Haircut haiku

Last Sunday was my first criterium of the 2008/09 summer with St Kilda Cycling Club. My objective was to finish in the bunch. I only had a few 100kms in my legs since returning from the holiday and my chicken legs are no good for sprinting anyway. Finishing in the bunch would be good enough for now.

My plan was to stay near-ish to the front, avoid any trouble and see out the 45-minute + 3 laps C-grade race without much fuss. Maybe finish in the top 10 or so, with luck. Not surprisingly everyone else had that plan too.

I sat around 3rd or 4th wheel for the first few laps and found myself in the wind more than I should have been. I retreated to the back of the bunch for a rest, which wasn’t ideal but made it a pretty easy ride. I jumped on the wheel of a Pinarello Prince riding mate, who had much more experience than I and was a likely candidate for a win in the next couple of weeks. I decided to sit on his wheel and follow as best I could to the finish line. Sorted!

Around the 42-minute mark, wheels clipped and 5 or 6 guys went down. I managed to dodge around 2 of them but a 3rd guy fell right in front of me. Over the handle bars I went and landed directly on top of him. I checked myself and bike and everything was intact. It must have been my lucky day. Strangely.

The other riders were ok, well sort of, so I waited for the bunch to come back ’round so I could jump on again. You’re allowed a lap out after a stack or mechanical. As they came around I realised my chain was off and the more I struggled with it, the more resistant it was to going back on. The bunch approached, the bunch passed.

Result - DNF