East London Velo Winter Series

mclarent

Hi All - we're on to week 3 of East London Velo's 6 Days of Winter at Hog Hill, and the series is starting to look interesting. Decent field sizes of ~40 riders for the first two week not stopping Gunter Zechmann of London Phoenix from winning the first two weeks and Will Hayter of London Dynamo is also in a strong position after consecutive top 3 finishes.

There are still 4 races to go, with good money for those who finish top 10 in the 2/3 series, and prizes also in the 4ths only series. For more information see BC, or the ELV website

Current Series Standings
1. Gunther Zechmann - 30 Points
2. Will Hayter - 20
3= Edmund Bradbury - 12
3= Colin Bailey - 12
3= Joel Natale - 12

FransJacques

Yes, there are a lot of Dynamos out who play some pretty strong team tactics on the front.

But sadly punctures are playing a big part in the proceedings whenever there's a hint of rain.

Gunther is a powerhouse but also quite a savvy rider. His Phoenix team mates also do their best to protect his lead when he's out front.

mclarent

Good points. It's always difficult to know who would have finished and who was praying for a puncture, but FWIW winter racing = winter tyres and pressures, better to carry a bit more drag / weight than puncture with 2 to go! Or bring some spare wheels, just in case.

In the first race, Gunther punctured from the break, took a kids wheel, and had the cadence to finish it off!

maryka

Definitely worth bringing spare wheels to Hog Hill in this weather. In fact if you are driving there, you're crazy not to bring wheels.

FransJacques

Zechman second today after driving the break. Nice work. Strong start to the season.

A London Phoenix rider also won the 4th cats.

mclarent

Was great racing by all accounts today - and for a very good account of both races (with pics), check out the ELV website!.

63 riders in the 4ths and 57 in the 2/3s, which would be good sized fields in a summer series - fair to say sign-on was mobbed. Unfortunately a lot dropped out, but not sure if that was pace or punctures? Probably both.

In the 2/3 Series, Bradbury and Zechmann exchanged their 1/2 from last week, but Zechman still has a healthy lead in the series and (assuming he continues to race) must surely be favourite to take the overall win. With 1st Prize currently looking like it will be north of £100 we have to assume he'll want to turn up for the 2nd half of the series...

Theo-saurus

Yesterday was a good season intro for me (3rd in the 2/3)
see my video of the race here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6YjJRwYPcQ

gattocattivo

50 ft Queenie :-)

FransJacques

Well done Theo. When the break was made it looked like you had a tough time to latch on the Gunther. Seemed like you almost didn't do it but in reality I bet you weren't packing.

From the film it looks like you consistently took a tighter line on the fast lefty after the start/finish line and easily closed up to the riders in front if you? Did you think so too or is it a camera angle trick...

Theo-saurus

Thanks Frans. When Gunther attacked I probably eased off too quickly when I should have got right on his wheel at the top of the hill and stayed there.

That's the racing line! I'm surprised people tend to apex so late on that corner but it's a great way to make up places.

FransJacques

Hope you're enjoying the Lemond :-)

Theo-saurus

I was enjoying it but unfortunately it developed a crack on the righthand side of the headtube.
Real shame as it was a great frame.

Tom Dean

Theo-saurus wrote:

Yesterday was a good season intro for me (3rd in the 2/3)
see my video of the race here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6YjJRwYPcQ

Good ride and great music choices!

Use of 'the peloton' and getting handed up bottles at HH

:P

mclarent

Windy this week! Write-up has been posted, along with full results.

The series prize fund has been set, with £100 to the winner, down to £15 for 10th place, and it looks like a straight fight between Gunther Zechmann (London Phoenix) and Edmond Bradbury (Cambridge Uni CC) for the big money!

In the 4ths, the pot will be split (currently) between 6 riders...

2 weeks to go...

Theo-saurus

@Frans: I can't seem to access my PM, the frame is cracked on the head-down tube junction, It gets larger so I'm not using it.

mclarent

Brilliant last race of the series, with Gunther taking the win (and the series) from Ed in the last few hundred metres. Talk about taking it to the wire!! Full write-up is on our website, well worth a read.

FransJacques

I hope you're being tongue-in-cheek about the £100 series prize - it's a joke.

It costs more to enter all the races - some prize.

ELV must trouser what, £1500 per weekend for 2 hrs of racing?

Nice gig eh?

mclarent

Think your maths needs some work. 6x15 anyone? And is that £1500 of income or profit?

This year we charged a £5 series fee, all of which was paid out as prizes, plus primes.

Not that you care, but ELV is not run for profit, we're not a limited company but a sports club. The events are totally staffed by volunteers, only exception being the First Aiders who charge. Any "profit" goes back in to cycling, prime example being the money from last year's summer series which was reinvested in supporting youth riders.

You don't work for Lea Valley Parks do you?

FransJacques

Every bike club is NFP, doesn't mean that several of them aren't carrying decent bank balances, but a club needs a float to operate e.g. to support kit orders.

A HH license limit is 120 riders at any time which is potentially £1800 which is not bad for running a few races (alth BCF takes their £450 for doing next to nothing). Only issue is passing off £100 as 'big money'. Not saying it should be more or less, no one races bikes at this level to make money, it's the characterization.

okgo

While I agree with Luke, I seem to recall Hillingdon paid out £500 to first place, which seems more inline with the sort of numbers we are taking here?

Look at the prize pool for some of the bigger TT's £300+ for north road hardriders.