate) for me to attack with 2 laps to go and for him to sit in on a sprinter's wheel and contest the sprint if I got caught. Well the best laid plans....with 3 1/2 laps remaining I accelerated away from the bunch at the base of the climb (the Kew circuit has a 300 metre hill each lap with the finish line at the top), caught and dropped a rider who was already off the front and reached the top of the hill with a gap of 100 or so metres. Seeing this, I put my head down and prepared to suffer! This was going to hurt! I wasn't expecting to hold off the bunch, I thought the move was too early. However with 2 laps to go I was maintaining the gap and with 1 lap to go it was still 75 metres. I was in a world of pain! I thought with that gap there was still a chance for the win so buried myself in the second to last straight and made the last corner with a 40 - 50 metre lead. It was going to be close! I knocked down a couple of gears for the first part of the climb, thinking if I could reach 100m to go in the lead I might be able to pull out a bit of a sprint. Sure enough, I was able to drag myself out of the saddle for one last almighty effort...the sprinters were coming FAST! But not fast enough! I lunged towards the line as the gap diminished, and must have won by less than a bike length. That was so CLOSE! But soooooo satisfying! So it's up to A grade next week, that should keep a lid on any delusions of grandeur.....