Stage 4: Four laps anti-clockwise

Stage 4 : 2oKm Criterium: The main reason why I had been hanging onto the back of the peleton for three days had arrived. I needed to make it to day four and the criterium. Four laps around a 5km loop in an anti clockwise direction was why I had entered. This would be the tester for what to expect in two weeks time, at the Manhattan beach grand prix. It's been years since I've done a criterium and I was not fooling myself that it was going to be fast. I arrived early and did some warming up on the rollers before a practice lap!

The start/finish was ontop the highest point of the cource with a long 2km drag up to it. The first lap would be a Hotspot for points and KOM points on the second. From the the gun the pace was set , fast!!, I made it into the first corner at about mid pack and moved up to the front ten in the next two corners. Things where going great untill . . . the wheels fell off . . . half way up the drag, the pace kicked up another notch and my legs seized after three days of punishment. I slid off the back and by the time I finished the first lap the peleton was already gone !!. So once again I joined the "life raft" of riders who had missed the move and kept it at a respectable pace on the back sections for the next three laps. On the second time up the drag , there was a brief glimmer of hope that we could bring them back, but this was short lived and they moved further away after collecting the KOM points.

The remaining two laps where kept high and my heart rate did not drop out of the red zone of 170bpm. Unsure how far back I finished , but today has highlighted that I will have to work on my power kick if I wish to stay with the next criterium group up a slight drag!! This has been a wonderful experience and I'm sure I will come off the back of it stronger . . .if anything I should be peaking for my US trip.

At the time of posting I did not have the full results after today, but will keep you posted as to how I finaly did in th GC.