Race Reports from non ACC'ers

[Toks]

A couple of years ago I remember this stupidly strong newbie 3rd cat winning a 2/3 Surrey League race I think he's a 1st cat now. He's name's Cameron Austin and he rides for London Dynamo. Here' s his report from last weekend.

San Fairy Ann Spring Circuits: Hog Hill 27/03/2010
I never really do training races, in the same way that I never really train “Steady”. After failing to get a race at the first Premier Calendar event of the year up North, I decided to salvage the weekend, and do a couple of these “training races” and race miles; thinking about what lies ahead this season. After riding out, unscathed through the Essex wilderness I signed on: Number 13, after No. 12: J. White Cycles Premier. After being told that I need to be more mercenary in my tactics I decided that I was to become Mr White’s shadow, gambling on marking the best rider there.

The race rolled out fairly steadily and on lap 3 I followed a wheel, the slightest of accelerations not even out of the saddle, and the next time I turned around 3 were away. A Cambridge CC chap, a mysterious figure all in black, and myself. Immediately I eased thinking with 27 laps to go this was somewhat unwise. Looking around I saw a figure in blue with exceedingly well embrocated legs coming across the gap. Cycles premier represented in the break: game on. Next lap Ishmael Burdeau of Viner joined us, (from nowhere…) at this point I committed a little more each turn as I remembered witnessing Burdeau single-handedly decimate an entire peleton each and every lap over the mountainous Beachy Head circuit: with the two strongest guys there we would probably stay away.

The forecast showers arrived and the Spring Classics look was favoured by all riders. The break was working well and holding the gap to the bunch when White pulled up, alarm bells started ringing as countless times I have continued working when I should conserve energy as the members of a break realize their venture off the front is over. Next time around White re-joined after taking a lap out for a puncture. Break still away and holding the gap.

Unfortunately it wasn’t Cycles Premier’s day as White punctured another tub and went home. Puncturing out of two breaks on two consecutive weekends is tough. Clinchers and metal Cervelo a good idea in hindsight, as the bunch seemed to decrease in size and inclination to chase. The gap started really going up, with the wet tarmac the bunch was nervous and slow. After a double shot and a gel the caffeine in my system soon led me to believe I was the Captain and Chief of the break: shouting encouragement at the halfway point. I reckon this was probably where I worked a little too hard, coming through strong keeping the momentum may have been un-economical.

With about 10 laps to go Burdeau started really giving it the beans up the hill, everyone was ready for it and after trying to talk him out of it we just sat in. If he wanted to drive it into a headwind uphill he was welcome to it. I was feelling pretty strong and made sure I was in a good position and only pulling through on the tailwind back stretch. Witth 5 laps to go Burdeau and I were taking turns to attack, just testing to see who could follow, the mysterious guy in black was quickest to react, Burdeau looked tired, most probably from his bridge effort early on. With three laps to go Cambridge attacked after the hill, I covered easily enough but noticeably with no work from anyone else. Stupidly I thought this must be because they couldn’t help as there were no more accelerations at the capture.

The break had almost lapped the bunch now and the pace went down to nothing. In hindsight clearly the best time to attack, as everyone tried to recover, but I wanted to leave it to a sprint.

We heard the bell and Cambridge went again after the hill, I was slow to follow due to positioning, but hit the front and closed the gap to about 20m, surely the dude in black had to come through now, stubborn bastard. I had now pinned Cambridge, Burdeau was dropped and this guy clearly didn’t want to win. I did: Mistake. I held the gap all the way round, but knew when we hit the bottom of the hill he would sprint past, having settled for 2nd place.

3rd and disappointed to learn that the Toffs were teammates, one not having acquired and light blue kit. Of course he didn’t want to come through.

We live and learn.

Cam

[Toks]

Kingston Wheelers 3rd Cat Jim Ley's report.
This guy has an FTP of 320 watts and weighs 75kilo's.
5mins;48secs for Boxhill Challenge (445watts)

Surrey League Bletchingley 2/3 race.

I got into some trouble in the neutralized section, and was basically off the back even before we started the long downhill, where yet again I learnt my descending really sucks. Didn't have too much trouble getting back on once the road kicked up, and no real panic.

The road surface was in atrocious shape, and on the first couple of laps some of the riding was pretty scary as people were dodging cars just to be a few places higher in the field - there was a lot of fear of the hill I think. I spent this part of the race hiding at the back worrying about hitting potholes.

During this time, the Norwood Paragon and Addiscombe teams would let no-one get even the slightest gap before they shut it down.

Two laps seemed to be enough to thin out the bunch though, and I moved up. Lap 3 I crossed the finish line in the top 10, and then on the drag up on the main road so big attacks went and I went hard to join 2 Norwood Paragon and an Addiscombe guy - seemed wise after all their previous blocking. I made it and we held a reasonable gap to the long descent, but I'd done no work. However on the descent they gapped me, I'm not sure it was the 50x11 holding me back as I wasn't exactly spinning out, but I probably couldn't get the power down as quick as needed, or if it was just the line I was choosing, but it seemed to be the same.

Under the motorway I got back on the 3, but the bunch was pretty close, chased back by Pearsons. Shortly after this though 3 guys got away in a couple of moves, a dynamo, a Pearson and a Norwood Paragon. On the next lap, after a teammate had tried hard on the main road and the bunch was spread out still at the bottom of the hill, I attacked again just after the motorway, went hard, 3 minutes at 400watts, but wasn't really getting much of a gap even after 2 minutes when I'd been joined by an Addiscombe guy and we got caught pretty quick.

There were a few more attacks, and Pearson and Norwood did a good job of neutralizing them, turning up the hill for the last time, I fell off the front accidentally on the first of the uphills - not sure how or why as I was just trying to get a better position and wasn't going that hard. I did nothing with the gap I had and just rode comfortably to the top of the hill and was caught on the downhill.

Up the final claim, I was in a reasonable position on the left of the road, but as always at the finish, I was just passed, dropping quickly down to the back of the now pretty small group, before passing a number who then blew up to come in 18th. I'd climbed it with the most watts I'd managed all day, every other time up there that was enough for the front, but when it really mattered my 1 and 2 minute power really let me down. Maybe it's just mental?

Felt relatively comfortable all day, and as team-mates have said, it's a racing brain I need.

[Toks]

London Dynamo's Doctor Mike Debney. He came 3rd at Bletchingly (Addiscombe 2/3)


Had a go alone on the 2nd lap hoping a few others would come across but it fizzled out so just sat in the bunch until 1 to go when there was a Pearson rider up the road. Big ringed it up the hill to catch him and was dangling about 20m off his wheel when a Norwood Paragon rider came through and let me sit on his wheel. We worked quite well together and got about a minute or so on the bunch but my legs were screwed and I couldn't follow the Paragons attack and got dropped by the Pearson rider up the final hill so had to settle for 3rd. Maybe if I hadn't had my 1 lap kamikaze solo effort I'd have been fresher but who knows!?!

And yes. 1 point to go...

Pity about all the punctures and mechanicals.

[Toks]

Julian from Dulwich's take on our Blechingly (2/3 race)
'Team Dulwich' had a bad slice of luck on Saturday. Alan, Mark and myself all punctured, along with half of the rest of the field.

All three were the result of hitting potholes on the rutted roads. (Although thankfully there was neutral service, it was rather - well, how would one put it politely - 'leisurely'.)

The state of the course was really very bad, so much so I've withdrawn my entry to the Les Ingman on the same course in a fortnight and accepted Glyn's kind invitation to be one of the commissaires. Sitting in a car will be far preferable!

Let's hope for a better performance next week.
Cheers

Julian
PS Dulwich is promoting a race on this circuit in July.....

[Andrew G]

[quote="Toks"]Julian from Dulwich's take on our Blechingly (2/3 race)[i]
All three were the result of hitting potholes on the rutted roads. (Although thankfully there was neutral service, it was rather - well, how would one put it politely - 'leisurely'.)

[Sylv]

Can we have the NP report now please

[Ivor]

[quote="Toks"]Although thankfully there was neutral service, it was rather - well, how would one put it politely - 'leisurely'.

[Toks]

[quote="Sylv"]Can we have the NP report now please

[Toks]

Its nice to have a race reports from a woman (Ruhina, Kingston Wheelers). This ones got pre race drug taking, a toilet stop, the oh so important solo bridging effort, a doting Mum and of course a dissapointing result. Love it!

Goodwood Surrey League 11/04/2010

Ugh I just saw I've been moved down to 8th which makes me pretty annoyed. Because I'm "nice" I emailed earlier to say that the girl who was listed as DNF did finish and it was in fact another girl who didn't finish - only to find they've all been listed as finished and I've been knocked down a place. Okay I know it's only one place but I had such a rubbish race and I hate being listed as last when I fought so hard not to be...

To be honest it was my fault - I left my medication on the counter the day before along with some laxatives (stupid I know) and so, when I went to grab what I thought was my medication off the counter (without looking) it ended up being the laxatives. Morning of the race it really kicked in and I couldn't find any Imodium but I thought it would be fine. Well, it was fine up until the 3rd lap where I started getting stomach cramps, etc and my legs started to feel really weak. There was already a girl off the back and so I slipped off the bunch and cycled the ~1km left to the HQ just off the back. I ran to the toilet and back, jumped on the bike and was told that the girls were approaching but I chose not to wait and start closing some ground by myself. Tbh I'm glad I did because it was towards the end of the lap they appeared... and then disappeared again. This was the first and last time they lapped me though.

I cycled lap after lap as hard as I could; it was easy in the home straight and the first 1-2km after because there was no wind/a tailwind, but around the back it was like cycling into a wall of wind and my speed just dropped. After a while though I noticed this girl up ahead so I knew that I was making progress. I carried on pushing and shortly after I overtook her, a few laps from the end of the race. She was cycling along with another man having a chat, I thought she'd make an effort to jump onto my wheel so I accelerated slightly but she didn't try whatsoever so I lost sight of her in less than a minute.

I then thought to myself - okay, that's one place up and there were only 4 people in the lead group that lapped me, so potentially I can make up another 2 places. I looked up to see another girl in front of me so I pushed to catch up with her, and did so on the second to last lap because she was going quite a bit faster. However she realised that she hadn't lapped me and since she had slightly fresher legs than me she fought hard on the last lap and she slowly edged away from me in the last bit.

Okay completely rubbish result I know but it was so windy and there was no chance I was going to catch the lead 4 girls back up. I was just under a lap down on the them once I came back in, <3.8km, less so on the other 3 girls but still on a flat and ridiculously windy circuit I was never going to catch the lead girls back up. I just feel cheated because the girl I overtook was just cruising along slowly, like she was warming down, and I gave it everything to try and make up some ground on her and everyone else. If I had known I'd be slung in last place anyway I would have cruised around like her for the rest of the race. We were told at the start make sure you finish because everyone will get points - well that's exactly what she did by putting in no effort .

What makes me more annoyed is that mum was standing there and she said to me: Those guys at the finishing line - aren't they supposed to write down people's numbers as they go past? Because they were too busy talking and had their backs turned most of the time when the bunch/stray people were crossing the line. Well - how do they know who's been lapped, fallen off the bunch, etc!?

*Ugh sorry ...rant over... a lesson learnt too..*

[Snoop Doug]

Hey Toks I appreciate the work you're doing on this thread here, interesting stuff I wouldn't normally be ar5ed to look at, good work feller

[kieran]

well, I'm mostly looking forward to reading tok's reports when they begin again - hows the blog?

[David.Hilbert]

yes, I'd like to read Tok's blog again.
Very entertaining.

[Toks]

[quote="kieran"] - hows the blog?

[Toks]

Quick report: this was a very short race as the sun was going down and riders were still standing in line to enter when we were ready to start. As usual the E/1/2 and 3/4 races went ahead of the women's -- we always get screwed, being the last to start and the first to finish, often cut even shorter if they think we'll "interfere" with any of the men's finishes -- then we rolled off with 22 women on the line, a new Palace record I think!

I was freezing from standing around waiting to start so I hit it hard in the first lap and managed to string it out pretty good and drop some of the less confident/fit riders. In fact my max minute and 2 mins was in the first lap ... A few laps later we were down to probably ~12 riders and I attacked hard up the hill. Not sure if I even got a gap as there were some strong riders in our race and they were definitely chasing everything, but I started to tire some legs at least. Tried it again around lap 7, again, not much of a gap but lots of heavy breathing behind me! I really have to mount a camera on my seatpost so I can see what happens when I jump, at the moment I have no idea if my attacks don't stick because I don't jump away hard enough, give up too soon, or get chased down too eagerly. At least I dropped some more people with it.

So with a few laps to go and the front group down to about 6, I figured it would be a bunch sprint which didn't thrill me as we had some sprinter-types hanging on the back that I thought might steal something at the line. Also problematic was the way the men's races, particularly the 3/4 race, had broken up so badly that there was a constant stream of men overtaking us. For about 2 laps straight there was just one small group after another, leaving us to just ride around and not really do much.

We hit the bell lap and the two Pearson's riders, Elise and Mathilde had tried to cook something up. Mathilde hammered off the front around the hairpin and down the hill and Elise who was 2nd wheel let her have a tiny gap. I was 3rd wheel thinking, I gotta get around Elise! but that wasn't going to happen til the hill, I'm just too little to gain anything on people descending. We came around the bottom corner to go up the hill and I was still 3rd wheel, but then Mathilde started flagging and I saw my only chance. I jumped hard and buried myself going up the hill, just hoping that I had enough of a gap to make the sprinters have to kill themselves to catch and overtake me.

We came around the top corner and lo and behold, a dozen 3/4s all over the road pedalling like morons because they had been dropped (and likely lapped) ages ago, heading to the line. Seriously, if you've effectively stopped racing with a few laps to go, get off the @#$% track already! They were completely in our way. I had to decide quickly what to do, I ended up picking the right side, which was the long way around the bend but looked to have the most space to get by. I just floored it and hoped for the best, and managed to get the win. It was very close between me, Claire from Rapha and sprinter Emma from LD, I really think I just got lucky not getting tangled up with the guys. Frustrating for the other girls I can imagine, but then again, nobody but me did any attacking during the race, so if they wanted a better result, they should have made something happen I guess. Thankfully John Mx was there doing the judging which must have been a complete mess with us finishing in the middle of a pack of men.

So not a bad win, though with Charlie B and some others absent, it didn't really feel like an awesome one. Wish I could have done something more with my attempts to get a gap, but with such a short race maybe that was always going to be wishful thinking.

Code:
Entire workout (206 watts):
Duration: 29:11 (29:24)
Work: 360 kJ
TSS: 59 (intensity factor 1.101)
Norm Power: 259
VI: 1.26
Pw:HR: 2.28%
Pa:HR: 2.07%
Distance: 17.163 km
Elevation Gain: 358 m
Elevation Loss: 361 m
Grade: -0.0 % (-3 m)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 744 206 watts
Heart Rate: 129 188 169 bpm
Cadence: 30 125 96 rpm


Last lap at 1:58 and 291 AP

[Toks]

[quote="DavidKennett"]Norwood Paragon Cycling Club promotes the Les Ingman Memorial Road Race on Sunday 25th April 2010. The event is open to E/1/2/3 riders and covers a race distance of 123Km.

[img]http://www.londoncyclesport.com/Assets/LondonCycleSport+Digital+Assets/lesinghamrr2010.jpg[/img]