Milan San-Remo Vs The Dick Londragon Memorial RR

The race season is still only just getting started and the action from last weekend will already take some beating.  La Primavera, the first monument of the year lived up to its pre race build up with an action packed finale on Saturday afternoon.  Come Sunday it was the turn of the Scottish amateurs in the Dick Londragon RR.  Same sport, bicycle road racing, but in reality the two were not really anything like one another.  The weather near Aberdeen was far better than Italy for starters!

The finish of MSR included some of the biggest names in the sport, but once they had the final selection of 10 riders after the Poggio there was no cooperation between the riders.  Out of a 300km race the main contenders had been almost unseen, with their team mates working on the front keeping the peleton moving and chasing down any breaks getting more than a handful of minutes.

The Londragon RR on the other hand, the selection for the break was made in the opening 20km, and included all the usual contenders.  After a lot of jumping about pretty much everyone you'd expect to get in the break had got in it, and they then proceeded to work together to ride away from the bunch.  The finale was, from a participants perspective, more exciting than MSR.  Getting away from the final group of 5 with about 2K to go, thinking I was going to win, getting caught by Evan and coming home second.  It was a great race.  The circuit, the roads, weather, result was all good.

Races like MSR and pro cycling provide inspiration, but its races like Sundays that are the best.  Taking part yourself rather than just watching.  Training, thinking about the next race, wanting to do better.  2nd place on Sunday, after the opening race at Gifford was a relief, and a motivation.  This season can be a big success, with some more work, its still early and things are looking good!  Pic at the top is taken by Emma from Granite City