PTW

Your man in the (cold and wet) field reporting back...

Another week another Maindy. As I may have mentioned, my weekend was not one of athletic pursuits and in an attempt to redress the balance I managed to get in a long ride on Monday, only to discover my legs were not ready to co-operate. After forcing them around a 5hour hilly loop they and I had decided racing on Thursday would not be a good idea. So it was that I proceeded to wreck them further with a leg weights session on Monday night and Tuesday. It didn't matter; I wasn't racing Thursday was I?!

Thursday rolled around and a quick text to James to say good luck and I was free. Or not. A barrage of abuse followed, and before I knew it I was pining on my number yet again.

Team mechanic and mobile spare parts man (more on that later) Charles had ridden up again, in what by now was a wet, cold and miserable night in Cardiff. So it was 30 riders, undeterred rolled up. Cwmcarn had called in reinforcements and were now 6 strong with the legendary David Povall in attendance.

But as I say: "If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same; you’ll be a Port Talbot, my son"

So we set off, with a simple plan to sit in the front few, follow wheels and by no accounts go to the front unless we had to. An early puncture for me, and a cannibalisation of Charles bike meant I was back in the race in no time, a late puncture for James but straight back in it (after taking Charles' last wheel!). A dangerous break got away by the mid point, but everyone chipped in to make sure it did not get too far.

So it was we approached the last 10 laps. James had picked up valuable points and we were both looking good.

Ding ding - last lap, sitting nicely, 3/4th from the front, James on my wheel, feeling good when Alan Owen, launching his attack, swung up into my front wheel - tearing out the spokes!! His back wheel took a battering and we slowed, frustrated and forced to walk back to the line.

Fortunately James hung on to get 4th, and so the night was not a bad one for Port Talbot. James is now 2nd overall in the series and owing to my misfortune in the last two races I lie 10th. However, I felt good last night and feel that a result is coming. Port Talbot are certainly making their mark in this series, and bearing in mind the accusation that we are a club that never races, to see us driving the bunch around at 30mph in the wind, rain, cold and dirt certainly does much to dispel those myths.

Roll on next Thursday...

Roll on Davey ... if only to keep us entertained with your narratives !!!!

Impressive !! Well done again you AND James.

here here, mr crowley. Good show last night, one day luck will be on ur side. At last team tactics worked, next week solid tyres and disc wheels front and back should solve the problem .. hahaha.

Trying to figure out last night in bed who was the most stupid, me for riding up to cardiff, or the two of you riding in the rain for an hour going round and round.

Cracking report again David, I feel the urge to travel to Maindy Track next Thursday.......... just to give you two guys some support from the terrace.