Team Corley Crits

Today was another race at MK bowl, I got there to see the last half of the 4th cat race where Dave Anson was keeping a good postion near the front of the bunch untill be was unlucky enough to get dropped. Jered Allcock also did well in his first ever race to stay with the bunch and not get dropped, he also took the photo at the top of this blog post. As I started to warm up I found it was very cold and after a while I went to the car to get some mitts with no fingers so they did not help and came off before the race. On the start line I was right at the front with Nick Baker a rider from Zappi's, and as we started I jumped on his wheel and we went down the hill round afew bends and I looked round and saw we had a gap. I shouted we've got a gap, GO! and we got the pace up and made some people suffer but we got closed down. After flowing a few attacks and staying near the front it was time for a sprint for money! I think this was the second one and with a team Corley rider up the road the guy infront of me started to sprint and I was straight on his wheel and then he moved over a left a long sprint for me so I kept going telling myself I could win that £10! But as I got closer to the line so did the Team Corley guy and just on the line he beat me by half a wheel. I was disappointed but told myself to get over it and get on with the race. With loads of breakaways and many attacks we got to five laps to go after an hours racing the pace went up and stayed up. Crossing the line and hearing the bell was great because we only had one lap left. After getting round all the bend we got back on the bowl and the sprint started and I was staying up there in the top 6 or 7 and we moved across the whole road and as we crossed the line I counted 5 or 6 people beat me plus 3 in a breakaway so i may have got some points. Nick also won the race from the break.



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A5 rangers 5 mile TT and I won!

Last night was the A5 rangers 5 mile TT and after a busy day with an interview in the morning and helping the old man with his garden, I did have some time to relax and get ready but we where soon at the door. We got to the course early so we drove around to my dad could see where to go, after signing on and doing a bit of a warm up it was soon time to pin on numbers and get ready to do battle! after warming up as much as I could I was soon on the start line and getting ready to go. As I started I pushed a bit but not too much as it was down hill but the road soon went sky ward and I found myself trying to give everything trying to keep the pace up and as I went over I got back into TT mode. The next hill was not too far away and I dragged myself up there telling myself to keep pushing and all down hill now but there was a few drags on the dual carrageway. As I got to the turn nearly 8 mins into it I got round the roundabout and could see some one up the road so I hammered it and got upto the and past him who was my 2 min man and kept the legs turning and hurting as much as I could. with finish in sight I pushered harder to the point I could not have gone any faster and I crossed the line in 00:11:40 I tried not to be sick but I had to stop and came very close to puking my gets up on the side of the road but after a drink I was fine again.




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Bill Jinks RR

The Bill Jinks road race was my first race of the year on the road, and it was a nice hot day for it, maybe too hot as I got a bit dehtdrated towards the end. The race started with a rolling start from the HQ to the bottom of the last hill where we had to stop and then get going again. The first lap was the fastest and I felt ok I was keeping near to the front, but not many chances to drink from my bidons. As the laps counted down I kept telling myself to eat but still no, points where it would ease up enough to grab some food. After about 5 or 6 laps (of the 10) I grabed a banana and eat it quick as we went over the line. after about 40 miles I started to feel not so good, the heat was getting to me and the last 15 miles were harder. As the race got to 1 lap to go the pace was up in some parts, but this was our slowest lap by 38 seconds and as we got closer to the finishes it bunched up and I was in the top half but could not move up. On the final climb I was moved up alot as many people could not keep the pace going, but on the last bend I tried to dive though a space but the guy on my right moved over and pushed me into the guy on the left, this slowed me down and made me think oh sh*t but we all stayed up right, and I managed to start sprinting again but I had last off my speed and was trying to hang on and crossed the line in maybe the top 30 or 40. It was after the race I started to feel the dehydration, I had a headahe, sore throat and felt realy bad.

I still don't feel great but am feeling better. Note to self drink more water!




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Results here

Milton Keynes Bowl Season Starter 2

Today was a nice sunny and warm day to race at Milton Keynes bowl and I even got to work on my tan! As we lined up to start I was front and centre and as soon as we started I was in a good place for the first bend. As the race went on I kept drinking but my bidon was full of warm energy drink and there was no taste but after about a lap it would then kick in and I would feel a bit better. As the race went on loads of attacks went but only two riders got away and with attack after attack no one else could get away! As we finaly got to the last lap, the pace was high and I was near the front and on the down hill bit one guy looked around and said "we've got a gap" I look round and he was right it was a big gap. So we did though and off and as we got to the bottom of the hill we sprinted and I was feeling ok and I crossed the line 4th in our group and was 6th! Thats 4 points and a good race.

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A5 rangers hilly

Today was the A5 rangers hilly 31 mile time trial, I had been told all week it was going to rain today and it would be wet but it turned out nice, not too hot and only a bit damp on the roads. After a long warm up I was feeling good and was looking foward to it and once I started I felt ok but as the TT went on I felt even better. As soon as I got onto the A5 I could see people up the road and started to hunt them down. By the end of the A5 I had passed a few people as the route turned round it kicked up hill and I was catching my minute man and I was pushing hard to over take him and I looked at my heart rate monitor as I was in the 180's (above threshold) and as the road went around it kept going up so I had to keep going and as it got flater a few dogs barked and I think that may have made me go a bit faster! I kept the pace high and tried to keep climbing as fast as I could. Once I got to the end of the first lap my time was 38 mins and counting I kept the pace high and knew I could keep going for another lap Once I was at the end of the A5 for a second time I turned left and then got held up by a car that stopped at the tunnels and I had to slow right down but I don't think it cost me too much time. The next hill I had a plan not to big ring it half way up again but to spin up there and as I did I passed about three people. I was feeling good so I had a gel and then not long after number 30 came past me (I think he was 2nd in the end) so I tried to keep him in my sights down the hill and on the next uphill I managed to over take him again but on the flat at the top he then overtook me again. As I got to the last road I pushed as hard as I could to get to the finish and I did a time of 1:18:06 to get 7th and I think this is my second win towards the SPOCO series...

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Banbury Star Hard riders

Today was the Banbury Star open time trial, it was a wet cold day that got wetter and colder! I got to the HQ in plenty of time and signed on and with my start time of 10:32 I started warming up at 10:00 but went back to the HQ twice to get more kit to keep me warm. After a short warm up I felt ok and and not too wet. Once I started I got up to speed and felt good and soon caught my minute man after about 10 mins and soon after I had to go down a small hill and up another small hill with a BIG puddle across the road I got though it ok and soon got to Sunrising hill - A big hill that is worst to go down the come up! I went around the first bend and soon started breaking for the next bend that was a hair pin bend. Once around the speed went up and I got on the aero bars and caught another rider, and hoping I would get to 50 mph like I did the other day down that hill, sadly I didn't. I kept the pace going on the way out and by the time I got to the turn I had passed loads of people and was returning back to the finish with it snowing quite hard in places. I did pass a few more people on the way back and started to ease off as I got closer to Sunrising, this helped but after I got up the first bit it eased off and I was told I was 18 seconds down. at this point my plan was to drag myself up Sunrising and and push it hard all the way back. As I climb up the hair pin I just stayed in the saddle and kept going and by the time I got to the top I was so happy that it was mainly flat on the way home. I drove the pace as hard as I could but I went down the hill to the big puddle and as I rode though it, it felt like someone put the brakes on. As I got nearer to the finish I was catching two more people but a lorry overtook me and then slowed down so I took a chance and overtook it and was luckily Ok and I then crossed the line in 59:01 on a hard, hard day. My time was the fastest so far by a min and 21 seconds but after the fast boys came in I was 4th and very happy with that.



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Imperial Winter Series At Hillingdon Round 12

Today was the last race for the Imperial winter series until next winter. Me and Luke went again and it was even colder this week, about 1 degree when we started racing! There was a few place with ice but they were marked out had salt on them. Luke was trying to be like Mark Cavendish and Crashed in the sprint after getting pushed onto the grass! For my race my plan was to sit in and not attack, but with all the sprinting and attacking today I'm glad I waited for the sprint. We started off at a good pace and a few riders tried to get away but got brought back and thoughout the race many people attacked but no one could get away. As the race went on we finally got to the 5 laps to go and I was starting to feel good but was in the wrong place and felt I needed to start moving up a bit so I worked on it and with 3 laps to go I Started to get near a rider from Beeline cycles named James (who is sortof a Zappi) and I stayed with him and as we got to the last lap the bell rung and I was near the front keeping near to James and felt good and as the sprint came I gave it everything and not sure on my placing but I think I was in the top 20 so it was a good days racing for me.

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imperial Winter Series at Hillingdon Round 11

Today was Hillingdon again and it was very cold! Me and Luke had the same plan as last week, after I had warmed up a bit I went to see how Luke was getting on and after shouting at him abit he managed to get 6th in his race. I felt a bit better this week and from the start I was in a small breakaway with two others and we stayed away for two or three laps before the bunch pulled us back. As the race went on quite abit one rider who was on a breakaway on his own got pulled back and he swung into the side of he and got mine and his bars stuck together we got untangled and he said sorry. A bit more into the race and another breakaway went and I went after it and another guy worked with me but the bunch pulled us back and as we tried to get on the back the three on the back were getting dropped and made us get dropped as well. after giving up trying to get back to the bunch I just waited to get lapped and just took it easy. I then just sat in the bunch and waited till the end.

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Imperial Winter Series At Hillingdon Round 10

Today Me and Luke Souter from Banbury star went to Hillingdon, Luke was in the 3rd cat race and I would be in the E/1/2/3 race. On the way there Luke said I should try doing a longer warm up, and I had got ready early and was warming up I did about 3 miles and I punctured. This was not good I did not have any spare wheels or tubes! I had to wait for Luke to finish (he did well and got 11th for his first race of the year) and swap my front wheel for his (which was better than mine). I then had to time to sit on the start line and feel cold. As the race started my legs felt abit tight, but I wanted to stay near the front but as I pulled of the front it sped up I found myself not being able pedal hard my legs felt ok but my lungs would not take it, it felt like not being able to take in enough air and lungs just hurting. I ended up not being able to get on the back and gave up after that. I did a few laps waiting to be lapped where I managed to warm up a bit better and then the bunch came round again and I jumped on the back and just tried to do the race as easy as possible, but by this point I did not care. As the race went on I thought about how I could have done the start better without a warm up, like wheel hanging for a few laps. I started to get a bit warm by the half way point and ended up taking my gloves off when the race slowed down. Not much happened and I kept up with the bunch and got 30 miles in at 25mph so it was still a good training ride. In the morning I will try and do a 5 hour training ride to make up for not doing so well today.

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Imperial Winter Series At Hillingdon Round 9

Today I raced at Hillingdon again, it was windy but it was also warmer than last week. I was right on the front on the start line and feeling ready. As we started we rolled off and got up to speed soon after. The first 10 miles or more were hard, with the strong riders on the front pushing hard in the head wind and cross wind they managed to get away and it was a big group that got away! All though the race riders kept getting away and there was loads of break up the road, we even got lapped by the leading breakaway! As we got closer to the end I felt a bit better and with 3 riders not too far ahead and 1 lap left, I attacked and got up to them hoping we could work together but one guy got away and the other two would not work with me as I pulled over to let them come though. We got caught by the bunch and I managed to sit not too far from the front and in the sprint I managed to give everything to get too the line and I think I may have come about 26th. It was a hard race with the wind but I can say it was good training.

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Results here

Imperial Winter Series At Hillingdon Round 8

Today was my first race of the year, I was unsure how this was going to go because over the winter I've been doing longer rides but I never had any fast average speeds even on short rides and I seemed to good at going slow for a few hours. It was cold as I warmed up and I met another Zappi rider who was in my race -the E123 race- Nick Baker who had already been doing well at Hillingdon. As I waited for the 3rd cat race to end an ambulance turned up and drove on to the track to help some one who had been in a crash and was laying on the floor, luckily the bunch got past it safely. I was on the start line I felt good but not sure if that would be enough to keep up. After a long wait the race started, there was no sudden sprinting but I looked down and we were up to 23 mph already and we hit the hill and it got faster about 28 mph and I was still there and still felt I could keep with the bunch. Not too long into the race a breakaway managed to get away and I was starting to feel like it was not too bad and like I would keep up. Nick got in the break and I never saw him again. A few more breaks try to go throughout the race and because this was an elite race everyone worked together and I even did a few turns on the front! This surprised me as I did not know if I had the legs to help work at the front. After many fast laps we got to the 5 laps to go and I checked my garmin and it said an average speed of 26 mph. The sprint came very quickly and I was near the back but felt I had somthing in the legs to pass some people and I sprinted as hard as I could and was doing 32 mph up the hill and crossed the line about 13th in the group I think with 8 or 9 in the break I think I may have came about 20 somthing, not too bad for the first race of the year.



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Results maybe here

Coventry CC hill climbs

Sunday was the Coventry CC hill climbs and my last race of the year. The first climb was Burton Dassett the same climb used for the Banbury star hill climb but this course is a bit longer because it takes in the flat bit at the top. I started and felt good and got quite far up the hill still feeling good and knew this was a good time to make it hurt a bit more. As I hit the steep part I was out of the saddle pushing hard and feeling good doing so. As I got over the steep part It was quite flat so I jumped right down the gears and sprinted hard! I think I did a time of 1:47 but not sure. It was then a quick spin to get the legs recovered and to the car.

I got my jacket on quick put the bike away and off to the next climb. At the top of the next climb I had some jaffa cakes and a can of coke and was ready for the next climb.

I had a good warm up and felt good still. Edge hill was next but this course was longer than last weeks because it started further back. Because there was a longer drag at the bottom I started in the big ring and changed down just before the hill kicked up. This week I went a bit harder at the bottom and because of that I had a lower heart rate over the top. As I was going up I was again in the 39x25 like last week but could keep it turning and as I was getting closer to the top I was catching someone and I was pushing hard and felt like I was dieing on the pedals but as it got flat I was so close to the person I was catching and was going to pass him but then he sprinted and eased off and just on the line I got him. I crossed the line in I think 3:45 but not sure, and needed a long recovery ride after.






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Leamington C&AC hill climb

Today I got up as normal to go out on the club run and got 54 miles in the legs and then I got home and started getting ready for today's hill climb. The climb was Edge hill a climb not too far away but I drove there. I signed on and warmed up and was getting ready for the pain about to come. Soon after starting I felt good but knew it was best not to go to hard at this point, as I climbed it hurt more and more. half way up the hill was loads of MTBers (mostly pushing there bikes up) as I went round them I felt a little happy knowing that it could be harder. As I got up to one of the MTBers I went round him and I looked down and saw he was trying to get on my wheel but could not stay with me. One more left to get and once round him I found it started to hurt more and more and getting near the top I looked down at my garmin to see my heart rate about 193 BPM and once over the top I dropped it down a few gears and sprinted for the line and did a 3:23 and I think about 5 th place. Not a bad effort after a longish ride in the morning.

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Warwickshire RC 2 stage hill climbs

Photo by Mick Stallard

Today was 2 hill climbs by the Warwickshire Road Club. First was Saintbury hill and after warming pretty well and rolling up and down the road before I had to start, I felt good. On the start line I was ready to go and soon I was off and sat in the saddle trying to power my way up the hill. As I was on the steep part I could see my minute man and I managed to turn the 39x25 over by standing up and powering my way to him and as I got around him the hill started to ease off a bit and I could change up a gear. But then I hit the next steep bit and I was again down to bottom gear but once over that I could see the finish line and I went up a gear or two to dig deep and get to the line, I crossed the line in a time of 7:27. something and was winning for a few mins until lots of people went a bit faster.





After getting back to the HQ and seeing what time I had done and laying down in the boot of the car, it was time to try and get warmed up again ready for the next climb. While warming up I suddenly realised I had not eaten anything since breakfast but then as I got near to the start I forgot about that. On the start line for a second time today I felt good and knew this hill is shorter than the last. I was soon off and once again I was climbing in the saddle with getting out of the saddle to try and use some different muscles and then I managed to get up to my minute man again and go past. But as I climbed I had a song by the Bloodhound gang stuck in my head that I think may have helped me to get up there but as I got near to the top and could hear people cheering I felt I was pushing as hard as I could and once over the line I did 5:02.6 and was very close to being sick at the top of the hill but luckily I was not! I found out I managed to get 4th junior with some prize money, so it was a good day racing.


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results are here

Banbury Star open 25

Today was the Banbury star 25 mile time trial, and it was a bit cold to start with and when warming up I was still cold. At the start I had a good down hill bit to get up to speed and then a left had turn up a hill soon got me feeling a bit warm and I soon started feeling good and getting comfortable. Before turning left onto the dual carriageway I caught a rider and continued feeling good. Getting to the first roundabout I saw Jon Simpkins Stood on the side of the road who was off 2 mins in front of me, must have been unlucky and had a puncture. As I got to the next roundabout the next rider was in sight and as the road sloped upwards I managed to get closer and closer to him until I went past him. It was then another left and the road went upwards not too hard but I was starting to suffer and going up to a roundabout a lorry overtook me and slowed me down going around the roundabout. Then as I passed the start for my second lap I was feeling good and on the second lap not much happened until the last road towards the finish where I passed another rider and after passing the start again I had a good down hill bit again but as I was getting closer to another rider and a van was behind him and I could not get round the van but he turned off right and I sprinted as hard as I could for the line and did a 59:43 not my fastest but not too bad for the day.

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Stratford CC hill climb

Tonight I did the Stratford CC hill climb up Saintbury hill. I had a good warm up and was ready to go. I started and felt good, and tried not to go too fast at the bottom like I did last year on loads of hill climbs. I was climbing and feeling good it was steep so I was in bottom gear (39x25) just turning the pedals and was starting to hurt a lot and once I got to the flat bit kept the pedals turning trying to go fast but to get a short rest before it kicked up again. Once the finish line was insight I started sprinting and got to it but once I started slowing down I felt bad. I stopped on the side of the road and felt dizzy it stopped so I turned round but had to stop on the other side and was very close to being sick but I got back on my bike and felt ok and I found out I did a 7:44 a new PB for that hill and I'm very happy with the time.

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BMCC 2up 10 miles TT

I've only just noticed I forgot to do a blog post about this time trial so here it is. However to start with I would like to start with Monday, and I had planed to go out for a 40 to 50 mile solo ride but after turning on the computer I got distracted. Later that day I went out mounting biking with some mates and found out why I hate it. I crashed going down a steep hill but short hill and now have cuts over my scars from my last crash. A helmet would not have helped because I went shoulder first into the ground and rolled a few time to the bottom and am still finding new cuts and bruises. Tuesday I was planing to go out but was feeling a bit sore from the crash and then Justin messaged me asking if I wanted to do the Bicester Millennium CC 2up and I said yeah!

Me and Justin were ready to start he was held upright and I had to stand behind him, but as we went I got clipped in quickly and we where off. and the first two laps went well with Justin going on the front for the fast bit with a strong tail wind and me taking up the harder bit into the headwind. After two laps a 2up pair caught us and going into the headwind I could see them and felt good I could have pulled them back slowly but I heard Justin shout and I looked round to see him suffering so eased off, I decided to do all the work on the front from there to try and get us the fastest time we could Justin managed to keep on my wheel well and we did a time of 24 something. It was a windy hard night so I think together we did well and being on my no UCI legal setup felt a lot better.

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British Time Trial Championships

Today was the British time trial Championships and I have been excited about this since entering. When leaving home it was raining but at we got closer and closer to the the course it got better and better! At the headquarters we had to get a bike check by putting the bike in a jig to check everything was within UCI rules. My bike past, but the man checking it did measure my saddle and then said it was all OK, after that it was a gear check to make sure top gear was within 7.93 meters for one pedal turn then off to sign on. As I got on the turbo to warm up I did a few mins and then it started raining only lightly to start with and then after warming up really well I went to the start and felt OK and it rained a bit harder. I started the time trial and felt good and soon got to the first left hand turn and found out that it was into a headwind in parts without trees. After getting to the end and turning left I had a hard cross wind and felt like I was fighting it with my tri spoke getting push constantly into the side of the road. But after turning left it was a good tail wind and into top gear for some of it and then turning left and a junction in a village and down another small road with a few hills to get over. I the turned left yet again to pick the head wind part but this time it was a bit left time into a head wind but still raining and getting harder. I found if I pushed back on the saddle and sat up a bit more I could get a bit more speed and by doing this helped in the cross wind part and I was so glad to get to the last road to head to the finish, this was longer than any other road on the course but with a good tail wind all the way ...and a few rolling hills ...and rain. As I hit the big hill I sat up to get over it and kept it in the big ring and by this point I was wet every where from the rain that just got harder and harder since I started. At the top of the hill there was a house with an exercise bike for sale in the garden, maybe hoping a cyclist would buy it for training ...it made me laugh. After more rain and a hill or two I was caught by a rider who was off after me I got to the turn off for the finish and just sprinted as hard as I could. Once finishing I had to have another gear check and then I got to ride back to the car (still in the rain). My time was 49:58 for 20.9 miles and I think about 14th in the juniors so a good day racing even if it was raining. Henry Latimer also from Zappi did a quick time of 48:57. Alex Dowsett won the men's event and Wendy Houvenaghel won the women's.




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Results are here

Bicester Millenium CC 10 mile time trial

With the British Time trial championships on Sunday I've had to change my position on the TT bike to get within the rules, and change my saddle to get it 5cm behind to bottom bracket and I can't use my disk because the cassette I have to use (for restricted top gear) will not fit on my disk's free hub. So without further moaning I would like to write about last nights time trial at Weston on the Green RAF thingy place. After warming up on the bike I was still cold and my plan was to finish and get to the car as quick as possible. After starting off I was not too cold by the first bend and once around it I was on a slightly faster and in top gear (53x16) spinning faster than I would like because on faster bits I like a bigger gear a slower cadence unlike on slower bit where I like a lower gear and higher cadence after about a lap I still had to do 3 more. All the laps seemed the same but after much moving on the saddle trying to get in a right place I found myself on the last lap and with no one around I wondered if I had done to many laps but looking at my garmin if I had done too many laps I would have done an 18 min 10 so it must have been right. I was getting closer and closer to the end and I got out of the saddle to sprint but not sure where the line was so kept sprinting and sat down, I soon got to the car and got my warm jacket on. I liked the time trial, being off the roads made me feel like a pro like Blenheim Palace time trial did. As of now I do not know what time I did or anyone else, but I think by the garmin about 24 mins.

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Corley Cycles MKCA summer series race 19

Last night was the last race in the Corley Cycles series and it was also my Birthday, last night I was using my new mavic shoes and socks for the first time and they where great! The race was round both car park right from the start and the 3/4 race had loads of people in it but soon after starting I thought I was not too far from the front and looked round and found out I was at the back because we had dropped so many people in the first few laps. as the race went on the pace stay high and there was not many points where the race slowed right down and the elites only laps us once. As we got closer and closer to the last few laps I found myself holding a good position near the front and with one lap to go I was about 5th in line and as we hit the bottom of the hill the sprint was on, I managed to sprint for 3rd and then found out someone was on a breakaway so ended up with 4th place. Not too bad and my last 3/4 race, and today my 2nd cat race licence came so this will be my my last 3/4 race for a while.

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