Hell of the Top of the South - Race 8

While it was heralded as the Hell of the Top of the South, Race 8 of the winter series gave only a glancing nod to this famous european race.  

The course consisted of multiple laps of the Wakefield, Bridge Valley circuit (about 9.5 km long and scheduled for sealing later in the year).  A grade stayed together until the climb over St Johns hill where I stretched the group out a bit and bought back an early attack by Richie and Gary.  Chris N and George attacked coming into the gravel section and we were all strung out in a long line.  An oncoming car and a gap opened up by a rider in front meant that I was dropped from the front group.  The gravel was quite thick in places and there were numerous punctures which I somehow had managed to avoid.   Chris C had made it into the front group and I tried to close in on them when we got back on the seal but it was too hard.  I picked up by a group containing Henry, Richie, Garry, Grant and a few others.  I had hoped that they might work together to try and chase but they showed little interest.  I rode hard on the front hoping that we might catch them but it was no use.  We passed Chris C twice fixing punctures.  As we came up to him the second time he waved and I threw him a tube.  On the last lap I rested as it was going to come down to a sprint.  Coming along Bird Lane I was at the front but needed to get into a better position.  No one was coming through so as we went around the Bird Lane corner at a good pace I pulled hard to the left and applied the brakes.  The others shot past on the right and I was able to hop onto the back of the group.  The pace now really slowed as everyone started to watch everyone else.  I dropped off the back a little to give myself a run up.  The finish line was in Pictfure Road which was at the end of a short climb.  It was getting closer and as a car came past the group I launched my sprint.  I managed to hold them off and finished first in our group although Henry was very very close.  

I placed 5th overall which wasn't too bad an outcome.