Race Report - Heffron 8/11/08

[Beanzy]

Another blustery Sou-wester greeted D grade today. A large field (12?) with a few newbies took to the start line. A few forum regulars namely myself, Alex and Gkats were there. Gkats i belive joined the club today - welcome.

I took the lead for the first half lap to allow every one to settle and so we could also warm up a bit. Alex then took the lead over the back and proceeded to crank the pace up a bit.

Essentially me and Alex rotated the lead for the first couple of laps. I even did a mild attack over the back! The pace was too hot for a few and they dropped off after the first few laps.

Gkats in his first race did some huge efforts on the front. He certainly wasn't shy and i appreciated the rest. The pace was a bit up and down but more up than anything. When i took my turn on the front i wanted it down!

With about 4 laps to go, with the field thinned down to about 7. C grade passed us, so we dropped back a little. C grade then went into "Sunday Social Ride" mode, which they tend to do. We followed for about a lap, just cruising along. With about 2.5 laps to go i knew it would get messy for us in the sprint being behind C grade. I proceeded to attack and went right through C grade, shouting a few words of encouragement to C grade as i went. Alex was following me and kept the attack going, but we pulled up a bit coming into the main straight. The attack had the desired affect of Sstirring C grade up and they up the ante, passed us and kept going. We now had a clear sprint.

One to go and the pace backed off a little. I think Gkats was on the front with me not far behind. I think Alex was very close to me.

Over the back a bloke who sat on the back the entire race came through so i sat on his wheel. The pace gradually picked up. Coming into the straiight, I was 2nd wheel but really not tucked in behind the rider. Keiran, the young fella was to my right and i reckon Alex would have been right on my wheel.

With about 300 to go i really launched. I even got outa the saddle, which is rare for me in a sprint. I powered along, even changing gears to get a bit more speed. Then the worst sound a cyclist can here. Some yelling and the inevitable scraping of metal on concrete. 2 riders had come down behind me. I looked back, not really sure of what was happening, kept up the sprint and crossed the line first a fair bit ahead of second, with Alex third. Apparently there was a touch of handlebar on hip that brought the riders down. Unfortunately Gkats was one of them. I not sure of the injuries but Gkats was nursing his wrist and the other rider was treated for abrasions. The ambulance came but Im not sure of the full extent of the injuries. I might leave Alex to elaborate on the crash as it all happened behind me.

So an eventful race, i hope the injuries heal quick and they don't discourage you from coming along again. For me thats two wins in a row in D grade, I guess i might be knocking on C grades door. Although these last two weeks are the only two races i have completed at Heffron in a while!

The stats:
Race time: 50m24s
Dist: 28.4km
Avg speed: 33.8km/h (up about 1km/h from last week)
Avg cadence: 77rpm
Avg Heart rate: 177bpm
Max speed: 50.3km/h (sprint up bout 4km/h from last week, still into a nasty headwind!)
Max heart rate: 197bpm (up bout four from last week - certainly not 220-my age!)

[lang]

Good write up Beanzy.

Last I saw was that GKats had a fractured collar bone and was taken away in the ambo.

I was another of the noobs who joined up today for my first race. I got dropped by the lead group on about lap 5, and you guys lapped me on the home straight. That meant I had a view of the crash from about 50m back. It was pretty spectacular, with GKats and his bike doing a forward cartwheel. Quite a bummer for his first race.

Gotta say I enjoyed it though. It's good to know whereabouts I stand in terms of ability.

My stats:
distance: 26.8km
avg speed: 31.1km/h
cadence: 94
max speed: 47.2km/h

[ni78ck]

great write up beanzy, i enjoyed it until the accident. hope all riders recover quickly. pity it happened to gkat on his first ride. will he be back? well i guess we can hear his side of the story when he recovers.

[zozza]

Good going beanzy 2/2 , Bummer about gkatz

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Yeah it was a bit unfortunate. The young bloke was off to the right and in the sprint he started to drift left as I was approaching and about to launch into Beanzy's considerable vacuum which meant I had to match the left drift. I yelled at him to keep his line but it was a bit late by then.

Two guys behind me to the left started to get squeezed as a result, one put his handle bar into my left hip and probably panicked a little bit and probably was holding the bars too tight as well, hence the front end of the bike turned too sharply (instead of self righting when you maintain a relaxed grip) and as a result and that sent him down with a thud, with the guy on his left going down as well.

I stopped my sprint and justed rolled in for third.

I sure hope they are OK, although a broken collar bone looked likely from what I saw.

Lessons:
- keep your line in a sprint

- don't expect to come through on the leeward side from 6th/7th wheel, because you are gunna get squeezed if there is any motion in front of you
(honestly why the front riders would be in the middle or wind side of the track bemuses me in the first place)

- keep your hands and arms relaxed on a bike (you should be able to hit hips/arms/bars etc without any fear). If you grip too tightly, then the bike will missbehave badly.

Anyway, it was more like a race today than a training ride.

Stats:
Crit:
Duration: 50:09
Work: 660 kJ
TSS: 87.4 (intensity factor 1.023)
Norm Power: 245
VI: 1.12
Distance: 28.602 km
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1004 219 watts
Speed: 8.3 50.5 34.2 kph

[Chuck]

Good write up Beanzy.

I really do enjoy this part of the forum, shame about the accident though. Sounds like Gkats was doing really well in his first race too.

Lang those stats are very respectable mate. Keep turning up and you'll be able to hold the bunch the whole way before you know it .

[sogood]

I would question the appropriateness of a first time racer to even contest a sprint. I remember the guidance I received when I first participated and that was to just hang back and watch/learn in the first few.

[ni78ck]

Yeah it was a bit unfortunate. The young bloke was off to the right and in the sprint he started to drift left as I was approaching and about to launch into Beanzy's considerable vacuum which meant I had to match the left drift. I yelled at him to keep his line but it was a bit late by then.

Two guys behind me to the left started to get squeezed as a result, one put his handle bar into my left hip and probably panicked a little bit and probably was holding the bars too tight as well, hence the front end of the bike turned too sharply (instead of self righting when you maintain a relaxed grip) and as a result and that sent him down with a thud, with the guy on his left going down as well.

I stopped my sprint and justed rolled in for third.

I sure hope they are OK, although a broken collar bone looked likely from what I saw.

Lessons:
- keep your line in a sprint

- don't expect to come through on the leeward side from 6th/7th wheel, because you are gunna get squeezed if there is any motion in front of you
(honestly why the front riders would be in the middle or wind side of the track bemuses me in the first place)

- keep your hands and arms relaxed on a bike (you should be able to hit hips/arms/bars etc without any fear). If you grip too tightly, then the bike will missbehave badly.

Anyway, it was more like a race today than a training ride.

Stats:
Crit:
Duration: 50:09
Work: 660 kJ
TSS: 87.4 (intensity factor 1.023)
Norm Power: 245
VI: 1.12
Distance: 28.602 km
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1004 219 watts
Speed: 8.3 50.5 34.2 kph

they seam pretty good stats to me! what is tss? and how is it measured?

[ni78ck]

I would question the appropriateness of a first time racer to even contest a sprint. I remember the guidance I received when I first participated and that was to just hang back and watch/learn in the first few.

i guess if you up there with the leaders its hard to hold back with all that adrenalin

[JV911]

great write up Beanzy & congrats on the win!

shame about the akka

[sogood]

i guess if you up there with the leaders its hard to hold back with all that adrenalin

That's more reason why one needs to be disciplined.

We are all amateurs and racing for fun. Putting oneself at risk would also endanger others and it's critical to know when to back off. If you are surrounded by inexperienced riders at the start of sprint straight, it may be wiser to just back off as none of us depends on a win for our next pay cheque.

[ni78ck]

i guess if you up there with the leaders its hard to hold back with all that adrenalin

That's more reason why one needs to be disciplined.

We are all amateurs and racing for fun. Putting oneself at risk would also endanger others and it's critical to know when to back off. If you are surrounded by inexperienced riders at the start of sprint straight, it may be wiser to just back off as none of us depends on a win for our next pay cheque.

i guess i would not need to worry i would be far behind them!

[sogood]

i guess i would not need to worry i would be far behind them!

Getting dropped may be a blessing.

I note that in the US, new riders are required to ride a certain number of Cat 5 races before they are allowed to advance to higher categories. And it's well known that Cat 5 is crash city.

[Parrott]

Over the back a bloke who sat on the back the entire race came through so i sat on his wheel.

Don't you hate that, dishonest I reckon

The stats:
Race time: 50m24s
Dist: 28.4km
Avg speed: 33.8km/h (up about 1km/h from last week)
Avg cadence: 77rpm
Avg Heart rate: 177bpm
Max speed: 50.3km/h (sprint up bout 4km/h from last week, still into a nasty headwind!)
Max heart rate: 197bpm (up bout four from last week - certainly not 220-my age!)

Going off the HR looks like you were working, great read thanks for posting and congrats on the win.

[sogood]

Don't you hate that, dishonest I reckon

Why? Do you see Tom Boonen break the wind for everybody in his races? It is a race, not a social ride.

[531db]

Good rides Beanzy and Alex, good start lang, and best wishes for a speedy recovery to Gkats.

Accidents are never very nice, I had a nasty one myself mid year in a Waratah event at Lansdowne. Sometimes inexperience is a factor, at other times people just do bloody stupid things. One of the problems for inexperienced riders is that the best form of experience is actually racing, the majority come through their first few races unscathed - and their fellow riders unscathed as well. However occasionally accidents happen, hopefully all will make a speedy recovery and be back on the bike soon.

[sogood]

True. But if a rider doesn't even know about the rubber band effect of bunch riding, would you say entering a race is a wise move, let alone contesting the sprint?

My understanding is, one joins a racing club so that one can learn from the seniors of the club and then prepare for that first race. Diving into the first race on the day of joining is a bit sus.

At the end of the day, I just hate seeing fellow riders getting hurt.

[Parrott]

Don't you hate that, dishonest I reckon

Why? Do you see Tom Boonen break the wind for everybody in his races? It is a race, not a social ride.

No I don't but then I also see his team working when required, no teams here. Maybe not such an issue where there has not been a break and it's a graded scratch race. They could have attacked and tried to drop him too. I guess I just don't like clingons.

[sogood]

No I don't but then I also see his team working when required, no teams here. Maybe not such an issue where there has not been a break and it's a graded scratch race. They could have attacked and tried to drop him too. I guess I just don't like clingons.

I agree and was taught to take my turn in a race. But for me, I don't have any hard feelings for any rider in a race who refuses to take a turn at the front. At the end of the day, it is a race, and a rider is entitled to run the best strategy to achieve a win. Other than that, I find it fun to be at the front. As a minimum, no rubber banding and less risk of getting involved in a crash.

[GKats]

Hey Guys.

man i was having such a great time till the last 300m. i have to admit it was great.

So I just want to know if it was my fault or what exactly happened. all i remember was i was riding three abreast and the i saw Beanzy take off to the left, someone to my right aswell took off and i had no one in front so i took off aswell. next thing i hear some shouting... and afew sec later i was on the deck.

so from what Alex has said there was he got squeezed and some contact and the other guy went down and i guess he took me down aswell

Guys !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! happens i guess... when i signed the papers it said racing can be dangerous... i just hope it wasnt me that caused the crash as i would feel like poop if i was responsible for causing the prang, especially being my first race.... I guess it was a baptim of fire for me aye.

I will be back but i might stay out of the sprints for a while. i just hope it doent put me off.

Also thanks to all the people who helped out with my injuries and stuff... really appreciate it

[/img]

[Chuck]

First race I attended I rode in.

Gkats got in and had a go. What happened was bad luck and not isolated just to lower grade races.

Apparently he may have drifted off of his line. This happens all the time in pro sprints, Robbie Mc is notorious for it. Most times it ends well but sometimes it ends in tears. Even in the pros and the higher grades.

I've made mistakes in races, lost my line, touched wheels etc but it ended ok. I learned lessons I won't forget. Unfortunately Gkats paid for his error a little more harshly.

I'm sure even the more seasoned of riders on here would admit to making mistakes in races.


EDIT: Sorry Gkats just saw your post. Maybe it wasn't your fault after all and someone took you out. I hope it doesn't put you off mate because it's a lot of fun. Sounds like you were going good guns first time out too.

[kilroy]

Bad luck mate,

Any update on the injuries?

[GKats]

Oh forgot to mention yeah my collar bone is busted.

Also who fromt the forums was racing...

i met beanzy and lang. Alex did i possible speak to you after??

[sogood]

Who knows whos fault it was, or just shear bad luck. But if a newbie racer had spent a bit more time learning the skills required as well as racing in general, then maybe he/she would have been able to handle the incident without going down. Hot headed into something new is never a wise idea. Some get lucky that's all.

Good to know that GKats is out of A&E and is back online!

[Alex Simmons/RST]

So I just want to know if it was my fault or what exactly happened.

No one's fault, just a combination of inexperienced riders in close quarters when under stress. More experienced crit riders likely wouldn't have crashed in those circumstances. Or the circumstances wouldn't have arisen in the first place.

For sure you didn't cause it, so don't sweat it.