tonghts crystal palace july 29

[Stu Merckx Man]

well done hal!!

[Toks]

[quote="Stu Merckx Man"]well done hal!!

[Keith]

[quote="Stu Merckx Man"]well done hal!!

[Hal]

A really good race this week, I was feeling a bit weary after the TOBM at the weekend but after a good start decided to go out pretty hard. One rider went clear after about 2 laps and I bridged accross and stayed out for a couple of laps before we were brought back in.

Then a few laps later another lone rider went out clear, then a rider in white. I bridged the gap to second and started working up to the front guy. He was the rider that Mike and I had riden with in a break about a month or so back so things were looking positive with 3 of us getting a good gap on the field. Then Tatoo man also crossed the gap to join us and we were going well.

At this point an uber effort by steve B to cross the gap worked, but unfortuatly things in the break were going fast and steve was unable to hold our wheels. Big respect for going out this hard.

So we had 4 of us and 15 or 20 laps to go and we continuted to open our advantage. Near the end I though we were actually at risk of catching the main bunch.

Two laps to go and I led our group round before pulling off the front for the last lap where I sat in and waited on the wheels of the other 3.

We crawled up the climb watching and waiting, then all hell broke loose round the top corner as the rider in white made an attack, original break guy was on the front and got passed pretty quickly, tatoo man was sprinting hard I was on a wheel but going flat out sprinting like never before I was only able to grab third. We were within a couple of bike length on each other, what a great race.

A really positive end to my 3/4 season as I now go up to second cat.

So next week I will be playing in the E12 which will no doubt put me in my place.

Hal

[Antloony]

Well done Hal, considering you said you were tired when you rolled up at Palace you rode well and deserved the 3rd and a place in the E12's now.

Back luck to Steve B, looked as though he was going well but found the chase down to Hals group just a little to much and his legs packed in.

Poor old Stu struck down by a mechanical, his change broke with only a handfull of laps to go.

As for me, faired a little better this week, managed half the race albeit a very lonely one, got a good start and was in the main group for half a dozen laps before the speed up the hill took its toll on my legs and I dropped back and just kept going round on my own. Still finding it hard to ride out of the sadle due to my hand still being a tad sore. I really must get some training in if I want to keep up, nothing can quite prepare you for a race at Palace though, its very very hard work (well for me anyway) I'll keep going though. I'll have a hard winter of training and come back fitter and faster for next season.

I do enjoy it the racing though. and to me thats what its all about.

[Antloony]

oops double post, nothing to see here...move along please...

[Andy E]

Fantastic result Hal, awesome ride Enjoy playing with the big boys next week, i'm sure Sylv and Stu will look after you

My evening went pretty well. The first few laps were pretty shaky, couldn't seem to hold a decent position and was yo-yoing around the back half of the bunch. I was able to make up ground on the hill and straight on each lap though and eventually settled into the top 3-5 riders. I saw Hal go off the front and he pretty much left everyone standing, it was an awesome acceleration! For the next few laps there was a concerted chase with a few people attacking on the hill in the hope of getting across. I did my best to cover these where i could and make sure they didn't get away. After about lap 10 things settled down and I was pretty comfortable up towards the front, not needing to do any work as Hal and Steve were up the road and just decided to work on holding my position and hope to be in the mix at the end.

With 3 laps to go the pace suddenly lifted and there was a bit of confusion when the klaxon didn't sound for what should have been the last lap. A swarm of riders came past on the hill and I was about 15th back when the klaxon sounded. A quick sprint up the inside and out of the hairpin and I was now in 6th at the bottom of the hill The legs were feeling good but I was a bit slow on the uptake as more riders came past, and with a group of about 12 of us coming into the final straight i got boxed in and finished with the pack but out of the placings. All good experience, and next week I'll try going earlier

[Andrew G]

Nice one Hal . I seem to recall after having slain just about everyone at the Tour of Wessex you came straight back and kicked a few backsides around Palace , and haven't stopped since.

Might be a bit easier next week Ant without Hal on the front towing it along at such a high speed .

[Toks]

Great stuff Hal. What with an impressive top 10 in the TOBM and making 2nd cat you've had a great season. Good luck next week in the E12's...Only 3 or 4 more Palaces to go I believe - come on guys we need a win in the 3/4's. My race tactics have been rubbish this year so it won't be me. Steve with two 2nds and Andy E with the only race win this year its down to you fellas.

[Michelle]

Go Hal, go Hal, go Hal, go Hal.

Whoop whoop!

Congratulations and big chapeau to you, plus all sorts of champagne and caviar etc. You deserve it all.

Now down to some serious tactical talking with Adam and Stu. Of course, you belong in the 2nd Cats, but if memory serves me right from their posts, your ar$e will get kicked around a lot in the first few races.

[Sylv]

Congrats Hal - I think we need to leave you at the front of the training group for ten miles this weekend, to let you know what it feels like in the E1/2. You'll be fine to finish I am sure though.

I had a decent race with no incidents. Despite trying to be in the front 5-8 most of the race I didn't see the 5 (?) men breakaway form, but as I looked back towards the end of the race, I did notice the bunch had reduced to just over ten riders, with some of the tastier ones (Whenman, Holmes etc) not there anymore.

At about 45 minutes in a small group of 5 including Stu detached themselves from the bunch and with them about 50m ahead I worked like a maniac to join them, it took me a full lap at 100%. As I was slowly making contact at the top of the hill they suddenly eased off, even though the bunch was not close yet. Was a bit annoyed but partly relieved as had they upped the pace there I might not have survived it.

Later on I was first wheel up the climb and put in a medium effort, looking back they hadn't followed except one strong Dynamo rider, who came up and asked if I wanted to make it work as he was coming past - I said "ok" and we hammered it for a lap or so, getting a decent gap, but could smell the bunch on our wheels again up the climb, so eased off to allow half of it to go past and latch onto them for a bit of a breather (which took two laps).

With 8 to go I don't think there were anymore real attacks, at about 4 to go Adam made his way from the back to take a look at what the front looked like. I decided to take his wheel but with 2 to go he was (purposedly) right at the back again, something I cannot afford as I don't have the explosive power to allow me to move upwards so quickly in the closing stages. Last lap though Adam moved halfway up and I got onto his wheel, but Matt Seaton had exactly the same idea (which we acknowledged in a laugh afterwards) so I let him pass and took his wheel instead. Sprint was ok, passed a few riders up the climb, but as usual could not make any places once on the flat, didn't lose any though and think I was 6th or 7th of the bunch, so about 12th overall - Adam was 2nd (?).

Lisa has a good detailed description of the course on her TSN blog, I must say I don't really look at the speed during the race (only the time lapsed) but the course must be 1.34km or thereabouts, as I had just over 1h10 race time for 35 laps @ 40km/h. Will try and remember measuring it during warmup next time. I love those bends and hairpins and the circuit in general is great (except when they send you down the left without taking the hairpin and you have to go twice up the climb in 1min30!), it's bloody tough though and I don't really notice what's going on around, the sprint runners in the park, the Addiscombe crew cheering on us, it's a bit like having horse blinkers for an hour. Even finding the right moment to take a drink can be tricky!

I feel like doing something else though, as Palace is the only road racing I've done in the last couple months. What's everyone doing in the coming weekends?

[Andy E]

A quick scan of the BCF website shows the following in the coming weeks..

24th Aug: SRRL Redhill - 1/2/3 [url]http://tinyurl.com/5joh3m[/url]
31st Aug: SRRL Handicap Champs [url]http://tinyurl.com/5lrfmx[/url]
7th Sept: SERRL Sandhurst - 2/3/4 [url]http://tinyurl.com/663n6e[/url]
14th Sept: SERRL Betteshanger - 1/2 & 3/4 [url]http://tinyurl.com/65pp3q[/url]
20th Sept: The Big One - ACC RR

I haven't entered any of them yet but most likely will. Would be good to have some fellow ACCers there, and i'll happily sacrifice myself for the greater good (Sylv, Stu, Hal), chasing breaks, setting tempo etc (assuming i can keep up in the first place )

[kieran]

Well done Hal, a good final showing in the 3/4ths!

As for me, all I need to say is another puncture! (even with a new tyre put in just that day). Hadn't noticed the break going and when found out one had gone, almost gave up as I know staying in the main bunch is no good for me, but tried to bridge across instead and burn all my matches, didn't make it as by this time the gap was too big, stopped my attempt after about 1.5 laps on my own and sat up to rejoin the bunch then punctured shortly afterwards. next week will probably be my last race as then off on my summer holidays.

[carl f]

Fantastic Hal,well done
After that effort in the black mountains as well......
Carl

[-Adam-]

Well done Hal, welcome to the big boys league

Had an okay race myself. No racing in 10 days had left the mind a little unsure as to how the legs were. Especially after 4 days riding very steadily indeed on the way to Paris, and getting mildly drunk each night of course! Have had better races but towards the final few laps my legs finally started to wake up.

As Sylv says, it took me 30 of 35 laps to get to the front, lol, but once I got there I felt okay. Although there were a few times prior to that when I was nearly getting dropped at the top of the hill. Not sure how you didn't know the break was away Sylv, I was at the very back for most of the race and I still watched it go!! So we were only sprinting for 6th. That said there seemed to be quite a high drop off rate in the E/1/2s last night. Anyhow, as Sylv mentioned I purposely slipped to the back of the group, as it was only about 10/12 strong I felt confident enough to be able to get around them all. Penultimate lap and I moved up to about 6th wheel. Then on the last lap Kevin Knox seemed keen on leading us all out, something which Guy Pearson was only too happy to let him do! Me too!! Anyhow, about 2/3s up the hill Guy went hard, and I hesitated a little and didn't react immeadiately. Game over. I was also only too aware that Matt Seaton, Sylv and others were only too keen to be on my wheel. So after what was only really a couple of heart beats hesitation I went too, still only really at the crest of the hill. Eventually I got out the saddle and by the line was coming fast on Guy, but the line just came to soon. I did however make it impossible for Matt to get out of my wheel... Maybe I should have beaten Guy, but like he said he's been racing there for 19 odd years, while I can still count on only 2 hands the amout of races I've done there!

By the way Sylv, there is plenty of RRing on in the next 5-6 weeks just so long as you can handle a few 1st cats every now and then...