By Mick Leonard
Today was absolute carnage. The winds blew the race to pieces after 20k as soon as we turned into the crosswind. As was announced on the radio “The bunch is now fragmenting at the front, middle and back.”
You really had to give it your all to just hold the wheel in front. Lads were dropping wheels left, right and centre and it took huge efforts to close gaps. I don’t know how many matches I had left to close gaps but I was burning them quickly. One hesitation and a dropped wheel would grow into a sizeable gap. As they say ‘its easier to close 10 metres than 10 seconds.’
I didn’t have any hesitations as the stage went on, as I learnt my lesson quickly. You were in the gutter on the wrong side of the cat’s eyes where there’s no hard shoulder.
I had pretty much a bunch finish, or as my clubmate Brian Hammond who has ridden a few Ras’ himself would say “there was a break of 90 up the road!”
Good to be half way through. Every kilometre now is one closer to home.
Mick
