Palace May 5th

[Antloony]

Well done Sean, thats not a bad effort, all good training though maybe cut down on the mileage just before you race, I mean warming up is a must but doing laps of Richmond Park is a tad overkill

[Graham O]

Well..Got the number 13 and its my birthday on 13 december, so I'm never quite sure whether its good or bad.

I reckon I stuck it out with the main group until lap 4/5. After this point, I just kept going. On reflection, I should have looked round as I think that there was a group following me I think. I think I did too much on the front of this little group and used up my energy.

Anyhow I soldiered on until lap 25 and I must say that I really hate that flipping hill. One bloke I was riding with told me to push a bigger gear, but my legs couldn't do it. I just got slower and slower...

I reckon I learn't a few lessons, and strangely the tops of my hamstrigs hurt a litte....Next time I reckon I'll be much more aggressive and try to stay with the group for longer.

Great rides from the rest. In particular George who I thik got 3rd in the E12...Hal and Adam also looked good each time they passed me....

Thanks to Serge for shouting encouragement..

[Graham O]

Yes..I had set expectations at the correct level before the event, so I think they were just pleased to see me on each lap...

[-Adam-]

George was no where near 3rd in the E/1/2s, that must have been Felix English your mistaking him for. The Corridori kit isn't a million miles away I guess. George was off the back of the main group after looking fairly good for most of the race, and Hal was right up there til the end, and nearly had the bunch sprint, despite riding about 5 million miles this weekend!

Good to see more people having a go today, particularly you Graham, top work. Sean, thats a proper day's training what you've done to day, 70ks followed by an evening crit. Good man.

I was apparently 10th, so I'm not gonna moan. Warrick Spence ripped the race to pieces and for a while I thought we were going to be riding around in ones and twos! Enjoyed it a bit more though this week, though I wasn't all that fresh after racing yesterday. It was hard work doing anything in that race as Dynamo seemed to have it under strict control, still, all good experience.

[Andrew G]

I hate that hill too Graham.

That was a fast one, or certainly seemed that way. A lot of folk in the 3/4 race so I think it was a case of the strong 3rd Cats saying "Sod this, lets split it up a bit". The bunch split quite quickly and I stayed with the front bunch for about 4 laps, then just for a change slipped off the back on the hill .

I then had a lap on me tod before the second bunch caught me. I'd pushed hard to stay with the front bunch as long as poss and hadn't recovered by this time so alas I slid back through the second bunch, which was fragmenting and shedding people all over the place, and after 5 or 6 laps with them was finally one of those that, yes you guessed it, slid off the back on the hill . By this stage I think there were some strong guys off front tanking round with a small group of about 6-8 chasing, followed by another now small group of about 8-10 "chasing" them - but probably getting further away rather than closer. Behind that it was carnage with solos and ones and two scattered all over the park.

Carried on for the training TTing my way round. I actually quite enjoy this (diesel tester ) but not having done Palace for a while now the ascent of the hill was down to 15mph by the end.

Slight comedy moment at the end when I was about to be caught by a small group of leaders at the top bend on to the descent. I was going to pull out that lap as we'd done 25 laps and lapped riders were now to drop out, so I eased right back to let them through to apex the bend ahead of me. Silly sod that I am I checked that the last had gone as I was hitting the bend and not paying attention to where I was going a stuck the front wheel in the sort of tram track bit where the grass meets the track. I bit of ooo-ehhhhh nearly catching it then the wheel hit a bit of grass slid out and I just sort of layed down on the grass beside my bike. Did it in front of your family Graham so hope they appreciated a bit of slap stick with the racing .

[Hal]

I was hoping to stay with the E12 bunch today and get a bunch finish after getting dropped two weeks ago about 6 laps in. At about 6 laps again some big attacks going making sweat to hold on, thanks for the encoragemente from Serge I held in there. Then we settled for a while a few attemps to get away by others and Felix with a couple of others made it stick. About 10 to go I had a short dig to try and bridge to a pair who had just gone off the front but failed. On the last lap I came round the the front of our bunch too early and ended up leading the group round to the bottom of the climb, only to get blown away.

Really good race I think there may be some points to get at palace this year yet.

Nice bit of cyclocross by Adam about 10 laps in, he almost got to Penge.

H

[Toks]

Hey Hal thats brilliant, well done I

[quote="-Adam-"]George was no where near 3rd in the E/1/2s, that must have been Felix English your mistaking him for. The Corridori kit isn't a million miles away I guess.

[Toks]

[quote="Sean Hogan - 何祥"]Well though I pulled out after 12 laps I actually had a better time as there was more than 1 rider behind me after lap1 and I wasn't caught by the 3/4s till at least the 6th lap....so progress of sorts. However, the near 40 miles I did to, at and back from Richmond did have an effect.

A great effort by Graham in particular as well as Hal. Good to see so many familiar faces.

Cheers

Sean

[Toks]

Adam have you done some deal with Cameron Austin from London Dynamo or are the judges just trying to wind you up!

E/1/2/3
1 Warrick Spence Cyclefit.co.uk
2 Tom Hemant London Dynamo @ 24 secs
3 Daniel Santini Pearson Cycles @ 51 secs
4 Sam Humpheson London Dynamo @ 1.23
5 Felix English Corridori
6 Matt Seaton Rapha Condor
7 Guy powdrill London Dynamo @ 1.28
8 Bryan Taylor VC Londres
9 Phillip Glowinski VC Londres
[color=#0000BF]10 Cameron Cottrel In Gear Development[/color]

[-Adam-]

Cam wasn't even there!

I have emailed, don't worry!

[Michelle]

'Dynamo seemed to have it under strict control'



Well done everyone, and Adam for your 10th place. Seems like a hard sweat for only 1 BC point, but I am sure it is worth it in trianing terms. Where did you race yesterday then?

[-Adam-]

Yeah good training, and all experience. Raced Monday at Ixworth in Suffolk. Little town centre races, 8th in the first event, 10th in the second event. Full report on it's way!

[Toks]

[quote="-Adam-"]IWarrick Spence ripped the race to pieces and for a while I thought we were going to be riding around in ones and twos!.

[Michelle]

You racing at the BEC on Sunday, Adam?

[Steve B]

Hmm, love it, hate it, love it, hate it, im really not sure
The circuit is great, exciting, fast, thrilling, and most of the time i love it, but that effing hill . Im sure someone has landscaped it over the winter and made it steeper. Every week I think I'm going to find it slightly easier than the previous one, how bloody stupid am I .

I know its still early season and I know its going to take a few more weeks to find my legs, I just hope it doesn't take too long. I think I'm slightly ahead of where I was last year so I shouldn't complain, but its hard not to when your legs are screaming their t*ts off at the top of the crystal palace hill for the 17th time. Thats what lap I was on last night when I decided enough was enough. Actually it wasn't me that decided to jack it in, it was my legs. Riding right on my max for 17laps finally took its toll on them, just before the top of the climb where I totally ran out of energy, stopped pedalling and watched as the group eased itself away. Funny thing though, from just coasting along, I was only about 25m off the back of the group as I approached the hairpin bend, and I almost decided to try to get back on. The thought was a very brief one . I soft pedalled round another lap for a warm down, pulled over and watched the rest of the race from the grass.

The race started with me at the back of a fairly large field and I was pretty annoyed with myself for letting this happen. Usually, 2 warm up laps and a little short 'down to the hairpin and back' is about the right time to then line up, 2nd row. I obviously wasn't concentrating enough to notice too few riders around me on the second lap. O dear, thinking about it now, maybe I usually only do 1 full lap, Doh!!!!!!! . Old age i reckon.

Anyway, getting toward the front as soon as possible was of prime importance. If not, I'd be stuck in the pack, and thats a tough place to get out of. So, from the off, it was full tilt down the outside (my favourite move from last year) while everyone is tiptoeing their way to the first hairpin, wide round the bend with good exit speed and a bit of grass tracking thrown in, and Bob's your auntie's brother, job done . This is where I stayed, probably about 15th to 20th, pretty much the whole time. The group kept shrinking though, until I found I was at the back of it. There were riders all the way around the course suffering their own little hell, and it was funny to see so many people with pain written across their faces, all in the name of fun . A group of 4 did get away and stay away, which was impressive, and as these 4 were doing all the work at the front anyway, it was no real surprise when shouts to work together to try and close the gap to them, fell on deaf ears.
Lap after lap the lactic acid was building in my legs, until....... well you know the rest

Well done Hal, that was a great ride.
Well done Graeme, the first is definately the hardest.
Well done all
Oh yeah, Mark, did the 2 packets of crisps, a king size snickers and a king size mars bar just before the race help or hinder your performance

See you next week

Steve