Matthew wins Irish NPS5

Vitus rider Matthew Adair took part in the fifth round of the Irish NPS Series at Lady Dixon Park outside Belfast.  Despite feeling under the weather Matthew still won the Junior category.  Here’s his round up of the event. 

Vitus rider Matthew Adair took part in the fifth round of the Irish NPS Series at Lady Dixon Park outside Belfast.  Despite feeling under the weather Matthew still won the Junior category.  Here’s his round up of the event.

"This weekend was the 5th round of the Irish NPS held at Lady Dixon Park. In the week leading up to the race I was suffering from the cold but having won a circuit race on Wednesday I though I would be fine, however during the practice lap I suffered badly and more bad luck before the race even started when I lost the bolt from my cleat. 

I put on a brave face for the race and the race started badly as I was started at the back of the grid and going into the first single track section I was midfield and started losing time to the leading riders, so hitting the grass section of the course I went for it and made up some places and was up to 5th place going into the next single track section and lucky for the time being I had no bad symptoms from the cold.  Going into the second lap I got into a group containing 3rd and 4th placed riders and stayed in this group for the second lap, but going into the third lap a rider attacked from this group and I quite simply could not go with him.  

The cold was effecting me and things didn’t get any better.  I keep going backwards getting passed again by almost all elite riders.  The lap times definitely showed this with my last lap being almost 6 minutes slower than my first, however I still won the junior prize.  My aim if now to try to get rid of this cold before the RAS Donegal this weekend were i will be riding for the Ulster team."

Matthew Adair