Lisa
West reports:-
A big well done to Jill
Parker who riding in Twickenham jersey
and in her first road race
managed to ride away from the beginners group who were then caught by
the
1st and 2nd group to form the chasing bunch.
She then gave fellow team mates Natalie Creswick (not able to ride due to a fall on her training camp in Spain last week) and Lisa West (not able to ride due to flare up of an old back injury) much excitement when she put 25 seconds into the chasing bunch.
Race onlookers were wondering if she could actually catch the chasing bunch seeing as she can time trial a pretty mean 40K in her normal Triathlon discipline and would thus secure a win by being a lap up on everyone else.
Sadly normal road race modus operandi occurred where once the bunch realised there was a rider off the front they quickly reeled her in. She then sat happily in the bunch with fellow Twickenham Team Series riders, Jo Foster, Susie Scorer and Ann Marshall even avoiding a crash that occurred in front of her.
Much respect Jill and looking forward to seeing you ride in the Team Series. Unfortunately apart from Susie who came 9th, Jill (21st) and Jo (24th) just didn't have the legs for the final sprint and came in at the back of the bunch with Ann not far behind that in 27th.
We also gave a shout to Tom Sutherland who was riding in the 2/3/4 race when we arrived - he mostly seemed to be riding on the front of the chasing group as I think he was bored as he couldn't get anyone to work with him to try and catch the break.
Of course he got overtaken in the final sprint, eventually finishing 44th, but he seemed happy to have raced but lamenting not have more team-mates there - am sure things will be better when the club hits Thruxton in force next Sunday!
