Race Report – S100/50 TT – Conrad takes another win!
Another great performance in tricky condition from Conrad Moss
Race Report
There was a familiar theme on the weekend of the SAW 50. Saturday in Cornwall was blessed with sun, light breeze and bright blue skies. The forecast for Sunday was slightly different.
Sunday arrived with the obligatory 4.45 am wake up, and driving down with Lee Sanderson it seemed like the Met Office folk had made a uncharacteristic error as despite the somewhat cool temperatures, the skies were relatively clear.
Pre race prep didn’t go to plan, as first my power meter died, and then; just 10 min before the off I hit a bump in the road which caused my saddle to drop. So here I am tinkering with saddle, leg warmers and warm up jersey on, when Lee rolls by to meet the time keeper, just 4 minutes before my start.
Mechanicals fixed and I’m on my way. Upon joining the DC it’s clear that the wind has picked up, with a 20 mph X wind blowing across the exposed course it’s clear that my own course record would most likely be safe for another year.
I’m riding well, perhaps chancing my arm a bit with pacing, but I’m feeling very comfortable as I catch rider after rider, and holding just over 28 mph avg speed, which I know will get me close to my CR, which on a day like today would be a good ride. At 30 miles I reach to my shorts leg to grab my one and only gel – critical to give me a boost for the last 20 minutes, and as I fumble around it falls into the road. No fuel. As if this isn’t bad enough it is now raining, the temperature has dropped accordingly, and the wind is now pushing me out into the middle of the DC – squeaky bum stuff!
The last 12 miles were very hard, the conditions had worsened, I was running a bit low on fuel, and I was frozen (again). I was pushing hard but whereas I can usually lift my power in the last 20 minutes of a 50, it was futile, power was dropping off and my heart rate had plummeted to not much more than endurance pace.
I turned off the DC to complete the last mile at 28 mph avg speed to finish in 1:47:47 to take the win by just shy of 2 minutes from a really good quality field, and just over a minute shy of my CR. All in all a pretty reasonable ride on what was a pretty tough morning racing.
That is now 3 wins and a 2nd from 4 starts, following a late start to the season.
Other Race Team results:
Lee Sanderson 1:56:34
Mike Gratton 1:58:04
Mark Sanders 1:58:24
James Tribble 1:59:39
Ian Deakin 2:10:35
