The second race of this triple series required us to switch after 10 laps on a first circuit to another laps on a second one, with the finish line on top of "Staple Hill".
Whilst getting on a bit better than last week, which may be due to the mental speed surges actually getting back to normal speed at some point, a big question in my mind was what to expect on the second circuit. I didnt know the hill, so was hoping to be still fresh enough to not get dropped there. Clearly my idea of a good day was to finish the race in the peloton, or the main group. Half way through the race I had moments of despair, with a breakaway of five and the peloton fractured in grupettos, but apart from the five out the front it all came back together and so it happened that 3 laps from the end of the race I was often seen amongst the front 10 and only on the climb lost my position. Nonetheless I had not enough left to contest the finale for place 6 and rolled across the finish line in the main field. I felt happy almost as if I had won the race...
The Ottershaw series has become kind of an autumn classic, attracting riders who haven't accepted the end of the season yet.
Never before have I raced this late in a season, but the weather was truly exceptional. I underestimated my body clock halfly set on hibernation mode, already. Additionally I was aching from a silly 70km short (but slow?) hillsride the day before. Final excuse, there were a few plonkers not being able to ride wheel and left gaps, I closed down 3 or 4 in succession when the speed started surging to a mental level, there was that gap I tried to close on lap 7 and I had already been above 96% HR max for considerable time, was gulping the air in (not enough) and started feeling dizzy, but that fucking gap (no swearing) just wouldnt come down, maybe 2 bikelengths, i glimpsed 700w on my powermeter and then simply popped, hoping the guys behind me would close it but when I turned around there was an even bigger gap behind me. That was that. After a lap of getting my brain cells getting some oxygene again I found those 3 TCC riders who still had enough motivation to finish the race. I was really really cooked at the end of the day, still had not recovered by the following wednesday even.
