zerailleur.com / Zach Bell

So I did finally make it to T town…after much delay and adventures I arrived at the Topton house. This is a little accommodation that the Valley Preferred Cycling Center uses for chumps like me when we come into town. I am here sharing a space with member of the newly formed Momentum Cycling Team. So I arrived late ish on Thursday and was informed my first big race was Friday morning…I guess I should spend a little time on the track…I hopped on and did some riding right away…not to much though I was a little blown from all the travel.

The next morning I cam down to the track ready to go for what was going to be qualifications for the points race…This however did not happen. So it was straight on to the final. When the race started I was not feeling extremely sharp but I did have my head on my shoulders. And put myself in an ideal position to win the first sprint…after that the race just seemed to roll in a rhythm for me…I could pick up points over and over and chipped away a comfortable lead over the first 2/3rds of the race. Coming down to the last few sprints I just had to watch key players and scoop up easy points. In the end it was the win that I narrowly missed the last time I was out. It was nice to ride well coming off a break and less than ideal conditions leading into the race. My form is not great but it is not bad either.

Later that night the main event of the day for the endurance was a 10 mile scratch race…a good amount of prize money attracted a good number of world class sprinters into the field. Any hope of victory for the endurance riders entailed burning off these sprinters before the end. It was obvious, and I went to work almost immediately starting a move that would force a chase from behind. Soon others came across and a small group of five or 6 of us lapped the back end of the field. However, a larger group split up the road and ended up coming around also. So in effect about 18 guys “lapped the field” meaning no one really did. As I was in the front group taking the lap I saw this other group coming. So I wasted no time once we caught the stragglers and I hit out again as soon as I could…this time no one followed and For the next 24 laps I played with a lead of between half and 3/4 of a lap. I never quite made it all the way around but I didn’t get caught either and so it meant a hard fought win in the end. Man I am glad I spent a couple years as a pursuit rider. Made the back and forth grind out there a little easier to stomach. Next week is a Madison Cup and I think it will be just that little bit harder so the legs and wits will have to be sharp again. Wish me luck.