Wed 18th May 2011

Weather separates the men from the boys. Voeckler, Schleck, Lance, Cooke, big Thor, Voigts, young Mark and the budgie smuggler.

So as I was saying, weather and men. A tough wind was out to play along with the threat of rain. Only eight turning up. Schleck flew in especially for this from Mallorca and wasn't going to let the weather stop him. He posed the question when we would get a full cast out? Guess we need to wait for the better weather.

Whilst waiting for the off Budgie Smuggler got a twitch in his shorts. Must have been some seed on the ground as he decided to get a closer look with a slow motion fall. It was then we noticed a stig mark on the wrong leg! Seemed he had mounted the bike the wrong way earlier, Cooke was sure she heard him asking someone where his bars had gone....

Lance's chat focussed on restraint, no cross wheeling, (Schleck obviously mistook this for cross chaining and decided to try this all night), maintaining even gaps, a bit extra space what with the wind, and working smoothly together. Leading us out Schleck seemed to forget where he was briefly being on the wrong side of the road! Budgie Smuggler joined in this week and Lance was buffeted by the wind before we even left Braehead.

The out to Bishopton was slow, easy in the shelter and hard up front! The rain arrived on the rise out of Bishopton. Falling hard it felt like hail. Shelter was taken albeit briefly under the bridge that starts the 10 TT. The rumble down to the Westferry and onto the dual carriageway was controlled, Lance had a hold of Voigts bungee cord. The bunch stayed together and worked well for a while. Voeckler and Schleck obviously thought the pace was too slow and started to break it up. Cooke injected the final surge that started to hurt the peleton. Schleck fainting pain, young Mark still hanging on, Thor playing his cards close to his chest and most making it up to the final roundabout. The hammer dropped, testosterone started flying and the pace jumped. Voeckler, Schleck and Thor left to fight it out with Voigts bringing up the rear.

The clune brought it's usual fun and Lance danced up as if to make a point. Budgie boy tried to buzz Voigts but he wasn't having it. Taking him back at the final roundabout. Voeckler, Schleck, Lance and young Mark going after the KOM jersey.

With dark clouds approaching it was an immediate departure once Thor had arrived, faking cramp he took off like his younger sibling. With his two best friends with him, gravity and wind he drove us hard to Kilmacolm, the legs were heavy and the pace increased on the drop towards the Knapps. Schleck driving the bunch too hard and stringing it out. Only Voigts decided to test the young man's legs and drive upwards past the Knapps. Rounding the corner the string had snapped. Two riders free, Schleck and Voigts, could they stay away and work together or was it going to be the Schleck show all over again. Sharing the load to Bridge of Weir the lights afforded a brief interlude until Voigts jumped the lights. Schleck hit the front climbing the hill and immediately gapped him. A brief look over his shoulder and he hesitated and waited for his older partner. Whether the thought of the wind on his own was too much or that he wanted to make sure Voigts put in an honest nights work he kindly waited. The pair worked together, Schelck the stronger of the pair but Voigts able to come through and provide some shelter. Rounding the corner they eased off expecting the lights that Lance had warned them about. An old head slowing the head of the race, but alas they never appeared. Schleck let Voigts hit the front under the bridge and left hanging him out to dry as the finish line came into sight. Rumour has it he took a call to say what he wanted for dinner before he rode up alongside Voigts and congratulated him for his effort.

The bunch regrouped for the sprint. A long lead out from Voigts saw the battle of the big boys and Thor ground out a victory at 18mph on a 63 cadence. Riding home Hushovd and Voeckler vied for the final sprint with Thor taking the tape.

Fortune favours the brave, let's hope we get payback for riding on a night like that. Miles in the bank as they say. All safe and sound and some fun thrown into the mixing bowl. Not a bad way to end a Wednesday.