Circuit de la Vallée de la Loire #4th

So I decided to catch up with a race close to my home town in France not so long ago. Its a race full of gutters witch finishes on a small circuit exposed to the wind. Not that this would matter as a big group was never expected to enter the final Circuit.

In the start the roads where quite small. As we left the city we where exposed to the wind and the gutters started. Many echelons formed but eventually a group of about 20 riders slipped off the front 50km into the race.

As we hit another exposed section of the route many riders where caught napping and the group blew into pieces once again. This time leaving only 8 riders piercing the final circuit that would be done eight times. Vendee U is well know for their abilities in the wind and flat rodes. They had 5 riders present in what was left of the escape. Eventually with loads of attacks I managed to slip off the front with Yoann Paillot and two Vendee U riders (Direct Energies DN1 Team).

With 10km to go I realized the Inevitable fate I brought upon myself. I'd neglected my nutrition. It was a damn hard race from the start, and concentrating who to follow, when to be in front and pushing hard in the gutters i've completely forgotten to fuel properly throughout the race.

Yoan well known for his Time Trialing abilities kept the pressure on in the gutters sections in the final 10km leaving no time for myself to recover, barely being able to hold the wheel at 60km/h. This would have been one of my easiest race finishes to win seeing as I had the option of sitting on the final kilometers but by this time my blood sugar levels left me stranded. I could only watch on as my competitors dashed it out for the win in the final 300m as my engine was already only running on fumes. I had to be content with 4th.