Ras de Cymru '09

[Toks]

Stage 6 Road Race 46miles ending in a 4 mile climb up a mountain

I knew from last year this was definitely not gonna be run off like the TDF's final stage procession into Paris. The word was out that the Paragons meant business and a possible Paragon/ACC breakaway alliance was on the cards. Once the lead car pulled away after a five mile neutralisation is was game on! Attacks began and just kept going. Who was attacking just about everyone? Every time I looked up I could see the numbers 31, 8, and 4 (Dave K, Sylv and Hal) stringing things out. The bunch snaked its away along fast narrow lanes, attackers got chased, then chasers got chased down and passed by new attackers. Things were vicious on the flat and descents but the pace was equally high powered even when the terrain wasn't flat. For the most part Andy remained mid pack and so did I until I gradually made my way to the front to join sylv, Marcus and Dave for the last 60 minutes. Never one to miss out on the action (legs permitting ) I launched my attack on a slight descent and was quickly jumped on by Jason Humphrey (NP).We were soon reeled in but it somehow had the desired effect and Dave "I-Bet-U-can't burn-more-matches-than me" Kennett crested a little climb with a couple of others for company rounded a corner and was gone.

Julian Winn (Abergavenny RC) came to front with myself and Hal and we rode tempo while Dave Kennett and his new buddies slipped away like thieves in the night. The pace soon hotted up again but the gap stayed good and break wasn't seen by most of us again. Once on the 4 mile climb a strong group of 20 or so containing Hal, Sylv and most of the top 20 GC guys surged away from the rest of us and reeled in the break. Ain't power to weight ratio a BITCH! Further down the mountain the rest of us set about out things with a little less haste. All the way up the climb I'd swapped positions with a plucky Junior rider, Max Webster. I thought I'd dusted him off at 500 metres to go but he kept me insight then shouted "common Toks" and duly out sprinted me to the line. A great stage and a great race D

Position Team / Club Stage1; Stage2; Stage3; Stage4; Stage5;Stage6 Total

1 RDC Comp 1 0:35:30 6:20:30 1:37:57 5:54:09 8:40:40 6:48:30 29:57:16
2 VC Montpellier 0:36:05 6:19:58 1:38:27 5:54:09 8:41:03 6:48:22 29:58:04
3 Team Milton Keynes 0:34:06 6:19:48 1:40:27 5:53:43 8:42:55 6:47:50 29:58:49
4 http://www.cyclingbargains.com - Infinis - Metaltek
RT 0:35:02 6:20:30 1:36:39 5:54:00 8:41:39 6:52:31 30:00:21
5 BC Central Region 0:36:33 6:20:03 1:39:06 5:54:26 8:41:21 6:49:22 30:00:51
[size=150]6 Addiscombe CC 0:36:16 6:20:39 1:42:36 5:54:20 8:43:59 6:50:16 30:08:06[/size]
7 Cambridge CC 0:35:53 6:28:10 1:37:27 5:54:26 8:44:09 6:52:16 30:12:21
[size=150]8 Norwood Paragon CC 0:35:40 6:30:09 1:38:18 5:54:43 8:45:14 6:52:40 30:16:44[/size]
9 Oxford University Cycling Club 0:36:35 6:28:10 1:39:48 5:55:27 8:44:20 6:53:32 30:17:52
10 Oxford University Cycling Club B 0:36:35 6:27:33 1:39:39 5:54:26 8:45:14 6:55:09 30:18:36
11 Welsh Dragons 0:37:16 6:30:09 1:42:24 5:54:26 8:44:06 6:50:21 30:18:42
12 Liphook Cycles 0:38:12 6:30:09 1:43:54 5:54:26 8:44:14 6:52:57 30:23:52
13 Team Isle of Man Microgaming 0:34:52 6:29:40 1:37:03 6:03:29 8:44:17 6:56:12 30:25:33
14 Abergavenny RC 0:36:10 6:29:25 1:43:12 5:56:19 8:44:35 6:56:59 30:26:40
15 St Ives CC 0:37:41 6:29:42 1:42:21 5:54:26 8:45:09 6:59:43 30:29:02
16 Mid Devon CC/Lewis Cycles 0:35:39 6:30:09 1:42:09 5:54:26 8:45:02 7:04:37 30:32:02
17 Cherry Valley Racing Team 0:36:10 6:39:46 1:37:42 5:55:17 8:42:26 7:03:08 30:34:29
18 DHC Colnago 0:37:23 7:00:54 1:41:03 5:54:48 8:45:09 6:53:55 30:53:12
19 Red Kite Cycles 0:34:16 6:58:55 1:39:21 6:23:13 8:40:50 6:48:17 31:04:52
[size=150]20 Team Veloriders 0:37:05 6:29:42 1:43:06 5:59:45 9:09:15 7:51:42 31:50:35[/size]
21 RDC Comp 2 0:37:57 6:38:59 1:48:09 6:16:21 9:08:24 7:26:37 31:56:27
22 Abergavenny RC B 0:39:51 7:04:16 1:47:39 6:57:44 9:45:06 7:54:14 34:08:50

[Toks]

Stage 6 result

Position Number Name Team / Club Category

1 41 Andy Coupe RDC Comp 1 3 2:14:45 0:00:00 0:00:15
2 27 Joshua Hunt Mid Devon CC/Lewis Cycles J2 2:14:55 0:00:10 0:00:10
3 65 Richard Wood Team Milton Keynes 2 2:15:02 0:00:17 0:00:05
4 49 Oliver Holmes Red Kite Cycles 3 2:15:07 0:00:22 0:00:00
5 42 Graeme Norman RDC Comp 1 2 2:15:07 0:00:22 0:00:00
6 10 Tom Crouch BC Central Region 2 2:15:17 0:00:32 0:00:00
7 15 Tom Vickery Cambridge CC 4 2:15:38 0:00:53 0:00:00
8 44 Russell Falder RDC Comp 2 2 2:15:43 0:00:58 0:00:00
9 58 Tom Black Team Isle of Man Microgaming 2 2:15:43 0:00:58 0:00:00
[size=150]10 8 Sylvain Garde Addiscombe CC 2 2:15:56 0:01:11 0:00:00[/size]
11 47 Euan Adams Red Kite Cycles 2 2:15:59 0:01:14 0:00:00
12 73 Simon Thomas VC Montpellier 2 2:16:01 0:01:16 0:00:00
13 76 Rowan Marshall Welsh Dragons 3J 2:16:01 0:01:16 0:00:00
14 64 Mike Smith Team Milton Keynes 3 2:16:06 0:01:21 0:00:00
15 72 Kurt Green VC Montpellier 2 2:16:09 0:01:24 0:00:00
16 23 Justin Calloway Liphook Cycles 2 2:16:12 0:01:27 0:00:00
17 70 Neil Biggs VC Montpellier 2 2:16:12 0:01:27 0:00:00
[size=150]18 31 David Kennett Norwood Paragon CC 2 2:16:20 0:01:35 0:00:00[/size]
19 2 Julian Winn Abergavenny RC 3 2:16:28 0:01:43 0:00:00
[size=150]20 28 Marcus Brueton Norwood Paragon CC 2 2:16:32 0:01:47 0:00:00[/size]
21 59 Adam Johnson Team Isle of Man Microgaming 3J 2:16:40 0:01:55 0:00:00
22 57 Mark Thompson St Ives CC 3 2:16:42 0:01:57 0:00:00
22 63 Simon Fox Team Milton Keynes 2 2:16:42 0:01:57 0:00:00
22 21 Mike Bisson DHC Colnago 2 2:16:42 0:01:57 0:00:00
[size=150]25 6 Hal Bransby Addiscombe CC 2 2:16:47 0:02:02 0:00:00[/size]
25 35 Chris Smith Oxford University Cycling Club 2 2:16:47 0:02:02 0:00:00
27 9 Mark Baxter BC Central Region J2 2:16:54 0:02:09 0:00:00
28 77 Hefin Price Welsh Dragons 2 2:17:10 0:02:25 0:00:0028 75 Graham Howell Welsh Dragons 3J 2:17:10 0:02:25 0:00:00
30 12 Oliver Pritchard BC Central Region J3 2:17:11 0:02:26 0:00:00
30 32 Anton Blackie Oxford University Cycling Club 3 2:17:11 0:02:26 0:00:00
30 80 Will Foxhttp://www.cyclingbargains.com - Infinis - MetaltekRT 2 2:17:11 0:02:26 0:00:00
30 50 John Whittington Red Kite Cycles 2 2:17:11 0:02:26 0:00:00
30 3 John Fitzpatrick Abergavenny RC 2 2:17:11 0:02:26 0:00:00
35 17 James Wagstaff Cherry Valley Racing Team 3 2:17:23 0:02:38 0:00:00
36 78 Michael Cowlandhttp://www.cyclingbargains.com - Infinis - MetaltekRT 2 2:17:25 0:02:40 0:00:00
36 20 Dan Ahearn DHC Colnago 2 2:17:25 0:02:40 0:00:00
38 53 Max Webster Liphook Cycles 3J 2:17:33 0:02:48 0:00:00
[size=150]38 5 Toks Adesanya Addiscombe CC 2 2:17:33 0:02:48 0:00:00[/size]
40 74 Rhys Gravelle Welsh Dragons 2J 2:17:42 0:02:57 0:00:00
41 14 Basil Moss Cambridge CC 3 2:17:53 0:03:08 0:00:00
41 39SebastianPancratz Oxford University Cycling Club B 2 2:17:53 0:03:08 0:00:00
43 79 Carl Dysonwww.cyclingbargains.com - Infinis - MetaltekRT 2 2:17:55 0:03:10 0:00:00
44 56 Josh Ibbet St Ives CC 3 2:18:09 0:03:24 0:00:00
45 36 Nils Gustafsson Oxford University Cycling Club B 3 2:18:15 0:03:30 0:00:00
46 40 Paul Mace RDC Comp 1 2 2:18:38 0:03:53 0:00:00
47 16 Glenn Vinnicombe Cambridge CC 3V 2:18:45 0:04:00 0:00:00
48 62 James Fox Team Milton Keynes 2 2:18:54 0:04:09 0:00:00
[size=150]49 7 Andrew Ellis Addiscombe CC 3 2:19:01 0:04:16 0:00:00[/size]
49 37 Henry Martin Oxford University Cycling Club B 2 2:19:01 0:04:16 0:00:00
51 11 James Norris BC Central Region 3 2:19:12 0:04:27 0:00:00
51 52 Phil Peters Liphook Cycles 2 2:19:12 0:04:27 0:00:00
53 43 Pete Smith RDC Comp 1 2 2:19:24 0:04:39 0:00:00
53 13 Eric Gowland Cambridge CC 3 2:19:24 0:04:39 0:00:00
55 34 Jonathan Marchini Oxford University Cycling Club 3 2:19:34 0:04:49 0:00:00
55 51 James Astbury Liphook Cycles 3J 2:19:34 0:04:49
55 71 Richard Cleaver VC Montpellier 3 2:19:34 0:04:49 0:00:00
58 33 Ben de Wet Oxford University Cycling Club 2 2:19:44 0:04:59 0:00:00
[size=150]59 29 Russell Painter Norwood Paragon CC 3 2:19:48 0:05:03 0:00:00[/size]
59 22 Peter Bolke DHC Colnago 3V 2:19:48 0:05:03 0:00:00
61 46 Jeremy Read RDC Comp 2 3 2:19:56 0:05:11 0:00:00
62 38 Norman Metzner Oxford University Cycling Club B 4 2:20:17 0:05:32 0:00:00
63 83 Graham Edwards Abergavenny RC B 3V 2:21:22 0:06:37 0:00:00
64 18 Andy Hayton Cherry Valley Racing Team 3 2:21:29 0:06:44 0:00:00
[size=150]65 30 Jason Humphries Norwood Paragon CC 2 2:21:42 0:06:57 0:00:00[/size]
65 66 David Crowley Team Veloriders 3 2:21:42 0:06:57 0:00:00
67 69 Paul Tucker Team Veloriders 3 2:21:50 0:07:05 0:00:00
68 1 Richard Bowen Abergavenny RC 3 2:23:20 0:08:35 0:00:00
69 60 Colum O'Shea Team Isle of Man Microgaming 3 2:23:49 0:09:04 0:00:00
70 24 Ian Deakin Mid Devon CC/Lewis Cycles 3V 2:23:58 0:09:13
[size=150]80 67 Desmond Gaylor Veloriders 2v 3.08.10secs[/size]

[Sylv]

some photos from the last day http://www.flickr.com/photos/patronchoufflard

[Snoop Doug]

Looking @ the pics I'm confused, they seem to have Toks down twice in the GC - whassup?

I need the corect info for the paper

[ThePinkDreamMachine]

you beat norwood!!!! wow guys !!

chloe x

[Sylv]

[quote="Snoop Doug"]Looking @ the pics I'm confused, they seem to have Toks down twice in the GC - whassup?

[Toks]

The sum up and Final Analysis

This bit should've been done by a certain H. Williams but he's a busy man and couldn't join us in Wales sadly. People should not draw conclusions from Huw's DNF and Chloe's histrionics on a recent Darmoor Sportive. Good, neither did I

Overall I think we (Team ACC) can be please with our performance - we got a prize for claiming 6th spot in the rankings out of 22 teams. Individually we weren't super hot but Sylv did manage to bag 10th and 8th position in two stages. Our downfall like a few other teams was essentially the Team Time Trial (Hal's puncture, and only one of us being on TT bikes). The individual TT's would also have been better with gear to make us nice and slippery... Finally I just one to say a big thanks to Andy, Hal and Sylv for agreeing to join me. It was a fantastic five days in Wales and we all got on famously well. Ok I'll now attempt to jeopardise that last line by summing up our indiviual performances.

Andy

I knew Andy was fairly strong before the RAS but up close and personal over the 5 days he was even stronger. Andy has this steely determination and was the one that really took the team time trial by the scruff of the neck. Each one of his turns at the front was long and hard and set the ball rolling for the rest of us. On stage 3 RR I came past him up the climb to the finish but he paced things just right and surged back past me just behind the leaders. Impressive! On most of the other stages Andy performed really well - always ready to help out bring back breaks or initiate breakaways. He suffered a little on the final stage but nevertheless put in a solid performance.

Hal

With 900miles of riding in his Lands End to John O' Groats epic two weeks before I wondered whether Hal's performace at the RAS would suffer. No Problems baby! I nicked name Hal 'the bunch engine' because of his ability to ride tempo at the front of the bunch seemingly for ever. I should also stress that he more often than not tried to get into and initiate breaks, and probably along with Sylv was the rider in our team who most deserved to be in a winning break. Hal was also very competitive in the King Of The mountain competition and got himself points against skinny little climbers. A solid performance for Hal on all days except for the Team Time Trial stage were he couldn't quite get the pacing right when on the front. Nevertherless if it wasn't for his two puntures - which resulted in huge time lossess - he would've been closer to Sylv on the GC

Sylv

Two weeks before this race things weren't looking good for Sylv and the search was on for a replacement. Thankfully we didn't need one and despite coming into the race below his best Sylv put in an excellent performance and was our best rider. Some of you may not know but Sylv quite literally races in permanent dull pain. In the RAS no additional pain is needed so I don't know how he did it. In the team time trial he literally pushed himself through the pain barrier despite really suffering. On all the hilliest stages he rode with such composure and I don't think he ever got to see what the middle of the bunch looked like. He was really unlucky not to be in the winning breakaway on stage 2. By the 4th stage his form was getting better and this was evidenced by 10th position in the final stage. A brilliant performance Slyv I hopefully you'll lead a team to the RAS next year

Me

I'm just an old feller still trying to get good at a sport I love. I really enjoyed the TTT and managed to put in a good showing without having tri bars. On stage 2 Road Race with Marcus, Dave, Andy, Sylv's help a rode hard at the front in a thru and off for nearly 10 miles to bring back or reduce the time to the winning break. Stages 4 and 5 I found pretty tough especially cause I wasn't sleeping well. Stage 6, I absolutely loved. I finished 33rd on the GC out of 80 riders so I'm getting a little bit better.

[Snoop Doug]

Sorry Sylv I got confused with all the photos of the results pages so pls would you (or someone) mind confirming all the final placings, sorry to be so dim. And I have previously bigged up NP in my Advertiser write ups and will do so again this week.

Snoop

[Sylv]

Snoop - final GC -
Sylv 18th @ 5.34
Toks 33rd @ 8.40
Andy 34th @ 9.10
Hal 62nd @ 25.41


Cheers to Toks for getting us into this, and Hal and Andy and Toks for some great riding. A few more words on the race;

Stage 1 - 7km - 35.3km/h - 174bpm

Twelve minutes of pain. I knew it would be, but it was worse than I had feared. I ran a 5km fun run in 18m the previous week and thought that was painful, this was much worse (the other difference being that I thought I looked fit amongst the donut-eaters at the fun run, whilst at the RAS most everyone looked fitter than me).

A long rolling section which took about 8 minutes with some decent climbing, straight into hyperventilating, and then a horrible climb which was just too steep for me to stay in the saddle, incredibly painful. Had my TT bike but no disc wheel or TT helmet. Average HR was 174 and max 183. I remember Andy's terrible state as he finished a few minutes after me, and I don't think I looked any better than that when I crossed the line. Finished 28th, 48s down - D'oh.

Stage 2 - 86.4km - 40.3km/h - 156bpm

Was well placed just behind Hal for the first KOM and tried to initiate an attack before the downhill immediately after that, but everyone sat up recovering after the sprint and the bunch (minus 20 or so) regrouped during the long downhill. Toks and I sat near the front coming into the second and final big climb and Toks attacked solo there. A small group then went away but I didn't want to risk bringing the bunch back to them, so only when it was clear that Toks was not going to make it, did I attack. I probably waited just a little too long, as by the time I went past Julian Winn I was struggling a bit. But us two through and offed for a bit, we we so close to the break, about 25m, I think a huge out of the saddle effort might have just made it for me, but I thought the climb wasn't over, and I could just see myself having managed to join the break, only to get dropped on the next climb seconds later.

So had to wait for the bunch, and the rest of the stage was rolling, until we hit the dual carriageway. I was feeling better by then and joined a through and off intended to bring back the break. That was undoubtedly the hardest t-n-o I've ever done, only about 8-10 were working (including all ACC, Marcus and Dave) and after ten minutes even though I was still taking turns it felt like any second I was going to blow. I imagined that was what the final miles of a Pro sprint-finish stage must feel like - it was painful but glorious, and we got praise for our work at the front. The finish was on a small climb but with a dip and another 100m down, I misjudged it thinking the top was the finish, and could just not sprint anymore once past the top, so was overtaken by quite a few riders. Totally spent after that, felt horrible. Hadn't eaten enough too, just one gel, a mistake I wouldn't repeat.

Stage 3 - 24.5km - 42.9km/h - 155bpm

We had about three hours to recover after the morning stage and I was feeling terrible. The thought of quitting (after doing the TTT for the team) crossed my mind. We went for a warmup and the legs just felt dead. We got going and it was hard, but not quite as much as I had dreaded. I was behind Andy and he was taking super strong turns going down the DC. I was feeling sorry for Toks on his totally stock road bike, and also Hal with his plastic DIY extensions for only aero aid. We lost Hal to a puncture just after turning back half-way ish, I was feeling (a little) better but Toks and Andy were tiring, had to ease off once or twice. The last few miles seemed to take forever, now I was struggling to get up the climbs. I knew we hadn't done fantastic but didn't expect to have lost so much time, 17th of 22 teams.

Stage 4 - 80.9km - 40.7km/h - 144bpm

Fortunately recovery was good overnight and I was now looking forward to the next stage. I quite like the finishing hill (even though it had one of those bloody false-finishes at the top, but at least this time I had a few laps to make sure I knew where it was). Marcus and another guy got away. Later on Dave K and a group of about 8 tried to bridge, at first not being chased down with the bunch slowing down to under 35km/h at times. Later the hammer went down and upon coming to the top of the hill for the second to last time we caught them (helped by the fact that seemingly the group disintegrated when some went on to contest the KOM) and we also caught Marcus. Couldn't get away after that so decided to rest and have a go at the climb, only got passed by one after the false summit, to finish 8th which I was pleased with. The SIS gels I was trying out seemed to work great, had 3 and didn't feel any noticeable dip of energy during the stage, and the same for the following.

Stage 5 - 112km - 38.6km/h -

Another good recovery - in fact I was feeling better and better - not amazing legs obviously, but ok. A long drive to a mountain-top start, with 12km of crazy fast descending as a warm-up. Then onto the circuit with the vicious climb at the end of it. That was a proper bastard. Break of a few went away, again not being seen as dangerous. Then a few more went. The climb was shortly followed by a sharp rise which always left me struggling and on which I dropped my chain twice. I had a go with another guy half a mile before the climb but it was just too hard and windy. Then a super fast and long twisty downhill where it stringed out then unavoidedly regrouped. Dave K attacked, as did a few others, I tried to follow (I'm not going to go to the front on a downhill), Hal took some monster turns which got me thinking he wasn't going to contest the finish. Started pouring down quite badly, couldn't see much, I thought everyone's rear wheel was going to slide on the final climb. Was proper painful, once again a false finish but fortunately had a 10m gap behind me so no-one went past there, think I was 9th of the bunch and 15th overall. Then 12km uphill ride to HQ in drizzle. On the way back Hal suggested we drove part of the course including the final climb, which proved extremely useful.

Stage 6 - 83.2km - 37.4km/h - 145bpm

The big one, with the final climb on which Toks had warned up lots of time could be gained or lost. What to do - keep the legs and bank all on that climb, or try to break away? Seeing that the bunch never seemed to worry about small breakaways too much, the Paragons asked if we would want to try work together, along with a strong Velorider guy - they would launch a 2~3-prong attack very early on, and we would try and bridge back a couple miles later. Not a chance of success in any of that for the first 20 miles, it was just too fast and chasy. So we waited for the first sprint. Marcus and I followed the surge for the flag, and once the contenders had eased off Marcus attacked and I followed, as did Hal. Took a few turns, looked back and the bunch was there again. Then another go straight away with the VR, Hal and a couple more. Then a third go, I was getting knackered by then! Regroup, ease off to a crawl for a bit - thankyou.

Up and down rolling lanes, Toks attacked solo, then Dave slowly slipped away on a climb in his customary style. A bit later I had my best attack yet to try and bridge to Dave, one that I really thought would work, up a climb, a few followed and we swapped turns, I almost got dropped as we got caught by a counter-attack, just about managed to keep up with them, then a fast downhill at the bottom of which it all regrouped once again. From then I tried to rest for the final climb, it was all fast flat or downhill anyway.

We hit the climb and I was thankfull we had reccied it. It was steeper than it looked from the car, I thought it looked like Box Hill for the first two miles but I was in 39 x 25 soon enough! A group of riders slipped away and I just had to ride at my pace, trying to stay with a group of 3 others which included the sprinter's jersey (who looks more like a KOM, skinny lad). A few more went past. We hit the first hairpin, then the second, and I knew there was then a downhill section where being with 3 others would be useful. Here we picked Dave K (I think the sole remnant from the break) who amazingly had the energy to stay with us. Down the hill we hit the steepest part of the climb, and were getting close to a small group with some Milton Keynes climbers, and Euan Adams who had previously passed me. Out of the saddle I managed to pass them at the steepest bit, and open a gap on the rest of the guys, I was so glad I knew where the finish was, and that I only had 200m or so left to go, as the pain was excrutiating. I kept looking back as the gap was only 10-15m, or 3seconds it turned out on the line. The rain had started and on the sides of the road past the finish line collapsed riders were sitting amongst the sheep. I had to sit down too and wasn't sure how many were ahead, I assumed about 15-20, so was chuffed to learn later I had been 10th - albeit at 1.11

[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2518/3690878537_a9d553f806.jpg?v=0[/img] [img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3654/3691689104_a1b8507a27.jpg?v=0[/img]

[Michelle]

Gosh. You boys done us real proud. I am exhausted just reading this. Well done and chapeau(x) to Welsh Ras Team ACC, you did really well.

[Sylv]

http://cambridgeccnews.blogspot.com/

[Toks]

Sylv, check out the average speed for the first 60mins of stage 6
http://josh-ibbett.blogspot.com/2009/07 ... cymru.html

[Sylv]

The Garmin data for stage 6: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/7995069

According to it in the first hour we did 41.8km / 26mph

Although i think i started it a couple km before the end of the neutralised zone