Club stage race this weekend. Beautiful weather and gorgeous scenery.
The first stage is a prologue up Dundee Law, the same hill that featured in the Kelloggs Tour in the late 80s.
Pain is what it is all about.
Untitled by
davidmamartin, on Flickr
Stage 2 takes in some flattish scenery. The yellow jersey was attentive on the front of the bunch.
Untitled by
davidmamartin, on Flickr
A breakaway was up to a minute ahead for most of the race but was reeled in on the last lap. "My dad's a really good cyclist" said the 6yo son of #56 - and very true his words are.
Untitled by
davidmamartin, on Flickr
The final 3 miles are a gently increasing climb. Young rider Callum attacked at the bottom. "Too early" thought many but he just held off the chasing bunch to take a fine win.
Calum Foster wins stage 1 by
davidmamartin, on Flickr
The final stage passes Macbeth's home four times. Here the riders are just passing the car park at Dunsinane Hill (we don't go to Birnam Wood). I couldn't get at the camera till lap 3, and these are shot from the passenger seat of the service van.
"When shall we three meet again?" by
davidmamartin, on Flickr
After a wee while this is followed by the descent of Jock's Brae. Sponsored by Persil, I was leaning out the window of the van doing 50+mph. 1 km of 1:10 in a pack of racing cyclists is not for the faint hearted.
DSC_5178 by
davidmamartin, on Flickr
A scenic but not too steep ascent of the Knapp climb (though this is not through the Knapp village itself) follows - it twists and turns with varying gradient for a 7-8 minute climb at race pace. Some riders lose contact here - 42 does not have the answer. The hill is bad enough, but seeing the pack ride away from you is misery upon pain.
DSC_5193 by
davidmamartin, on Flickr
Then to the finish. I hand the camera to a young lad I know to take whatever he can.
A storming solo win. We looked for the rider after he crossed the line but he had disappeared. " I had to meet my dad at 2 at Camperdown [12 miles away] and it was already 5 past when I finished so I kept on going". Hard man indeed.
DSC_5207 by
davidmamartin, on Flickr
Bunch sprint for second with what remains of the bunch - 9 riders in the chasing group. Out of nearly 60 starters only 41 finished.
DSC_5224 by
davidmamartin, on Flickr
