Robert Winder

After all the wailing and gnashing of teeth (thank you Maurice Sendak), I finally overcame and made the top of the podium today at Fremont in the E3’s race. Its a bit of an anticlimax, but a win is a win, and I’m keeping it.

We had a team of 3 in the race, but didn’t really have a plan. I’ve rested a lot this week and wanted to see how I was going early on. I tried a few moves off the front, but as usual, nothing was sticking. I worked with 2-3 different moves and even when there was representation from Form Fitness (I think they had the biggest team) we still did nothing.

The primes were taken care of by Chris first, then Pat and finally I thought I’d go for one. I usually try one just before the end of the race to make see how my sprint is going, and as I came around the last corner the FF guy going for it looked across and I knew I had him. I gave him a big smile and pushed onto the line - there is nothing like winding up the opposition.

The only blot on the race was a guy who insisted on cutting across my line into the hairypin turn. I forgave him the first one, but needed to have a conversation with him the second time.

"Hey, you need to stop cutting from the outside to the inside across my line."

"I didn’t I was riding to the apex of the turn"

Oh dear, I thought. Still, I watched with caution for the next couple of laps and the point seemed to have gotten through as he followed his line. Good for him.

CalBerryBoy came to the front at the start of the last lap, followed by a kind soul from Los Gatos, who picked up the racing and pulled us nicely towards the finish. As a move from the Builders went on the left I jumped and came into the final turn third wheel, opened up the throttle and eased away up the finishing straight. I did have enough time to raise my arms in salute - just as well I’ve been practicing in the mirror this year.

Next up - Vacaville.