Too late in the season - for Dunsfold?

barrybridges

Hello,

It's now July and I haven't had as much time on the bike as I would have liked this year.

I did the intro Surrey League road race for Cat 4s back in Feb but struggled (punctured, but was also dropped after a couple of laps when the race went uphill at Chertsey). I'm ok on the flat and can hold 25mph on my own, but I'm carrying too much weight (88kg) and when the road goes up, I slow down!

My question is: I'm quite keen to do other Cat 4 road races this year but I was surprised by how high the standard is, and I'm worried that now it's July people's fitnesses will be even higher and I'll be spat out the back even sooner.

I was thinking of going down to Dunsfold as I've heard it's flatter - is it? Is it a good circuit to get back into racing on for a heavier chap like me?

jibberjim

barrybridges wrote:

I was thinking of going down to Dunsfold as I've heard it's flatter - is it? Is it a good circuit to get back into racing on for a heavier chap like me?

It's completely flat, and can be windy. I'd definately say go for it. I also wouldn't assume that the 4th's have got faster and more competitive - remember that strong people will have moved up into the 3rd's, and it's often only a few people who actually set the pace hard.

Hillingdon 4th's had no real consistency of the races getting faster or more aggressive as the year went on.

I'd definately say go for it, you learn so much quite apart from the fitness aspects so it's worth doing. You were also stronger than me in those races despite the hill at Chertsey which should suit me better.

barrybridges

I'm going to give it a go then - should be fun and it's just down the road from me (I'm in Crawley). I've always considered myself a 'rolleur' (well, that's the more diplomatic term I'm using to describe my larger momentum at the moment!)

gandhi

Most of the good 4ths will be 3rds by now. Good 3rds will also have their 2nd. Lower cat racing tends to get easier as the season goes on, you'll be fine...

surista

I'm new to the UK so don't know the area - this is Dunsfold in Godalming, Surrey?

This sounds like it'd be a good beginner's event for me as well - but it looks like its about 90 minutes or so by car from where I work, which would mean leaving at 5pm or earlier to make a 7pm start on a weekday (assuming normal London traffic). Could be a bit tough...

Are there any better public transport options? (are we allowed to bring our bikes on trains/tube?)

Homer J

The ave speed at dunstfold does not change much during the year as it is always dictated by the chasing E/1 group. The cat 4's usually get caught by the 3rds around lap 6-8 and then soon after the whole race comes together.
A good open circuit to start your racing, it's where i started and there are not any nasty suprises. Just hold your line on the last corner on the last lap

jibberjim

Homer J wrote:

The ave speed at dunstfold does not change much during the year as it is always dictated by the chasing E/1 group. The cat 4's usually get caught by the 3rds around lap 6-8 and then soon after the whole race comes together.
A good open circuit to start your racing, it's where i started and there are not any nasty suprises. Just hold your line on the last corner on the last lap

there's not just the Handicap though, there are straight 4th's races at Dunsfold, the next one is on sunday 9th August.

Surista, yes it's near Godalming, not sure of any easy way to get there.

barrybridges

It's quite close to Horsham, isn't it?