ACC Road Race champs 2009

[quote="kieran"]and the IoW on the same weekend as the RR! (not sure which came first this time though)

[kieran]

Jon, you could have sneaked into the B race and maybe made a difference!

[quote]I don't agree Paul. 1. Its not as if Adam' entry on the day was a surprise. Everyone knew he'd be the man to watch. 2. Its a Race for ACC members both 1st claim and 2nd clam. 3. At various level championship races take place where the winner isn't eligible to be called the champion. In the 2007 British National Road Race for instance non British rider New Zealander Gordon Mccauley came 3rd, he didn't get bronze etc

[Sylv]

Blimey if only as many people would have joined the race as they have clicked on this thread!

Hmm I see the points Paul has made. I wasn't there for last year's race and I don't think I was there the previous year either so cannot get a reference point. Regarding Adam riding (to show you how "au fait" I am with things I didn't even know until after the race that he would be ineligible as a second claim - I thought he was the current club champion from winning the race last year. So it was a nice surprise to be called for the prize!!). It's hard for me to make a judgement now, having been the only rider who made the break with him, and that he, in a way, initiated. All I can say is that he seemed pretty chuffed to have finally clinched that elusive win, which must show in a way that he valued his opponents on the day. I certainly did enjoy breaking away with him.

As for Marek chasing hard (that's what he always does anyway!) after joining the race late - when he did that the first time I got on his wheel and thought I'd let him do so and drag the whole of our group until he got tired. When I realised us two had dropped the rest of the group I eased off and shouted at Marek to do the same, and told him that the plan was to ride smoothly until we caught the handicap group. The second time Marek went hard, before we were about to catch them, I let him go at first, and only Adam followed. Then I thought, hang on, Adam is not going to wait for us is he, so I put in a big dig at the bottom of the hill and got back to him by the top.

We got into a 2-man through and off which must have looked to people on the finish line like I was doing all the work (I led for the half of the circuit with the climb while Adam did the other half). For the next few laps I thought the chasers might get us back but we got into a good rythm, it did get a little bit boring (I think I fell asleep between 30 and 40 minutes in), with Huw giving us our timegaps, growing to 15, 20 seconds and so on. I usually have about three computers on my bike but somehow that day had nothing at all but a timer! So no idea of speed, heartrate or power, but it felt like a nice smooth effort at maybe 8 RPE.

I had quite a bit left in the tank and on reflection now should have not played it that way with Adam! He eased off coming into the final back straight and I thought he was going to let me win. Yeah right! Should have attacked by surprise with a lap or half a lap to go . We went up the hill wheel in wheel, me in front, and when he kicked for the sprint all I could do was a feeble response which left me in his wake. Ah well never mind I enjoyed it!

Sylv - club chimp

[img]http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/chimpanzee_picture_1.jpg[/img]

[quote="Paul H"][The difference with the ACC RR and these events is that we only have one non eligible rider who is the strongest and a category higher than anybody else. How often is the Nat Champs won by somebody not eligible if ever? We are looking at the winner being non eligible for the next few years. If he was eligible to win which I think should be the case, I think other riders tactics would be different and make it possible for somebody else to win i.e. If I was Sylv, I would have made Adam do most of the work in the break but he didnt need to worry about beating him and last year, there would be more incentive to make Adam do all the work to bring back George and Marek in 2008.

[Andrew G]

Re PVT's lack of forum activity I gather he's unable to access it at work and has been very busy with his house so has simply not really had the time. I should have thought and given you his work email address Toks so you could have liaised with him.

As Jon mentioned the IOW was booked up before the RR date came up (well I'd booked anyway) so I was unable to make it this year. Last year although I think the date was set earlier it got a bit forgotten re pushing it until a bit later and I'd already booked a TT so couldn't make it then either. This is no particular criticism of the ACC Member's RR, and it has happened with other events this year too, just a bit of an example.

How about once the race calendars have been published we have a little get together in a pub and thrash out some dates?

We'll know the races we need to promote and can put up a couple of provisional dates for the ACC RR, Track Champs, IOW Trip, AN Other like a club Duathlon. Although something like the IOW trip is just that, a trip, it's nice to do so if it can be arranged that it doesn't clash with anything else then it seems silly not to do that.

Some dates (Beastway and Cyclo-cross) won't be known but we'll know roughly when they generally happen, if a provisional date for Club Duathlon/IOW clashes then we should have more time to adjust dates.

Sticky/Announcement "Important Dates For Your Diary" in the General section with the list, and then for a month or two before each one we can make sure someone gives them a push and a shout out at the CRs building up to it.

None of it's rocket science and should be easily manageable with minimum effort. Once the next stage of our fab new website is up and running with the calendar in it then it should become even easier, and that's without mentioning the Digest and LR email.

[Paul H]

[quote]Thanks Its a shame you weren't there

[andyclark]

If Adam had finished 4th, would it still be such an issue about 1st claim 2nd claim etc? Yes the rules can be somewhat complex sometimes but if you start the race then surely you're allowed in it and then that's the end of the story. If the rules are not absolutely concrete beforehand then they need to be, but why didn't anyone say anything before the race began? And also come on guys it was an ACC race, we're all on the same side and should congratulate everyone who takes part. Yes winning is nice but it's not the Tour de France.

[Paul on the Pearson]

Just wanted to give my excuse for not being at the race...oh yeah here we go... as I felt a bit bad for not supporting what some one had gone to the trouble of organising. To cut what could have been and almost was, a very long story short, I crashed on the Ronde de Picarde the week before, trashed my wheels and did my hand in.