Palace 12/07

[Sylv]

What's going on there ?!?


[img]http://www.londoncyclesport.com/media/jphoto/road-racing/crystal-palace-senior-circuits-9/cp169-599x400.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.londoncyclesport.com/media/jphoto/road-racing/crystal-palace-senior-circuits-9/cp178-599x400.jpg[/img]

[Andrew G]

You're racing the other way round the circuit again. Do I win a prize?

Well done Matt (6th in 3/4) and Sylv (6th in E/1/2) but forget all this mystery picture stuff, how about some reports. I thought us testers were supposed to be the secretive ones with our funny course codes but there's a dearth of decent road reports of late.

[Peachey]

Ok.......

First time racing at Palace for me (and Matt) - entered into the 3/4 race. I knew the circuit was quite technical and I knew it was going to be a good interval session. Team ACC consisted of Matt, George, Ed and Me (and Sylv and Shadow in the E12 race).

Managed 2 practice laps prior to the start and was immediately worried what I had let myself in for. For those who have never seen the course - it is essentially a small single track road around a park - with numerous tight bends..! I think there were about 30 laps in all to complete?

The race blasted away and I had decided to take it easy for a few laps to get used to the circuit before I formulated my plan. Matt pretty much did the opposite and started to go hard on the front and made it really difficult for us guys at the back...!

Thought I had better move up the field (having seen one guy come completely off the course) - and almost being taken out myself. This was a bit harder than it looked - the race moved so fast and if you couldn't stick it into every corner you spent the entire race chasing the bunch.

I slowly got used to the track and began growing in confidence - but I still felt I was hanging on for dear life. Various attacks went up the road - all of which were caught - and George did a couple of laps pulling the bunch along.

Bell lap came and I was reasonably placed - probably 10 wheels back from the front - came out of the bottom corner and a few bikes shuffled past me and I had nowhere to go. I had positioned myself badly for the last hairpin and got stuffed in the sprint - ended up about 15th? I was pleased that I didn't get shelled out - but it didn't really happen with my bike handling skills....!

One thing noticeable was that if you could corner well (at speed with confidence) you conserved so much energy not chasing out of every bend. All in all a good workout - and well done to Matt for placing.

Cheers,

Darren

[Sylv]

Andrew I just meant that those were unfamiliar faces at Palace.

Matt and Darren were buzzing afterwards on the way back Finishing your first race here is a good effort let alone spending time at the front and getting points.

Yes we went the other way - though some tried to rebel against that decision - but I prefer it this way now.

Not much to report - felt good enough to spend time at the front but not strong enough to sprint out of the pack and join breaks - this time I saw it happening, on the top bit, but couldn't do anything about it (despite trying hard). Funnily enough I managed to "outsprint the pack" as John wrote, well what I did was follow Kevin Knox's wheel when he attacked down the hill on the last lap, which I know was a good move, and tucked in all the way to after the last hairpin, then kicked past him in the last metres.

Our race (bunch) was only about 3s faster per lap. Doesn't sound too bad this way does it?

[Andrew G]

Sorry didn't mean to upset anyone . I haven't been following the road scene this year and there's normally a decent group racing at Palace, SL, and SERRL so it was just noticeable that there hadn't been many reports this season. Always good to read them and see how peoples races went.

So I don't win a prize then? .