The “B” race started and I wasn’t 100% sure if we were cycling or swimming there was so much water coming from above and below! I spoke with Brian Kenny at the start of the race and the two of us agreed that this could be one for us and that we would sit as close to the front as possible to avoid trouble and then attack the second time up the Nag’s Head climb.

I felt that I did a good amount of work at the front of the race and was feeling good so, the first time up the Nag’s Head I decided to set the pace at the front of the pack following Alan Kelly, who had gone off on a solo (He mentioned afterwards that it was all about getting TV time for the sponsors!). We let him sit off the front all the way up and then reeled him back in on the way back to the start line.

It has to be said at this point that the pace was fairly pedestrian with nobody wanting to get caught out. For this reason, I found myself again at the front pushing it on. I didn’t mind and neither did the others who were keeping it going also.

Just before the Nag’s Head start, while still on the R132, I was at the front when Laura Banfield came past and said “Come on Conor, let’s go”. I duly jumped on and followed as she put the hammer down. The only problem was that so did all the others and we ended up together very quickly again.

Entering the Nag’s Head climb for the last time. If the finish was on it I’d have won, but it wasn’t. It was time to put the plan into action. I went for it from about third in line just before the cross roads at the McNally junction and put the hammer down big time. I heard lots of grinding of gears behind me as the others started to react. Head down go, go, go were my only thoughts. The sudden injection in pace meant that I got a decent gap. I heard someone say “I’m with you” and a glance over my shoulder confirmed that it was my co-planner, Brian Kenny. The two of us cycled side by side as fast as we could, spinning up the climb. We passed an earlier breakee (number 48 I think, who had gone off the front earlier before we got to the R132) and I was certain that we nobody was going to stay with us.

After the bend before the line on the Nag’s Head I stole a glance behind and saw the pack less than 50m behind us. What in the name of god, I thought to myself. How is this possible? I was certain that we had put in enough distance to stay away all the way down to the finish. We hadn’t. What we did manage to do was split the group into two, with about 13 or so in the first half.

We slowed up and the group caught us just at the top of the hill and we tucked in for the run back down to the finish. John was leading the way mostly at this point and I was happy to just sit in and stay in touch after the climb.

Some poor lads stem snapped on the fastest part of the circuit and he went down. I heard that he is ok aside from some bruises and cuts. That cut the group down to about 10 riders.

The last few kms got interesting with everybody watching each other. I observed all this from the back of the group and I had a suspicion that I might be able to sneak a place here if I rode wisely.

The line came into view around the last bend and I moved up past number 97 and Laura and sat on the left most edge of the road. The lads were all looking at each other and John was at the front doing a great owl impression with his head almost all the way around over his right shoulder. I saw my chance and absolutely belted it up the left avoiding the sheltered line. It was working. I passed everyone between me and the leader. I was almost on his shoulder when he realised that I was coming and the two of us went head to head over the last 50m or so. It was so close on the line that we were not sure who got it. Joe McNally took a look at us both as we came back down to the line and awarded it to John. I think that there was only the width of a tyre and a rim in it to be honest. John will say there was more! Ronan got third, but I’m not sure what the gap was back to him. It couldn’t have been much.

Afterwards, I told John that he could have the official victory but that I was claiming the moral victory for my attack on the Nag’s Head. I never knew that I had a sprint finish in me like that!

A really enjoyable race I must say but I would have loved a finish on the Nag’s Head with perhaps another half a lap thrown in so that I could have tried again for the hill climb win.

Bring on the promotion to group three next week for the top three finishers. Apparently, this is our reward!

Thanks to the organisers and Marshals as always.