We’ll get to Mark later as a week earlier CJ hit the second round of the Elmy Cycles Eastern League hosted by Chelmsford Youth CC at Springfield Cross, firstly he had a poor start as he struggled with his clip-in but still managed to hit the first turn at the front. His biggest worry on the quite technical circuit was his East London rival Stanley Boyd of CC Hackney who stayed a few bike lengths behind on the first lap and was going well.

As the laps progressed Caelan pulled a substantial lead and constantly increased his time over the other riders and eventually took the flag by 34 seconds. Again very happy with the win and he thought the circuit was tough with some interesting sections put together by the excellent organisers plus another £5.00 in his piggy bank.

ROUND THREE : CC ASHWELL CROSS

I pretty much thought the drive to Baldock for the third round to be hosted by CC Ashwell would be uneventful, but on the way I received a text with an attachment from the better half. She’d left home the day before to attend what I thought was a girls weekend (turned out to be a seminar) at some hotel near Heathrow. But to be honest, so long as the fridge was full I was happy until the attached picture showed her standing with Movistar’s Nairo Quintana.  What….?

Anyway, back to the race… CJ said he really wanted to dominate but from the beginning it appeared he would be gridded at the back of the field… Fortunately at the last moment he took to the front row and from the drop got the hammer on the flint and sparked into the lead moving the pace hard. This time Stanley Boyd who was not at his best due to illness could not make his wheel and all looked set for an easy win until the bell where down the back straight CJ hit a tree root which dislodged his chain.

Only approx’ 60 metres remained and CJ cleanly dismounted as soon as he was at running speed and sprinted to the line taking the win by 13 seconds and glad he had a buffer… Shortly after another image arrived with the Mrs now with Mr Cavendish…? Anyway, eventually we managed to speak and she happened to be staying at the same hotel as many of the teams riding the Tour of Britain and her room was on his floor. She chatted with him and showed the blog as Cavendish spoke of his own experience youth racing at Assen as well as signing an autograph to CJ. Also, she wished him well racing over the weekend and as he later won the last two stages it was job done and time for me to buy a Deda Dog Fang Chain Catcher.