On a misty Mother’s day 6 rides turned up at the golf club.  These being Callum, Danuta (less Robert who stayed in to prepared dinner for when Mum got home), Dave M, Mike W, Simon and myself.   With Mother’s day putting noon time constraints on several of the group the classic route was selected.

Heading to Twyford a brisk pace was set between several of the group and on to Playhatch.  Heading up Playhatch, Callum was the first rider on the attack, with Dave and I quickly catching the wheel.  Dave then counter attacked and we both followed, but I rapidly lost interest.  So the others quickly pulled out a lead.  However, shortly after passing the green, Dave and Callum back right off before Callum stopped for comfort break 75% up the hill.   Was this a fair way to claim victory as a caught the slow moving Dave and raced to the finishing tree first.  The finish line is the tree on the left side of the road with chunks of bark most likely removed by cars getting too close.

All back together the pace was brisk into Henley and we headed out along the Fairmile toward Pishill.   We had a short discussion about the Strava.com record to the top of Pishill, which I think is about 20.4mph.  We should easily be able to break this, but with a Northerly head wind today wasn’t the best day.   I did most of the pace setting with occasional help from Dave and Simon, until the road started to kick up at Pishill Bank when Dave attacked followed by Callum.  I again I couldn’t keep up and both quickly pulled away with Callum also pulling out a lead on Dave to take an easy win by 50m.  Callum is learning, today he sat in much more and didn’t do massive turns on the front except where it really matters.

The usual through and off occurred heading to Nettlebed, which took its toll on Mike.  Heading into Sonning Common, Dave, Simon and I contested the sharp up hill sprint.  I eventual pulled out the lead and got somewhere near the top 1^st, then back off, only for Dave to come steaming back past claiming a tree 10m up the road was the finish line.  It looks like we need to get a specific finish line agreed.

Heading back to Sonning, I thought I was going to take my first every win down Playhatch, but at 38mph I eased off with Simon powering on for a comfortable win.  Heading into Twyford, Danuta with a small lead got through the lights, with the rest of us waiting for what seemed like for every while the lights phased back to us.

Dave led up the hill out of Twyford, while Callum and I privately mulled over possible tactic for the winery sprint.  Getting to the roundabout Dave back right off, so I took up the lead with the idea of gradually building the effort down the hill, then starting the sprint proper having crossed the bridge.  About 150m from the bridge this plan went to pieces with Dave making an early break.  I caught his wheel, but had no idea where Callum was.   Crossing the bridge I kicked and eventually past Dave and managed to keep the lead to the well-established finish line at the winery sign.  We then all rolled through Shurlock Row, leaving Danuta to take a left turn heading for home prior to the motorway bridge. 

Crossing Howe Lane, Dave and I were side by side discussing tactic for the final sprint of the day.  Nothing was agreed, but Dave kept lifting the pace very early.  To begin with I was confident of keeping this going and still having a sprint for the finish.  With my SRM showing around 550w Dave through the towel in.  I kept the pace up for about another 100m but still about 150m from the finish line Callum kicked and I had nothing left, so Callum took the easiest of wins.

Today we did about 46miles with an average of 19.4 based on my SRM.  The full route I road can be found at: http://app.strava.com/rides/5368247