Disapointement day

Pois é, era O dia. Mas ficou visto que não era para mim...

Comecei logo um passo atrás ao sair mais tarde do que devia, chegar à estação e ver o comboio a partir quando acabava de comprar o bilhete. O seguinte só saia 1 hora mais tarde, mas a pedalar ainda demoraria mais, foi tempo de espera, felizmente fui mais agasalhado que da última vez, mesmo assim sentia-se bem a brisa matinal.

Ao chegar o comboio foi atravessar Swinley e chegar à partida com 10 minutos de sobra. Foi só tempo das preparações finais. Alinhei para o arranque e desta vez, como eramos poucos, fui para a 2ª linha.

O arranque foi bem rápido, dei comigo a pensar porque me meto nestas coisas, andar tão depressa, tão cedo, dói, mas como estava no top 5 com os 3 primeiros ainda acessiveis, ia animado. Na saida de uma curva tentei passar da talega para o meio mas não deu, a corrente tinha ficado entalada entre o desviador e a dita talega, do lado de fora. Ainda levei uns segundos parado a tentar perceber que se tinha passado e quando resolvi o problema já estava na cauda da categoria. Tempo de mudar de filosofia, agora era ir ao que desse e logo se veria no fim no que dava.

O circuito estava molhado, mas não enlameado. Vários singles (como é apanágio nos eventos Gorrick) e mais subidas que o primeiro round. A cerca de 3/4 da volta, numa subida em single a corrente começa a saltar, toca de correr por ali acima, quando a coisa aplanou lá salto pra cima da burra de novo e vamos a pedalar. A segunda já foi em vazio, olhei para trás. "Olha, a minha corrente!!!"

Após as anteriores peripécias, achei que era hora de deixar de competir. Toca de encostar a bicla e tratar de por a corrente de novo. O plano era ir dar mais uma volta e tirar umas fotos.

Mas eis senão quando, na próxima subida (cerca de 100m mais adiante) lá estou eu a pedalar em seco de novo. OK, PONTO FINAL, VOU PARA CASA!!!

So this was THE day. But not for me, it seemed...

I started with the wrong foot when I saw the train leaving as soon as I had bought my ticket. I had to wait for 1 hour for the next one, riding to the start was out of the question, it was too far... Fortunately I had wrapped up warmer than last time, but was still able to appreciate the cold morning air.

As the train arrived it destination, I just had to cross Swinley. Got the starting area with 10 minutes to spare, just enough to sort out my kit. As there weren't many at the start I was just on the 2nd row.

The start was very fast, I found myself wondering what was I doing there, going that fast, that early, hurts... But as I was on the first 5 and the commanding trio was still reachable my enthusiasm was keeping me going.

When coming out of a turn, tried to go from big to middle ring but the chain got jammed between the big ring and the derailleur, had to look at it for a few seconds before I figured out what was wrong and when I solved the issue I was at the back of the bunch. Change of goals, now it was going as fast as reasonable, and what would that sum up to at the end.

The circuit was soggy but not muddy. Loads of singles ( as usual on Gorrick events) and more climbs than the previous round. Roughly at 3/4 of the loop, on a singletrack climb the chain started skipping and made me run up it. When it got flatter I jumped on my steed and pedaled again. At the second stroke I was spinning on empty. Looked back and "oh, there's my chain!!!"

With all that had happened before, I decided that it was time to relax and stop competing. I would just go for one more lap and some photos.

But that was not the end of it, on the next climb (roughly 100m further ahead) I found myself spinning out again, with no chain. THAT'S IT, I'M GOING HOME...