A great Race Report by Millie – hopefully the first of many! -ed
Well first I would like to say thank you to Glasgow Riderz for all the support and training on the run up to YTOS.
I was selected to go to Perth and ride for the East and Central Scotland team. The teams were made up of four girls and four boys. The first day we got there about three o’clock because the recce ride was cancelled due to awful rain and wind. So, when we got there it was chucking it down and we had to sign on and put all our kit, bikes, and wheels in stores. Then we had our first meal in the big dining hall where we sat with our teams and all the other Scottish riders. After dinner we had our first Scottish cycling meeting where we got our kit (a jumper and two jerseys to race in). Then we went to drive the course for the next day’s racing. We then had a welcome meeting with all riders, team managers and coms to go over the happenings of the weekend to come. There were Scottish riders, English riders, Welsh riders, Irish riders and even riders from the Isle of Man.
Then the next morning the storm Kathleen winds appeared, but we had to get on with the racing. We all rode along to the start area in the village of Fortevoit about ten minutes from Strathallan School with our huge kit bags on our backs. The first stage was a 1.6km out and back prologue on rolling hills. The next stage was a big road race on a 7km course with a massive hill on it. It started well and I was one of the few Scottish girls who manged to stay in lead bunch and on lap two, an attack went up the road and I managed to get myself into the chasing group of about ten riders. But then on the decent coming into the main straight I was barged into the curb at the side of the road and was flung into somebody’s fence straight over the handlebars. My front wheel was completely bent into an almost 90-degree angle, but I got back up to finish the race. Once I had finished the pain in my neck had got a bit much and the first day ended in a trip to Ninewells A&E to make sure I wasn’t concussed. Funnily enough once I got back and was getting changed, I realised a bird had pooped all down back of my jersey whilst I was racing. So much for good luck!!
The next day it was a debate whether I would be able to race as the night before I was struggling to move my neck so it would just be too dangerous but woke up and took lots of pain killers and managed to get through the race. The day started with breakfast and all the kit into the big Scottish cycling vans and then a 30min drive to St Davids. It was again a 7km lap that we completed 6 times. It was once again horrifically windy. Most of the group stayed together and I managed to keep myself in the group for the sprints even though my legs were spinning like crazy because I was on B gears. Then on the final straight there was a massive crash that I got a bit stuck behind but managed to get through and finish in 31st with a good battle on the line with another B rider as both of us couldn’t physically spin our legs any faster. The next thing for the day was meant to be a team time trial on the same course again but the wind was getting too dangerous to ride in. And after the boy’s race having to be abandoned with 2 laps to go it was called off.
On Monday the final day was a crit race around the campus. It was the most technical road race I have ever done with very narrow roads, tight corners, and speed bumps. And not to forget an extremely steep hill to the finish line. I was gridded right at the back as I lost 25 minutes on the first day when I crashed. On the first lap the group split in two instantly on the climb and I was in the back half of it. I managed to get into a group of four of us to try and pick of as many groups and riders as possible. There was another group of four riders in front of us which we all worked hard to catch, and we did. Putting me into the second group on the road. Then it was just a battle to the finish line to make up as much time a possible and a sprint up the hill the final time. Once again, I had finished 31st and completed my first ever Youth Tour of Scotland. I think the final days race was the most fun race I have ever done on such an exciting course and getting to ride in a wee group trying to chase back on.
Overall, it was an amazing weekend after a hiccup on the first day and a cancellation on the second day. A weekend full of so many fun memories with friends and teammates and experience gained riding in a big bunch of older U16 girls. It was amazing to race in such a huge group of 70 fast and aggressive racing girls. It was really something I will always remember, and I could not have done it without the support of Glasgow Riderz. Thanks for reading about my YTOS experience.
Millie Boothman
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