The Rollercoater continues
James McCallum | Wednesday 28th July, 2010
James McCallum |   |
Well the title of this blog should be longer but I couldn’t fit “Biggest dry spell ever” in as well. Still no wins in 2010
However the
past 2 months have been all over the place not only in terms of
Racing,Venues,Sleeping arrangements etc.But also in terms of the main
resounding theme of the year……Luck.
Having
spent 6 weeks going toe to toe with Motorpoint and Rapha in the Tour series we
finally get to the final round in second position just 3 points behind the
leaders. To some it’s almost like the good old Scottish football team analogy
of goal difference and mathematical optimism. Bear in mind we had 2 rounds with
only four to finish as Haylesy crashed twice. I finished 2 rounds including the
vital final at
Things were getting oh so close and we were I’m sure you will understand getting a little sick of always being the bridesmaids
Having been in the thick off the crits for most of the year and having Wilko on the team made us the favourites for the Champs. Winny sat us all down and told us the score of what he expected of us over the next 80 mins, I was luck enough to be given a little more freedom this time around which was great for me. Wilko was designated leader and if all else failed we would put everything into delivering home across the line first. After all he is the King of the Crits this year.
As is
always the racing started hell for leather with loads of people buzzing and
even more people taking crazy unnecessary risks. We had every move covered (big
shout out to Wavy Davy Lines here, he’s been awesome this year and more than
moved up a level) with each of us taking our turn. After around 20 mins a small
move went with Tennant,House and Tom Murray and that when the old Spidy sense
started to tingle. This move was the moment I’d been waiting for. I roasted
across the gap, a lap later our quartet had 20 seconds. For the remaining 40 or
so minutes we hung out in front of the bunch, 10secs, 30secs, 17secs, 26secs.
We started realising that we might stay away. As lap board stared to hit single
figures the confidence started growing and the nerves started brewing. What was
I thinking………..
2 to go now
and we still had 20 seconds.
1 to go 15
seconds.
We all
start looking at each other.
I look at
Tennant, he looks at me, I look at Kristian, Tennant jumps.
I’m
straight on him, but the camera bike is a little close so we swerve past it.
3 corners
left, Tennant banks the bike over.
CRASH!!!
I somehow
get under his bike and I think I see Kristen getting caught up to.
In my head
all I can hear is GO GO GO SPRINT….COME ON!!!
2 corners
to go and i’m not sure what’s happening so I look back.
1 corner to
go I can still see daylight between me and the charging bunch.
200 meteres
to go I hit the cobbles.
All I can
think about is…Finally I might have my stripes back.
Then…….Boom……
5th…….*&^%$£”****!!!!!!!
It’s pretty hard to explain how it felt to be caught 50 yds from the line (especially in a way that can be posted).
Ed Clancy ripped up the cobbled finishing straight as I slowly began to lose my momentum and slow. With him he brough another 4 riders including…..Wilko who finished a frustrating 2nd and soooo close to the win.
I was inconsolable and in tear as I rolled round the warm down lap.Best word to describe it is Dark with s capital D.For the last 2 weeks all ive done is question question question.But the real answer is, I just didn’t go fast enough.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings and continued support.
Keep up with the year thus far on twitter and my Youtube page all below.
Jimmy Mac
Twitter
jimmy_mach10
Youtube
channel http://www.youtube.com/user/jamba100
