This weekend all the champs were there. Steve Peat, Chris Boardman and of course me and Jeff. We stayed with Mark, Jo and little Dan in Leeds. This time Jeff was banished to the downstairs hall: his moulting hair having previously conflicted with the cream bedroom decor, but he made a big hit with Dan.
As far as the riders went, it was the Lycra clad whippet brigade... that lot are seriously fit and some of the ladies in Lycra were "very fit indeed."
Saturday saw the juniors riding on a course that was pretty technical, and steep in places, for a cross-country course. During the afternoon we borrowed some tools and got Dan's pedal-less bike set up correctly. Now he could reach the floor more easily the smiles started: it should improve his balance and make the transition to a real bike easier.
Mark was running the Sheffield half marathon on the Sunday, so he followed the "usual" pre-race routine of Dominos pizza and lager. And I did my best to scupper these exemplary preparations by serving up breakfast of massive portions of brioche french toast with caramelised apples and pears.
Dave and Adele camped over near Dalby and I met up with them for Sunday's main event: the elite riders. These racers were unbelievably fast, and we found some good vantage points to watch events unfold, favourite being the aptly named Worry Gill.
During the ladies, we were walking between viewing areas when a Dutch rider came pelting down a relatively benign section screaming, she dismounted cyclocross-style and ran to the barrier yelling for a surprised-looking bearded man to pull her arm. "My shoulder is out," she said and when he failed to sort it out, she looked around saying, "Its easy. Anyone else?"
Step forward Dr Mike. Yip- definately a right anterior dislocation, I gave a pull with a little internal rotation but didn't feel the tell-tale clunk. But before I could say anything she was suddenly smiling, and back on her bike. "That's it! Thanks." And she was gone. Dave saw her later with a sling - which she wasn't using, chatting happily with a mobile in her right hand.
The men's race was superexciting (can you tell there were lots of euro-racers there?) and the top 3 riders traded positions in the final laps of the course before battling it out in a sprint finish.
Jeff was the biggest champ though: very well behaved at the Burdonhausen, calm in the crowds, not too frantic near the fastfood stands and petted by at least a thousand people! Superstar.
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