Race Report Thread

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toolonglegs
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Race Report Thread

Postby toolonglegs » Sun Jun 24, 2012 5:06 pm

Nice work monsieur le vélo!... First of many ;-) .
Pawpaw... How big are the fields ? ... If you struggle on the climbs you must hit them in the front and set your own pace... People will usually sit on your wheel for half the climb before you slowly drift back... Setting you own pace with a bit in reserve to cover any attacks of course ;-) .

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby PawPaw » Sun Jun 24, 2012 5:30 pm

foo on patrol wrote:That's why you have a pump on your bike PawPaw! :lol: Have or should I say did see this used at times on fools. :lol:

Foo
Haven't resorted to the pump, but have at least found my voice, unlike when I was brought down in a crit.
Doesn't take me too much now to let someone know what I think before shoit happens.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby PawPaw » Sun Jun 24, 2012 5:46 pm

toolonglegs wrote:Nice work monsieur le vélo!... First of many ;-) .
Pawpaw... How big are the fields ? ... If you struggle on the climbs you must hit them in the front and set your own pace... People will usually sit on your wheel for half the climb before you slowly drift back... Setting you own pace with a bit in reserve to cover any attacks of course ;-) .
30.

Yeah, I know about starting the climbs at the front (and at speed to take advantage of my heavier wt's momentum) to stay in touch with the pack at the top, and usually do it.
It's known as Drifting (Robbie McEwen), Sandbagging (Armstrong), doing a McEwen (what Cancellara calls it)

There's a series of 4 hills on this circuit, and I'd build the speed on the descents (being heavier), and stay in touch on the climbs.
However, there was an attack up the last one; I stayed with it, but was in oxygen debt at the top, and the surge continued down a long slope of -2 degrees. They would have been doing 50+. And I lost touch.

Nevertheless, I could have ridden it a lot smarter. Where vulnerable, I was riding inside, towards the centreline of the road, to block guys passing me from behind. (We'd been warned not to cross the centreline by the police or risk never getting a race permit again, plus it was an instant disqualification). While I was in that position, no one was overtaking. On the hill I got burned on, I got blocked on the outside where there were more potholes. So that was my fault.

Well, you race and learn. :)

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby toolonglegs » Sun Jun 24, 2012 5:59 pm

I just read about some big race been neutralized in Oz because of crossing the center lane :| ... chalk and cheese to here where we just force the oncoming cars off the road (with the help of a lead moto), although apparently things have been getting a bit tougher in the last few years.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby toolonglegs » Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:11 pm

Heres how we roll here... even at my totally amateur zero prize money level :mrgreen:

Image
The payed boys
Image
The volunteers
Image
Just about to let us go from neutralized zone... the cooloest sound in the world is the instant the arms drop and 160 guys drop down a few gears at the same time... wish I had a go-pro for that!
Image
We own the road... usually
Image

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby PawPaw » Sun Jun 24, 2012 7:03 pm

Brilliant pics TLL. Thanks for posting.

In contrast, there's some pics at this link of the course.
Yesterday was a graded race, but the pics are from the previous week of a handicap race.
The area is about 70km north of Brisbane near the Glasshouse Mtns.
We had a lead car, 4 volunteer marshalls for the minor corners, and 2 paid 'professional' traffic controllers (at about $700 for the 2 hours!).

http://www.hamiltonwheelers.com/results ... 6-jun-2012

My handicap group from last week, less the dropped half. I'm the big A. The guy at the back got 3rd line honors. He's lost a lot of weight recently and is heavily endowed with fast twitch fibres. I could do with another 10kg off the mid riff.
Image

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby toolonglegs » Sun Jun 24, 2012 8:09 pm

I can imagine payed traffic controllers kills any profits the club could make... it is amazing Australia has any good riders the amount of crap you have to go through to race there!.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby PawPaw » Sun Jun 24, 2012 8:11 pm

toolonglegs wrote:I can imagine payed traffic controllers kills any profits the club could make... it is amazing Australia has any good riders the amount of crap you have to go through to race there!.
Spot on TLL.....here's part of the club email after last week's race. Incidentally the fee was raised from $10 to $15 per racer for these road races.

"Thanks to all the volunteers who attended last Saturday – a great turn out and that made the event run safely.

Unfortunately, we have an obligation under the police permit to supply qualified controllers x 2 for these events and their cost is $763!! Subsequently, after losing almost $500 on last week’s event, we are forced to increase the fee to race at Elimbah."


Actually, I just had a light bulb go off. Seems the club would do well to get its own pool of "qualified traffic controllers".

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby nickobec » Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:25 pm

PawPaw wrote:Actually, I just had a light bulb go off. Seems the club would do well to get its own pool of "qualified traffic controllers".
I know our club does http://pdcc.asn.au/2012/05/traffic-controllers-course/

Rules may be different here in WA, but it is definitely worth looking at, especially if the club can save $763 per event.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby PawPaw » Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:32 pm

Thanks Nic, will definitely run this by Club admin.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby stevecassidy » Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:33 pm

Waratahs, Eastern Creek Dragway, C Grade

My first race in six weeks due to travelling and moving house, fitness hardly returned yet as I've only really started back on the bike for a week. It felt really good to get back into the race but it was fairly obvious quite soon that I didn't really have the power that I needed to do anything serious. Still I had a go a few times, pulling the bunch around and trying for a gap one time but without any significant results. Overall a good stretch of the legs apart from what happened next...

Close to the end, B grade overtook us and then hung 100m in front, a few C grade riders started to overtake them again but they pulled away, going down the drag strip we backed off to let them get ahead with the result that our bunch became very compact. I heard it first in front of me, the crunch of someone going over, there was a bit of chaos as I braked and swerved. A couple of riders were over in front of me and one rider was down on the road, I braked hard but hit him and went flying over the bars. When everything had settled down, we all got up apart from the guy I ran over who we kept down until he could be checked over by the medic. In the end, all was well apart from a few scrapes. I managed to get away with a sore hand which I'd put out to break my fall. This was my first crash in a race, happily not a serious one.

Someone in front said that the cause was someone hitting their brakes as the bunch slowed, not sure if he went down but it caused a knock on effect behind.

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Race Report Thread

Postby MREJ » Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:09 am

I was at Waratahs too, in B grade.

It took a while for the C grade crash to be "cleaned up". I went over after we finished to talk to Rob, who was the principle victim. He was still being attended to by St John's. He had abrasions to both knees, a swollen and cut eyebrow, and a big egg on his leg. He was obviously sore but at least was erect and talking, and he was able to drive home. The only apparent damage to his bike was a buckled back wheel.

I said to Rob that at least he'd get some TLC when he got home. He said it was more likely he'd get told off for being a stupid old &(AT)#%!
2016 S-Works Tarmac, 2014 Wabi Lightning SE, 2012 Felt F75, 2011 Genesis Equilibrium 20, ancient Avanti Pista track bike

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby foo on patrol » Tue Jun 26, 2012 2:18 pm

You're now a real cyclist Steve! :D

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Parrott » Tue Jun 26, 2012 2:41 pm

toolonglegs wrote:Heres how we roll here... even at my totally amateur zero prize money level :mrgreen:
Meanwhile in Australia the National Road Series has the race stopped..... :roll:



Cycling NSW was forced to neutralise the final stage of the men's National Road Series event, the Santos North Western Tour, citing safety concerns due to the 117-strong men's field being unable to remain inside one lane as demanded by race regulations.

After repeated warnings to the riders, and repeated infringements, unfortunately for the safety of riders, we had to stop, and adjust the race.
Andrew Newton, Cycling NSW

The race had begun normally after the roll-out in Gunnedah, but after some 30 kilometres race officials stopped both men's and women's pelotons to address continual infringements of the race regulations by the men's field.

It wasn't the first time that riders had been warned by race officials of the consequences of violating race regulations, the lack of rolling road closure had made it an ongoing conflict between the men's field and the commissaires over the previous four stages.

However with today's finish in Tamworth on far busier roads, the spectre of traffic in the opposing lane was more concerning than it had been, and officials came to the conclusion that the race could not continue its current form safely.

"After repeated warnings to the riders, and repeated infringements, unfortunately for the safety of riders, we had to stop, and adjust the race," said race spokesman Andrew Newton.

A long discussion followed between the managers of the 25 men's teams in attendance and Cycling NSW officials with the end result a decision to allow one rider from each team, to continue the stage - an interesting novelty with almost all teams choosing their lead sprinter to contest the remainder of the day.


Cycling central report

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Race Report Thread

Postby toolonglegs » Tue Jun 26, 2012 2:46 pm

That's what I mentioned above... No rolling road stoppages in a group that size and a race of that quality is a joke!.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Daccordi Rider » Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:11 pm

PawPaw wrote:Thanks Nic, will definitely run this by Club admin.
Hi Paw Paw, here is SA our club ensures we get a traffic marshall ticket from the police and we take our turn at standing on the corner. Seems to work well as everyone realises if no one stands on the corner then no one races. The marshall ticket took about 1 hr to get and $40ish.

http://www.ahvcc.org.au/Site%20Docs/201 ... Policy.pdf
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jcjordan » Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:49 pm

Wish it was that cheap and easy in the ACT. Week long course that covers more then we need to just operate the lollipop.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Daccordi Rider » Tue Jun 26, 2012 5:09 pm

jcjordan wrote:Wish it was that cheap and easy in the ACT. Week long course that covers more then we need to just operate the lollipop.

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Lollipops is serious business. :shock:
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby PawPaw » Tue Jun 26, 2012 5:12 pm

some feedback from my club

"We are also looking at the option of training our own controllers, however there are a few stumbling blocks:
cost of course is $350-$550
must do 20hrs supervised assessment $200 + 20hrs!
must be licenced $125
must do refresher courses
have to check with police and transport dept whether this is acceptable or it has to be through a professional company as previously indicated"

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Parrott » Tue Jun 26, 2012 5:32 pm

toolonglegs wrote:That's what I mentioned above... No rolling road stoppages in a group that size and a race of that quality is a joke!.
Didn't read the post above the photos sorry
toolonglegs wrote:I just read about some big race been neutralized in Oz because of crossing the center lane :| ... chalk and cheese to here where we just force the oncoming cars off the road (with the help of a lead moto), although apparently things have been getting a bit tougher in the last few years.
That must have been the race you were talking about. Pretty p poor we can't get a stoppage for the national series, when you look at what you get in France :x

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby toppity » Wed Jun 27, 2012 2:06 pm

I know a few people who raced in that NRS tour. They were suprised that it got to this, and then the farce mentioned above. They will suprised to see that tour on the NRS again without major changes.
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jcjordan » Wed Jun 27, 2012 2:49 pm

The biggest problem that we have is that we are on the tipping point when it comes to domestic racing.

With the upsurge of riders who are now looking to race we have seen a greater interest in sponsorship. This has led to a greater number of teams which have a more 'professional' look and feel, ie riders who get more then just kit and a discount bike.

Unfortunately it has not gotten to the point where the organisation of races has evolved out of the volunteers at the club level into something that is undertaken by a more serious event management model.

That being said as we get more attention, more potential media reporting and if the race sponsorship dollars also follow we will see event companies get into the market.

I just hope we dont go all crit racing like in the US

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby PawPaw » Sat Jun 30, 2012 4:30 pm

30/6/12 Nundah Dome, C Grade Crit 40 mins + 2 1.2km laps

Felt cr#ppy when I woke up, 6 days off bike, a few big meals out in the week, work stress, blah blah.
As usual pace was a little sluggish at the start. I did a bit of work for 15 minutes to up the pace and reel in the sneaks trying to gradually build a gap.
In the last 20 minutes, I just sat down the back and though bugger ya all. I'm conserving energy....(plus I felt fat and slow.) Anyway, it was a bit surgey so I didn't get a total rest. bit of a head wind coming into the straight.

Anyways, last lap comes around, pace is in high 30s, and I decide to do what I've done in the past, and hammer it around the last bend and sustain it to the finish line. So, I ramp it up to 50 through the bend, but then the pack spreads across the track, and I have to ease off, and shout something to bluff people out of my way, then accelerate again. Then I just hammered it down the straight as hard as I could, breathing faster to try and help. Crossed the line doing 49kph. Probably the best I could do for a 400 metre sprint into a 15kph headwind.

Nevertheless, there was was a guy on my tail in the S's who stuck to me like glue. Then as we came out of the bend, and I was accelerating after the traffic, two others crossed onto our train, and eventually jumped with 40-50 metres to go. One of those guys got first, the guy who'd been on my tail 2nd, the other late guy 3rd, and me 4th. 2 and 3 were team mates so that was ok. I thought I got 5th so was pleasantly surprised.
If I'd not got held up in traffic, I'd probably been able to make the 2 later members to the train work harder.

Anyway, it did a lot for my confidence in my 20-30 second sprint. I still don't think I could outsprint a lot of guys over 50 metres - my max sprint is about 53kph solo, and 54kph jumping from behind - need to work on acceleration. I also don't think I'd be successful with a longer sprint in the last lap. But could do something with a group.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby foo on patrol » Sat Jun 30, 2012 8:22 pm

One way to help you with your acceleration Pawpaw, is to do jumps in your training. To start off, slow it to around 10kmh and just hammer it, till you're on top of the gear and roll out of it. Do this for half a dozen times during your training rides. :idea: You will see a difference after about a month of doing this. Just do it at random times through the ride and every day except for say Friday. :)

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby stevecassidy » Tue Jul 03, 2012 7:58 pm

Just noticed the upcoming race at West Head (Sydney) this weekend, the usual course has been stretched by starting down at the marina, so C grade becomes a big climb followed by two laps of the West Head circuit - as if the regular route wasn't hard enough :-)

The two times I've raced C grade there before I've been dropped after the first lap. The first time, I know there were a few people in C who normally ride B grade at Waratahs, not sure if that was the case last time. I'm wondering whether I should drop back to D grade given the extra hill or try C again and hope I can hang on a bit longer (I'm not expecting to be competitive, I'd just like to finish). I'm happy in C grade at Waratahs, riding on the front but not yet in the sprint.

Has anyone who's ridden the race lately got any advice? C or D?

Steve
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