Palace 20th May 2008

[kieran]

Well, a good night for Addiscombe, but I'll say no more and let ALL those in the top 10 tell their story.

[Antloony]

Well I turned up to watch...hung around for a bit, had a bit of a chat, did a couple of warm up laps (wasn't racing, waiting for my licence) then watched the first few laps before having to head of home due to frost bite setting in...remind me again what season we're in?


Oh and just to add...ANDREW GREEN, YOUR MEANT TO BE RACING NOT RIDING ROUND CHATTING TO PEOPLE LIKE ITS A JUST FOR FUN CLUB RUN

oh and Im sure I saw George flash past me on some strange machine with a saddle bag thing attached to it....he wasn't in the race, was just flying ahead of the main bunch.... (maybe my eyes were being affected by the cold though)

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Was it a bird

was it a plane

NO

just George with a saddlebag.

[kieran]

well, while we wait for those others to tell their tale, here's mine. As I've been sitting comfortably in the front bunch for the last few races I decided it was time to start pulling my weight at the front or I would never improve, so this I did. So in total I did 2 full laps on the front, one near the start to get the pace up and one near the end, which I think was my mistake as I hadn't recovered in time for the final sprint for 4th place and was passed by a few riders, so didn't get counted in the placings. So I don't know if I should work on my endurance so I'll have enough left for the end or work on my sprint so I don't get over taken??

We were sprinting for 4th as a break of 3, with 2 Addiscombe in it, got away about half way through the race and stayed away. Toks and Steve did some good blocking at the front as many of the other riders were relunctant to go on the front and then the E/1/2 bunch came through and we were 'neutralised' for one lap?? Not sure what the marshals meant by that, but we had to let the E/1/2 bunch go through and gain a bit of ground before stepping up the pace again, this was good for the break but also meant that our group got bigger as dropped riders got back on.

It was a nicer sized field as well, not sure why.

[Hal]

Some good fortune at Palace this week. Apart from freezing before the racing got started.

I had a good start up in the top 20 or 30 and decided to watch and wait for a few laps up in the with Steve B, Kieran, Mike W, Brian, Toks and others floating around. The pace felt very comfortable. I watched Mike, move up the front and on a couple of occasions almost effortlessly open up a bit of a gap, there was not much effort being made to chase thing down or make attacks.

About 8 laps in Mike and A N Other seemingly accidently found themselves clear of the pack and opening a gap, no real effort in the group to chase them down. So I decided that I would have some of that. Up the climb I used my momentum from the corner to pass the 15 or so riders in front of me and make a big effort to bridge the gap, half way up and no one was on my wheel and I was able to catch them by the top of the slope and give some encoragement to keeping up the pace. Still 11 laps to go I was nervous about my ability to maintain this pace for that long.

We worked together, not super tidy to start with but well enought to start opening a gap. The passing of the E1/2 and the ACC contingent in the bunch meant that we got out of sight and out of mind. We were going to be in a sucessful break if we could sustain this. 3 Laps to go and we were still clear and feeling ok.

On the last lap I was thinking about leading the climb so mike could have a go at the sprint, but my legs failed me and Mike was driving hard up the climb with AN Other on his wheel. I selfishly let Mike continue and sat in on the back hoping to take the sprint. But the other guy was strong and made a move round Mike at the top of the climb sadly could not muster the speed to pass.

I am so happy at being part of a sucessful break a Palace for such a long stint, well done to Mike in his first road race, and to the other chap who helped the sucess of the break.

Went home ate a big bowl of salad. (about 3 calories).

Then an entire hot chocolate sponge pudding with chocolate sauce and Ice cream. (it said on the packet serves 3, 1350 calories)

[Toks]

Another great ACC turn out yesterday... 3/4's: Kieran, Grahame, Richard, Mike, Hal, Steve, Brian, myself and the irrepressible Mr Green. E12's: Stu and Adam (ACC 2nd claim); Womens: Tamar and Maria (2nd claim). Let me know if I missed anyone out In the 3/4 race I think we managed to get 4 of us in the top 10. Not official haven't seen the results yet.

Only 50-60 riders this time out for the 3/4's...lots of good banter on the start line between myself, Andrew and Marek (VCL). "Ok, last one to the hairpin is a... @#%&^%$" - a nice spirited start with Kieran and Mike doing all the damage on the first few laps. Mike and another guy got a slight gap near the halfway point (~25 laps) ... Now would some cheeky blighter suddenly appear at the front of the bunch and block for his team mate? Sshit, you're damn skippy!! ... I made sure to slow the bunch down on the corners and up the climb? ..Hal, Addiscombe's new sportvie king had been watching the whole proceedings very closely and quickly bridged across to the breakaway...more strategic club run paced riding at the front from myself coupled with the E12's showing up gave a lot more rope to Hal, Mike and the other rider. Breakaway secure - jobs a good'n . The final ten laps were a fairly sedate affair, although Steve was lucky to miss out on a crash on the dicey turn a the bottom. I lead out the bunch sprint and I think Steve and I got 6th and 5th respectively. All in all a good night for ACC shame we didn't get a win. Big well done to Adam for giving himself and early birthday present (Happy Birthday Mate ) by bagging 7th in the E12 sprint. Thanks again for all the support guys. Look out for a more quirkier take on the race in my blog later this week

[Brian Robinson]

Not as successful an outing for me this week, a bit disappointed. Only managed 6 laps (7 last week ) with the bunch before hitting reverse gear on the climb having worked quite hard to stay near the front. Nearly 20 riders passed me as the elastic broke. Legs felt really sore on the climb and I was regretting a threshold session on the turbo the previous evening (whether that was really an issue I doubt but a good excuse!). Used the remaining 14 laps as training and managed to hook up with a group after a few laps in a yo-yo kind of fashion. Didn't even get the chance to chat to and enjoy the scenery.

Still I am not easily discouraged and a big respect to the efforts of Hal, Mike, Steve, Toks, Kieran and Adam. Thanks for all the support out on the circuit, George felt so sorry for me that he offered to push me up the hill. Till next week

Bri

[Hal]

E/1/2
1 Jos vaan Veld Hoven Rollapluza
2 Dan Santini Pearson Cycles
3 Shannon Durrant Pearson Cycles
4 Toby Meadows Corridori
5 Matt Holmes Arctic RT/Premier
6 Guy Powdrill London Dynamo/Cyclefit
7 Adam Cottrel Tri Sport
8 Phillip Glowinski VC Londrea
9 Kevin Knox Dulwich Paragon
10 Matt Seaton Rapha Condor

3/4
1 Valvas Grabahskas Dulwich Paragon
2 Hal Bransby Addiscombe CC @ 3 secs
3 Michael Wallis Addiscombe CC
4 Felix English Corridori @ 18 secs
5 Jason Green London Dynamo/Cyclefit
6 David Arthur RCUK
7 David Reece Dulwich Paragon
8 Steven Broomfield Addiscombe CC
9 Matt Goodes De Laune CC
10 Toks Adesanyo Addiscombe CC

Women
1 Jo Munday VC Muedon
2 Susanne Osbourne London Dynamo/Cyclefit
3 Karen Price Dulwich Paragon
4 Clare Beaumont London Dynamo/Cyclefit
5 Jennifer Hewitt Sigma RT
6 Maria David Dulwich Paragon
7 Jemma Harvard Met Police
8 Sarah Atkinson Dulwich Paragon
9 Tamar Collis Addiscombe CC

[kieran]

I think Valvas is a begian name, so may DP are importing racers from Belgium? .
A big well done to Adam on his placing in the E/1/2 and also to Mike W, a good start to racing, long may it continue! Keep doing those commutes!

[Snoop Doug]

Well done Team ACC and Adam . Inspiring stuff. Hal's solo break to put away that sponge pudding, just caps it all off.

[kieran]

Hi Sean, yes, the closest match to the surname is Grabauskas which is Lithuanian, but Valvas seems to be a first name in Belgium?

[-Adam-]

Cheers guys.

Good results in the 3/4s too.

Just wondering, anyone who was spectating... Didn't the E12s lap the ''winner'' 1 Jos vaan Veld Hoven (Rollapluza)? Either way, I wasn't the only rider complaining about his somewhat suspect handling at the end of the race...

[Toks]

[quote="-Adam-"]Cheers guys.

Good results in the 3/4s too.

Just wondering, anyone who was spectating... Didn't the E12s lap the ''winner'' 1 Jos vaan Veld Hoven (Rollapluza)? Either way, I wasn't the only rider complaining about his somewhat suspect handling at the end of the race...

[Toks]

[quote="Brian Robinson"]Not as successful an outing for me this week, a bit disappointed. Only managed 6 laps (7 last week ) with the bunch before hitting reverse gear on the climb having worked quite hard to stay near the front. Nearly 20 riders passed me as the elastic broke. Legs felt really sore on the climb and I was regretting a threshold session on the turbo the previous evening (whether that was really an issue I doubt but a good excuse!).
Bri

[quote="Toks"][quote="-Adam-"]Cheers guys.

Good results in the 3/4s too.

Just wondering, anyone who was spectating... Didn't the E12s lap the ''winner'' 1 Jos vaan Veld Hoven (Rollapluza)? Either way, I wasn't the only rider complaining about his somewhat suspect handling at the end of the race...