Race Report Thread

User avatar
jules21
Posts: 10555
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:14 pm
Location: deep in the pain cave

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Sat Jun 18, 2016 12:56 pm

Alain wrote:I have some misgivings with the approach to handicapping that's going on at the moment. I think we should be able to race in the fastest grade we can contest, not the fastest we can just hold on to.
I understand Alain. it's more your problem than mine, as I could be racing C grade in the Combine. I chose to go up for a challenge. I dunno if they'd let me back down now. the 3 Day Tour is a different beast though, you get a lot of blow-ins. Tim reckoned B was basically A grade pace :)

filipw
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 4:39 pm

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby filipw » Mon Jun 20, 2016 3:10 pm

Calga : 18/6
50km – C grade

I has been a while since I posted here. In the last couples of months I have racked up a couple of wins and places. Winter has arrived though and training is suffering a bit. I’m now doing some indoor training on my tacx, a race over the week end (if not rained out) and some rolling around on the other week end day. Form starts to slip I think. After not racing over the long week end with 3 races on offer, I lined up at Calga. Over the last couple of weeks quite a few B graders got dropped and were now allowed to start in C, we had also a couple of strong players from different Newcastle and Sydney clubs. C was stronger than usual and was aptly called B2/C and I would know it.
I forgot my computer at home so I have no idea of the speed, but I thought it was fast. On lap 1 we had several attacks, which then got reeled in and countered. First time over Blood was not too bad and the group stayed together. Second lap, again high pace and if the pace dropped, attacks. On the way back we came, it seemed –as Cadel would peep- close to flying. I had hopes to stay on but the group splintered up Blood Hill and one of the accelerations was enough to unhitch me. I joined a small group of chasers to roll home while one of the Newcastle riders took the win. Last time I raced at Calga I won C, this time I never saw the front. What a difference a couple of weeks of no racing make :cry:

User avatar
nickobec
Posts: 2271
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:51 am
Location: Perth or 42km south as the singlespeed flies
Contact:

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby nickobec » Mon Jun 20, 2016 11:00 pm

Image
PDCC C grade
Dog Hill
18 June 2016


I have not posted a race report for some time, it is not that I have not been racing, raced most weekends. Just ended up writing the reports for the local newspapers.

25 riders lined up in C grade, some familiar faces including a the juniors from Midland Cycling Club and a lot of new faces, a mix of triathletes and riders trying out racing.

I ended up sitting at the back for the first lap, to watch what was going on with another strong rider. We almost got caught out on the only real rise on the circuit. So I moved forward, out of next corner the leading rider snapped a spoke, locked the rear wheel and ended their race.

Next lap, I was in sixth wheel as we went up the rise, we got a split , tried driving the advantage with a couple of other riders. Half a lap and 5kms later, rolled to the back to see the damage, we had lost one junior.

Next couple of laps I drifted between the middle and back of the pack as a few riders drove the race. Final lap I was in about 8th as we hit the rise, A rider close to the front launched a savage attack, the two in front could not hold the wheel. So over the crest I was chasing at over 50kph for 800 metres. Could not close the last few metres, rolled off hoping the rider behind could do the job. To my surprise I had dragged most of the bunch back and we were all together.

Did not have much of a chance to recover, when the next attack came. Struggling in last wheel holding 50kph i wondered why I was racing and what I wanted out this race. Decided I wanted to finish top 10. Best chance would be stay left, as the road turns right with 400 metres to go, a line opens up on the left. I could follow Mike, the only rider in the race older than me. He is a good sprinter and just finds the holes. The next choice was Ol, the youngest rider in the race, he has a good turn of speed and tends to sprint earlier than most due to lack of top end speed on under 15 gearing.

I was running various tactics through my head as I moved slowly up the bunch. Another attack, another chase at 50kph. Was glad when we turned onto the narrow Young Road, the wind was now a crosswind and the pace eased. We turned onto Dog Hill Road and into a headwind, another attack and chasing at 50kph again. A few hundred metres and the bunch was back together. The next couple of kilometres were hectic as riders tried to move up. I was sitting on the far left, three riders back with Mike two riders in front of me. I would of liked to be on his wheel, but I was in an OK position. Just before the bend, Mike made his move, jumped onto the gravel to pass the tiring rider in front of him, back onto the road and launched his attack, Ol went with him. The attack caught everybody off guard or exhausted. The two riders in front of me could not go, the rider on my right disappeared, so I made it to Ol’s wheel. Quick check to the right again, the rider behind was losing ground. So I swung out and let it rip, probably 20 metres to early. Did not matter, surprised everyone including myself winning by three bike lengths.

User avatar
jules21
Posts: 10555
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:14 pm
Location: deep in the pain cave

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Tue Jun 21, 2016 10:13 am

congrats Nick - I bet you still have a grin on your face!

cerb
Posts: 571
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:37 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby cerb » Tue Jun 21, 2016 12:25 pm

Nice one! It's great when you can surprise even yourself! :)

User avatar
nickobec
Posts: 2271
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:51 am
Location: Perth or 42km south as the singlespeed flies
Contact:

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby nickobec » Thu Jun 23, 2016 3:42 pm

jules21 wrote:congrats Nick - I bet you still have a grin on your face!
unfortunately not, it last less than 10 minutes.

B grade came round the last bend 400m from finish, through the camera lens I saw two riders go down, the a whole lot more.

3 hospitalised, nothing serious just broken collarbones, ribs and a wrist, a lot more missing skin and wrecked bikes.

filipw
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 4:39 pm

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby filipw » Mon Jul 11, 2016 5:00 pm

Race reports are few and far between, so here is mine.

Lined up on Sunday at Kooragang with my masters friends of HVMCC for 4 laps in ok conditions : some of the hard nuts had even short sleeves on. I was a bit apprehensive as in my last 2 races (at Calga) I have been dropped, as my normal hibernation time is rapidly approaching.
We rolled out and the first lap was quite hard I thought. After this bit of wake up call, not a lot of riders wanted to do any work and everyone was more than happy it seemed to have it come to a sprint. In lap 3 there was a lone attack, which got reeled in quite easy. In the last lap, just across the bridge there was an attack of 2 riders. One of the riders I thought looked strong, and as I was blocked in I could not respond. I was a bit nervous, thinking it was the winning move, I was thinking of jumping across, but while we accelerated, the attackers faded and the danger had past. With 4kms or so to go and everyone was starting to look at each other, the strong guy saw his chance and attacked. I jumped after him, got his wheel, but he immediately sat up. I was a bit surprised by that as when I looked back we had a small gap with 3km to go. I decided to do or die and gave immediately 100%. A quick glance back and I saw the bunch chasing hard :( , another glance back and they were still chasing but faltering :) , last glance back and they had given up :D . Victory ! An all or nothing move which paid off.

User avatar
Xplora
Posts: 8272
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 12:33 am
Location: TL;DR

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Xplora » Mon Jul 11, 2016 10:40 pm

Love a flyer!

User avatar
ItsDank
Posts: 237
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:39 pm

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby ItsDank » Sat Jul 16, 2016 7:20 pm


Got food poisoning and threw up during the race. Found myself in the middle of nowhere so did a heap of intervals to pass the time :)

filipw
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 4:39 pm

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby filipw » Thu Jul 21, 2016 2:24 pm

Last Saturday I lined up at Kurri Kurri for the HEZ100, with no expectations. C had to do6 laps or 74km’s (A was doing 100kms), I had a sore throat and form is slipping so I decided just to sit in the bunch and hang on as long as I could. The first lap was quite fast, and I was thinking the worst, but luckily the tempo dropped. There were a number of attacks which all got reeled in. At lap nr 4 the distance started to hurt me a bit and I was looking forward to the last lap. The finishing line is on an incline which we –in the lower grades- call, Nothing Hill, as you have nothing left if you sprint too early and you ‘ll die with 50 meter to go. A grade calls it Nothing Hill, as it is really a nothing hill. Anyway, during the last lap I moved closer to the front. At the start of Nothing hill I was a bit too far back and I thought the race was over. The sprint started and suddenly I found myself close to the front with fading riders around me. The curse of Nothing Hill was true to its name ! I managed to sprint to second place which was above expectations. Very happy with that. Monday, I finally succumbed to the flu. Just getting over it now.

User avatar
ItsDank
Posts: 237
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:39 pm

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby ItsDank » Sun Jul 24, 2016 11:17 pm

Heffron B Grade Race Report:


Heffron was windier than usual and there was a 35km/hr crosswind which made the majority of the course rather dicey. It was going to be a hard day in the saddle as this was my first race back after spending three weeks off the bike and in hospital after a nasty little crash in Royal National Park. My FTP dropped to 261w from 278w as I wasted away in hospital and in hindsight, that kind of FTP doesn't bode all that well in B grade.

The race got underway and it was on from the start with two Sydney CC riders going off the front before many could even clip in. The sudden surge caused an immediate split on the first turn which was a headwind straight and proved quite difficult throughout the race. I got stuck behind a Suvelo rider who had dropped off from the main group and I subsequently had to chase back, burning a few matches in the crosswinds. Two subsequent riders blew up whilst I was behind them and on my forth attempt to chase back, I had reached way too far into the red zone. With a combination of a low FTP, bad wheel choices to follow and brutal conditions, I waved my $20 entry fee away early :p

Always next time and plenty to learn!

filipw
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 4:39 pm

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby filipw » Mon Aug 01, 2016 2:58 pm

Lined up at Kooragang with my HVCC friends last Sunday morning. A rather small field with 4 laps to race. As usual at Kooragang, it was windy, and a rather cold wind. We soon settled in a decent tempo and it became an animated race with quite a few break aways and attacks. In the final lap I burned a match and bridged to an escapee and tried to stay away from the bunch, but the wind was not our friend and we were caught. After that, everyone prepared for the sprint. Not everyone though was prepared to gamble on the sprint as coming into the long straight, one of the animators of the race attacked again. We all looked at each other, hesitated, waiting for someone else to close the gap, and when we finally reacted, it turned out to be just too late. A disappointing 4th, but a well deserving winner.

Reave05
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2016 7:15 am

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Reave05 » Tue Aug 02, 2016 5:01 pm

I also lined up at Kooragang last Sunday morning and I suspect I was in the same race as Filip (I actually think I was talking to you pre-race, Filip. Did you just get new wheels?). This was my first race since moving up a grade, so my goals were basically to hang on and try and learn as much as I could from the experience. I was surprised and happy when it was announced we'd only be racing 4 laps, which gave me a much greater chance of hanging on for the duration.

The race was completely different to races I'd done in the lower grade. Almost constant attacks and break aways made it much more complicated to what I was used too. I chased the first couple down before I realised that this grade (or this race at least) seemed happy to let a couple of people go. The bunch worked well together for the most part and eventually chased everything back together. There was a lot more talking than I was used too, but was a refreshing new aspect I hadn't experienced.

On the last lap, I jumped after Filip's attack on the overpass, and got hung out in the wind as I led the bunch around in the chase. I almost got popped off the back when the group jumped to make the final catch. Just before the last corner everything had calmed down and I (as well as 3 others) all seemed to decide that Filip's wheel was the one to follow to the finish. I got into a decent position, just behind and to the side, sheltered from the howling cross-wind. But I hesitated when the earlier animator attacked relatively early on the finishing straight. Before I knew it, it was too late. I put in a sprint, but it was in vain, unable to chase down the eventual winner (who thoroughly deserved the win - he was the strongest all day).

I managed to hang on for 2nd, which I was very happy with, given my inexperience. I learnt a lot, and look forward to more races at that intensity.

User avatar
ItsDank
Posts: 237
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:39 pm

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby ItsDank » Sat Aug 06, 2016 7:27 pm



Sutherland Shire Cycling Club Criterium Race 06/08/2016

We almost didn't wake up for this crit. Had one look out the window and decided it was going to be a wet track and as Bosco puts it "we're all real passionate about keeping our skin".

Last minute we got the bikes together and made it out to Sutherland, registering for the C grade race with minutes to spare. We had been talking about this race for the past 24 hours and already knew how we would attack it as a team. TIm Aldham coined the phrase "Sydney Cycle Club's Team Zwift" and that's kind of what we are, just a rag tag group of guys who hate winter and only emerge from our ergo trainers to briefly race on the weekends.

https://www.strava.com/activities/665876562/analysis

Ming and myself were the attackers and responders whilst the other three were all breakaway specialists and pace makers. We waited a good 6 laps in till we just started throwing attacks left right and center. The good old mantra of when in doubt, attack, was used to good effect and we forced quite a lot of the other riders to burn way more matches than they wanted to. I took out the prime and on the back of that sprint we formed a breakaway.

I sat back, mainly due to exhaustion whilst the others powered away and took the win. A hell of a race, great fun all round :)

Reave05
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2016 7:15 am

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Reave05 » Sun Aug 07, 2016 10:34 pm

I lined up today at Kooragang with Hunter Valley Masters for an Invitational Scratch race, which generally brings a bigger field and a faster race than normal. At the start of the race it was announced that we'd be doing 5 laps of the course. Conditions were drying after overnight rain, but it was still pretty greazy. This was my 2nd start in this grade, and my first attempt at the 5 laps, so I went in with the goal simply not to get dropped.

I got up the front early on the first lap - mostly to warm the body up and get a feel for the race. The riders seemed nervous in the slippery conditions, especially when we travelled across the train tracks. Not long before the final two corners of the first lap, I moved to the back of the race. Another rider and I got caught two wide through the second last corner, which slowed us both down and immediately popped us off the back by 5 metres or so. We both dug hard to bridge, as the pace was on. Unfortunately, that section of the course was made even more difficult today by a truck parked on the side of the road, in what is already normally a narrow section of racetrack. As a result, we had moved well away from the vehicle, but unbeknownst to me, we had moved over too far to the right and into the course traffic cones. The rider in front of me narrowly missed a cone, but I was unsighted at the time and cannoned straight into one (probably my lack of experience showing up at this point ;)). I kept everything upright, and also managed to avoid a metal traffic arrow set up a couple of metres down the road by an inch or two. But it was certainly a "moment" and in fact managed to give me a 15bpm jump in my heartrate. I was really displeased with this little section of the race, and decided I didn't want to be anywhere near that rider on subsequent laps (which was unfair in hindsight - I was the one who screwed up and hit the damn cone).

I basically spend the next 2 laps trying to regain some composure and get my head back into the race. Luckily for me, the race seemed somewhat benign. At one point I remember thinking that the race felt more like a coffee ride with us two abreast, with most people chatting away. The 4th and early parts of the 5th laps were more animated with numerous people trying to get away. The group were attentive though, and didn't let anyone get too far down the road.

Coming into the final two corners of the final lap, I found myself way out of position. I was near the back and was on the riders' wheel that I'd had the problems with on the first lap. Once again, he was skittish around these corners and I found myself not where I wanted coming into the finishing straight and totally out of touch with the race going on. By sheer luck, I found my way back to the the guys I wanted to follow into the sprint. They were moving up on the outside, so I jumped on for the ride. We got to the "front" before I noticed a rider a good way down the road. Turns out I wasn't near the front of the race at all. The rider in front of me jumped with a massive kick, and I tried hard to follow, but only managed to close within a metre or so. As we started to close the gap to the leader, I realised it was Filip who was way out in front. We pushed hard but were unable to close the gap, and Filip took a well deserved win. I managed to hang on for 3rd. I did set a PB for the final sprint, taking 8% off my previous best. As this was in a decent headwind, it shows how hard we pushed to try and make the catch. All credit to Filip. It was a great move!

Another great learning experience for me, and I am once again very happy with the result. There's no racing for me next weekend, so I guess that means I should train hard or something over the next two weeks. :D

filipw
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 4:39 pm

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby filipw » Mon Aug 08, 2016 3:13 pm

As did Reave05, I lined up at Koorangang Island for the Sunday race with HVCC. It was good to see Reave05 all oiled up and ready to go. A bit bigger field than last week, with damp conditions, luckily it dried up during our 5 laps race. One of my mates pointed out the ‘man to watch’ –a sprinter- who also had a friend –another sprinter. While Reave05 had his drama’s with a very, very lucky escape in the first lap, we dealt with a couple of attacks very early on in the race. I kept an eye out of who and how many riders were going in the breaks hoping to be able to join the winning break, but they were brought back easily enough. Not sure what their plan was, but every time a break was caught, the 2 sprinters put themselves at the front of the bunch and the tempo dropped straight away, :roll: enticing another break away attempt. Late in lap 4 I had a decent crack with another rider to stay away but the bunch did not let us go. I knew that if we would let it come to a bunch sprint, the 2 sprinters would clean up, as 1 sprinter did 0 (read ‘absolutely zero’) work. There was a desperate attack in the back straight, I jumped across, and jumped again. Coming into the cross wind on the straight I had a decent advantage. I faded at the end, but managed to hold on. Sweet victory. Unfortunately soon after that the club’s handicapper indicated that I will be promoted to a higher grade. That night I cried myself to sleep, clutching my last ever winners envelope.

User avatar
ft_critical
Posts: 2099
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:06 pm
Location: watching the 11
Contact:

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby ft_critical » Mon Aug 08, 2016 3:44 pm

Well, two rounds of Battle of the Bridge down – Heffron and West Head. Racing in a team is harder than you think. First, there aren’t that many tactics to employ and a lot depends on how people feel at the end of the race. Regardless, it is a fantastic series as evidenced by the huge bunch sizes riding.

So Heffron was hard, averaging over 40 for 40min, which is pretty fast for that course. Interestingly all the breaks that went contained one rider from each club. I am certain, all clubs said, ‘cover the break’ – and sure enough that is what happened. So what does one do in the bunch? In both races personal ambition and the general tempo of rolling turns has brought back the break. This conflict between personal ambition and team play I think is a new experience for most riders; no-one rode slow enough for the break to stay away. Heffron ended in a bunch sprint, just closing down on the back of break no 10 of the day. For my part I was not really feeling fantastic, so I had not moved up in the final turn. Surprisingly, when I stomped on the pedals, driving a very big gear, it proved very effective at moving up the outside of the bunch into the wind to finish in the top 10.

So Heffron doesn’t really suit me. At the half way I thought I would not make the end of the race. West Head does suit me. We turned up early as a team to the race; wet roads, cool not cold. But turning up early meant I was stone cold when racing began. The hammer was dropped. It was a very fast start and my legs were burning. It is that burn that you get from touching an ice block where the body confuses the cold with heat. It eased up, I warmed up… Half way through lap one of three, I was in the break with three others – one from each club - go figure. It was a strong break with one passenger. The RBCC rider was stronger on the flats, the SUVelo rider stronger in the hills, I was kind of the glue that bound it all together. This made for a fast and hard ride. Since having my powermeter, it is the hardest 40min I have ridden. We rode extremely hard for half a lap then backed it off through necessity. Looking at the faces, we were all fully committed. Three up in a break is the hardest as you really don’t get a rest. The fourth rider would pull a very occasional turn but that was more disruptive than helpful.

The SUVelo rider put a friendly, comradely hand on my back, ‘there here, we’ve been caught.’ Just over a lap to go. My legs were toasty, but recovered later. Psychologically, I thought that I was burned out, but it wasn’t so. This belief though, influenced how I rode. Coming into the last hill, 2km to go, I was in group 3 with 30m splits to two groups in front. I put in just enough effort to join a group moving forward, then bridged to the second group on the road. We had no-one in the first group so this seemed the right thing to do. Someone came around and I jumped on for the ride to group one. I yelled at him that he had momentum and should attack the hill. He didn’t, I did – that was a mistake. I had seen a guy do it some months back, make it to the top and hold on for the run back to the line. He must have awesome legs. I started to cramp 20m from the turn at the top of the hill. Shadows on the road, the roar of carbon wheels… I turned in 7th wheel. Again I thought that was it and was looking to roll back into the main bunch. But, my legs still worked a bit and I jumped on a bunch rolling forward on the right. Now I knew I didn’t have a sprint and I knew there was no Cinderella story here, but if you are in the bunch moving up, no reason not to… So it was when the sprint opened up I stood up and my legs simply hurt. I did put in about half of max power and rolled over in the top 15. Clearly it was a poor decision to attack. It is a bit of mind game, I thought I wouldn’t have a sprint due to my work in the break, but I probably had 80% of max power left which as it turned out, with positioning, would have been enough I reckon. Oh well. We didn’t do well as a team, no—one on the podium here, which is a bit my fault.

And.
Beauie A. On the way back from Heffron above, I had a tumble. Leading out my NSCC comrades, around a roundabout in Milson's Point and bang, straight down. Some shreading and deep road rash as I was flying. Bit unexpected. No apparent damage, just a scratched derauilleur right? Nope. Sunday morning at the deep, deepest depth of Roseville Bridge, spokes eat deraileur. I walk back the 5km to home including the 1.8km up the 7% hill. I get spare bike, I drive 40min to Beauie, I sign on, pin on, get to the start as we go, computer is not even on the right bike.... I am completely cold and dropped in two laps. Such a waste.

And.
I am traditionally Mr. 4th. I don't really like this. But last weekend Lansdowne A, I followed the winning move which was from 700m out at max effort from the bottom of the hill. But on the finishing straight I was not strong enough to hold the wheel of second place, but surely I could hold for 3rd right.

User avatar
Derny Driver
Posts: 3039
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 12:18 pm
Location: Wollongong

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Derny Driver » Mon Aug 08, 2016 9:28 pm

I find all this team riding / club combine stuff pretty amusing.
Dan K ... doing a job on poeple like my niece who ride Sutho C grade, you should be ashamed!
My son dislikes his 'fellow club members' and would probably put most of them in a ditch rather than help them in a race.

cerb
Posts: 571
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:37 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby cerb » Tue Aug 09, 2016 8:39 am

Yeah, the 'club vs club' racing is interesting... we don't see much of it here in Vic.

There are a lot of small teams in our local race scene, even in the lower grades. The club which you are a member plays little to no difference as to how a race is ridden. In the higher grades, there are very few riders who wear club kit for racing crits. Though it is more common during the road season...

We did have an SKCC vs CCCC cup for the first time last year, which was a bit of fun, but apart from that everyone is looking out for team riders and specific individuals - not for a combination of club members.

filipw
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 4:39 pm

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby filipw » Mon Aug 22, 2016 9:35 am

Sunday, I lined up for my first race in C at the HVMCC at Koorangang Island. A decent field of 22 riders (including a tandem) battled it out over 5 laps. Quite a strong cold cross wind made life difficult and all attempts of break aways were blown apart. Tempo was high from the start and I think that I will have to step it up if I want to be at the pointy end of the grade :idea: . With 2 laps to go I found myself too far back down the long, stretched out field, going full gas : I risked to be caught out if the group would split. When I saw the chance I moved up and stayed for the remainder of the race near the front. Coming in the straight I was in a decent position :shock: , good enough to have a crack at the sprint. 4th place. Happy with that.

C grade
5 laps 37.5km
37.4 km/avg

User avatar
MREJ
Posts: 404
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:58 pm

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby MREJ » Tue Aug 23, 2016 7:18 am

The Grog-an'-Grumble Steeplechase, Mudgee, August 2016

Pull up a chair and get comfortable, and listen to the the story of a weekend's racing in the country.

Until some 200 years ago, the Wiradjuri people dwelling in the place they called Moothi, meaning "Nest in the Hills”, had little reason to consider the strange tastes and desires of the white people further east, over the ranges.

In times since, waves of new folk have come seeking fortune, particularly after the discovery of gold in the mid-19th century. The legend of Mudgee grew as tales of its riches spread, and the local gold miner’s son Henry Lawson added to that, with his stories of life in the bush. These included The Grog-an'-Grumble Steeplechase, which told of a close race between the visiting city horse Holy Terror and the local champion The Screamer:

'Twixt the coastline and the border lay the town of Grog-an'-Grumble
In the days before the bushman was a dull 'n' heartless drudge,
An' they say the local meeting was a drunken rough-and-tumble,
Which was ended pretty often by an inquest on the judge.
An' 'tis said the city talent very often caught a tartar
In the Grog-an'Grumble sportsman, 'n' retired with broken heads,
For the fortune, life, and safety of the Grog-an'-Grumble starter
Mostly hung upon the finish of the local thorough-breds.

Nowadays, newer ideas occupy the minds of city slickers, and others, seeking fortune in the hills. What rich prospects for a modern-day Lawson would have been offered by the troupe who gathered in the surrounding vineyards on two cool, fine days in August. Their ambition, their follies, their valiance and commotion. Their bright clothes and their gleaming iron horses, once velocipedes, now bi-cycles. Several hundred hopeful men and women had made the journey from distant places, coastal and inland, for the annual Mark Dwyer Handicap and Robert Oatley Scratch Race. Both events were to be extended gallops on circuits in the hills north of town.

7 riders from our club (Waratah Masters) took the start line for Saturday’s handicap. As expected, it was good, hard racing, as handicaps should be. No-one gets to hide, or if they do, then let us hope Henry Lawson’s modern-day equivalent gets wind of it. 5 of us, in two bunches, were to chase the lead 2 and their bunch. The starter's command set off the slow war of attrition that is handicap racing on country roads. The groups rolled turns and cajoled and encouraged their fellow riders as the coarse surface and hills began to take their toll. Groups separated and reformed until the first half of the race came together with about 20k to go. The following long drag had a big impact, with many riders feeling the pace, and the block bunch and those of its acolytes who remained catching just before the crest.

Block had some pretty big hitters, and so commenced a fast and sometimes frantic run down hill and along the flattish road back to the start/finish line at the winery. The competing dynamics of preserving energy, dropping unwanted passengers, staying away from scratch and not crashing were played out against the irregular beat of the motorbike’s horn, tooting insistently at the group to stay left of the centreline. With the final act getting closer with each bend we rounded, and 3 Waratahs left in the bunch, there was hope that at least some might get a look at the finish, but that faded when the remnants of scratch appeared at the last turn, with a couple of k to go. They squeezed by in what seemed like only a foot or two at the edge of the road, and carried on without looking back. Even with Lawson’s loaded dog behind, they would not have been caught at that point. Those who still had appetite and strength contested the scraps in their wake. It had been an honourable battle, well fought and well won by local rider, Ayden Toovey.

With hope refreshed by an evening of fishing tales and good company, the gang turned up early on Sunday to rejoin the fray. It was a bright, cool morning, and thankfully without the presence of the dreaded Jack Frost. All colours of the rainbow were on display, as riders and supporters fidgeted with numbers and equipment, gulping coffee and last minute nutrition, awaiting their call to the start line. This time, the assembly were organised into 4 scratch races, the longer 3 being two laps totalling 90k and the 4th one lap of 45.

This new day brought new challenges and opportunities. Unlike the previous round, there was no hope of catching a ride if the next bunch along proved hospitable, and no knowing the nature of any company you might find yourself amongst once adrift from the lead, so it was essential to stay with your starting group. The wider range of riders in each bunch meant that cracks started to appear, especially on the long climbs on the way out. There is nowhere to hide when you’re on the limit, the road starts going up and the riders at the front are intent on doing some sorting out. So it was that some lessons were learned that day. Nevertheless, our riders competed with dignity and finished safely, rolling over the line contented with having giving it their best and pleased to have contributed to a splendid production.

After catching breath and checking the survivors, there was time to ride slowly back up to the finish line to await the arrival of the thoroughbreds of division 1, the final crescendo of the weekend’s proceedings. Soon, over the crest, some 800 metres distant, appeared a lone rider, who hurtled over the line only seconds later. Again, the day’s major prize had gone to a stayer from the country, this time, Ben Hill from Scone. Old Henry Lawson would have been pleased. His poem ended portentously with these lines, recording the country champion’s triumph over the flash horse from the city:

From the ruck he'd struggled slowly — they were much surprised to find him
Close abeam of Holy Terror as along the flat they tore —
Even higher still and denser rose the cloud of dust behind him,
While in more divided splinters flew the shattered rails before.
“Terror!” “Dead heat!” they were shouting — “Terror!” but the Screamer hung out
Nose to nose with Holy Terror as across the creek they swung,
An' M`Durmer shouted loudly, “Put yer tongue out! put yer tongue out!”
An' the Screamer put his tongue out, and he won by half-a-tongue.

Just as well it was not so close this time, as Henry went on to warn against doubting the decisions of country commissaires:

The decision was supported by the G. and G. committee.
An' a bodyguard selected from the drovers round about.
There was one protest; 'twas entered by a sportsman from the city,
But they dropped him in the river, and forgot to pull him out.

So the crew retired without argument and in good harmony with their hosts, who it has to be said were delightful, and after getting cleaned up back at the farm, and refreshments in a shipping container cafe, spent the evening journey back to the city retelling the weekend’s events, speculating about what might have been and anticipating other opportunities to submit themselves to the magnificent rigours of country racing. Hope springs eternal in the human breast!
2016 S-Works Tarmac, 2014 Wabi Lightning SE, 2012 Felt F75, 2011 Genesis Equilibrium 20, ancient Avanti Pista track bike

User avatar
ft_critical
Posts: 2099
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:06 pm
Location: watching the 11
Contact:

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby ft_critical » Tue Aug 23, 2016 10:48 am

MREJ, a new high for the Race Report, great writing. Thanks for taking the time to compose it.

cerb
Posts: 571
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:37 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby cerb » Tue Aug 23, 2016 4:35 pm

I'm impressed that the bloke got his tounge in front of his front wheel. Caleb Ewan would be proud! ;)

User avatar
MREJ
Posts: 404
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:58 pm

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby MREJ » Tue Aug 23, 2016 9:37 pm

Thanks ft_c. A nice after-dinner activity which I enjoyed. And cerb, I reckon Caleb should be told!
2016 S-Works Tarmac, 2014 Wabi Lightning SE, 2012 Felt F75, 2011 Genesis Equilibrium 20, ancient Avanti Pista track bike

filipw
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 4:39 pm

Re: Race Report Thread

Postby filipw » Mon Sep 05, 2016 3:22 pm

Raced at HEZ C grade at kurri kurri Saterday afternoon, 4 laps for 40kms, in very, very windy conditions. HEZ is a dog leg circuit and with the wind we were doing 55km/h one way, coming back into the wind, 25km/h. We had attack after attack from one rider, and instead of letting him ride away and blow himself apart in the strong winds, the group decided to chase him each and every time. At the beginning of lap 2, Nothing Hill put me in the red zone, and I struggled to stay on. Luckily I managed to recover in time and was ok for the rest of the race, several matches burned though. On the final lap’s return leg a young fellow jumped away and we all waited for someone else to close it down. That didn’t happen so we raced for 2nd. One rider was off the front coming towards the last witches hat at the bottom of Nothing Hill with the finishing line. I closed the gap half way and had a couple of metres on a splintering bunch. I waited for another young fellow to close the remainder of the gap, but when he did, I couldn’t respond to his next kick up Nothing Hill. While he continued to come 2nd, I came 6th.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users