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OPINION

Odd Down Masters: round 1

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Coming off the back of a two-day audax for a very different challenge

Continuing my theme of only doing events that last less than an hour or more than a day, last night was the first summer race at Odd Down circuit in Bath for me. It was a masters race, so a mix of riders more grouped by age than ability. I ride for Bath, and we had Rob Pears in the race. He’s the fastest 56-year-old I know, and last year was the fastest 55-year-old of the lot, or at least the League of Veteran Racing Cyclists national criterium champion for his age group. So we were pinning our hopes on him. Not ideal then when I got shut out early on and made him ride on the grass for a bit. Sorry Rob. Anyway, the idea was that he would win, and we would help if we could.

Odd Down Masters round 1 - 4 (© Gemma Stephenson)

To be honest, after knocking off 600km at the weekend I wasn’t sure how much help I’d be. But I'd finished the big audax on Saturday and hadn’t done much since, so I’d had a few days of recovery. And when we rolled off and the race got going I was feeling okay. It’s always hard, but I wasn’t flying off the back, which was what I was expecting. I was trying to do two specific things: hit the sprints out of the hairpins hard to try and maximise the amount of time I could spend coasting in the pack; and get nice and low whenever I was in the wind to minimise the amount of work I had to do. I was hiding about halfway down the pack for the first half of the race anyway, and I was pretty comfortable, relatively speaking.

Odd Down Masters round 1 - 9 (© Gemma Stephenson)

Rob attacked with about six laps to go, and towed one other rider away with him. Myself and Steve moved to the front of the pack at that point and tried to make a nuisance of ourselves with a view to slowing things down a bit and letting Rob build up a lead. And, for once, it worked: when we hit the front we’d ease off a bit, and when attacks came past we’d try to mark them and then sit in, before coming past and easing off again. When the three laps to go board went up, it was pretty clear that they were staying out; to be honest I think Rob would be able to ride off the front whatever was happening behind, but it’s nice to think you played a part, and we did at least do what we set out to do.

Odd Down Masters round 1 - 7 (© Gemma Stephenson)

A couple of late jumps came and went but it was still mostly together when the bell came, and I found myself thinking: I’ve enough left for a sprint here. So sprint I did, and I think I came eighth, which is a considerably more positive result than I was expecting in what was a pretty tough race. Oh, and Rob won. Of course.

Odd Down Masters round 1 - 1 (© Gemma Stephenson)

Thanks to Gemma Stephenson for the pics

https://www.facebook.com/StephensonCyclingPhotos

 

Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

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6 comments

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Rob Pears | 5 years ago
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Great write up Dave. I appreciate the teamwork. No problem regarding the cyclo cross  3

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peted76 | 5 years ago
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Excellent team work there SuperDave!

Are you by chance qualifying for PBP with these big rides?

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dave atkinson replied to peted76 | 5 years ago
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peted76 wrote:

Excellent team work there SuperDave!

Are you by chance qualifying for PBP with these big rides?

nah, not this year. i might do it in 2023, maybe

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peted76 replied to dave atkinson | 5 years ago
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dave atkinson wrote:
peted76 wrote:

Excellent team work there SuperDave!

Are you by chance qualifying for PBP with these big rides?

nah, not this year. i might do it in 2023, maybe

I'm considering LEL for next year.. just not sure I can be arsed with the 'qualifying' faff..

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Rod Marton replied to peted76 | 5 years ago
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peted76 wrote:

dave atkinson wrote:
peted76 wrote:

Excellent team work there SuperDave!

Are you by chance qualifying for PBP with these big rides?

nah, not this year. i might do it in 2023, maybe

I'm considering LEL for next year.. just not sure I can be arsed with the 'qualifying' faff..

Next LEL is in 2021.

You don't have to do any qualifying rides, but there are criteria for preferential entry.

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mikewood | 5 years ago
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I managed 1 lap in a break with Rob at Pinvin and he basically ripped our legs off! Very strong rider  1

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