Close but no cigar.

I'm beginning to get miffed at failing to make it to any more of the Hillingdon Winter Series. This week I was robbed of my opportunity by some urgent swing pushing for my 3 year old.

Patrick is yet to be troubled by such obstacles and once again just hopped in his car.

He really is proving his form is coming along, but was let down tactically and perhaps by a lack of confidence. He missed the decisive break, which is so often fatal at Hillingdon, but remained comfortable near the front of the pack.

Towards the end he was a break away group, and when the others faded, launched a bid for the line. Sadly, he'd left himself a little too much do and was caught near the line and passed by 7 riders, robbing him of his first points of the season by one place.

Much like myself after the MOD Chertsey race back in October, he is kicking himself for not going a little earlier and with more determination from the outset. I think we can all learn from this lesson, no matter when they arise, you have to grap your opportunites with both hands and hold on with all your might.

He's getting better and better

Patrick felt quite comfortable this week at Hillingdon. The race was won quite early when Paul Pickup got away with a few others before anyone else had even warmed up. A lot of the riders were unaware anyone had made a break until it was much too late. Patrick had something left in his legs for the sprint but failed get the most out them due to a combination of unfortunate postioning when it mattered and fearing the all too common crash.

It certainly seems like he is getting his form back and his confidence is growing along with it. On circuits such as Hillingdon if you can keep with the bunch okay then you can snatch a placing with a good tactical ride. Of course additional fitness gives you an edge and a little leeway if you misjudge a break. I expect Pat to be edging a few points in the 2/3CAT races within a week or two.

He almost managed to avoid the lens of Dennis Sackett completely perhaps because I mentioned his waist line to him the other day. Fortunately Lycra stretches and below are some images to prove it.


Pat's always happy to suck a wheel.



Pat hits the front on the downhill section

I must be getting old.

This is the time of the week where I usually say to my team mates I can’t race tomorrow because of family commitments. That is the case, but this time it is me that suggested a trip to ‘Winter Wonderland’ in Hyde Park on Saturday and not my wife.

It is a dangerous hobby cycling. If you become the least bit competitive about it, it takes over your life, what you eat, what you dream about. How it becomes the most important thing ones life all of a sudden is amazing. If you want to be successful you need to be so selfish, putting in the miles weekday evening and weekends not matter what the expense. Any girlfriend is on rocky ground as soon as ‘can’t you miss the Thursday chain gang just once’ is asked.


I’ve been obsessed with becoming a 2nd CAT these last few months, not beyond the realms of possibility as I clocked up 16 points from just 2 races. But with Christmas forcing me to miss the last few meets of the Hillingdon Winter Series and ‘family commitments’ a couple more I’ve gradually become more relaxed about my ambition. I still didn’t eat a roast potato or even a Quality Street over the festive period and I’ve continued to train as normal, in fact I am probably at my peak.

I still want to race a few premier calendar events this year but the past few weeks have made me realize how much I like being with my family. Yes I can still tell you the make and model of any bike that happens to pass me and I do sometimes drift off into my cycling mind prompting wife to say ‘hello, hello’ on occasion. But I haven’t been angry about missing the races. I check the results in the evenings sometimes and try and figure where I would have come, I look for friends and team mates to see if I need to congratulate anyone. May be I’m just maturing a little, may be I just believe in my self to know I’ll get the remaining 24 points soon, that they can wait a few weeks. Sitting on the floor doing a puzzle with a 3 year is fun, watching a DVD with the wife without being on the turbo isn’t so bad either.

Pat will be racing Hillingdon this weekend, and dating a new girl in the evening. (She cycles a lot too). On paper I should be jealous, but, well I just I hope she IS the one because I’m having trouble remembering all their names.