I was sent home from A and E yesterday and told to man up. I decided that as my right thumb was double the size of the left, and several shades darker it might be worth checking out. Apparently not. This injury is just one of many, both of mine and also my team mates after a weekend that would be almost farcical were it not for the severity of some of them.
Paris Troyes is a really cool race, with a good field, and is a worthy early season test. Unlike last year where cross winds decimated the field early on, this time round is was a head wind that did exactly the opposite and made for very nervous racing. After 100km or so the elastic was starting to snap, but before a move could go, the Commisaires stopped the race. It became clear that half the field was on the deck, and the race had to be neutralized as there were no ambulances left. It’s really tough carrying on after a stop like this, particularly when you know you have team mates that are in those ambulances but you don’t know what state they’re in.
When things got going again, the French pro Conti teams kept things locked down until a last little climb with 10km to go. I didn’t have the legs to go with the winning move of five, dangling just off the back with not enough guys to ride with. My group of 8 or so swelled to 50 and that was my chance of even a placing gone.
You may be wondering where my injuries came from then seeing as I was lucky enough to escape the race day carnage. Well I had my own special little crash in training the day before. Just slapped it down on a lethally slick roundabout, taking Kit and Wouter sliding along the road with me. First crash for two years and it shook me up a bit, not to mention made me damn sore for race day.
Just watch out if you are ever in the area, the roads between Paris and Troyes are bloody slick!
Trying to look beyond the misfortune that befell just about everyone, it was a positive trip. The team was riding really strongly, and on a personal note, through the haze of Ibuprofen and Paracetamol I think my form was definitely good. Now as soon as the swelling on my knee allows, I’ve got a good few weeks to really turn the screw in training. Should be cool.
