A rare chance to race local roads, and to get some proper climbing in! Dave and I headed to Banbury for the Banbury Star Road Race – 70km including 3 climbs of Edge Hill. Slightly apprehensive!
Denis’ Race
A full cohort of 80 riders made for some real washing machine pack dynamics until the first climb split the race into many small groups. I did enough to stay in the lead group, which numbered around 20 and worked reasonably well together. On the second climb, two riders took off into the distance, a few were dropped, and the group was reduced to around 15 with one lap to go. Still working reasonably well together, one of the leading duo came into sight, riding solo, as we approached Edge Hill for the 3rd time. I’d been super apprehensive about the final climb, but although the group strung out a lot, nothing collected into groups bigger than a few riders, meaning it came back together again over the top, and the climb hadn’t actually been as brutal as I’d feared.
Enough left for a sprint? 3 or 4 of our group started pulling, with the 2nd placed rider teasingly within sight, but we failed to get organised enough to catch him before ~2km, at which point everyone started thinking about the finish. The winner won by a minute, while the 2nd placed solo rider reached the line 2 seconds ahead of the rapidly approaching bunch. I was first in the bunch kick, for 3rd overall! Chuffed with that. No regrets about the guys who got away. I’d have never stayed with the winner, and I did my fair share of chasing them.
A great event – So nice to get some tactical climbing in a Road Race.
Dave’s Race
Seeing a big group turn up at the start and having seen the pace from the gun of my previous road race I was considering how long I’d still be in the group, would I even make it as far as the 1st time up Edge Hill?
The group set off and learning from my previous races I made a real effort to stay near the front of the group. A bit more assertiveness, following wheels and plugging gaps got me in the hang of it and I managed to stay within sight of the front while also feeling pretty comfortable all the way to the ramp into Edge Hill.
I put in a big effort up the hill and actually went passed a lot of riders keeping me near the lead group of 20 riders that Denis mentioned (I’ll trust his maths, I was probably seeing double by the top). I arrived at the top on the tail of the front group and tried to hang on as we picked up speed again. However, never quite managed to get back into the main group and as a couple dropped off the back I just didn’t have it in me to close the gap.
I spent the remainder of the 1st lap and the start of the 2nd lap rolling on my own and it took some time for the next group to catch up (that hill really had blown everyone apart). Joined into a nice paceline for the rest of the 2nd lap until the finish line kick broke us up and a handful got ahead up the road. It was clear the group of 6 that remained were cooked and we rolled round the 3rd lap but with no-one really working.
3rd time up Edge Hill and I felt pretty good, knowing that from the top it was a fast roll down to the finish I put in some effort and left most of the group behind. 3 of us crested together and worked, taking nice smooth turns to keep away until the finish. The “sprint” for the finish being what you might expect for 3 riders near the back of the pack, lacking any form of enthusiasm and us basically all rolling across the line together.
Great morning of racing on a really nice course and I seemed to do better than expected on Edge Hill. Looking back at my stats, the first time up Edge Hill felt like I gave it everything and Garmin agrees flagging my highest ever 5 minute power and max heart rate!
Authors: Denis Gorman and Dave Mills
Date: 21st May 2023
Photos courtesy of Banbury Star Cycling Club
