NCRA Handicap Road Race No. 1, 1 Mar 2025

My first road race of the season didn't go quite to plan. After a delayed start to let the ice melt, I started in the 2nd group, 3 minutes behind the front group and 7 ahead of the back. I had a good first lap doing a few pulls and even attacking to try bridge across to a solo breakaway. The group was quite disorganised so I had hoped to get a small breakaway going with a few others that would work with me and potentially hold off the groups behind that were closing in.

Unfortunately my back wheel hit a rock going round a corner early in the second lap. The puncture must have sealed but I lost too much air to keep going. I stopped and some kind spectators gave me some CO2 which held just long enough for me to finish the lap on my own but I wasn't able to continue further. Despite the DNF, my main takeaway was positive: after quite a damp and gloomy winter it’s good to know I'm still in decent form. Hopefully the next one will be free from mechanicals and I can actually give it a proper shot.

Toby Mannall