With only limited opportunity this year to race in national road races due to my racing diary being so full last weekend we headed to Minehead for the Minehead National Grand Prix.

This was my first time racing in a criterium race which a closed road race on a tight town circuit and it was much more interesting than a track!

I walked and road the course before the race and checked out the hair pin bends, barriers and tight corners and on a very warm sunny day I lined up with the countries best!

I knew that I wanted to attack throughout the race as previous races had been really boring with a group sprint. I am not a sprinter and I knew I had to make my move early.

From the outset I attacked trying my hardest to split the bunch of girls up. The pace was fast and the commentator kept saying I would burn myself out as only a few other girls tried to to attack with me.

With four laps to go I made my move, sprinting off and leaving the group. no one came with me so I put my head down and went. With the bell ringing for the last lap I head that two girls had left the bunch and were now working to catch me.

As I entered the final straight I heard them closing in. The series leader is a sprinter and I knew she would be fast, as I approached the line I saw her wheel edge past me and she got me by a tyre width!

I am really pleased with a second place as my previous best road placing is 6th and I am pleased I could show what I can do.

Onto the next one which is the National Road Race Championships in Scarborough in a few weeks.