Lloyd Chapman Pro Cyclist: Update on Races

So an update on races is now well over due.

Elveden series 1 9th March
So after the Crest the next race was an E12 at a new Venue, Elveden Estate, bit of a mission but the course is closed roads and a decent track. Weather depending. It was shit. Rain and snow fell the week before leading up to this race so was very damp and soggy.

The Estate has a lot of farm vehicle that drive around and use the road that we are using to race on. So you can imagine the grit, mud, sand, silt and other mank minerals all over the road.

The race was alright, a break got away and I couldn't get warm enough to get across to the break and yet again my positioning skills were at fault. I will learn one day. I came 9th which gave me 7 points and being a National B race they went to the team standings too.

At the start before the mess began. nice clean kit :D, wont last, rain fell throughout the race. In the final sprint for the remaining places I think 6th and so on, I cramped in both calf muscles which was horrific and managed to carry on but unable to hold off three coming round me after leading out and got 9th. pleased with result as it was an E12 race.

The mess after the race. Freezing, and very dirty. I was 'snot-rocketing' pebbles out my schnoz and digging sand out me wotsits for days afterwards.

The Jock Wadley Memorial Race 10th March.
Now this was my first taster at Elite racing, and shit the bed it hurt. I was quite sore from the race the day before but still decided to go because I made the reserves list. Big Teams were here, IG Sigma, Team Rayliegh, Twenty3C and Rapha-Condor Sharp and a handful of ex Pro's.

Getting the go ahead to race ten minutes before was hardly the best prep but I got ready and left. Snowing, Raining and very windy, this was not going to be pretty. 75 Miles of hell.

Well they smashed it for the first 35 miles and averaged about 26mph, I was buggered, I hung on as long as I could but the prevailing weather conditions didn't help at all, my right leg was slightly strained after the cramp from the race the day before so I retired after 35miles.

My legs literally got ripped off and I was then beaten with them. A day of full rest was needed after this. Thank F***

Training
The next race is the Ipswich Scramble. I want to win this as this is where I was born and would mean a lot to me to win. I had planned my training schedule to get a decent 14 day block in, including taper phases so that I was at my strongest for this race.

The race HQ and race course was only a few miles from where my gran lives so I stayed at hers so I didn't have to get up at Stupid o'clock to travel to the race. The day before We drove up, mum, dad, and dog and we went out to recce the route, I like to know as much as I can about the course.

I have trained up here in Suffolk a few times now and i'm quite familiar with some of the roads but not all of them. Well it didn't matter anyway because it Snowed, And Snowed, And Snowed, and F****** Snowed all after noon and night which ended up in the race being cancelled! Quality :/.

So now the two week block turns into four, so Ill be super fit for the next race which was going to be on the 6th April. I had booked a weekend away with the good lady for a rest and recovery. Unfortunately she came down with a bug which eventually turned into flu so that put an end to those plans. Instead I raced at Hogg Hill on Good Friday E12, and did pretty well. Got into the break and then in the sprint I came around and 'through' riders and lunged for the line and got second place. Happy Days! Position was not the best at the start of the sprint 6th wheel back, may have won if it was better, who knows, all I know is I got a shite load of points, bit of wonger and quality workout.
Dan, Me and Josh at the beginning.