Tour of Britain
David Smith | Tuesday 7th September, 2004
David Smith |   |
Well, this time my excuse is my dad's computer, an apple mac that refused to let me post an entry while I was at home over the past couple of weeks (honest!). I decided to come home a bit earlier than planned for the Tour of Britain as my form was beginning to slip and I was struggling to finish races, a good rest was required. I came back on the 16th of August giving me a couple of weeks to rest up and then prepare myself for what was to be the biggest race I'd ever done!
Fortunately the lay off worked and I was able to start the race feeling refreshed. The first stage was by all accounts a fairly intimidating affair, 207km, the longest race of the year and with the pros! To be lining up with riders of the caliber of Andreas Kloden (2nd at the Tour) was a truly surreal but also the most exciting expirience of my career to date. Things started really well for the team with Duncan attacking from the gun, the pros were a bit annoyed and let him go. He took 2 others with him for what was to eventually be a mamoth 160km break. The best part was that he took the KOM points and when he arrived back in Manchester some 5hours later the climbers jersey awaited. This really took the pressure off everyone as this feat had more than justified the team's invitation to the race. As for myself I was blown out with 20km to go and promptly lost myself 15minutes but I had survived and would live to fight another day!
The following stages went almost exactly as Brian Smith and team manager Alasdair MacLennan had predicted. Having the both of them there to advise us made a huge difference and their expirience was evident from the start to finish. Brain had thought on stage 2 the initial selection would be made on the climb of Holme Moss and we had to make sure we made it into the gruppetto in order to avoid elimination. I rode as hard as I could on the climb and hung on the the main group although in true pro style with another group up the road they took it easy and just rode to the finish.
My toughest day came on the 4th stage, a dual carriage way fest in south Wales. The pace was hard from the start and only briefly relented after an hour or so when the right break had gone. The chase soon began however and I quickly realised the fatigue was starting to catch up with me. On one occasion I was dropped from the bunch but eventually managed to make my way back after coming back up through the convoy. Things didn't really get much easier although I wasn't dropped again I was clinging on for grim death all the way. A special thanks here to Duncan without whom I would maybe have given up. Although in terms of performance this was my hardest day I would count it as the one where I truly learnt to suffer and pull through, something until this point I had struggled with. It's one thing to suffer when you are dishing out the punishment but it's much harder to suffer when you are literally hanging on by the skin of your teeth!
The final stage in London was event from which the memories will last a lifetime. I have never done a race in front of such a huge and enthusiastic crowd and in such an amazing location. It was a fitting climax to what had been an incredible 5 days of racing and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came out and supported the race, especially those cheering for Scotland and most of all to the support from my parents because without them I'd never have come this far. Also a big thanks to all the support staff on the Scotland team who all did a fantastic and faultless job with probably the fewest resources of all the teams there!
Anyway, tomorrow I fly back to France and the flight's at 6.20am so I'd better get off to bed! I'll be there for 3 to 4 weeks before coming back to Scotland for the winter training!
a bientot.
