Minidrome

Last weekend as all my team, friends and family headed over to Muddy Hell in their silly outfits, I was on the motorway to Manchester. As the fastest girl from London's Red Bull Minidrome I was given a brand, shiny new fixie from the rad guys at Mongoose to go and race at the Manchester edition. It was a huge honour, but I felt sad knowing that I was missing the biggest event on the fun cycling calendar.

We got stuck in traffic and I called the organisers to tell them I'd miss my start time. They gave me the latest possible start time, I panicked I'd miss it and ran in there, jumped on my bike and was straight into my round with no time to spare. I was nervous I'd have forgotton how to do it, that I was all "bigged up" and was now just going to embarrass myself. But as soon as I saw the little track I lost all nerves and just got excited. It's such an opportunity to ride, it gets built for one event and gets taken down straight after. I'm so lucky to get a second go!

I qualified easily, with 43 seconds, matching my fastest time in London. I felt I could go faster still, with new, wide handle bars. I was placed head to head with a guy who qualified at a similar time to me, so it could have gone either way. I was lovng whipping around the steep banking, trying to push a pedal turn in on the straight and then, WHIP, into the next corner. I won, completing 10 laps in 41 seconds. I was placed against a guy next who was much faster than me in qualifying, but I felt confident, and man did I go fast!!! Holy shit, my eyes could barely take in a corner and it was only my eyes that kept me from falling off. We both went faster that race, I'm guessing I was on for a 38, but the other dude beat me with a 36.

It kinda sucked, as I was 5 seconds faster than I was in London, which is LOADS on something so quick, but I got knocked out earlier. I don't really like the head to head system, where you can be pitted against anyone. Obviously this can work in your favour or against you, but I don't think it's correct. In the London race the second fastest dude finsished in 3rd place because he was put against the winner in the semi-final. So, it should be about who's the fastest I reckon, not pot luck. But thats by the by. It was how it was, I just wanted another chance to ride......

Anna G xx