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Pierre Jodet - 19th May - Distance - 100k

La Pierre Jodet Saturday 19th May 2007

Country - France

Area - Vendoeuvres

Distance - 99.709k

Time - 2:51:31

Entrants - 300

Placing - 8th

Race Report

Held on a pleasant day in middle France (3.5hrs drive from St Malo), my 1st venture into european racing. Now some people might say the cyclosportives are a 'coffee race', my answer? never knock it till you've tried it! You may be pleasantly surpised. If you want to learn how to ride and race correctly then the cyclosportives are a must. Also its the riding with 'new' people that's the learning curve and challenge.

Anyway back to the race day. After a small breakfast and a tactical chat with Tony W, we headed for the start line. 15 minutes down the road and the car park is buzzing, plenty of entries then! 1st lesson learn't, park near the exit, we have to depart straight after the race to get to the next venue. Entry already confirmed the previous day - painless and quick - bike built and ready to line up. Dianne, Tony's significant other of a certain age, is aiming for the 74k distance, us the 100k.

Make out way to the start line, its already forming a fair way back, so edge forward as much as possible. Off pop's the 160k group with us 5 minutes later. Off we go with Tony gaining a few places, but unfortunately I miss that bit, but to much trouble. The pre race chat lead me to believe that making up the 'difference in distance' between the groups would not be to hard. So that proved right after about 40k I got across to the front group (with others in tow).

Ah, bonjour, made contact with Tony, had a little chat, tactical of course, which basically meant that I was to work as a 'domestic' because the ifnish favours the sprinters, which is not me!! As they do in France, that is to allow everyone else to do the work, which was fine by me because we then control the race. Always be at the front end - Why? - well our european friends can't go downhill, round corners or in fact, for a full house, lead from the front!

Anyway, things are looking Ok at the halfway point, apart from missing the turn! our group is down to about 15, manageable, controllable, we head of down the road for a flat'ish part of the the course, one nasty short climb to come (been warned about this one) and Tony informs me that the bunch behind are eating and drinking and waiting for me to do all the work. So slip of the front for a moment and see what happens. Sure enough not a lot, but a drop in power - from 340 watts to 190 watts - maintaining the same speed was handy for me to recover a little.

20k to go and a push on is required to see whats what behind. As normal nobody comes through, but the long straight that we are on is just a touch wind behind, so not a great amount of effort being 'lost' . My job still the same a quick team talk takes place. The finishing straight is right after a roundabout, now if I can just hang on and lead to the turn, I' to just move across the road - not blocking, but moving - and let Tony through on the inside.

Now the day before we looked at the finish and could I remember it? no! we came to a slight rise in the road, which leads to the roundabout. My legs just give way and my thoughts were not on where we were, which they should have been! (learning curve) Tony appears on my left hand side with 2 other riders, blast, can't get across, but he seems Ok. Turn left 200m to the finish line, my race is run, stand up and watch to see if Tony can hold off the other 2. He does and gains 3rd spot (I think). Great finish. A firm handshake was in order.

Facts and Figures from the race below:

@ 10k - 137 watts - 131 bpm - 49rpm - 39.3 kph

@ 50k - 710 watts - 119 bpm - 88 rpm - 35.4 kph

Last 10k (all avg figures) - 246 watts - 141 bpm - 92 rpm - 35.4 kph