Well another race over the full 24 and this time I came soo close to victory! Damn.

The Bontrager 24/12 is the UK's third biggest 24 of the season. Around 40 solos, various teams and a more technical course than others I was out for the win. From the off the situation was comic... My 1966 Volvo Amazon loaded up for the journey decided to shed engine parts acrcoss the road.. but as luck would have it we managed to fix the engine using a large adjustable spanner! - By the time we'd made the race site - most of the good pit stops had gone, plus it was getting dark, raining and the wind was howling! - Nice! I was joined by 1989 Bontrager OR riding Jon, a fellow Brighton rider and we set about putting up our shabby big top of a tent. steak and pasta ensued a quick beer and then off to bed.

Cue 3 o'clock and I was running around our circus tent hammering in extra pegs as what seemed like 50mph winds flexed and bowed its structure to breaking point. All good prep for 24 hours in the saddle! Come the morning the weather was good and in the "reserved area" next to our tent and pit came the Extreme Endurance team. Hot favourite Rob Lee came in well rested as his pit crew of 4 pitched up what can only be seen as a contrasting set up. Workstands, masseuse, endless Turner bikes and activity as Jon and I sat on cheap chairs eating cereal. By noon I was ready for the off - with my one man pit crew still to show. at 11.57 he greeted me on the line and we spent 3 minutes discussing our game plan... impeccable!

... and we were off... now this race had a twelve hour in it too so the field was uber quick and as ever I just took it steady to bring it back later. It was kind of fun... lots of twisting and turning with exposed roots and then at the end of the lap a Keith Bontrager designed 1 mile maze which confused everyone! After 6 hours I was in third and about 30 minutes down on Rob Lee and Trek pro Matt Carr. All was good but our pitting was poor we just hadn't planned it the way we should have done. Yet come nightfall and the extreme endurance boys were twitchy as I had Mr Lee back to 20 minutes and started to get bullish. yet then the fun as ever begun. A lack of real food and too many gels led to stomach churning and then a bout of hallucination had me seeing things in the woods. Yet on 14 hours I moved into second place - then the heavens opened. Sheet rain turned the course into an absolute quagmire! Holding Rob at 30 minutes and keeping Matt Carr only about ten behind it was full on racing. Dawn came grey and by nonw I was soaked through churning on the mud tyres. The morning involved the usual lap count down yet it could so nearly have been different. Information was scant and now looking at the results I simply should have won.. After 19 laps I had Rob Lee down to around 20 minutes yet didn't know. I finished Lap 20 at 11.50 and waited the 10 minutes to cross the line in second. A great crowd roared me in covered from head to toe inn thick mud, Keith Bontrager shook my hand and BBC Television interviewed me.. it was all rather surreal!.. but then I found out that as I came in at 11.50 Rob Lee had only been 7 minutes ahead and had buckled massively... If I had gone out I would have taken the win and beat the big pro set up. Damn!!!! double Damn! But I picked up real good money for the event and saw Rob Lee absolutely ruined at the finish. As ever the Ti Deluxe was running real well and big thanks to Bruno for the new kit.. ! Now a choice either 24 hour Worlds if I can afford it or I am going after the South Downs Way 2 -way record in the UK.. 212 miles off road, 25,000 feet of climbing - 22 hours 15 minutes to beat.. I'll keep it posted..

Also - Harlan - are you going to try and get to Beijing 2008 for Indy Fab.. you're beating Eatough and holding Jeremiah Bishop - way to go!




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