Swords CP this wk/end

got back to late to ride and their was an a4 race, so shot up on the motor bike i think it was the a2/3 race i helped out with

few pics http://s804.photobucket.com/albums/yy327/killalanerr/swords%20GP/#!cpZZ1QQtppZZ20

Missed the break (kinda on purpose as I was being marked closely and thought it would be better to bridge on the climb) - I didn't get across and there was a lot of negative racing after that.

Last time up the climb, I decided to do a solo TT effort, fastest lap of my race and could see 3rd on the final climb but couldn't get to it (I was 3-4 minutes back when I started the last lap I think).

My file is up here: http://app.strava.com/athletes/8492

Great course out there, well run event too. We need more races like that before the RAS as prep - a good drag is great as it is not so easy to be a scrubber and it forces everyone to work.

Good turnout with 60 in the A3 bunch - 4 and a half laps and up the nags head 5 times. Cycled out and arrived at the sign on for 11 am to find out there was an hour delay. Thank god I went out with another guy from the club as we were able chat away and kill the time. Had done the course twice in the swords club league and apart from up the naggs head climb it wasn't as hard. The main difference between the two were that the speed yo yo'd quite a bit in the A3's as the bunch reacted to break attempts compared to the constant effort in the league races.

Kept well up the front on the first lap and led the bunch onto the climb but just took it easy up it. A break went on the first full lap and was doing turns of the front with 4 guys, just keeping the pace ticking along. Had to laugh at lads shouting to chase down people jumping off the front as they were sitting comfortably in the middle of the bunch. If you want to chase people down then come out and do it yourself! Anyway the wannabe directeur sportifs giving orders annoyed me a bit so i just dropped back into the bunch and span along for another lap before trying to get away on the motorway. Came to nothing so just ticked along till the 2nd last time up the climb. Pace up it was good - set mostly by two Cuchulainn lads and then I took it up for the final section. Tried to break off the summit a few times and got a bit of a gap once or twice but the bunch kept getting pulled back.

Was at the front taking taking it handy into ballyboughal and sat up for a bit as two guys went up the road. Nobody was reacting so put the head down and went after them, making sure not to drag the entire bunch with me. Figured that a break had to go before the motorway as everything was chased down on it. Picked up one of the guys from swords and was joined by a guy I knew well from our stint in the A4's. We got the pace line going and kept plunging away. First time I looked back and the bunch were hovering but we were joined by another guy then and with 4 we kicked on better and caught one guy ahead - 5. Kept the pace high and when i looked back again I couldn't see the bunch. Happy Days! We worked well on the motorway and were joined by two more guys and fair play to them they didn't hang at the back but went straight to work in the line.

At the turn off the motorway to the climb i passed pprenderville doing marshal duty and gave him by best blue steel face. Knew that we had it at this point but the a few of us still put good turns in. I put in a big effort half way up and then John from Navan did likewise and just kept if going for the rest of the way up. When I look back we were clear with the bunch eating up some of the guys from our break. John took the win and really deserved it as he had been doing lots of turns at he the front the whole day. Came 2nd and was pretty happy to get some A3 points.

Fantastic feed of apple pie, sambos, tea and coffee after the race and thanks to swords cc who made it happen!

honkjelly is a Dublin Wheeler *spits* ( ) but very much a wednesday night regular.

my season has come a shuddering halt last week or so. missed last 2 Wed lge spins and looks like this week as well. flu like symptoms since last Turs and feels like im swallowing nails every time i swallow now. gargling warm water with copious amounts of salt and on meds which im hoping fixes me. might try a jens voigt and just say shut up throat on wed night.

enjoyed marshalling yesterday altough would have preferred to have been riding. arrived on time only to find out race was delayed an hour so went back home with friend for tea and came back out late only to bump into Joe McNally on old N1. got hi-vizeses and flag off him and was assigned to turn off for Nags head. got lots of pics from here so here are a few of these best. Lusk_Doyle - you're some poser. well done to all yesterday. thank God the rain stayed away for the most part.

pprendeville wrote: »

which one of these lads won the race? well done on getting away. would sicken you alright listening to people shouting to catch breaks when they do nothing themselves.

Was 1st and 2nd as you see in the picture. It's ok when you are up the road cos you don't hear them!

morana wrote: »

.... I was absolutely Fegusoned...

LOL!. That's one to use in the future:D.

honkjelly wrote: »

Had to laugh at lads shouting to chase down people jumping off the front as they were sitting comfortably in the middle of the bunch. If you want to chase people down then come out and do it yourself!

Same craic in Donegal, guys going off the front & one or two muppets sitting in the bunch shouting "Up, Up, Up". Shove it Up yer hole gobsh*tes.

honkjelly wrote: »

John took the win and really deserved it as he had been doing lots of turns at he the front the whole day. Came 2nd and was pretty happy to get some A3 points.

You two guys will be joining me in A2 very soon, sooner than I want to know:rolleyes:. Well done honkjelly.

I done the A3 race.Hardest race ive ever done,fair play to the lads in the break staying away, i tried to get away a few times but no luck.Anyone got the results?