Breaking records...

... and puncturing tubs at Castle Combe

Between April and August the contest for the best race series has to go to the DB Max/Kinetic one TT series at Castle Combe Circuit in Wiltshire. It has everything you look for in an event - excellent chip timing, friendly organisers which in turn creates a great atmosphere, a beautiful racing surface and this year some largely brilliant weather! Given this was my second year riding the series it was also nice to see the friends I'd made last year, as the series is generally the furthest south I travel to race on a regular basis, it's mostly the only time I see this group of racing friends. 

The 5 race series starts in April and this was to be my first outing of the year. There is always plenty of nerves associated with that first race - how has the winter training really gone, have I forgotten how to pace myself, how much will it hurt...? You get the picture! All of those emotions seem a long time ago now, although as the tempo increases towards the business end of the season the pacing question comes to the forefront once more - to what extent and how early can I actually put the hammer down and hold it?!

Round 1 in April unfortunately became a DNS as this was the start of my Di2 woes. I arrived at the circuit to find that my battery had discharged itself. This threw me into all kinds of disarray given it was totally unexpected (and I like to plan to the nth degree). I went to ride my usual recce laps in the one gear that I had (mid cassette, big ring) which was ok for riding relatively easy but I knew I would be spinning out for much of the downhill/tailwind and grinding on the other sections. The warm up wasn't going to be easy either as I could hardly keep jumping on and off the turbo to alter the resistance accordingly! Thus, regrettably I decided to withdraw and drive home. This turned out to be a fine weather night and my course record (CR) was broken - just to add insult to injury.

Nice little set up by the track

Round 2 fell a few days after Round 2 of the Midlands Women's series (A10/19), where despite trying to shake off the cold that I'd caught in Ayr I'd had what is still my best '10' of the season. Sometimes a couple of races in close succession work well for me and other times they don't! Thankfully this was one of the former occasions and in producing my best 10 minutes of power, I took the win and reclaimed my course record, shaving a substantial 17 seconds off it. 

Powering towards the chicane

Round 3 fell in mid June and followed a few days after my win at the Charlie Grieg Memorial 10TT. It was a beautifully sunny evening and the wind was set to drop so I was hopeful that I might be able to make a further dent in my CR. June is generally a busy month of racing with the Janet Kelly Memorial, ToC, and Charlie Grieg Memorial all within the same three week period. With my focus purely on putting out even power laps it was mission accomplished as I dipped under 23 minutes for the first time on this circuit to take the CR down to 22:53. This was accompanied by a new peak heart rate as well as a 20 minute power pb! I have to admit that I was really pleased with this ride amidst so much racing, where inevitably training suffers.

Fish aren't the only things that come battered - my legs were here!

Round 4 in July came off the back of a three week training block (I was due to race on V718 in Yorkshire the week before but it was cancelled due to roadworks). My mission was a hat trick of CR's as I had designs on a mid 22 by the end of the series. Unfortunately the weather conditions weren't quite as favourable as they had been but more unfortunately there was quite a lot of debris on the track and I managed to puncture the tub on my disc on lap 3. By lap 5 it was pancake flat! I just slipped back over the 23 minute mark, had I not punctured I think it would have been close for another CR! However, I still banked a 10 minute power pb and the win so it was a good workout. Not forgetting the enjoyment factor - there is something about riding as fast as you can around that circuit, it flows really well, even when there is a huge head/cross wind hitting you as you leave the first chicane.

Paul came as well, finishing 1st road bike

August seems to have come around far too quickly and marks Round 5, the last of the 2017 series. This is really quite a depressing thought as to me the end of the Castle Combe races is synonymous with the end of Summer! This event also doubled up as the South West Team Championships, which was more for fun than a serious event on the calendar as composite teams were eligible. A few of us 'regulars' entered as a team with Caitlin, Jon, Ben and myself teaming up as 'Rule #5' (see the Velominati Rules). Ben had an absolutely storming ride to take the individual men's win in 19:51, Caitlin won the junior women's category and I broke my CR once again - only for Rachael Elliot (Drag2Zero) to come along and lower it further for the win! Jon, however had a terrible attack of cramp and had to pull up. Sometimes bike racing just doesn't go to plan!

Jon looking happier after R4 where he'd won V40

Despite having to withdraw from Round 1, three wins from rounds 2 - 4 and a strong 2nd place in the final round meant that I had secured the win for the women in the 2017 series and had come so close to being undefeated for a second year running. Rachael has certainly set a target for the CR in 2018!

Focused on the job in hand

Thanks to DB Max, and Rich Lewton Photography for an excellent series and brilliant action shots.