National Masters Road Race Championships

Words by Hamish Maclean (August 8th 2021)

Race Report. Andrew Matheson, Ali Watt and I travelled to Garstang yesterday for the National Maters Road Race Champs. Ali and I were in the old guys race while Andy was in with the even older guys, although we all set off together and it felt great to be racing again. The circuit was pretty hard (my average speed was just over 34kph for the 80KM) with a long draggy climb that finished with a steep ramp followed by a sharp descent into a second short climb. The weather threatened to be horrible (it turned out not too bad), which resulted in the organiser deciding to cut the race from 5 to 4 laps. First time up the main climb was tough, resulting in splits and Ali and I stayed in the front with Andy getting distanced. It stayed like that for the next two laps until the third climb when there was another split. I just managed to make that one with Ali in the group behind, however my presence was short lived, unable to hold the wheels on the second short climb and I slipped back to Ali's group. We worked sporadically and just before the 4th time up the climb I made contact with the front group... only to get spat out again!! Ali was suffering from cramp by now and was in a group just behind. I worked with 3 others and we came in as the third group on the road. I was 12th with Ali 16th in the 50-54 age group, while Andy was 9th in the 55-59 race. The race was won by Andrew Rigg with Andy Bruce, pre race favourite from Kinross coming a fine second.