Gaby Book 28 ~ Balancing Trick ~ Chapter *22*

Gaby Book 28  Balancing Trick by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2023 Madeline Bell

When you see road cycling on the telly you could be forgiven for thinking that in mainland Europe at least, bike racing starting or finishing in town and city centres is commonplace. Indeed I have taken part in a few events with such content but its actually far from the norm. Closing down the streets isn’t as simple as sticking a few cones out and it all costs money, so unless the town ‘Fathers’ can see benefit in some way, they will be reluctant to do so.

As a result we get pushed to venues with less impact, smaller towns, trading estates and so on. There are double standards in the thinking, other sports seem to get whole neighbourhoods closed up at will and don’t get me started on football although the chaos they bring is specifically fan related.

Why the diatribe? Well despite being the Bremen Two Day, none of the racing goes close to the city centre, the whole thing is based at the Sportanlagen der Universität Bremen, on the university campus best part of five kilometres north of the old town. The downside of course is that you don’t get spectators unless they are hardcore fans, its no wonder we get the shitty end of the stick.

We changed motorways in favour of the Bremerhaven bound twenty seven and a few short minutes later we were threading the spaghetti of the Universität Bremen Kreuz. This place isn’t what I imagine universities to be like, in my head they are all Hogwarts, huge Gothic edifices of learning. To be fair to my imagination, that description does fit many of them, like Heidelberg where my sister and Boris are studying.

The area we were now entering was nothing like that, instead its wide boulevards and modern office type buildings. A couple of tower cranes suggested building was ongoing, the numerous trees were quite small, this was probably green fields five years ago.

"Not exactly Oxford,” Mand opined.
"Certainly a bit different to when I was at uni,” Dad agreed as he swung the Hymer into the parking.

I suppose one advantage to being out here is the availability of said parking, we were far from the first to arrive, I recognised a few jerseys, if not the wearers, from previous sorties into this part of the world. Dad found a spot for the camper and with some relief, turned off the motor.

"Not seen Josh,” I noted.
"They’ll be here,” Dad stated as he stood to stretch, "Lets get the shelter sorted then you can go find the Kontrolle.”
 

We nearly had the Ezy-up, well, up when the tooting of a horn got our attention. A spanking new bright red Audi A4 Avant, beeped again as it pulled up.

The window powered down and a familiar face grinned out, "This tha place for the bike race?”
"Joe,” Dad enthused, "Nice car, you found us okay?”
"Aye man, hire car, bit quicker than I thought like, its taken us what, forty five minutes?”
"We were doing like a hundred and fifty after Fallingbostel,” Josh advised from the other side of the car.
"Sounds like your mum’s driving Gab,” Mand snickered.
"Let me get parked and I’ll give youse a hand Dave.”
"Thanks.”
 

"Don’t think we need the climbing legs this weekend,” Daz suggested as the four of us followed the arrows to the race HQ.
"Looks can be deceiving,” I observed, "It might look flat but that makes any grades there are more important.”
"Who knows, there might be a railway bridge,” Mand put in.
"Aye hen, the Col de Eisenbahnbrücke,“ Josh joked.
"So how long’s your unc here for?” Mand asked.
"Just a week, said he needed a change of scenery.”

The HQ was in a reasonable sized marquee, we joined the short queue to sign on, each of us clutching our all too important licences.

"Lizenz bitte.“

I passed mine over and of course then had to explain all the endorsements.

"Professioneller Reiter? This event is only for Juniorin.“
"I know, i’m not really a pro but ive had a trial.“
"Let me do the others and i’ll check with the commisaire.“

Again? You would’ve thought the Weltmeisterin line would be the bit that got attention, but no, its the temporary endorsement so i could do that senior race before the BlauHase tour.

A few minutes later i was hailed by the chap in a blazer, what is it with officials and blazers? The four of us were waiting for the verdict, Mand poised to go fetch Dad.

"Fraulein Bond?“
"Thats me.“
"Sorry for the delay, but i told Margrit to check with me if she had any queries with the licences.“
"Sure.“
"We don’t see many international licences and yours is less than ordinary.“
"Tell me about it,“ i allowed.
"If you go see Margrit, she’ll sort you out, good luck with the racing.“
"Er yeah, thanks.“
"No problem.“

"I thought for sure he was gonna say you couldn’t ride,“ Mand mentioned as we checked out the details for this afternoon’s circuit race.

It might be over two days but of course it has three stages, a circuit race today, time trial in the morning then the proper open road race at lunchtime, lowest accumulated time gets the win.

"Dad woulda got it sorted,“ i replied with confidence.
 

"We got a plan for this?“ Daz asked as we made our way back to Apollinaris HQ.
"Its a tight circuit like,“ Josh noted.
"There’s only that one turn to make a move on really,"Mand stated.
"Aye, it’ll be full gas the rest of the way,“ the Toon added.
"We’ve ridden worse right?“
"If you say so Gab,“ Mand put in.
"Okay, no heroics, go for the gallop?”
"Ah can go for that like,” Josh agreed.
"Sounds good to me,” Daz added.
 

There was an hour before we could get on the circuit, when we got back to the Hymer, Dad and Joe were deep in conversation which stopped when they spotted us approaching.

"Sorted?”
"Eventually.”
"What happened?”
"My licence,” I told him.
"What this time?”
"The endorsement for the seniors,” I filled in.
"This is what we get Joe,” Dad told the elder Waugh.
"Ever it was so Dave, you shoulda seen the looks mine used to get, especially after the Peace Race, all sorts of stamps and stuff.”
"At least we don’t have all that now,” Dad agreed.
"Aye, times have certainly changed.”
"Right you lot, there’s a light lunch inside, we’ll eat this evening.”
"Where are we staying?” I asked.
"There’s a camp site just along the road for us, the lads are commuting.”
"Camping,” I groaned.
"Budgets?” he suggested, "Food, go.”

Clearly I missed that bit of the conversation.
 

The circuit was, in reality, a bit more exciting than it first looked, the roads newly laid tarmac except for that loop at the end of the long straight and about two hundred metres before the last corner which were setts, not bumpy as such just a little undulating in places and small kerbs in and out. Maybe there are opportunities here after all. The roads aren’t super wide, the leg up to the turn is quite narrow in fact, they’ve put cones down the middle so we don’t stray to the wrong side, yep possibilities.

Dad gathered us before the call to the line.

"Okay folks, an hour plus one so about forty five K, you need to finish today to stay in the overall, we’ve got some spare wheels, we’ll be just after the line, but lets hope you don’t need them eh? Joe?”
"What Dave said really like, stay out of trouble, be careful on that far kerb, keep it wide going in or it’ll have you on the tarmac.”
"Right good luck, stay safe,” Dad concluded.
 

It might be a relatively minor event in the grand scheme but the organisers were trying to do things like the big boys which meant that whilst there wasn’t a presentation or even a big wig to wave us off, they did have us line up for the start by number. By numbering convention we wore one to four as the first team alphabetically. At least we won’t spend time trying to get from the back of the bunch. I’ve done this many times but I still get butterflies waiting for the off, the countdown clock blinked at us, a minute, forty seconds, twenty five, ten, three, two, one!

‘PAARP!’

And we were off.
 

Riding these small circuits is a lot different to any other racing, time trials require one long steady effort, open road is usually steady with perhaps one or two big efforts. But crits, well its a big effort out of every turn especially on something as flat as today, there simply is nowhere to hide, to take a break, its eyeballs out from the gun or klaxon or whatever.

The first lap was a bit messy as the field settled down, the longest rest being the u turn, maybe twenty metres without pedalling. By the start of lap two we’d dropped back a few places, let others do the work for a change. A small crowd of supporters cheered us through, fifty seven and a half minutes left.

A rhythm set in, almost hypnotic, taking the line, following the wheel, off the gas into the turn then out of the saddle on the way out. In the past I’ve gone all out to get a lap but todays circuit really doesn’t lend itself to that sort of move, whilst three straights are quite short you need pretty much five hundred metres, half a lap to stay out of sight, two hundred to get out of sight even temporarily.

We’d done fifteen minutes when Josh eased next to me on the longest straight.

"We still holding out for the sprint hen?”
"I can’t see a way to break free, its a bit too straight.”
"Aye, you need the bunch slowed right down.”
"Not much chance of that unless there’s an off.”
"Where would you want to go?”
"Top turn maybe? What are you thinking Waugh?”
"Just a thought, at least split the field a bit.”
"Okay.”
"I’ll talk to the others.”
"Nothing stupid right.”
"Aye lass, noted.”

The last thing we need is getting sanctioned for something dangerous.
 
The status quo continued for another couple of laps, oh there were short forays off the front by several riders but none even got to the next turn.

"So? Come up with anything?” I asked when Josh worked his way back to my side at the start of the long straight.
"Next lap, the narrow bit at the end,” he told me soto voce before dropping back again.

Well it was short and sweet and told me enough to formulate my own part in the move. I’d been riding about tenth, twelfth wheel, close enough to the front to keep an eye on things without having to actually commit too much energy in reaction. I didn’t need to know what the others had in mind, I just needed to be ready to make my move.

The turn is a bit tight to pedal through, you have to ease off to get around neatly so no point going before getting round that, so it has to be on the exit. Its the slowest bit of the circuit, maybe fifty metres before things get back to full eyeballs out race speed. I kept an eye on racing lines as we made the turns, maintaining my position in the string easily enough.

Through the finish line, the small crowd cheering for their particular favourites, through the fast, wide left hander onto the straight, soon Bond, soon. Another doomed foray off the front was excuse enough to move up up a few places, by the time the move was neutralised I was in fourth place. And then we were into the narrow bit, just about wide enough for two riders side by side, three would be well dodgy.

I quickly checked my shoes and confirmed my gearing as we hit the setts, taking a slightly wider line into the three sixty turn to maintain a smidgin more speed. Going too soon, before you are clear of the turn, can get a bit messy, especially on this surface but I was ready and hit the gas perhaps a few milliseconds before those ahead of me. With the extra bit of speed I’d carried through it was enough to see me overtake all three of them by the time we were back in the cones.

The angle of approach into turn three is a bit off, I nearly hit the kerb on the way out, then it was full gas, out of the saddle for half the following straight. Another wide line kept me safe up the kerb onto the setts and a quick sprint returned me to maximum speed, skimming over the stone blocks towards the last corner of the lap. A full speed bunnyhop cleared the exit kerb and I was out of the saddle heading for the line.

A quick glance at the clock suggested there were still over thirty minutes left to race, probably twelve, thirteen laps. A bit of gear chatter into turn one told me that I hadn’t made a clean break, to be honest I hadn’t really expected or even wanted to, its hard work on your own! Once I was settled after the corner, I quickly glanced under my arm, three, four riders and then a gap, not a big one but the largest of the race so far.

Head down, hands on the drops, into tt mode, my speciality. It seemed like mere moments before we reached the narrow bit, I adjusted my grip to cover the brakes better but even so I ended up wide of ideal. Not that it made much difference, my chasers stayed glued to my wheel leaving me at the head of affairs as we started back to turn three.

The rest of the field were strung out going the opposite direction, I missed seeing the front but they definitely seemed further back and there were several doing the elastic bit at the back. I kept the effort up, rolling a bigger gear to keep momentum and staying seated exiting the corners to preserve some energy. We were halfway along the paved straight when one of my followers decided to contribute to things, passing me as we emerged back onto asphalt.

I was glad he did, I can do solo speed but dragging along even a handful of others requires more brawn than I have and I’d been doing it for a lap and a half. Gratefully I eased a touch and slotted onto his wheel as the others hadn’t followed through. Dad waved his chalk board at me, ‘@ 12’. better than nothing, not sure how he knows mind.

There were actually five lads with me, and over the next couple of laps everyone contributed to the pace setting. No energy was wasted on conversation, the universal language of head and hand movements sufficed. It was no longer a time trial we were back to racing but just a bit quicker than we had been before my move, either that or the chasers were slowing.

According to Dad’s board our lead was growing lap by lap, a few seconds this time, more or less the next. It must’ve been about six laps into the move when the gap suddenly jumped, I guess we had reached the out of sight point. Well not entirely of course but next time around we were almost back out of the narrow bit before the head of the peloton crossed in the other direction.

It was enough, I think the others sensed it too, there was an almost palpable sigh of relief, oh a concerted effort could cross the gap but would there be one? Many a race has been lost through complacency but I wasn’t going to allow that to happen this afternoon. The pace slackened a bit on the run to the setts, I think I surprised the others when I pushed through the corner at full tilt.

I hadn’t meant it as an attack, more of a wake up, the reaction wasn’t immediate, I went through the line on my own, the clock reading eight minutes and Dad’s chalk showing ‘@ 1’06”’. Four laps plus one then, yeah we could still be caught but not if we keep the pressure on.

My little dig had made an impression, on the long straight the others, well four of them powered past and nearly distanced me as I waited for number five. The gap got to about three lengths before I realised he wasn’t coming but even that small deficit took me until the U turn to close. And so the laps and time ticked down, my dig had shown me that my companions were, if not quicker than me, stronger – well they are are all strapping lads and I’m but a tiny girl. But I am the Weltmeisterin!

I could just settle for the time advantage to go into day two with but you know me, settling for that just isn’t in me. No, I will contest things but I reckon in a straight sprint I’ll be at a disadvantage, I need to use some of those race wiles Dad insists I have. But what? Any move I make at this point the others will be all over like a rash.

With half a lap advantage over the main bunch, barring disaster, the race is mine to lose, the others watched me like hawks, content to leave it to the final reckoning. The bell rang, the final two minutes or so of racing are upon us. I feinted into turn one, not too hard but in an effort to draw the others sting a bit, did it work? We’ll see.

Once I was contained the finessing started, its less than eight hundred metres to the line and the rest of the race are over a minute adrift. I had another flirt with open road as we approached the narrow bit, for a second time my effort was quickly shut down. Not for the first time in my racing career I practised my acting skills, I can give a very passable performance of kernackered and only just hanging in.

For the last time we made the three sixty, this time me sat as tail end Charlie, the lads all reluctant to take the lead but apparently dismissive of the girly hanging on to their shirt tails. Five hundred to go, steady girl. Its only a hundred metres from the last corner to the line, hit the tarmac first and it’ll be hard for anyone to get past – well I hope.

For a final time I readied myself, through the penultimate corner and onto the setts, the others watchful of each other, hopefully not of me. The two hundred board came and went, my take off point was coming up, a slight dip across half the surface I took a couple of deep breaths then hit the turbo. I sprinted past, around the dip, the reaction from the others was quite immediate but they had to transit the dip to follow me, losing a little momentum as they did so.

I returned to the saddle to execute the leap from the kerb then returned to full on sprint mode as soon as. All I could do now was keep going in a straightish line and hope I got there first. The crowd were cheering, the red mist descending and then it was all over.
 
Maddy Bell © 15.06.2023