PTW

Well the big race in Wales today was a very tough one indeed. On a very difficult course in crickhowell/tal-y-bont. With all the welsh clubs well represented including ptw with 'col de tank'. Under the blazing heat it felt like a day out of this years Giro with all the climbing to match. After my efforts early on being in the first break with an inform George Rose and Rich Harris we were pulled back over the top of the main climb. A string of attacks later a group of five managed to slip away opening a 40 second gap with everybody left panicking behind! An attack through the finish by eventual winner Rob Partridge made me nervous so I made my move on the climb taking George Rose with me.

As we picked up Rob we rode hard up to the leaders catching them just before the descent making the lead group 8 men strong. As legs got weaker the group started to fragment leaving just the 3 I mentioned and an inform Huw Wilson from Llantwit Major.
After that I attacked on one of the punchy climbs with 10km to go dropping George but not enough to shed the other two guys. A big attack from Rob with 5km to go was the winning move leaving me in 2nd. 3.5hrs and 88miles later and an average HR of 164 and max of 197 came a silver medal but no boot money for my troubles I’m afraid. Although I hear Ogmore valley wheelers were not giving out much in a brown envelope either.

Nice one Rhys, cracking ride and good report! Bit of a shocker on the prize money though, how much can you get for a silver medal at Cash Converters?

a chocolate coin would have gone down better i think. thank charles for his wheels everyone reckons they looked mean with out decals dude.

Nice one Rhys, Silver medal in that company, not too shabby at all. and a good report to boot....

A great write-up Rhys and well done!

BTW - Please feel free to get yourself a forum account of your own (just to prevent confusion with Dad really).

Apologies for the lack of 'brown envelope' but this is (was) the Welsh Championships and I thought it was all about the medals and Kudos?

Basically, I had no money for a prize fund as with just 52 entries and the costs of WNEG, Cars and Officials the 'fund' was almost bled dry - would seem an insult to split the £60 or so remaining between 6 riders (top 3 Juniors and Seniors!!)

Another 30 riders and we'd have had an extra £450 that could have (and would have) been used as a prize fund!!

All the more frustrating when a 'chipper' at Llandow can attract over 70 riders on a Thursday evening - and we were clashing with an MTB event that someone saw fit to promote on a Div Champs Day!!! Which also took away potential riders!

Well done Rhys - excellent ride, shame it was Rob's attack that broke Hugh and not yours!! Would have been nice to get 'pay back' for last year!

Steve

No probs with that steve. Was a really well run event and your right it is about the medals. nice job on the race report on BC to. cheers rhys

SteveT wrote

Apologies for the lack of 'brown envelope' but this is (was) the Welsh Championships and I thought it was all about the medals and Kudos?

Basically, I had no money for a prize fund as with just 52 entries and the costs of WNEG, Cars and Officials the 'fund' was almost bled dry - would seem an insult to split the £60 or so remaining between 6 riders (top 3 Juniors and Seniors!!)

Another 30 riders and we'd have had an extra £450 that could have (and would have) been used as a prize fund!!

All the more frustrating when a 'chipper' at Llandow can attract over 70 riders on a Thursday evening - and we were clashing with an MTB event that someone saw fit to promote on a Div Champs Day!!! Which also took away potential riders!
Well done Rhys - excellent ride, shame it was Rob's attack that broke Hugh and not yours!! Would have been nice to get 'pay back' for last year!

Steve