| I was going to start by saying that yesterday was the biggest race I've ever ridden. However, looking back at my 2011 season the Olympic Test Race is very similar to other races I've ridden throughout the year. After spending the Winter racing with 'the guys from the telly', these kind of events don't seem to phase me anymore. It just felt like a normal race, but with the difference that I was actually racing in England for a change!
The whole procedure of the team being introduced on stage in front of the crowd and having a team of staff to look after you is what I've come to expect from races now. So when I'm home and I have to look after myself usually in a cold, wet car park in the middle of no where it comes as a bit of a reality check!
I arrived up in London 2 days before the start of the race, staying in the proposed Olympic base for the Irish team next year. A very nice, quite posh hotel with a lot of very well spoken people in tennis clothing wandering about the place.
The plan was to settle in Friday afternoon, get a good nights sleep and to wake up early the next morning to head out for a spin. We were taken out by one of the local London team to Richmond park where we rode for just under 2 hours. The rest of the day consisted of more food, a massage and an early night. I knew before the race started it wasn't going to be a good day. I flew back from a 3 week block of racing in France on Wednesday and with a combination of hardly any sleep and a lot of racing my body was a wreck!
Verging on illness and ready for bed we were called up to the start line where I positioned myself on the second row behind the Italian and Belgian national teams. Stood next to me was Tyler Farrar and few riders across was the Aussie team of Matt Goss, Haussler and Leigh Howard. We got going and I pushed my way onto the front row, and followed the first attack from Sigma. Not getting away I then drifted back and sat mid bunch for pretty much the next 2 hours. The constant corners, narrowing of barriers and large crowds made it near impossible to move up without risking a crash. I struggled on the first two KOM's and then finally lost contact just before the last ascent of box hill after getting caught behind one of the many crashes caused by suddenly narrowing roads with no marshals.
I rode in with my team mate Martyn Irvine who thankfully waited when I was having a little trouble and one of the German national riders who came down in the crash I was stuck behind. Looking back I was happy to finish considering the state I was in before the start and I believe if I was in better condition I could've made it to the finish well inside the main group. My efforts now turn towards preparing for the World Championship TT at the end of September but first a much needed week of rest!Thanks for reading, Felix English
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