The Race Reports Thread 2011

Anonymous

gattocattivo wrote:

Brief catch up:

Dunton (two weeks ago): a break went from the off which I wasn't strong enough to go with. After 2 or 3 laps I attacked on the hill and bridged across to the break, but we all got caught within a few minutes. Other breaks formed at various times, but all of them came back after a few laps (same as every other time I've raced there). I tried to go for one of the primes, but the guy who got it (a junior, I think) just rode me off his wheel. There was a big bunch sprint - I got a bit boxed in and was too far back and finished nowhere - maybe 20th out of 40 or something like that. It turned out the finish line camera had broken, so there was no official result anyway.

Hog Hill (last week): did the first 'Tuesday 10' time trial, couldn't be bothered to fit my tri bars so just did it on my road bike as it is, but still managed to get within 18 seconds of my best time on the course with tri bars.

Dunton (tonight): deja vu at the start - a break went from the off which I wasn't strong enough to go with. This time there were about 7 or 8 riders in it and it actually stayed away - for the whole race! After about 15 minutes they were still hovering about 300 metres in front of the bunch - so near and yet so far. I decided they probably weren't comign back, so tried to bridge across to them. I attacked on the hill again and got to within a hundred metres of them in no man's land, before flagging badly and getting reeled in by the bunch. Four or five of us had a few more goes doing through and off to try and bring them back, but we couldn't do it. The gap stayed more or less the same until the last ten minutes or so (of an hour-long race) when it opened up more. The bunch was winding up for a sprint for minor placings - I fought to stay in about fifth place for the whole of the last lap and then went up the banking to open up my sprint on the final bend. I went clear on my own and for about ten seconds thought 'yes - I've got this spot on!', but I'd gone too early (about 500 metres from the line) and I died and sat up as most of the bunch galloped past in the last 200 metres.

Hello mate, what colours you racing in, I was at Dunton that night on a Litespeed and in Medway Velo colours. If you see me on the 26th, say hello
Had a result that night, I am in 3rd in the A category after the first race, very shocked :shock:

greeny12

Discovered the delights of the Hove Park crits on Friday night...ended up sooferin' majorly as they say in cycling terms. Full report and pics/video in the usual place:

http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/ ... ment-park/

gattocattivo

dmclite wrote:

Hello mate, what colours you racing in, I was at Dunton that night on a Litespeed and in Medway Velo colours. If you see me on the 26th, say hello

Lea Valley CC (white, green & red). I won't be there on the 26th - I'm still two years off being a Vet.

Today = had a 115-mile round trip driving out to Sudbury and back for the Hackney CC 3/4 road race. A nice, sunny afternoon race - far more civilised than getting up at the crack of dawn. I didn't know the course at all (4 laps of a 13.6 mile loop) as it was too far away for me to go and reccy so I had no idea what was coming next and it all seemed to be on country lanes that kept twisting left and right and up and down. I saw a couple of riders misjudge the sharp bends and leave the road (without actually crashing, though), then suddenly we went round a sharp left to find a load of horses and the race was stopped for a minute. I'd only done 10.7 miles when my rear tyre punctured and was down to the rim within 20 seconds. Race over. I managed to change the inner tube within about 5 minutes, but I'd have needed a rocket to chase back on by then.

acidstrato

cleeve hill reject wrote:

Tor Series Race 2 at Ilton – 3rd Cat

Once again there was quite a big field for the 3rd cat race, almost double the size of the 4ths and once again the wind was blowing hard – quelle surprise! One of the things I love about racing at Ilton is how predictable it is; if the weather is nice it will be a bunch sprint, if it is nasty there will be a selection and you need to make sure you’re in it if you want a chance at some points!

Even with that in mind I set off towards the rear of the bunch. My legs were protesting from the lack of warm up and it normally takes a couple of attempted breaks off the front to tire the chasers’ legs out before one sticks, I figured there wasn’t any point in burning my matches too early. So, a nice sedate pace for the first lap as people got a feel for where the wind was blowing, happy days! A couple of groups tried to get away but were brought back pretty quickly, despite the wind, those who fancied a sprint at the finish were happy to do some chasing. This continued for about 30 minutes, at which point a group of about 6 got off the front and had about 100m on the bunch. Right I thought, this one might stick, time to get across. So I launched myself off the front and was making good progress across. Unfortunately they decided to sit up just as I got onto the hindmost wheel and the group swallowed us up. By this stage though, there were some very tired legs in the bunch and I was starting to feel quite strong.

The next lap round a group of 8 got off the front into the wind on the finishing straight, and as we got to the uphill drag again I made my move, bridging across the 100m gap bringing some lazy bugger with me who did not respond to my frantic elbow flicking! So as a group of 10, we started to work and pulled out a nice gap. With only 15 minutes of racing left the bunch failed to organise themselves quickly enough and we were away. There were a couple of guys from the break I was in on Sunday there and so everybody soon worked out the drill – moving up on the leeward side and keeping the pace nice and constant. Anyway, on the last lap we lapped the 4th cats and then for some reason one of the guys decided that they were in fact the main bunch from our race and announced that ‘they’re going to catch us’. Anyway, this meant that 4 of the group started working very hard on the front whilst I sat in knowing that our bunch was a good 500m behind us.

I’m not a fan of those who sit in and don’t work in breaks, but in this situation I didn’t feel too guilty, who am I not to try and profit from people’s inability to remember what has happened all of 2 minutes previously? Unfortunately the tactic didn’t pay off. We shelled a few riders in the last Km and I sat last wheel of 7 coming round the corner into the finishing straight. The front men kicked, the chap in front of me couldn’t follow and I was left trying to make up the gap into a strong headwind at sprint speeds – it wasn’t going to happen. I sat up and rolled in in 6th place, my second successful breakaway finish in 5 days, and also in 3 years of racing! Maybe the days of sit in and sprint are behind me?

you seen any pics from this day?

i won the 4ths and annoyingly all the usual suspects that take photos seem to not bother the week i win! :evil:

somebody was taking photos but i havent seen any uploaded

Anonymous

gattocattivo wrote:

dmclite wrote:

Hello mate, what colours you racing in, I was at Dunton that night on a Litespeed and in Medway Velo colours. If you see me on the 26th, say hello

Lea Valley CC (white, green & red). I won't be there on the 26th - I'm still two years off being a Vet.

Today = had a 115-mile round trip driving out to Sudbury and back for the Hackney CC 3/4 road race. A nice, sunny afternoon race - far more civilised than getting up at the crack of dawn. I didn't know the course at all (4 laps of a 13.6 mile loop) as it was too far away for me to go and reccy so I had no idea what was coming next and it all seemed to be on country lanes that kept twisting left and right and up and down. I saw a couple of riders misjudge the sharp bends and leave the road (without actually crashing, though), then suddenly we went round a sharp left to find a load of horses and the race was stopped for a minute. I'd only done 10.7 miles when my rear tyre punctured and was down to the rim within 20 seconds. Race over. I managed to change the inner tube within about 5 minutes, but I'd have needed a rocket to chase back on by then.

Bad luck mate, gutting when that happens. I suppose it was too long a lap to have a lap out as well. Better luck next time.

P_Tucker

Welsh National Champs. Backstedt puts the hammer down in a crosswind after 10k, race over for the non-pro's. Impressive, if slightly annoying.

Benjamin Hall

I was rolling around on the bike watching the Welsh nationals today. It looked like a good race. First couple of laps there was a three man break and Maggy seemed to be really putting the hammer down on the climb. Fast forward to the end of the race and he didnt look too comfortable, saw him getting caught at the top of the final climb. I think it was a UK youth rider who won though, cardiff Ajax in second.

ozzzyosborn206

having spent two weeks in Belgium doing 6 races in 12 days, i never fully recovered and so only managed placings around 50th place in 4 races 1 dnf and about 35th or so in a crit in france near the border.

On my way back i went to the Southern Regional RR champs where I met 3 other Guernsey team mates and another rider from Guernsey who rides for Pendragon James Mc Laughlin. Knowing James was the strongest out of the 5 of us the plan was to try and put him in a position to contest the win. First few laps started with lots of attacks but with everyone being fresh nothing stuck. Then after a few laps a break got away, with none of us in the break once it got up to about a minute i thought it was a bit dangerous so went to the front and started working up a climb into a headwind, soon after two of the other Guernsey guy came and helped. Then up the finish climb the pace got pushed hard by james but he didn't get away, so we carried on working on the front with no help from any other teams, and a time check of 1.15 to the break of 6-8 i really had to start driving it, eventually we got the gap down to about 15/20 seconds at which point a Jersey riders jumped across, James took the tow up as we then sat up, once he got to the break he went straight to the front and attacked up the climb, breaking clear with Jersey's Richard Tanguy, Tanguy knew James was stronger and so only did short turns but this was enough to give James the breather he needed. Last time up the finish climb James attacked and took the win by around 30seconds. Meanwhile two of the other Guernsey guys called it a day both exhausted from their efforts, while i did my best to mark any attempts made to get away which was made hard by cramp, on the finish hill a Qoroz rider went early which nobody followed then another guy went and i went with him, sat on his wheel i tried to kick around him but was just cramping up so sat back down and just ground my way to the finish. Not sure what place i came was 3rd from what was left of the bunch but most importantly we had got the team win.

Zachariah

Tockwith Spring Series Race 3 (of 6)

Uuurgh.

Almost. Almost.

Tonight I was determined to get some kind of result. A prime, a points finish, anything. I was going to ride aggressively and stay at the front. I would hold my line and ride those wheels close.

The start was a decent pace as usual. I stayed in the front as planned. Somehow got to the actual front and pulled the peloton round for a lap and change.

IDIOT! ONLY IDIOTS DO THAT! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

Ahem. Didn't feel too bad actually - but that finishing straight and its punishing wind took the zip out of the legs for a bit and I drifted back to the thick of things. One thing I made myself do this time was fight much harder on the mini-sprints after the final hairpin, which paid dividends in keeping position. But it's bloody hard work! For the first time in a long while I got cramp in the calves, which is very unusual - most likely due to a recent change in cleat position.

(I'm experimenting with the cleats-as-far-back-as-they-go argument, as in moving them closer to the middle of the foot than the ball of the toes - thanks to a forum link here! I believe it is an improvement for my physique, so I'll stick with it for now. Of course all I have to go on is feel and some dubious times for my training loop, so it's not a victory for science)

Luckily the cramps quickly worked themselves out and I kept pushing to the front. My race-sense is for the birds - every time I think we're going nice and steady at the front, half the peloton zooms by and we're back to square one. I honestly have no idea what to do about this - look behind more?

One poor chap bought it on the one place I thought would be the safest - the long curve after the start/finish straight, where the group typically goes fairly slow after recovering from battling the wind. I was behind it but only saw him tumble head over handlebars to the gravel on the left. Apparently someone trying to sneak past on the inside made contact. Quite nasty, he didn't get back into the race.

My plan to see about contesting a prime went up the swanny. Both of them were won by a rider who sprinted off the front a lap or two ahead of the gun when I was mid-pack. Bad positioning again, I'm just not racing smart. I'm hoping this will come with experience and one day I will spontaneously know when and how to get to the front.

The one thing I do faster than pretty much everyone is go round the final almost-hairpin. I could see this when I was leading the peloton - so if I could just get in front for that, I should surely get a place in the sprint. Easy!

Except when it came for the final lap, I just could not go fast enough. Nearly - nearly, but the power just wasn't there to stay in the front of the group at the breakneck speed of the bell lap. I was close - so close! But not close enough. I went too fast into the hairpin in a desperate attempt to move into contention - I must have been either in or just outside the top ten at that point.

It was REALLY too fast.

Arrgh! I needed more track than currently available. I swung off the track to the right and on to the gravel, amid a hail of shouts and abuse from riders behind who were less than impressed with me ruining their chance to sprint for 21st place. One chap came up to me afterward and said I should have rolled on if I lost control, but I really don't know what I could have done different except for slamming the brakes on and sliding to the right, taking out anyone behind me and getting badly hurt myself. If anyone can shed some light on proper bend-taking-losing-control-technique, I'm all ears.

So! Another race, another failure to garner any precious, precious points. At least the 13-mile ride to and from the track is feeling less of a trial.

DHTT

Cornish Series Race 4? Portreath.

The course was tailwind down the runway, but turn the bend and a blasting headwind combined with rain was not a nice prospect. Standing on the line in a skinsuit with no legwarmers/armwarmers and I was wondering whether to ride in long sleeve jersey aswell, but decided against it due to lack of time/hardness We set off, combined with the women, not wanting to get caught out in midpack I decided too try and make a split on the first lap. We ended up riding up the road. There were some early flurries of attacks, I pegged a few back but mainly let them in the runway then the headwind would do the rest bringing them back in. With only riders trying to go solo they weren't getting away.

At this point, Joe decided to give it a blast up the hill, as he looked to sit up I came through pushing on, with him on my wheel we finally broke the elastic. Its from now on I can tell you I hate 2-Ups and runways. We settled down into a good rhythm gradually opening a gap though it didn't look much at points it was good enough. We agreed to keep it turning it over in the tailwind but put the effort into the headwind.

Midway through we had a little bit off a chat and lost too much time, after spotting them really pushing it on we managed to start over again and keep and extend the gap again. With 2 laps to go we were out of sight, so this was good. We decided to ride it in celebrate before the line together. As we came up to the line we did this, then the commissar shouted SPRINT FOR IT. So we duly did and with a last minute lunge I managed to win by a wheel. We waited for the next to roll in about 40 seconds later they came next rider came across, the gap looks alot less when your looking over your shoulder!

A good day, onto Totnes Town Centre with my glory today, I'm on team duties trying to hold our 2 guys in the SW team and possibly moving up into reserve spot as currently I'm 1 point back!

milese

I saw it DHTT.

Well done on the win. The hand holding at the finish was very sweet!

DHTT

I did look out for you at the beginning Milese, because I saw some Yogi riders but then I looked at the time and thought I better warm up!

greeny12

Things can only get better they said. And they were right.

My first positive race report in what seems like a hundred years:

http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/ ... th-heaven/

Small acorns and all that!!!

DHTT

Totnes Town Centre Criterium. 30/5/2011.

A well run event by Mid-Devon with a great atmosphere, an interesting circuit with a hill(ish), cobbles and fast sweeping corners. Warmed up well on the turbo, got the heat rub on the legs, time to race.

As we had a few neutralized laps to get used to the circuit it started to rain, making the circuit even more complex, wet cobbles! However when the race started I felt good, though I thought I'd go badly having not felt good in training recently. With our team leader Jake having a bug and Joe not feeling on form either, I was on team duties trying to defend their positions in the SW series.

The race went off fast, I found myself in at least 4th wheel the whole race, with Mid Devon out in force they were active, however I felt so good I was just bringing these breaks back, while making sure my team mates were positioned well. I put in a couple of digs off the front from 1st place in the bus, a bit of showboating for the crowd

The race was very active, I chased down many a break, finally with about 30 mins race I let a break go, with Jake and another rider in. This meant Jake would be safe in his position, I was expecting Mid Devon to try and close it but they just took it turns to attack, each dig I brought back trying to defend Joe as much as possible. 2 Laps to go and a mid-devon rider comes over no response, I try to close but decide to leave him in the wind he isn't a threat in the SW series.

Final lap, lets make the Mid Devon guys chase! I sprint up the climb opening a gap, get to the top and keep plugging away, this has split it up a bit, look round Joes coming up. Third wheel. Ok time for the leadout! I notch it up again bring it down from the sweeping bend to the final corner, through the cobbles. Joe opens up the sprint. I try to sprint but its not great but considering the work I've done I don't mind, roll over in 7th, possibly reserve for the SW team. I was happy with how the race went paying back Joe for his work earlier in the week, and still managing to finish well while getting in some good training. I didn't drop out of the top 4 for the whole race and must have spent 1/2 the race on the front bring back breaks.

amaferanga

DHTT wrote:

Totnes Town Centre Criterium. 31/5/2011.....

Is this a prediction?

ratsbeyfus

greeny12 wrote:

Things can only get better they said. And they were right.

My first positive race report in what seems like a hundred years:

http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/ ... th-heaven/

Small acorns and all that!!!

I've enjoyed reading your reports previously, and really enjoyed this one as I was marshalling this race (I was on the finish line). I'll look out for you at the next Wivelsfield RR - Good luck!

cleeve hill reject

My write up of the 3/4 Race at the Totnes Town Centre Criteriums today. http://mattdowler.blogspot.com/2011/05/ ... erium.html

TKing

cleeve hill reject wrote:

My write up of the 3/4 Race at the Totnes Town Centre Criteriums today. http://mattdowler.blogspot.com/2011/05/ ... erium.html

that blog is my evening reading sorted, thanks good read, keep it up!

milese

cleeve hill reject wrote:

My write up of the 3/4 Race at the Totnes Town Centre Criteriums today. http://mattdowler.blogspot.com/2011/05/ ... erium.html

I noticed a couple of porto pasta guys sharing a water bottle as we loitered too close to the back of the bunch together.

Something I put on another site:

I nearly didn't ride after the weather forecast had it down for heavy showers; concious of the crashes from the dry shred classic and not knowing how tight the course was.

A last minute change of heart meant I had to rush to the start but arrived half an hour before it was due to begin. A good course with a nice climb up through the town centre, must have been shorter than a mile. The only "interesting" part was a cobbled section just out of a 90 degree bend with a sucken man hole in the middle.

I was number 36 so at least that many lined up. I positioned nicely on the start line, but then failed to clip in and was out the back before I even hit the first corner.

It was then really hard to move up due to the pace and nature of the course, so I spent the first half an hour around the back of the bunch. With around 20 minutes to go a kind line opened up on one of the corners and I managed to get to the front, and sat on a wheel as someone attacked. The attackers changed a few times, and I managed to stay on their wheels, comfortably in second place for quite a few laps. It was all a bit too easy though and with about 3 laps to go more attacks came and with my positioning in a corner I slid back through the bunch as quickly as I'd previously moved up.

The bell lap came earlier than I thought, and I managed to move up a few places, but was never going to manage to move up enough to compete for the win.

I think I finished in around 8th or 9th, which I am happy with.

This is definately a race where experience counts, and I was probably found wanting as I spent to much time and energy on the back, and didnt hold my position near the front well enough.

Races like this make me realise how awful racing at Ilton is.

ozzzyosborn206

This weekend i did two races in Jersey, first up was the Town crit, i raced in what would have been elite,1,2 had it been a BC race. with Magnus Backstedt, Mallcom Elliot, Ian Bibby, Jonny McEvoy and Willier GoSelfRIde amongst others in the start line I knew i was in for a hard ride. Even the practice lap was pretty rapid. Having been one of the last riders to get to the start line i was in the wrong place before the race even started. From the off it was full on single file for the first 10mins or so, then it ease up a bit so i tried to move up a bit, gained a few places then the pace ramped up and before i knew it i was at the back again although i think some riders had been dropped. then a rider in front of me dropped the wheel so i came around him and drilled it to close the gap, just about managed it but that put me in a bad way, i only laster about 4 or 5 laps after that before getting dropped then pulled out a few laps after that after 45mins of racing a 55min crit, my average heart rate was 199 so it wasn't through lack of trying. One bonus of not finishing was getting to see the race unfold. There was a 3 man break with Backstedt, BIbby and Blair Windsor, with 3 laps to go BIbby attacked and pulled out about 15-20 seconds in about 5 minutes to take the win.

I will do a report of the road race tomorrow

Zachariah

Tockwith Spring Series Race 4 (of 6)

Humility. That was my watchword for today. My previous strategies had failed, my fitness was questionable and bar one half-hour sprint interval session on the gym bike, I'd not done a thing on the bike since last race. This time I would be a humble observer, watching and learning from the race winners.

I found some results on another site (curiously British Cycling hasn't got them) and from that, it was obvious the Dirtwheels team were in charge. The first three races had several of their members throughout the top ten, and they were the main sponsors for tonight's leg (I have no idea how this works, but the series has a different sponsor for each race). They were bound to put in a good show tonight, and I would see how it's done.

Sure enough, they were out in force - I counted at least five riders from a field of around forty (highest number I recall seeing was 34). During warm-up, I hung around trying to vicariously absorb their racing nous. They discussed tactics.

"At four to go, we'll go for it."

Ah-HA!

I stuck to their wheel and off we went. Straight away I noticed something different. They kept together quite well, in two groups - one further up and one at the back. Being humble, I stayed at the back. Sprints out of the corner be damned, I was there to learn, not go hell for leather at the front.

Then something magical happened. Instead of being thrashed by the sprint out of each corner, I gently followed the peloton (safely behind team Dirtwheels) and the guys at the sharp end always seemed to slow up before I had to put the gas on. Even though I was often right at the back of the main group, I never had to really push it to get back. They always slowed up. That suited me just fine.

Team DW shuffled slightly upward as the race went on, but nothing obvious. The primes came and went, this time there weren't any real breakaways and they resulted in the only fast laps before the end. There was one reasonable attempt at a breakaway with what looked like five or six riders, but that didn't last very long and we were now all a big group with five to go.

They were going to make their move next lap. I observed (humbly). No move. Three laps to go. Two. Still the pace appeared inexplicably slow.

The bell lap. They effortlessly moved up the peloton, with me behind. The pace picked up as expected, but didn't seem as frantic as last week. One of the DW riders made a break for it before the final chicane. By sheer luck I was in position to follow.

This was the ideal place for me to go - wind behind me, other riders can't really get past on the bends, my straight-line pace is on the money. He fades quickly and I zoom past into the lead. My nemesis, the final almost-hairpin, is all that stands between me and TOTAL (humble) VICTORY!

Last week's debacle still fresh in my mind, I deliberately go wide and slow, allowing a few riders to get the better line and overtake on the inside. Nothing else for it now but to sprint-sprint-sprint!

There's the line - they've got in front, damn - lungs begin to complain at this point, stating clearly that this sort of thing was not in the terms and conditions, and could void their warranty - over the line!

Some minutes later (most of which were taken by finding my Race License, which has a pic of me without glasses so I can't recognise myself), the results are in. FIFTH! Sweet, succulent points, I have you at last!

Still buzzing. On a serious note, analyzing the race and my performance I really should have done better - I was well ahead approaching the last bend, but held back needlessly. Still not really sure why the race felt so much easier today (OK not exactly easy, but certainly nothing like the struggle the first two were). Maybe the week of rest did it. I didn't worry about eating right.

The winners of the first three races, as far as I could tell, were not there to push the pace, having been bumped up to 3rd Cat. Probably another two or three upgraded as well. So the field may have lost key powerhouses, without whom the race slows down. I don't know (rather aggravatingly, I've yet to remember to check the computer at the end of each race for ave. speed etc - but it looks like each race takes about forty-five minutes). Also, since I'm just starting out really (this is my fifth race ever - fifth place - cosmic) I assume the body is still adapting. Too many variables. The bike is the same each time.

I think, on balance, team Dirtwheels might just know what they're doing. If any of you are reading this, the lesson was much appreciated!

(And guy in Number 13 - please blow your nose down to the ground rather than the side, thanks!)

Edited to change name of club to 'Dirtwheels' - for some reason I put it down as 'Dirtbikes'

greeny12

Drove out to Kitsmead Lane for another of the Surrey League handicaps last night.

Here's what happened:

http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/ ... many-dead/

Zachariah

Tockwith Spring Series Race 5 (of 6). 24 Laps, just under 20 miles

The Commisaire warned everyone to keep their hands on the bars – something I’m definitely guilty of. In the second race I was almost in full superman-slouch when pulling the peloton through the start/finish straight, in an effort to cheat the gale force wind blowing me back. 'Hands on bars, hands on bars’ I muttered to myself as we started off.

My biggest fear was that last week had been a fluke; events had conspired to gift me a points finish and that would be all I’d see for the rest of my racing career. Would I be able to pull off the same trick again? If the race was much faster, would I have anything left for the final push?

Two riders zipped off from the beginning and stayed out front until the first prime at lap 9, where they were caught and some other guy took it.

I didn’t stay on the back of any one team this time – at least not intentionally! But I did try the same trick of hanging back rather than being at the point.

Didn’t work. Almost got left behind early on and had to make a little dash for the group when they surged round a corner. Bugger. I moved into the middle and did my best to stay there. This worked well, and once again the peloton settled into a rhythm, allowing me to pace myself and not sprint out of each corner. That or my legs have adapted to the demands of entry-level crits and stopped complaining. Either is good.

(One comedy moment came when a very mature racer cut up someone to my left. When the other guy shouted a non-confrontational ‘Whoa!’, the old fellow turned and flicked him the V-sign! What makes this especially satisfying is that this mature gentleman has twice shouted at me for supposedly moving out of turn in front of him, in previous weeks)

A three-man break took off about half way through, getting about half a lap ahead and staying there. I seriously thought about bridging to them when we got to about 6 laps to go, but had faith we’d chase them down in time. They did a very good job of staying out front, took the prime at 5 to go and looked like they were going to take the top spots.

But just like in the real races on TV, by some voodoo we sped up at just the right rate to catch them on the last lap. They were still there on the bell lap but it was obvious they’d run out of steam, and I was feeling the high pace. I’d kept something in the reserve tank, but had no idea if it would be enough this time.

Now, the Tockwith track is a triangle. The start/finish line is halfway along a very straight, long side. Then you turn left for the second wall of the triangle, which is very gently curved to the left. Then another sharp left turn for the third wall, which is straight except for a chicane. This side of the triangle ends with an unfeasibly sharp left turn that puts you back on the finishing straight.

Last week I waited until the last lap and went for it just before the chicane. This time, I thought, why not go a little earlier? After all, with your awesome Quad Power you can get some distance on the rest and coast home to victory. Thus Plan A was formed. Plan B involved alcohol and crying.

We zoomed along the long, curved section but I found myself boxed in. I had to drop back to find a gap and was forced to make my attack on the outside of the turn. This left me a clear path on the right of the people still ahead. Gear up, hammer down, I went past them like they were standing still and eased round the chicane, overtaking the last member of the break who was really slowing down (I heard him mutter something like “Oh, bloody hell”). In front again!

BUT! A very speedy chap overtook on the outside as we both approached the final, extremely tight, bend. He was really smoking – metaphorically, and literally when he locked his rear wheel to scrub some MPH before taking the turn. I followed round, slightly disappointed at this reminder of my non-awesomeness, only to be caught by another sprint group and pushed back to 6th place (yes, I am now so blase about getting points that 6th is NOT GOOD ENOUGH, DAMMIT – and I am now one point away from the magical fairyland that is 3rd Category).

Now, who can tell me the secret of sprinting?

Oh! I remembered to check my computer this time (and the damn thing decided to work). Average speed was a smidgen over 23MPH, race took 45mins almost dead-on. I have no idea how three quarters of an hour can pass so quickly, but it does.

Edited for clarity

trickydisco

Zachariah> was that a 4th cat only race?


I'm a 4th cat and the The castle combe crits i've been doing (3/4) average around 26mph for 30 miles. Seems impossible to get any points unless you have a long sprint.

I might seek out some 4th car only races if that's the case

amaferanga

What's the point in searching for 4th Cat only races if you can't compete against 3rd Cats? So you get some points and move up to 3rd Cat, but you still can't compete against the 3rd Cats!

trickydisco

What's the point in searching for 4th Cat only races if you can't compete against 3rd Cats? So you get some points and move up to 3rd Cat, but you still can't compete against the 3rd Cats!

I'm not searching for 4th ONLY cat races.. i was just interested to see how different they were to the 3/4 crits i was doing.. I'm doing a season of 2/3/4 road races and the crit races every thursday as training

I'm getting around top 20/top 15 at the moment at these crits

trickydisco

and in any case.. Anyone would be lying if they said they didn't want to get points on their licence.. even if this was from a 4th only rather than a 3/4

Zachariah

Yep these are Cat 4-only (there is a 1/2/3/4 race immediately after, 30 laps instead of 24, staggered start).

In answer to Amaferanga's point, I think you're looking at the wrong issue. After all, if you can compete and win or place against Cat 3 riders, you'll be a 2nd Cat! It's a bit like a league system - you move up a notch when you've shown you can win out against the people on your own level, then you get a shot at the ones above.

I get where you're coming from - you probably consider it a bit of a cheat to seek out the races where you face the weakest competition. I respectfully disagree with your position, but then I would say that, wouldn't I?

amaferanga

Zachariah wrote:

Yep these are Cat 4-only (there is a 1/2/3/4 race immediately after, 30 laps instead of 24, staggered start).

In answer to Amaferanga's point, I think you're looking at the wrong issue. After all, if you can compete and win or place against Cat 3 riders, you'll be a 2nd Cat! It's a bit like a league system - you move up a notch when you've shown you can win out against the people on your own level, then you get a shot at the ones above.

I get where you're coming from - you probably consider it a bit of a cheat to seek out the races where you face the weakest competition. I respectfully disagree with your position, but then I would say that, wouldn't I?

I know everyone wants to score points! But there's a huge difference between a 4th only race and 3rd/4th Cat races, just like there's a big difference between 3rd/4th Cat and 2nd/3rd/4th Cat races. My own view is that unless you can score at least some points against riders one Cat up from you then there's little point in trying to move upwards. I suspect that's what everyone is doing anyway....

Zachariah

Think about it this way. You're saying someone should be able to get in the top 10 in the category above the one they are in now just to move up. Thus making them better than the majority of people already in this category. This doesn't make sense.

A good cat 4 racer should surely be equivalent to an average cat 3 racer or even one slightly below average - someone who can keep up with the pack, but not necessarily contest the points. Self evidently, someone who can contest the points against cat 3 racers is an above-average cat 3 racer. Expecting this from any Cat 4s is unreasonable. It's like saying a football club from Division One shouldn't bother going up to the Premier League unless they can get a place in europe next season.