Another win!

What can I say, the conditions were ideal for a man from Northern Ireland. It wasn't blazing hot and just a few hours before the race start a cloud flew over the course and dumped a good week or twos worth of rain upon it. The course was slippery, damp and ideally suited to someone used to riding in those conditions.

Saying that, when I done my practice lap I was concerned I might struggle. I don't know whether it's my tires or just me but when the course is slippery, I feel the bike is just dying to throw me off. I have to assume it isn't me because I ended up winning the race, but you also have to factor in the fact that once they shout GO and the race begins you look at the course very differently than you might on a practice lap. You're confidence in cornering changes and you no longer worry that the tires might not hold the course.

At least I didn't and while there were a few close calls the bike held together pretty good.

Of course, I probably shouldn't have won the race.

It was on the first climb right at the start of the race when I heard the thumping sound of ACDC coming from just behind me. I didn't look around but I assumed someone had parked a car nearby though I never recall seeing one and it wasn't an area you would easily get a car into. The sound got louder however and soon it was alongside me. "Really?" I asked of myself. I looked over to see some kid with a large backpack on with what seemed to be a stereo inside. A boombox. A ghettoblaster. Whatever it was it was pumping out the tunes, everyone seemed to like it, but they also questioned the sanity of the kid riding with it and riding faster than anyone else.

I just figured he would blow and so I settled into my rhythm of trying to keep my heart-rate down until the final lap. I went onto the final lap probably in about forth or fifth, and with plenty in the legs I went up the final climb well and was soon within ears shot of the music again. I had caught the bloke with the tunes and after spending a minute trying to recover from the climb I attempted to sit on his wheel. But he was moving well and every time the course turned up he would increase the gap. I figured I was settling for second as we approached the final quarter of a lap with me twenty yards behind when he suddenly pulled in to stop.

Sure I was now in the lead I put the foot down and kept it down until I crossed the line. A minute or so later so did the kid with the music and when I asked him why he stopped his explanation was simple. It wasn't mechanical and he claims it wasn't exhaustion. "I wanted to change the tune."

Ride details: