Once again, we were forced onto the replacement course that runs from Stony out via Calverton and Whaddon to turn at the A421. This time, of course, we were rather better prepared for the legions of parked cars and sharp turns that characterised the course. The evening itself wasn’t too breezy, but was overcast and hot and muggy.
I got off to a pretty good start, and settled into the predominantly uphill outward leg. Really the only issue started at Whaddon. On the run up towards Whaddon, I could see Graham desperately trying to get round a slow moving tractor. As I approached him, we were passed by a couple of cars, who then had to trundle along behind said tractor. Neither Graham nor I could make it past the tractor once it started going uphill, and by the time the entire procession of tractor, cars and cyclists reached Whaddon, we found ourselves static as the tractor gave way to oncoming traffic, and the two cars did odd manoeuvres. Eventually we were moving again, though somewhat slowed by the tractor, which went all the way to the turn.
I passed Graham near the turn and set off back again, for a pretty uneventful return leg (though I was a bit grumpy about the holdups). I recalled the short steep section after the descent from Whaddon, and remembered to drop the gears a bit... not enough though, it was still painful…
I finished with 27:15, good enough for third place. It’s a good course, quite technical and challenging. The road surfaces are pretty rubbish in places, and there does seem to be a lott of parked an mobile traffic on the course. Several riders were delayed by motorists pulling in and out of their drives.
It’s back to the Stoke Hammond course next week, but I hear that the road has been resurfaced with chippings, so that might well be a bit of a pain.