Four in a row!!!

What a great English weekend, wet and windy, so a good time to be out and about racing. Started at Hog Hill for the London Criterium champs, was alot faster than the previous race I did there two weeks ago, started with a very wet circuit but no rain until 5 laps from the end of the 25 lap race. I had a go at the sprints but as the finish line is at the top of the hill it was hard to fully commit while still trying to keep some energy in reserve for the finish. At 10 laps in I was attacking out of the bottom hairpin bend leading onto the back straight when I got a front wheel puncture so rode up to the top of the hill and borrowed a wheel and had a lap out, Takes 3 minutes to do a lap at Hog hill so had plenty of time.
So that was my 5th puncture of the year on my Tubular wheels, not good.
In the end I got 6th place in the race, was feeling good but still lacking that extra drive at the end, it is coming though.
So Saturday night was busy cleaning kit, drying shoes etc and gluing another tub on front wheel for Sundays racing in central London in support of the Tour of Britain stage start.
Again wet and windy but rain held off during our support race that got underway with 77 riders at 10.30am. As I sat on the start line I realised my rear tire had gone flat, managed to get hold of an official so was allowed to have a lap out straight away and get a spare wheel of the London Dynamo contingent. It is a bit poor of me having no spares but I haven't got any wheels that are suitable, and also have been lucky not to puncture, but then I don't normally race on tubulars.
Anyway as I was racing I was marking the moves, covering the primes without wasting to much energy, 4th and 3rd respectivly and in general felt good as the other riders were getting tired and I was staying the same. After a bit of attacking we came into the finish straight having established the race winning move when my front tire punctured, as I was at the front I rolled along to the pits and got another wheel, as I was waiting for the field to come round I was told I had no more laps out and would have to chase to get back in, so rolled round the corner then thought this is pointless as with 5 laps to go I could never catch the bunch, and saw no point in being in the bunch but being a lap down so called it quits.
Found my wheels and started walking to our store in Covent Garden. In the end I rode very slowly as walking in cycle shoes at 3.8 mph is slow when I could ride very slow and do 10 mph.
Got to the shop and changed wheels to allow me to head back to Tower Hill and the Bike Jam where we had a display and I had my car and dry warm casual cloths. Spent the rest of the afternoon drinking tea and eating, oh and talking to the odd passing visitor about bikes and cycle fitting.
Then to top it all off, this morning on my training bike I had to avoid a car sweeping across 3 lanes in Aldwich when I caught my rear tire on something sharp which slashed my tire in half, so again rode to the shop on a flat tire. At least this was quick and easy to fix.
Tubular wheels are not going to be used on the road ever again, instead I have already mounted some 30mm cyclocross tubs for the cross season, which starts for me in two weeks, maybe three as it is my birthday on the 20th and feel like having a drink or two.
Race is at Hillingdon at 1.30pm on Sunday the 21st so will probably make it.
So four ruined tires in one weekend, pretty shit really, This weekend I will be at the final National circuit race of the year at Warwick and will be on clinchers going for the win.
goodnight Warrick