Crystal Palace 6th May

[Andrew G]

Good turnout of Agreeables even with Stu and Toks missing.

From the start I stuck myself at the front and when we set off Mark (Locky) decided he'd lead us all out . He led for the whole of the first lap as he was going at a reasonable pace and even slowing on the hill don't think anyone wanted to lead. Good tactic though Mark as you can set the pace for a lap or so and not necessarily have the rocket up the backside start.

The pace soon picked up but I managed to stay with the front bunch for a reasonable amount of time. After about 12 minutes I'd slipped to the back of the group and was having to push to hang on on the hill. Finally slipped off after a couple more laps and found myself in no-man's land. The field had split with a lead group of about 25 riders and a second bunch behind, I was stranded in the middle .

During my 3 laps solo I was praying for someone to join me and help out. I didn't want to wait for the next pack as I didn't know how fast they were going. Thankfully a couple of guys caught me and we worked together well for about 3 or 4 laps. At one point I clocked 12 laps to go and thought, oh bugger only half way. As I was finishing my turn and dropping to the back I glanced over my shoulder and saw Dan and Matt D, did a double take and found the second bunch had caught us.

Sat in with them staying towards the front of it most of the time. Matt was looking good and seemed composed near the front of this group as well. Dan seemed to keep popping in and out of view but was obviously going okay as he appeared at the front from time to time.

All of a sudden the bell went, blimey where did those laps go?

I wasn't going to bother any sprint for 26thish place although some always do even though the points are up the road. Coming out the hairpin the pace eased a bit and as I'd dropped back for a breather I used this chance to scoot up round the right to about 4th place in the group. Down the hill and held my place, then up the hill. Shortly after the start of it the pace eased a bit again so I thought, "sod it, may as well have a dig for the fun of it". I knocked it up a gear and jumped off the front and got a little gap. Glancing round everyone seemed to be either trying to work out what the hell I was doing, or waiting for someone else to do the work chasing.

Someone obviously did decide as getting to the top of the hill my legs went pop just as they caught me, grabbed a wheel and rolled over the line with the group, with Matt and Dan.

Probably my best race at Palace both in how I went, and how I felt. Fingers crossed it's not my high point of the season.

Not sure how the others went tonight as I was actually concentrating on what I was doing for once, but think Kieran and Hal were in there usual spots up front.

Thanks to Marky, Tony, John and Sam, and the others who came out to support, always very helpful to get a shout from the sidelines. Mr G senior was allowed out to play too so I grabbed a lift home .

For those who are interested in dipping their toes (Ant etc) I can't remember how many laps we did (22?) but I had 15 miles race distance and an average speed of 22.7 for a finish in the second bunch. As summer kicks in and the nights get longer the race distance will increase up to about 35 laps, so probably better to have that initial foray while the races are still a bit shorter.

1st crit of the season and not got the brain fully in gear as I got home without my licence and my numbers still pinned on . Emailed John to say I'll be there next week so should be okay.

Cheers,

Andrew.
(Sorry rambled on again )

[Andrew G]

3/4
1 Tom Humphreys De Ver
2 Stuart Spies London Dynamo/Cyclefit
3 Jason Green London Dynamo/Cyclefit
4 Yashohi Sakuai Brixton Cycles
5 Rene - London Dynamo/Cyclefit
6 Jason Butler InGear RT
7 Matt McCalla VC Londres
8 David Reese Dulwich Paragon
9 Hal Bransby Addiscombe

[Toks]

I'm glad to see young Tom Humphries got the win. He was robbed last week ...Well done Hal, and of course the rest of you who gave it a go. Had to do the late shift at work tonight. Hopefully next week will be cool

[kieran]

well just a quick report as nothing too exciting, started off in the middle of the bunch and worked my way to towards the front, stayed the whole race in about the middle of the first bunch, come the end of the race I sprinted up the hill and I would be reasonably sure I came in the top 15, nothing to boast about, but glad to see I could keep up there. The young Der Ver guy deserved his win, I'm sure he'll be moving onto the E/1/2 race soon. The racing, whilst a big field, seemed better this time as they used the short cut to better effect and we were never passed by the E/1/2s this time. Sadly some lapped riders still stayed in at the end but I think they got the results right this time.

Post race analysis - I think I was too comfortable in the bunch, never really going into the red (until the final sprint), and need to do more turns at the head of the group, like Hal was doing, as training and to improve my sprint.

Other observations - As the lead bunch was so big many sat in until the end, also lots of those dropped on the incline made 'scarey' moves on the U-turn to move back up places, cutting right into the corner. No crashes as far as I know?

Thanks for the side line support as well, a shout every time we came around the finish line!

[Toks]

The 2nd 3/4 group in last nights Palace. http://www.flickr.com/photos/scotchio/2 ... 922929879/
The ACC boys are in action with Mr Green taking things back to the old school. Last nights race was a reality check for the big fella, Guy Phillips (Dulwich Paragon) after he sneakily bagged points two weeks ago despite being in the lapped group.

[Toks]

Hey Kieran it looks like Stuart Spies (LD's) is a good wheel to follow he got 2nd again last night. Did things split up at all or was it a bunch sprint?

[kieran]

Hi Toks, it came down to a sprint at the end, so positioning was important, Hal got in a good position just prior to the start of it , Hal deserved more than 9th though given the work he did in the race. I didn't get a good position but at least I wasn't passed and managed to pass a few others, the sprint started on the hill so by the finish line it had all stretched out a bit so not too dangerous.

[Andrew G]

Me, old school Toks. Never .

Is Guy the one in front of me in that pic? He was one of the two (along with the LD chap on the left) that caught me where we then worked as a threesome ( ) until the 2nd bunch caught us.

Must have been sneaky points grabbing as he was a similar standard to me last night so unless he was flying before there's no way he was in the top 10.

I never understand why people stay in when asked to "step aside". They only pull you out with one lap to go, you're not going to get any points, and you make the organisers life even more difficult than it already is trying to number spot.

[Steve B]

Oh yes, am I pleased with that
As it was my first race of the year, and with no rides in the training group and only last week in the 19's, I thought I was in for a good kicking last night, so my mind was set for only a handful of laps. I decided I was going to stick with the front group as long as possible and then pull out, eventually being able to last a whole race a few weeks down the line. But on to lap 4, then 5, then 7 and I'm still in there . 10 laps gone and I'm way beyond anything I'd hoped for. At lap 12 a Pearson rider made a break down the home straight and I thought this would be the end for me when the pace quickened to chase him, but my legs were still attached on lap 16 .

The inevitable happened on lap 17 though. Up the hill I became detached by a couple of metres from the group and my legs were running out of energy . Did one more lap as a warm down and pulled out. I know there was only 4 laps to go and I could have put everything in to finish, but I didn't want to cook myself too much and suffer for the rest of the week. Really pleased though and a good start

A really good Addiscombe turnout . Well done to all the other guys - especially Hal on his 9th place

See you all next week

Steve

[Hal]

A good race this week with a good result. The first three laps were a bit tough as I started near the back and took a while to get up to the head of the bunch. Did 3 or so laps in the top five but decided to drop back to the top 15 to shelter a bit as I was not sure I would last the distance on the front. Fortunately I made a good move up the climb with one lap to go and managed not to lead out on the final lap. It was a bit crazy much more speed one guy almost lost it on the corner after the hairpin. On the climb I was about 10th and tried to make a break early but every one was doing the same and the top 5 riders were sprinting it out up the climb. I faded a bit near the top and droped a few places but pushed hard for a top 10. Tom Humphries was definatly riding really strong and certainly deserved the win. Great stuff.

Hal

[Toks]

Well done Steve, glad your back. I hope your knee behaves itself Andrew, yes indeed Guy is the one just infront of you. You may remember we discussed him last year because it took him the whole season before he finally got a bunch finish at Palace which showed great perserverance. I quite like the bloke but was a little dissapointed that he and another DP rider never owned up to having been lapped two weeks ago and claimed the points. A post on the DP website about the race miraculously dissapeared a few days later

[Daniel Gee]

Proper. Gnarly!

Started right on the back of the field to see what was what & as it transpired that was a bit of a tactical error.

One lap in & I was not only dropped but the last man on the track.I briefly considered pulling over, having a bit of a cry & then discreetly burying the bike somewhere, moving a hundred miles away and pretending I never had any aspirations whatsoever to ride competitively

Instead I decided to just ********* large it and embarked on a banzai charge through the back markers; which was surprisingly successful.

Eventually, I fought my way through to Andrew and Matt's group and coming over the top of the hill I opened up & bit of a gap on them. But looking ahead I could see no-one. I had a bit of a think and I knew that I hadn't passed Kieran or Hal on my way through and so that must mean there was another group up ahead but completely out of sight.

At which point it occurred to me that there was no way I was going to bridge over by myself and whatever infernal energy had powered me to that point vanished adruptly. Andrew & Matts group came through a couple of moments later and I sat on the back for a few laps recovering before moving up nearer the front of the group which was pretty much where I finished the race.

Went so far into the red while chasing through the back markers it was unbelievable, was a proper hard race but nonetheless I really enjoyed it, can't wait for next week!

[Toks]

[quote="Daniel Gee"]Proper. Gnarly!

Started right on the back of the field to see what was what & as it transpired that was a bit of a tactical error.

One lap in & I was not only dropped but the last man on the track.I briefly considered pulling over, having a bit of a cry & then discreetly burying the bike somewhere, moving a hundred miles away and pretending I never had any aspirations whatsoever to ride competitively

[Daniel Gee]

I've always had to learn these lessons the hard way-its an unfortunate aspect of my otherwise engaging personality

[Sylv]

Ouch that hurt [url=http://patronchoufflard.blogspot.com/2008/05/first-race-at-crystal-palace-last-night.html]...[/url]