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A Personal Impression by John Saysell:
The big day dawns, I feel nervous before I get out of bed. Why do I do this to myself at nearly 45! As far as national championships go, this year has been poor for me. Two fourth places. Not only a fourth place in the master’s sprint, but losing to my old nemesis Dave Baker in the semi final. It's time to panic. Better start the day with some protein drink and rice, delicious.
They are all here there this year: Trevor Burke, who has been going well at Welwyn, Dave (gggrrr) Baker, Tim Lawson, the reigning European pursuit champion, Peter Ettles and Martin Stephens. To make matters worse the 45-49 age group is the biggest. And then the start gate. Would I be able to make a clean exit? Not if my new NR skinsuit chamois was anything to go by….
The hardest bit is the waiting. Have I eaten enough? Have I eaten too soon? Why does the starting gate need tender love and care from the officials after every few rides? I watch the starting procedure again and again. Watch the countdown and listen to the beeps….back to the rollers.
Now it’s the age group before me the 50-54s. Time to roll round the middle on my track bike, most of the competition goes before me. I watch some of the times but then focus on my ride. Slap, slap slap around my face to wake me up. Give my bike to the starter with the left pedal up. Slap, slap. Time to sit on, watch the clock, listen to the beeps and then go on the ‘b of the bang’ as Linford said…..
Out of the saddle for almost 200m. Sit down, God this is hurting. Keep as close to the datum line as possible. 500m. Legs have gone completely. Only 250 to go just need to hang on for grim death- hold that line.
As I finish, I look up to the scoreboard. 52.3 something seconds. I would have settled for that before I started. I couldn’t see many more going faster than that. And they didn’t. Jerseys are always good. This one made up for the 4th place the night before. Male 45-49 750m!!
John Saysell claims bronze at UCI World Masters Cycling Championships – Manchester 9-14 Oct 2011
Just before I went up to Manchester for the World Masters Cycling Championships, I thought I had better do a bit of research into whom the competition was. Big mistake. I was going to have to go close to or better than my 2006 750m time trial personal best to have a sniff of a medal. But the top speeds on my drag strip, despite the fantastic September weather had not exceeded 40mph since training for the National Masters in Newport at the beginning of July.
There was also that bloke from Newcastle, Phil Houlton who had the audacity to beat me by 0.016 sec to take my national title. It was going to be a struggle. Whatever.
Me and Andy Lancaster set off the day before. We called in at the track on the way back to the hotel to drop off the bikes and have half an hour on the rollers to get the 3 hour drive out of my legs. Oh look Geoff Cooke’s just won the 500m time trial in his age group.
We were up bright and breezy to get to the track for a gentle spin round the boards as I have not even been on Welwyn since July. Why are my legs killing me? The shoe plates on my new Bont shoes had moved again. Better put my old Shimano ones on again. Time to put the right gear on and put the discs in.
Okay. Time for a quick nip around Evans Cycles then an hours kip. 1300. Still an estimated 7 hours to go until race time. Got to sit still and disengage brain. The BC endurance squads were doing team pursuit drills for a couple of hours. It was great playing spot the star. Geraint, Swifty, Clancy et al under the watchful eye of Rod Ellingworth and Paul Manning. Paul Manning – what can he possibly know about team pursuiting?! Then there were the girls: Joanna Rowsell, Sarah Storey…..
More protein drink. Better have a tuna sandwich. Feeling a bit icky dick now. Are we nearly there yet? 1700. Better get someone to help me roll into this skinsuit. Time for a quick roll around the boards. A couple of very short standing start efforts. This gear feels big! Better watch some more sprinting.
Very gentle roller warm up. That’s Fabio Alberti over there. He was my nemesis in the 2008 Euro masters in the sprint. He was also Euro masters time trial champion earlier this year in 51.4. Can’t he warm up somewhere else?
My age group has started. I’m in 14th of 19 heats. No times to worry about just yet. Better up the ante and put in some short efforts. I wish I’d bought my turbo rather than rollers. I feel a bit nervous and wobbly. Crikey that’s a fast time. 51.0 something. Better give it bit more oomph. And again. Time to move into the middle. One of the whips who’s patrolling the centre line of the track for timing tells me to stop. So I do. Too late. Get an exceedingly dirt look from Kay Ball as I hear the gun fire and that start is aborted. “Sorry!” In my nervous state I nearly wet myself laughing as I continue to warm up on my road bike. Couple of standing starts now with Andy holding me up. Would have been better if I had not pulled my foot out.
Time to panic. Before I know it, I’m in the gate and the clock is ticking down. Back as far as possible in the saddle on two, stand up on one and go on the B of the bang. Silence. Then pain. Legs have gone at 375m. Just got to focus on keeping a good line and hang on for grim death. Bugger. Hit a sand bag with half a lap to go. Then it’s all over. I look up at the scoreboard. 51.3. I’m happy with that. Even if I get nothing. That’s just over a 0.1 seconds slower than my PB.
The next four heats go by. Andy and I can barely watch. All I know is that I’m in second place. Then the reigning world champion goes in the last heat all by himself. There is confusion as he comes home in 51.0 something. They think he’s won. But then they’re not sure. Who gives a shit? I’ve got a UCI world masters bronze medal!
Ooh I can relax for a few minutes. Oh look. Geoff Cooke’s just won the 65-70 sprint. It was never in doubt. Better go and have a quick shower. While I’m in there chatting to Phil Houlton and Martin Stephens, in comes a breathless Andy. “John, the medal ceremony is on now!” I had just donned some cool cotton for the first time in a few hours. No matter, time to put that sweaty skinsuit on and run back into the track centre.
Men’s 45-49 Time Trial (750 metres) – Gold for the USA
John Saysell on the left.
There was more Gold for the USA when Todd Hayes made it a USA 1-2 when he recorded a time of 51.016 for the three laps of the track to his teammates (Wilhelmus Zegers) 51.063. The Bronze medal went to Britain’s John Saysell who recorded a time of 51.325.
In all, there were eight riders recording a time of 51 seconds making it a real nail biting final with the final rider to get close to the victory, Zegers, off in the final heat and losing out to Hayes by a few hundredths of a second.
1. Todd Hayes (USA) 51.016
2. Wilhelmus Zegers (USA) 51.063
3. John Saysell (Gbr) 51.325