Surrey League Longcross Test Track 8th Feb

adamleech
adamleech Posts: 45
edited February 2014 in Amateur race
Looking like a wet and windy day tomorrow for all races. Whats the surface like on the test track? Mordern tarmac or old military concrete?

Comments

  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    Tarmac last time I was there a couple of years ago. Great circuit but the finishing straight is 14 miles long so getting sprint timing right could be important.

    See you there. (Daughter is riding in 3/4 Women's race)
  • ongej
    ongej Posts: 118
    I thought the whole circuit was 2 miles long? How can the finishing straight be 14 miles?!
  • okgo
    okgo Posts: 4,368
    Lol.

    It's certainly very long but clearly he was messing about. It's probably a good 3rd of the whole circuit.
    Blog on my first and now second season of proper riding/racing - www.firstseasonracing.com
  • chadders81
    chadders81 Posts: 744
    Raced the 4ths race here today. First time at Longcross. Good circuit but had to contend with 20mph headwind along the home straight.

    Some shocking bike handling on the last lap saw me on my arse in the gravel. Not sure what happened - last I heard was someone shouting 'hold your line' and then several people failing to do so. Pretty sure I was entirely blameless.

    Part and parcel of racing I suppose but quite annoying as I was nicely placed and felt good for the sprint. Back next week.
  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    Head wind on the finish straight was like a wall. Then it rained and hailed. Horrible.

    Good news is my daughter won the women's race! Woo hoo!!
  • dread_i1
    dread_i1 Posts: 178
    Chadders81 wrote:
    Raced the 4ths race here today. First time at Longcross. Good circuit but had to contend with 20mph headwind along the home straight.

    Some shocking bike handling on the last lap saw me on my ars* in the gravel. Not sure what happened - last I heard was someone shouting 'hold your line' and then several people failing to do so. Pretty sure I was entirely blameless.

    Part and parcel of racing I suppose but quite annoying as I was nicely placed and felt good for the sprint. Back next week.

    Hope your alright. Fortunately I was on the opposite side of the track and saw it out of the corner of my eye.

    Have you found the results as they don't seem to be on the ride hq site although the 3/2/1 elite are already up.
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/400073
  • chadders81
    chadders81 Posts: 744
    I'm fine thanks. That's one of the reasons I didn't use the good bike today.

    I can't be bothered to look at the results. Think I might have been last finisher in the race.
  • dread_i1
    dread_i1 Posts: 178
    Chadders81 wrote:
    I'm fine thanks. That's one of the reasons I didn't use the good bike today.

    I can't be bothered to look at the results. Think I might have been last finisher in the race.

    Sorry I did think after I posted that your probably not to interested in them.
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/400073
  • ongej
    ongej Posts: 118
    Chadders81 wrote:
    Raced the 4ths race here today. First time at Longcross. Good circuit but had to contend with 20mph headwind along the home straight.

    Some shocking bike handling on the last lap saw me on my ars* in the gravel. Not sure what happened - last I heard was someone shouting 'hold your line' and then several people failing to do so. Pretty sure I was entirely blameless.

    Part and parcel of racing I suppose but quite annoying as I was nicely placed and felt good for the sprint. Back next week.

    Sorry to hear that... I was at Longcross too and was the rider behind you when I saw you went down... it looked quite graceful a fall (I have seen some people go summersaulting or superman over the bike at slower speed falls)...Everyone was fighting to get the inner line on the corner and it looked like one rider drifted pretty close to you, forcing you onto the grass and gravel.. definitely not your fault...

    I heard a crunching sounds followed by shouts from a few laps back too, not sure if there was another crash then...
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    ongej wrote:
    Chadders81 wrote:
    Raced the 4ths race here today. First time at Longcross. Good circuit but had to contend with 20mph headwind along the home straight.

    Some shocking bike handling on the last lap saw me on my ars* in the gravel. Not sure what happened - last I heard was someone shouting 'hold your line' and then several people failing to do so. Pretty sure I was entirely blameless.

    Part and parcel of racing I suppose but quite annoying as I was nicely placed and felt good for the sprint. Back next week.

    Sorry to hear that... I was at Longcross too and was the rider behind you when I saw you went down... it looked quite graceful a fall (I have seen some people go summersaulting or superman over the bike at slower speed falls)...Everyone was fighting to get the inner line on the corner and it looked like one rider drifted pretty close to you, forcing you onto the grass and gravel.. definitely not your fault...

    I heard a crunching sounds followed by shouts from a few laps back too, not sure if there was another crash then...
    there was, someone cut up one of my teammates who had nowhere to go so promptly fell off! the guy that cut him up apologised. bike and rider are ok.

    there are around 10 more booked upfor the 4's this week so everyone needs to be on their best behaviour.... with 27 mph headwinds down the pit straight, its going to be a trundle to the finish, not a sprint!
  • ongej
    ongej Posts: 118
    Good to know that he is OK.

    I was hoping the 27mph winds would put people off, but then again maybe not...But hopefully the judges will be able to see who is in the top 20, as it will be the slowest bunch sprint ever. Full results still not out for last week's yet...
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    proto wrote:
    Good news is my daughter won the women's race! Woo hoo!!

    Pretty good sprint on her judging by the distance she got.
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    ongej wrote:
    Good to know that he is OK.

    I was hoping the 27mph winds would put people off, but then again maybe not...But hopefully the judges will be able to see who is in the top 20, as it will be the slowest bunch sprint ever. Full results still not out for last week's yet...

    trouble was the track narrows into a single lane width and bottlenecks because of the need to funnel the race alongside the car park.

    you would have to make your move and ensure it could stick before the track effectively narrows as we both know it was nearly 15 abreast on that last bit!!! thats 300metres at a rough estimate.

    thats a toughie to do. if you can maintain good speed into a 27mph head wind you are a better man than me. not that i do much on the front but you can guarantee i will be doing nothing on the front on Saturday!
    ..

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