Crit expectations squarely kicked in the nuts...

Vino'sGhost

Matthewfalle wrote:

mac9091 wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

You'll go faster and enjoy it more if you take this numbers/finishing position self imposed stress off you

I agree/disagree as the point of racing is to compete.

Tosh, utter tosh.

The point of racing is not to compete, it is to win. There's no point going if you want to compete - go big, smash their doors in, win in utter style or go home.

If you don't go with that intention you'll stick to mid table mediocrity and may as well go home and go back to bed.

Some call it arrogance but it's not being arrogant when you're the best.

You don't get a treasure chest of doubloons by sticking to schooners and mere merchant men - it's the Queen's head you want every time.

utter bollox. Go to castlecoome theres 100 riders in three four theyre not all there with a chance to win but they might get some enjoyment or training benifit from the experience. And without them there wouldnt be a race

Matthewfalle

So 100 people riding around a small circuit in a big bunch over and over and over and over and over and over and over again with all the constraints/egos/hassle/etc of crashing but with no intention of actually racing or doing anything racing related or even maybe winning or stuff like that?

Seriously? Am I missing something? Sounds great fun.

mac9091

Well after a while away and a lack of training i raced again, this time on a 2.9km track with a good 700m long steady climb (guessing 4-7%), leading onto quite nicely a 100m flat sprint to the finish line. Just outside Upavon on the perimeter track of the grass airfield.

Race was going well and i was comfortably in the bunch this time, i always knew it was far easier being in there but on the short 0.5 track, i just didn't have the legs to cope with the initial few laps, but jeez it seemed sooo easy.

All was going well until just before the end of the 3rd last lap when i expected a surge up the hill like the previous laps, but was also aware that due to coming into the last couple of laps there may be a break away attempt, so i put in a (well what i thought) was a small spurt to ensure i would be at the front going up the hill to the "drop off" to the back of whoever had attacked. Only to find that only one guy was daft enough to expect the smallest rider to provide a two lap lead out for him to pip at the finish. So resulted in me returning to the bunch, only for the bunch to then GO just after the start/finish line, guilty of sleeping here i found myself out the back in no mans land trying to make up ground on a downhill with the wind behind.

So another lesson learned but experience gained, do i think i could have been there at the end had i not tried to prejump? Yes i would have been as i would have had to go for it coming up the hill on the last lap due to the flat and having no chance at winning a sprint finish.

Next race next week so, hopefully a top 15 finish this time.

mac9091

This week was on Redbridge circuit and someone was saying something about a wee hill. I'm sure those reading (if any) will know of redbridge so won't say much other than its a 2km track with lots of bends and a wee hill at the end. 40mins +2 laps

My sole intent this time was to stay in the bunch and not go mental with 3 laps left like last time, thus improving my race experience. Due to the hill i found that the bunch used most of the lap to (what seemed like) recover and only really putting down any effort on the hill, i was happy with that being less than 60KG.

So it came to the last lap, comfortably in the bunch and just off the 1st corner the track rises and then drops a lone cyclist sets off on an effort...i waited, expecting a few to follow and then i'd go as well (along with most of the bunch)....but no one went, i doubted myself and stayed with the bunch...i should have went.

Got to the wee hill having dropped a few places, intentionally to give myself a bit of space as the previous climbs up the hill had seen people swaying all over the track and on one occasion i was shoulder to shoulder with another guy and both of us were pushing against each other for the majority of the climb. I waited, waited some more, waited even longer and then with about 50m to the line, put the power down, started passing a couple of struggling heavier blokes and then shite!

Two went down just in front of me, middle of the track, the only place i knew was safe was the left and dodged the stricken riders and lost momentum. Even then i could have sworn there was only 4 or 5 guys in front of me. well turns out the guys crashed literally just before the line and ended up over the line. As i was avoiding them, the guy i knew that was on my right (hence why i went left) cruised through and took 8th.

So 9th for me but never the less (despite being annoyed at 1st) it was a points finish and i continue to improve. Only to then come back home and watch Tom Pidcock smash all the adults all over the place in the Circuit nationals, with not only a great race but a strong sustained sprint at the end.

Currently feeling depressed