Race Report Thread

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jules21
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Wed Oct 15, 2014 11:10 am

+ 1 amusing report

last season i got into an attacking frame of mind and even when i decided not to attack in a race i'd find myself launching when the bunch hesitated with my inner coach complaining "why did you just do that?" and me answering "i'm not sure but i will look pretty stupid sitting up now"

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby thearthurdog » Wed Oct 15, 2014 6:00 pm

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Sun Oct 19, 2014 11:58 am

SKCC d grade, 45 mins + 3 laps
i got called a sandbagger by a club-mate who came down for B grade today, but i told him i honestly can't win D grade! which is true. and it wasn't any different today. i get bored sitting in the bunch saving it up for the final lap so i threw in a few attacks. at least i thought they were attacks but each time i turned around there was a long string of riders hanging on behind me. apparently my clever ploy to wear an old Around the Bay jersey failed to convince others to not take me seriously, although i think i heard some others laughing at me on the startline. so it was altogether for the finale and i was in about 10th coming into the final corner, where i stayed until over the line. i need to spend more biccies moving up on the last lap, but it's easy to get boxed in. not bad, considering i punished myself in the Nongs yesterday. afterwards, i watched the B grade finale where Cerb came thundering over the line - 4th as i saw it.

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thelittlebattler
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby thelittlebattler » Sun Oct 19, 2014 2:36 pm

Starting my first full year of racing this season, (after a handful of crits last year where I'd get lapped in D grade). First crit was last Thursday, but I was out half-way through after my tyre exploded... Clipped my pedal on one of the turns and did the thing where you freak everyone out behind you, but stayed upright. Half a lap later a section of tyre had ripped away from the bead, so no more attacks I suppose!

Managed to get into the LBS to get some new rubber on Friday ready for Saturday's road race. After perfect preparation of no dinner Fri night and minimal sleep I was quietly confident leading into Saturday morning's 50km undulating race. I don't think there were more than 10 people in combined D/E-grade, so figured this would be a perfect chance to go on the attack, as it would likely break up into groups of 1's and 2's anyway.
Combined with a cracking pace on the front where we almost caught C grade, and feeling pretty ordinary I decided against the attack. I could only just hold on as 1 guy trucked for 30kms, dropping riders intermittently. He then got popped when Fast Lady put some power down up the next hill, which left 3 of us up front with 20kms to go.
Fast Lady waved us through for a turn, so I let the next guy do a pseudo-turn for a few minutes, thankful for the first respite all race. He pulled off to let me do my pseudo turn, before Fast Lady kicked again.. Ouch, we both held on and suffered til she waved us through again with 10km to go. I didn't even have enough to do a pseudo-turn, and accepted my place as a sandbag in this group of 3.

When Old mate put in an attack up the final climb, I remember thinking, "oh good I can cruise home in 3rd and be happy with a good race". But Fast Lady wasn't going with him either so I toyed with ideas of out-sprinting her for second. Then old mate started zig-zagging and almost reversing down the hill so the race was on between Fast Lady and I with 2kms to go. She still had enough left to kick away from me on the last ramp of the hill, and I couldn't chase the 200m gap she had on the plateau. Old mate recovered on the flat, but I held him off by 50m for 2nd spot.
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jules21
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Sun Oct 19, 2014 2:58 pm

nice work battler - a podium already!

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Ross
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Ross » Sun Oct 19, 2014 3:37 pm

Good work! There's a reason why that corner on the crit track is called Collarbone Corner...

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Tarquin » Sun Oct 19, 2014 5:02 pm

Low numbers today, first Sunday race of the season and lots of other events on.

Combined A & B grade to make it a better race. We unofficially colluded in A grade to not totally smash it for the first half of the race as everyone want a good ride and getting dropped after 5km is lame.

Few people had a small break, I did a few long turns on the front, but not cracking the whip that hard. We went up the CAT4 pretty damn quick, but most of the B grade guys hung on OK.

I inadvertently ended up in a solo break with a turn on the front coming down the hill, looked around for someone to come through and I had 50m. Kept pedalling at maybe 90% effort and gap was increasing. Had a guy solo across and join me, I took a breather then we started doing turns, had a third A grader meet us and we started worked together ok.

With 3-5km to go we still had a reasonable gap, but I was aware that a few monster turns or attacks could bring us back. I foxed a bit but then saw a couple of guys coming across. Got on the front and just started to drive to the finish to hold off the bunch. Lost one guy from the break, had a guy from the break roll me on the line, but we both got beaten by a bike length by another A grader who has great power on the flat and must have saved himself in the bunch then smashed the last km solo catching us at the end.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Xplora » Sun Oct 19, 2014 5:21 pm

Sounds like a kick arse race Tarquin, glory all round :)

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Tarquin » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:20 pm

Xplora wrote:Sounds like a kick arse race Tarquin, glory all round :)
Coffees all round afterwards :)

Got to keep the riding up, but I'm beginning to panic that 39/26 won't be a small enough gear when I go to tour of bright, over 11% requires too much power to keep on top of it.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:43 pm

Tarquin wrote: I'm beginning to panic that 39/26 won't be a small enough gear when I go to tour of bright, over 11% requires too much power to keep on top of it.
i'll be bringing a compact crankset..

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby cerb » Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:40 am

Nice racing Tarq!

SKCC B-Grade Crit
41km, Avg. 42.6kph

Windy morning yesterday meant that there were some solid gusts hitting us. Fortunately, it was worst on the shortest section of the course and didn't have too much of an affect apart from generally slowing the race a bit.

The pace was very easy for the initial 5 laps before it kicked up with a few people trying to get a break going. With such a slow start, EVERYONE responded and it was shut down almost immediately. We then punted around for another 5 laps until the same thing happened again, same response. A couple of the young guys then started attacking each other constantly, which worked out well for me, because while one would attack, the other would cover him and drag the bunch along. There were a few other attempts from some randoms who were sometimes given a little bit of space, but anything looking dangerous was still shut down within a few hundred metres.

This continued for pretty much the whole race, so I was able to float around in the top 10-15 and just cover the odd move that looked dangerous. With 3 laps to go I was sitting in a good position and feeling good. At the start of 2 laps to go, I got swamped a little and pushed back to ~15th, but quickly moved my way back up as I grabbed the wheel of one of the young guy's teams as they moved him up into position for the sprint. 500m to go and I was in the second row, but the bunch was 3-4 wide coming into the final corner. The two young guys opened up into the corner and I followed, coming through in 4th, just wide of the guy ahead. Unfortunately, this was the wrong spot and I found myself boxed in against the cones and behind a slower sprinter and unable to open my sprint...!

The young guys gained almost 2 bike lengths until the gap in front of me opened up and I started coming back, but with only 100m to go I wasn't going to make it. A guy came past on my left carrying a lot of speed and suddenly I was fighting for 3rd again! I brought him back from 1/2 length to 1/4 of a wheel but couldn't get over him on the line - 4th place for me!


Generally pretty happy with my race, just a little frustrated with getting myself boxed in for the sprint. The two young guys took out 1 & 2 after attacking each other all day and I had the legs to go with them in the sprint, hoping that they had fatigued each other enough to get over them on the line... Will just have to take a better line to the finish next time so I don't get boxed in!

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thelittlebattler
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby thelittlebattler » Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:01 am

Ross wrote:Good work! There's a reason why that corner on the crit track is called Collarbone Corner...
Cheers, I'd heard of it but couldn't figure it out... to quote the Sears workwear ad: "now you know."
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Derny Driver » Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:01 pm

Tarquin wrote: I'm beginning to panic that 39/26 won't be a small enough gear when I go to tour of bright, over 11% requires too much power to keep on top of it.
I think you need a 27 at least for Hotham. I put a 29 on last year for my young bloke, just as a bail out gear. 27 or 28 would be good for the Meg and those pinches at the top.
My brother used a junior cassette 14-27 one year for that stage, wanted the close ratios .. managed to get to the base without needing anything bigger than the 53-14 although he was pedalling pretty fast in a few spots. :D

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby march83 » Mon Oct 20, 2014 3:52 pm

Derny Driver wrote:
Tarquin wrote: I'm beginning to panic that 39/26 won't be a small enough gear when I go to tour of bright, over 11% requires too much power to keep on top of it.
I think you need a 27 at least for Hotham. I put a 29 on last year for my young bloke, just as a bail out gear. 27 or 28 would be good for the Meg and those pinches at the top.
My brother used a junior cassette 14-27 one year for that stage, wanted the close ratios .. managed to get to the base without needing anything bigger than the 53-14 although he was pedalling pretty fast in a few spots. :D
for the 3 peaks last year i did hotham comfortably in about 1:50 with a 39x30 combo. i only pulled out the 30 for the meg and the 2 pinchy bits at the top and spent the rest of the climb 2 or 3 clicks down from there. outside of those sections the climb is not particularly steep but it's certainly relentless.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Mon Oct 20, 2014 3:54 pm

march83 wrote:.. it's certainly relentless.
captain pedantry here but it's not relentless - there's a decent flat section in the middle :)

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Cul » Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:23 pm

SKCC Crit - B Grade
41km - 42.7kph avg


Not a good race for me, on the start line I was particularly jumpy for some reason, once the racing started I just wasn't quite happy on the bike. There were a number of break attempts most of which didn't last long, hell I even kicked the hornets nest a few times. At the same time I wasn't protecting the front wheel as well as I should and ended up getting squeezed on the occasion, and ending up where I shouldn't... One of the riders in the bunch kindly pointed out perhaps I was riding a little reckless and should cool my heals for a bit (rightfully so IMO) :oops: There seemed to be a fair bit of this in the bunch this week.

After a few laps at the back gaining some composure, and a bit of a chat I followed the next fast wheel up; and got back into it, I was in a good spot with a few laps to go... but that didn't last long, with the bunch keen to go! :shock:


So while I didn't take a lot from the race, it was a good workout - and I did learn a few things, protect that front wheel, don't put it where it will get you in the !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !!, position is everything, and don't do an "EASY" MTB ride the day before :?

Also just wanted to add to the bloke on the white Fondriest if your reading this, Cheers for calling me out on being a bit reckless! As you said on Sunday, "we all gotta go to work on Monday", no one wants to end up on the road and I probably would have made the same call if it were someone else! 8) (not my best riding by any means :oops: )
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby toolonglegs » Tue Oct 21, 2014 1:39 am

We never lose, we either win or learn ;-)

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby cerb » Tue Oct 21, 2014 4:31 pm

You were faster than me again Cul! :D

Yeah, people at SKCC do tend to call you out if you do something silly. I kinda like it that way cause it is true that everyone wants to go home safe! Good job taking it on board rather than getting angry and aggressive (which a few have done in the past!).

I actually caught a front wheel (the tyre anyway) into the side of my leg while taking turn 3. I was fairly tight on the inside line and had a bit of a lean into the corner - I guess someone was trying to go up the inside with no gap and with less lean than me... scared the proverbial out of me for just a fraction of a second!


Nice way to look at racing TLL! :)

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Tue Oct 21, 2014 4:35 pm

i have learned a lot from racing

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Xplora » Wed Oct 22, 2014 12:29 pm

toolonglegs wrote:We never lose, we either win or learn ;-)
I learn that I hate not winning :lol:

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby thelittlebattler » Wed Oct 22, 2014 7:24 pm

CCC crits clockwise- D grade
18 mins + 2 laps

After a blow out last week, I've been super excited to have a crack at a crit where I probably wouldn't get lapped.
2 guys went out early and seemed to be holding 100m gap nicely, so I followed another guy as he attacked the gap. Obviously the bunch wasn't letting 4 people get away in a 20 min crit, so I sat back in the bunch. It was actually a better learning experience for me to be in the middle of the group, learning how to get through "collarbone corner" without giving up a gap... and of course keeping my clavicle in one piece.
The last 4 laps started getting pretty fast in single-file, and being 10-15 riders back looked like a lot of ground to cover if I was going to contest the sprint. I got confused with how many laps to go, and timed it perfectly to be 2nd wheel as we came around to "get the bell". I didn't hear a bell though, and the rider in front pulled off, so I spent the lap on the front telling myself: 1. Don't salute, and 2. Don't get swallowed by the whole bunch... oh, and CONSERVE!

Luckily there was an un-missable bell for the last lap, and I grabbed 3rd wheel as the attacks came from two sides. The guy on the front pulled a 20m gap and looked strong with half a lap, so I schemed up a plan to maintain my podium finish. In what appears to be the law of Canberra D-grade, the guy up the road fell apart, and in the process foiled my plans of a half-arsed sprint. I was a chance of winning :shock: so I pulled out of the slip stream and launched my best impersonation of Boonen/TooLongLegs :twisted: for about 1.5 seconds until I had to sit down again, doing my best not to fall off.. Somehow I didn't fall off, and even more bizarrely no-one came around me :?: :!: :?:

Stoked with doing a lap at over 40km/h, while on the front (for a 1.2km lap). Just as stoked to have avoided causing D-grade shenanigans on collarbone-corner. Not so stoked with having to dig so deep on a bike ride, I'm not sure if this racing thing is good for your health!
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby nescius » Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:33 am

thelittlebattler wrote:CCC crits clockwise- D grade
18 mins + 2 laps
...I got confused with how many laps to go, and timed it perfectly to be 2nd wheel as we came around to "get the bell". I didn't hear a bell though, and the rider in front pulled off...
Ha ha, this happens to me more often than I'd like to admit! It sounds like you enjoyed it though, so well done :D

I was there last night too, racing A Grade and it wasn't as bad as I expected given that I've had a very soft winter of training. Average speed was 45.5kmh, there were a couple of guys off the front for most of the race and I had a couple of cracks at either crossing to them or closing it down but I discovered I'm nowhere near fit enough to do that sort of thing. I ended up finishing with the bunch and didn't contest the sprint, to be honest I was happy that I could pull turns and not explode and that I never thought I was going to get dropped, it's a good starting position for the season (for me!).

Hopefully I'll make it out to supercrits tonight for a bit more racing action.
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby thelittlebattler » Thu Oct 23, 2014 11:50 am

Cheers, yep heaps of fun :) good to hear someone else loses track of laps too! I'll be back tonight for supercrits.

Sounds like your race went ok, nice start... especially after a "soft" winter! Hoping to stay back and watch some of the A/B/C tonight... good luck if you get out there
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jules21
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Thu Oct 23, 2014 12:34 pm

HCC c grade, marshalled.

well this was tough. i think i tend to get knocked around by the change in weather (27c). race was sold out so i marshalled. you can see in the graph below that my HR increases as i climb the hill each lap, then drops as i recover on the flat/downhill. but slowly it just smoothens out until it's at 155+ (my max. is 180 but i would rarely attain that in a race). i had nothing by the end - i reckon marshalling is harder as you're on the back a lot, yo-yo-ing around and at one point i accelerated up to the front to slow the bunch for A grade to build a gap. this has to be the hardest crit in Australia :)

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby cerb » Thu Oct 23, 2014 1:38 pm

Nice Jules! According affect on the back bound to make it harder...

Personally, I'd vote the Mansfield Criterium (part of the Buller road race weekend) as the hardest! :P

You have to turn left AND right...! (what sort of craziness is this???!) Plus there are three 180 degree turns where fat guys like me use all our energy accelerating out of them again!

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