SL ACC Bletchingley Event.....Any News?

[Serge]

Well done Sylv, George and Hal. Good result Sylv, keep it up. Dont forget the MTB XC racing though .

[MJ_1993]

i think the voigt thing is about doing a vast amount of work in a break.

and toks is speaking wise words. theres that quote or something that "expecting life to treat you well because you are a good person is like expecting the bull not to charge because your vegetarian". so from what i gather, sylv should be more evil =P

well done everyone, agreed ant, sylv seems to be on fire. keep it up lads.

[glyn]

My photos are now up on http://www.surreyleague.co.uk/results/r ... 9/apr4.htm

Glyn

[img]http://www.surreyleague.co.uk/thumbnails/2009/apr4/apr4-16.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.surreyleague.co.uk/thumbnails/2009/apr4/apr4-14.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.surreyleague.co.uk/thumbnails/2009/apr4/apr4-10.jpg[/img]

[Hal]

What a great race, marshals encoraging us on, sun shining, sylv in the break, a really grueling course that took its toll on the peleton, plus tea cake in the club house.

The first lap was pretty chayotic with the full field, I wanted to do a couple of laps to get the feel for the course so sat in near the back. By the second time up the hill, when the break went there was a notable number of people going backwards and we were really strung out on the A25 section. I did a couple of short digs on the front and was hoping to get a small group away but it didn't stick. After that effort and a couple more times up the hill I was starting to feel the burn so sat in and ate and drank. My legs were starting to cramp so the last lap was really starting to hurt and the remnants of the peloton were being destroyed, I just had to sit and watch as George headed off up the road. It felt like I was going nowhere on climb to the line with both legs twitching with cramp.

But what a blast, so great to finish, so much fun/pain, and so different from the Crowhurst circuit where the entire field crossed the line in about 5 seconds.

Hmm what next

Hal

[-Adam-]

Thats a proper race for you Hal!

[MJ_1993]

tbh, i'm so happy that addiscombe have pretty nice kit, cos some of the others are cringe worthy.

[Toks]

[quote="DavidKennett"]
Yoda says, "Everyone starts the race with a full glass of energy, it's up to you how and when you use it

[kieran]

well, a very enjoyable time marshalling this race, apart from one moaner so Tony was even more right! We had a woman drive up to us (in a yellow 4x4 truck/jeep thingy), roll down her window and moan about not having enough warning of the race. We pointed out a notice pinned to the lamp post beside us which warned of the race, giving date and time, and she swore it wasn't there 2 weeks ago. Asked who we were etc. Otherwise we had no hassle from the public or other road users. Well done to all who finished the race, cycling back to the HQ from the bottom corner, I wouldn't have fancied racing up the hills six times!

[Sylv]

We know what Dave is thinking in the second to last photo

That is an awful lot of DNFs!

Tony - Richard Prebble did indeed look very strong within the break

Another one was Harry Bulstrode (came 6th overall at Hillingdon) not work-shy - he must have had a problem as he was with us right till near the end but DNF'd

I was watching big Angus on the first lap as I've never seen him climb, and he did look comfortable. It was funny on the fast downhill sitting behind him as he was in an aero-tuck whilst Marcus was shouting to him to pedal not freewheel . Don't know what happened after that.

[George]

Now that was a good hard race, I was quite glad to have this as our circuit as it makes for much more interesting racing and lots more pain and suffering.

Into the race and I started off modestly just conserving energy and generally sitting in near the front of the bunch, the first couple of laps the pace was manic up the hills, I didn't want to overexert myself too soon so just spun up on the small ring in an easy gear. Most riders were really honking it up the hills so I comfortably drifted back in the bunch just doing enough to haul my butt up to Betchingly.

The end of the second lap and the bunch split up the finish hill, I was in the second group and wasn't able to react to this fast uphill acceleration so didn't get away with Sylv.

Later on in the race I started to feel better and was getting much stronger and more confidant and noticed many other riders were flagging some what.

Last lap and I wanted to ride at a faster pace so sat on the front pulling for a bit, I was happy as I could ride at my pace.
Up Scotts hill for the final time just pushed a bit harder and got away with Keith Coffey after I had to shout "come on Keith hold my wheel" and 4 others from the depleated peloton, we hammered it to the bottom of Bletchingly hill, where I opened up the gas and came round an In the Wrong Gear Development Rider to take the best of the rest.

Well done to Sylv, would have loved to have been up there with ya but I took a while to get going, almost the opposite of my Dengie marshes race.
Not sure what happened to Angus Mcallistaire from Paragon as he was riding strongly in my group but must have blown up on that last lap.
Lots of DNF's and people getting dropped, what a great race and lovely weather everyone knows what club runs the best road race

[-Adam-]

[quote="George"]Wrong Gear Development Rider

[Sylv]

he looked 13!!

[-Adam-]

Thats the other one who finished, that would be Cameron. Who believe it or not, is older than James Bowtell, who finished 18th.

[DavidKennett]

[quote="Sylv"]We know what Dave is thinking in the second to last photo

[Sylv]

Maybe I should just get Madame Tony to predict my 3-day result in advance and not even bother racing, cos even though I don't know nearly all the names entered, I've already flagged up enough to prevent me even entering the top 20

Maybe I'll just hide behind the three Paragons all the way