Race Report – Julian Pittoco – Westpoint 2/3/4 3rd at 50…!!

Westpoint 2/3/4 3rd at 50…!!

With the conditions being dry and warm for the race, there was a good entry for Westpoint’s season curtain closer. .Like many others, I really enjoy the circuit. With fast flowing corners and a short hill, it feels a bit like a road circuit without the cars…

I wasn’t sure of my tactics for the evening. It seems that most races ive been in this season have been won from breaks. So undecided I decided ?! to let the race unfold ands see what happened. A couple of early breaks formed, but it wasn’t long before they were brought back. It wasn’t too windy, but it was strong enough to make things hard for anyone trying to get away.

The 5 lap to go board was shown which brought about a flurry of activity, but still no one got away. With the showing of the last lap board Perky went off the front. I didn’t want to chase down a fellow MDCC rider, but once I saw Exeter wheelers Sam Birkinshaw catch him, I sprinted to be third wheel. Perky pulled hard along the top straight and down the hill into the wind. Sam passed perky on the bottom straight and I followed him through, but I didn’t have the best line for the last corner and lost a bit of momentum. It was a perfect lead out from Sam( unintentionally !) and I passed him on the finish straight. But unfortunately I was the perfect lead-out for the two riders behind me.

The second placed rider just beat me by a whisker, depriving me of a seasons best result. Maybe a better line through the last corner would have seen me stay in front.. But if’s and but’s aside, I’ll have to be happy with two 3rds from this season. And I am… 🙂

And to cap it all…..I celebrated my 50th birthday 3 days previously, making me older than the 1st and 2nd placed riders ages combined…… so a little life in the old dog yet..!!!!!!