Are you tough enough?

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BY: Matthew Lewis

Published: 26th July, 2012

It's been quite a week for British cycling!

 

What with Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome finishing at the top of the podium in the tour de France, I had also managed to sort out my ongoing chain suck issues! Only one of these headlines made the news though.

I missed last years AYTE and was looking forward to this year's incarnation despite the incessant rain in the weeks leading up to the event. The course was excellent and taking into account all of the rain the course was in surprisingly good condition. I was in for the 4hour event and on the start line there were some fast lads but this event deserved a much higher turn out and what with the round of the BMBS being cancelled I thought that there would have been a much greater turnout.

I went off at the gun like an idiot and promptly was overtaken by a fast spinning, single speeding George Budd who is very quick and was spinning his legs at an unbelieveable cadence. Leading riders through the first section of singletrack I excelled myself and led the bunch behind me up a wall of dirt which only at the top I realised that I had probably taken the wrong turn! My fault I should've pre-ridden the course. Thankfully the other riders weren't too concerned since as we were all wondering which way the course went George Budd came spinning by. We latched on and sped our way around the circuitious Porridgepot course. Great riding around here. Totally definitely to my local Welsh routes and well worth a visit to next years event or the Gorricks. My first lap was about 42 minutes and I felt ok and was just off the pace of the leading pack.

Thanks to Guy for the photo. Have a look on his website for some more. www.guyswarbrick.co.uk

It was lap 3 when the bottom felt out of my efforts (almost literally) I had taken onboard a random enery gel- not my usual ones but ones from a brand that I had never tried before. Crikey, I've heard people offering advice about NEVER take any energy gels/drinks that you've not tried before but I thought that with my constitution anything would be alright. I 'm used to my Accelerades but I've run out! The 4th lap went down to 55 minutes and my efforts on the last lap must've been hilarious. Since it went down to 57 minutes and I was reduced to walking some bits of the course to allow my stomach to recover. This is gross reading I know. Walking in white race shoes is bad for the soul.

I limped home in 6th place which was good considering my digestive issues.

It was a great course and very well organised. I can't believe that there weren't more riders there. I'll be back next year, I think the date is 7th July but keep your eyes peeled for the confirmed date since it's well worth a pop! I'll be back next year with my Accelerades.

I wonder what will happen next July with the Tour?

Matt Lewis

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