My August started with a week at the Junior Track Nationals. For the first time it was at the Lee Valley Velopark, technically a home race for me and I was looking forward to it but unsure how I would go. Monday’s Individual Pursuit was a test of where my legs were at, and where everyone else’s were as well. If time trailing is the race of truth, then the Individual Pursuit is the world’s best lie detector. The track reduces the number of variables, and the main focus is aero. It is also
about staying to a schedule with the aim of going as fast as possible.
I genuinely had idea of my form, but had a plan and just wanted to go as close to that as possible. I started almost two seconds too quick on the first lap, and then slowly throughout my ride paid for it. I finished the 3km in a time of 3:26, a PB for me, but leaving me in 9th place, missing out on the 1-8 placed finals. Time to go home and recover for the next day’s points race.
30 laps into the 100 lap points race I realised how much the IP had taken out of me. I had kicked over the top to race for the sprint, only to get swamped before the line and spat out the back. I hung on for as long as possible, but the race was gone. I went home a bit disappointed, but at least I had two days to rest before Friday’s Scratch.
I had decided that I wasn’t worried about the Scratch race result, I just wanted to prove to myself that I could race from the front and be competitive. And I did exactly that. My result really didn’t reflect how I raced. I spent the race trying to force a move, rolling through off the front, and trying to sneak away to gain a lap. Sadly, too many people had a bunch sprint in their mind and I wasn’t allowed to get away. Nothing was let go. I didn’t get a flashy result, but I was pleased with how I had raced.
Next up for me was a trip to Berlin, to race the RadRace Fixed42, AKA the Fixed Gear World Champs. Fixed Gear racing is a very niche cycling sub-culture. It involves racing track bikes out on the roads. One of the main rules is no brakes are allowed. It is very popular amongst cycle couriers but not very well known to the wider cycling community. I think the main reason for this is that it is completely mental! It requires great bike handling skills, and a lack of sense of self preservation. Nevertheless, I was excited to be racing, and trying to help my
teammate and Madison partner James Ambrose-Parrish retain the title of Fixed-gear World Champion.
The start line was in a train station carpark south of Berlin, even at 8am the Europop was pumping. You could sense the nerves on the start line. It had rained all night, and the roads were very slippery. What could possibly go wrong?
We set off, and already the pace was high. Attacks were going and then being brought back, only for someone else to counter. The roads were flat and straight, so I got involved in the breakaway fun.
The speed was fine for everyone, until we got to the first corner and half the bunch slid out. James and I somehow managed to avoid the riders dropping like flies around us and made it safely to the stretch on the Autobahn. Here the pace ramped up even higher. We had to press on a bit to avoid dropping too far back, but it was safe. The roads were nice and wide, and unlike British racing we had the whole road to race on, not just the left (or right) side.
We came off the Autobahn into the outskirts of Berlin, and this was where it started to get more technical. The corners came thick and fast, and we were going close to 50kph the whole time. The key was trying to hold as much speed through the corners as possible but not sliding out. Amazingly, none of our team fell off, but we did all see some spectacular crashes. There was also a cobbled section 3km from the line that none of us knew about beforehand. A break of three got away with about 7km to go, and no one was prepared to chase, which left us sprinting for fourth place. I made sure James and George were in the right place with about 400m to go, before swinging off and rolling in in 23 rd place. They finished fourth and fifth respectively. This meant we had finished second in the team classification.
We’d come for more but were all happy to have made it round rubber side down and challenged at the finish with more than one rider. It was a great experience, and we’ll be back again next year to try take that title back again.
After the race we had a chance to sample some of Berlin, what a stunning city. I had a sense of it from Saturday when we had done a recon but now with the stress of the race out of the way I could enjoy the sights. We headed off to the Alexanderplatz and the Brandenburg gate. Grabbed a Lime scooter and scooted across town with its wide streets and ever changing architecture. Stern looking concrete buildings melding into neo-classical facades. That night, we headed out and found the Klunkerkranich, an amazing rooftop bar with stunning sites of the city. It was amazing to be there, the Jazz played in the bar, the riders from the days event hung out, had a beer and reflected on the madness and the radness of the race.
The next day we still had time to explore, Dad explained to me some of the history so we could start to understand the architecture and also the amazing story of Berlin. We went to the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and spent time seeing what the Berliners had lived through and how absolutely mad it all was. I reflected on how grateful I was to have the life I have, the freedom I am granted and on reading Kennedy’s speech. I echo his words completely.
“Today in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is ‘Ice bin ein Berliner!’ … All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words “Ice bin ein Berliner!”
Berlin signalled the end of my racing for a little while, as it was time for a break. Ten days on the Amalfi Coast was the perfect way to relax and spend a bit of time reconnecting with my family, especially as my twin sister and I are moving out, heading to Loughborough University at the end of September. I will be reading Maths, and Maddy is doing an English and Sport combined honours. Time also to look ahead to new teams and new adventures.
As usual, thank you to everyone who has helped me out in this first main part of the season, to Bob and Julie at LVYCC and Mat at One Life Cycle. Also thank you to all those who continue to support me through to the London 3Day and beyond. It is very much appreciated.
Don’t forget to get your tickets for the London3Day, please do get in touch with me for our discount code. It would really help James and I out enormously to have your support. Thank you again, and well done for making it this far. Bring on September!
Gilbank Racing 