Robert Winder

5.5 miles out, downhill into a headwind.

4.5 miles return, uphill with a tailwind.

Goal - sub-24minutes.

I caught my 30 second man after 2.5 miles or so, which had me worried as I didn’t want to blow everything on the way out. Then I caught my minute man after 4 miles and became even more concerned.

I got to the turn, cornering very slowly, I started on the uphill 4.5mile slog to the finish. 10 mile ITTs have never been good for me, and especially this one with its undulations followed by a couple of steeper and one longer pitch. I suffered my way over the steepest/longest section at 13-14MPH and I knew that I’d lost major time there. I resolved to push on, pushing a gear that Francesco Moser would be proud of.

I bludgeoned my way to the finish, without being caught - a first for me - with a time of 23:53.

I was about 1min 30sec slower than the winner and 1min 15sec slower than Paul.

Bugger.