27th Sam Robinson Memorial Road Race
27th Sam Robinson Memorial Road Race, hosted by the Glasgow Nightingale cycling club. It was meant to be held on the 31st March but was moved to the 4th August because of foot and mouth restrictions. The course: Milngavie, Strathblane, along the A81 taking a right turn before Aberfoyle, through Port of Menteith, left turn up the Braes of Greenock (1st Prime), along the back road to Callander, along the Invertrossachs road (past Wheels), up the Dukes Pass (2nd prime) down into Aberfoyle, along the A81 and left to Buchlyvie, small loop via Ward toll and Ballat toll, back to Buchlyvie, Arnprior, Top of the World (3rd Prime), Fintry, Killearn, Strathblane. 85 miles. Arrived at the race HQ at approx. 0930hrs and did the usual faffing and blethering to folk that I haven't seen since the last race. Signed on, noticed about 40 names on the start sheet. Got changed, sorted out where I wanted my second bottle handed out and got on the bike 10 mins later than planned for a warm up. I've noticed that it doesn't matter how early I get to a race, I always end up late for my warm up. Race start 1030hrs.
At the start of the neutralised zone I'm right at the back of the
bunch, this wont do and start creeping up the outside to the front
while the pace is easy. We head out of Milngavie, the flag drops
and the lead car drifts of signalling the start of the race. I'm
sitting in the second row and the pace feels like were out for a
social ride. Stuff it I'm having a go, BANZAI..........and I drift
away with nobody bothering to chase me.
I'm out on my own for about 5 mins and now I'm starting to hurt and I can feel myself slowing down. I look back with no sign of the bunch chasing. another couple of minutes and now I'm thinking of easing right up and eating humble pie to drift back into the bunch. I look round to see two riders coming across, with no bunch chasing them. I keep grinding away and they catch me just before Strathblane. I take a small rest missing a couple of turns at the front then start working. We keep riding and manage to get a maximum time gap of around 2.5 mins. Once we get to Port of Menteith I realise we wont be getting caught before the first Prime at the Braes of Greenock, and start trying to work out who of my comrades will be the strongest on the hill. Never having being in the position of being a contender for the K.O.M. whilst being in a lead break in a race before, I wasn't sure what to do. Do we keep working to stay away? Or do we attack each other for the points? Once in sight of the Prime flag one of my buddies attacks and I go with him, O.K. that's the standard been set now. I change up into the big ring and wind it up to take 1st place. Now, the Prime ain't at the top of the hill so its hell the rest of the way up while I try to recover. We get over the top and start working again down the hill and into Callander. Along the Invertrossachs and onto the main road we get told the gap is down to 1 minute 50. Uh-oh, sounds like there's been a split on the Braes and the strong guys are getting there act together and chasing. We struggle along and were all getting tired. Onto the Dukes Pass and my bottle is empty, it looks like I've timed it to perfection with my feed. Up the Dukes and we keep it sensible, until the start of the 2nd Prime. The speed goes up again with the same person driving it. Right now I've got a dilemma, my feed is just before the prime. What do I do? go for the prime, miss the bottle and risk getting cramp through dehydration and at worst have to quit the race, or get my bottle and let my competitor take the points? I go for the prime, win it, and curse myself for being short sited.
Down
the hill into Aberfoyle and out the other side. We get told there's
been a split on the Dukes with 4 riders coming across to us at 30
seconds. Tired and thirsty we collectively decide to ease up and
our group becomes 7 strong. Now it's hell I'm heating up with no
fluids with I reckon about 35 miles to go. We do the Buchlyvie loop
and turn right for the "top of the world" at Arnprior. The pace
stays steady at the start but I'm struggling. One of my original
break buddies is first to crack and drifts off the back, then I'm
next. I keep grinding away to the top and there's no sight of them.
Through my feeders initiative I get my second bottle now and proceed
to get cramp. I ride it off and consume half the contents of the
bottle on the way down into Fintry.
I've eased up now waiting for the chasing bunch to catch me, my original break buddy catches me and we work a little until were caught on the road to Killearn. With one of the original break still up the road. The chasing bunch has been whittled down to about 10 riders and It hurts to try and keep up. The usual attacks go off on the run and we pick up another dropped rider from the lead bunch. 3 riders get about a 5 second gap on the run in and nobody wants to chase them. We take a left up the hill at strathblane and the sprint starts. Everybody is knackered and we roll across the line at a speed that must have looked pitiful. I manage to get 8th place overall and enough points to win the King of the Mountains prize. 1st Tim Allen
2nd Gordon Murdoch
3rd Philip Brown
4th Adrian Murphy
5th Tony Hastie (the only one from the original break who managed to stay away)
6th Craig Gilmour
7th Graham Mcgarrity
8th Bryan Russell
9th Prasad Prasad Bryan Russell
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