Home >> SA Pro Cycling >> Just missed it!
Just missed it! - Daryl Impey
|
|
Thursday, February 24, 2005 |
On Tuesday we raced a 1.2 race called Menton-Savona (just next to Monte Carlo on the Italian border ed.). It was along the coast the whole way and was very flat but the weather was bad at times, raining and even a little snow at some stages - but it was a really nice race, anyway! There was supposed to be a hard climb near the end but, because of the weather, they took it out.
Most of the teams there were Italian and its a lot different to racing in France! I think every team was hoping for a bunch sprint, and even my team was just looking after me all day, moving me up, keeping me out the wind, and keeping some of the Italians in line.
A group of 15 riders went up with the road, with two La Pomme guys in the move, Remi Pauriol and Sasha. They did a really good job and got away from the break and were only caught with four kays to go, so all I had to do was follow the line of La Pomme and let them keep me in front. Thierre David, an older rider on La Pomme, did an awesome job all day and I was really pumped for the sprint because of all the work they had done for me.
In the last two kays it was the Grassi-Marco Pantani team on the front, with me and Tim Cassidy in top 10, we had fun pushing our way around the bunch, and in the last 400m we were in the best places, fourth and fifth in the line. All that was left of the race was one left hand bend and we would be roaring down the home straight for the win, but as luck would have it, this one wasnt meant for Tim and I as two Italians crashed in front of us, bringing the pair of f us down.
It was such a stupid mistake on their part as they didnt see the turn, and especially because it was raining and you couldnt brake, so we slid with the two of them, watching the win run away from us !
We are OK, though, just the normal cuts and grazes, but theres always a next time, and then we wont be sitting on the same Italians wheels, hopefully!
This weekend its the Jean Mass race, only 140km but loads of climbing, so I doubt that a bunch sprint is possible!
* Please note the up-beat tone of Daryls diary - theres clearly a win waiting for the Jo-burg youngster, and it cant be too far away!
|
|
|