Tom Attacks!!

May was an amazing month for me, I don't think I could have hoped for better races or better results.

The first race in Divonne I came 4th which I was very disappointed with but then I realised that the 3 guys who beat me were 3 of the best in Rhone Alpes. It was a flat course around the lake and the 4 of us had made a big break but I made the mistake of going for the sprint too early. The others just latched on to my wheel and then when I died they flashed past me. I completely forgot what the correct technique for the final sprint was, plus I didn't have the patience or confidence to wait for them to go first.
The following weekend was my home race at Allinges, near Thonon, and I really wanted to win it, it was one of my main goals for the season. Anyway after 6 laps me and Cedric got a good break and we just killed ourselves working together to get a clear gap. Then on the final lap I tried to make him go in front - dad was shouting at me to attack but I just knew I could win the final sprint. So with about 200m to the line I attacked from behind his wheel and absolutely flew past him!!! The win was mine.

Ok so the next sunday was at Passy and all the usual guys were there including some guys from Grenoble and Lyon. Everyone was attacking like crazy straight from the start. I tried to guard against the attacks and tried to get a break on my own too but eventually it came down to the last sprint again. But by then it was just between me and this other guy from Grenoble. I really went for it but he just beat me by a meter or 2.

Fortunately I got selected for Haute Savoie to go on a stage- training camp - near Lyon. It was great fun but I had trouble with my bike so didn't really do my best.

Then the big weekend that I had been looking forward to so much for so long arrived.
I had been training hard every tuesday evening on the piste with Patrick BOVO for the regional track champs. Dad and I left very early in the morning and got to Grenoble well before 9am. I did 2 races. I came 2nd in the scratch and 3 in the points. I was very pleased and don't think I could beat the guy who won both races who had thighs like tree trunks and weighed at least twice my weight.
We had to get back to watch Abi's dance show in Sciez. Otherwise I would have stayed and done the vitesse.
Then early the next morning we set off to Le Lyaud. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky and no wind at all. We got there at 8am.
So at 9am the cadets went before us. We went at 9h02. We had 4 laps of an 8 to 9 km course.On the 1st 2 laps I took it pretty easy and pushed up the hills. On the 3rd lap I was just going to attack but someone attacked just before so I got on his wheel and someone got on mine. There was only 3 of us in the front group. We where going very fast, the peloton didn't catch us. The last climb was approaching. We were 500 meters to the top of the hill and about 1.5km to the finish line. And I went for it!!!!! And I got 20meters on them. My dad was screaming:" Come on Tom all the way!!!!" So I just went for it. 10 meters to the finish line, I put my hands up in the air and shouted: " YEAH!!!!!!!! I am the CHAMPION!!!!!!" I looked behind and saw the guy who came second. It is such a great feeling, to be champion of HAUTE SAVOIE!!!!
After that we all had to wait for dad to do his race. And amazingly he came 2nd but all he had to do was belive in his self and he would have won and became champion of Haute Savoie too.