National Road Series Round 3, 26-27 Jun 2021

This was round 3 to the national road series and so far the biggest one. It was 3 stages over 2 days, 1 shorter 30 minute crit race and 2 longer 1 hour races plus an extra lap of the Lydden hill circuit on one of the longer races to make up for them taking out the one lap TT. Day 1 at Gravesend also had prime laps in the races which gave riders opportunities to get some extra time.

The first day was at Gravesend cycle circuit, quite a long course with a good couple of technical corners in it and a few little hills but mostly a flat and quite wide course. The first race was in the morning and this was the 30 minute race. We went anti-clockwise round the circuit so finished with a slight uphill sprint which had 2 prime laps plus a sprint finish. There wasn’t really much to this race in the first half as the bunch stayed tight together and the attacks which mostly came from the front would only string the group out. However towards the end we did manage to drop a good few riders which reduced the group down a bit but still meant that the sprint finish was very close with all the riders.

The second race of the day in the afternoon was slightly more interesting, it was the one hour long one in clockwise direction with 3 prime laps plus the sprint finish which started well but towards mid way started to get a bit choppy. The bunch would group up then string right out going down the descent which hitting the left hander at the end was always interesting. It was about halfway where we hit the first crash taking down 2 riders but only about 50 metres from the finish line where we hit the major crash taking down a good few. It was right in the middle of the circuit where it happened and lucky enough I was behind them so dodged the riders and flying bike pieces but it did mean that I didn’t place very well in that race.

The second day was the best one at Lydden Hill - a pretty short race track circuit which basically consisted of a large hill and a smaller hill in the shape of an L. The track was much wider and more interesting than the first day and it broke the race up more. We started along the home straight to the circuit and went off round the first bend and ascent. For the first couple of laps no attacks happened but after we had picked up the pace and got comfortable around the circuit riders started to attack much often going up the major hill.

This really broke the group up especially after the uphill as the whole group would string right out going down the hill dropping more riders each time. Pretty much every lap this would happen to me as I stuck with them going up the hill but lose position on the downhill. I then had to use the corners and uphill to join back on and lucky enough had enough energy to do so. We finished at the top of the hill, which benefitted me as I knew that I could sprint uphill quite well.

After the hour of racing surprisingly there was still quite a big bunch of riders in the main group, a group of 4 had gone off the front and there were a load of dropped riders round the circuit but going round the last corner coming up to the hill everyone was eager to sprint off the front. It wasn’t a clear sprint from the bottom of the hill as the group all speeded up as if to sprint but then slightly slowed down about halfway up. Then a couple of girls sprinted and I jumped on their wheels which took me round the corner where I could use this as almost a slingshot to pull me across the line. I was extremely happy with this race as I got 7th but also finished well out of the group I was in for the last couple of laps.

Amelia Cebak

Huw Williams