Race Report Thread

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jules21
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Sun Mar 17, 2013 9:44 pm

nickobec wrote: After a solitary 4th lap struggling to make 200 watts, I got it to 210 watts when Travis caught me on the back straight on the 5th lap, I tucked into his wheel, until the climb where I could not match his pace, got dropped. In hindsight I should of made more of an effort to stay on his wheel, but my lungs were burning and I was struggling badly.
i reckon the thing to do there is to ease off the pace when you can see you're about to be caught, so that you have enough in reserve to lift your pace and cling on. in my experience (not great), lifting your pace can be tougher than holding it. good effort though.

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toolonglegs
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby toolonglegs » Sun Mar 17, 2013 9:45 pm

Seems my phone has been posting in my absence lol.
So I better write a quickie.
Really wanted to race yesterday in my regional competition but sons rugby team needed cars. Was a howling gale yesterday and very exposed course so would have been fun :) ... But after my rubbish 80 km's in the morning yesterday I am probably lucky I didn't go.
But today I found another race on in the big city. Industrial estate loveliness. Why not!.
About 30 on the line, the wind was still howling at about 45kmph and gust to 65. Meh 88 / 58 wheels will be fine :-) .
Meet a team mate on the line which would make it more fun... He had a nice 3rd yesterday.
Anyway a gazillion breaks tried to get away but the wind made it hard... Last year was super windy as well but at least we average 40, today was 38 lol. 2 got away after about 20kms and slowly built up a good lead, well over a minute and out of sight. I had sat in up until then as my form disappeared after my virus about 10 days ago. Was quite happy sitting in but the up and down pace was hard work. At the 45km mark the announcer said basically that we were racing for 3rd as the break had so much on us.
Ha... Talk about a carrot ;) ... I hate races were I don't have some fun and racing for 3rd is certainly no fun so I took up the chase... 5 laps (12kms) on the front later there was the break, I started attacking a bit then but was pretty much all diesel at that point. So my team mate and another attacked and after a lap or two bridged up to make the break four. I sat on wheels, not that there were many left, one got away on the last lap but by then I was only up for a bit of sprinting fun. My sprint training has been a bit non existent and it showed... We hit about 60 and I couldn't spin any faster in my biggest gear... Couldn't quite get the one guy in front of me... 7th it was. But my mate won so all worked out fine :) . I don't want to mark points out of my federation anyway ha.
Will try harder next week which is a flattish course but usually selective... Then I have ten days mechanicing at the Tour de Maroc to lose all form again lol.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby toppity » Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:30 am

Great racing and reports TLL, Jules and Nicko. Great reading what everyone is up to.
I ride several bicycles, but not at once.

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Metor
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Metor » Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:34 pm

Nice racing guys!
I had to work unfortunately this sunday so no race report from me. Hopefully coming sunday again at SKCC.
Bought a new bike so will probably be noticed less without my steel racer. :D

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby toppity » Mon Mar 18, 2013 4:16 pm

^^what did you get?
I ride several bicycles, but not at once.

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nickobec
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby nickobec » Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:39 pm

Metor wrote:Bought a new bike so will probably be noticed less without my steel racer.
I assume more than 6 gears and with a 12 or 11 tooth on the cassette. Saves me the problem of trying to find a 12 tooth 6 speed rear cluster in my pile of bits.

Alloy or CF

I am just finishing my "new" alloy crit racer in time for the road season.

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Metor
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Metor » Tue Mar 19, 2013 9:49 am

Got myself a Scott Speedster (2009), alloy with carbon front and rear fork.
Dura ace/Ultegra mix and Aksium wheelset.
I will post a pic soon. Looking forward to my next race :D

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby ireland57 » Wed Mar 20, 2013 8:24 pm

I haven't been on here for ages as work/life too busy so updating a little: - I've been riding a Trek Madone 4.7 for 14 mths; love it to bits; just fitted Durace wheelset and Pro 4 tyres for last Crit.

Last two seasons I've raced D grade; this year went to C (apprehensively).
First Crit (flat 650 metre loop) 25 mins + 2laps got dropped on last half lap; did very little work on front.

2nd Crit (same track) 30 mins + 2 laps got dropped on last corner; did a couple of laps on front in total.

3rd Crit (same track) 30 mins + 2 laps finished in bunch; had "sprint"; picked up a few places; came in top ten (out of 37 starters); plenty got dropped. Pace was 42.4 kmh for entire race; very hard race but happy enough. Hid most of this one but in wind a fair bit as well.
Hr between 91 - 94% max for 18 minutes; need to get fitter. :oops:

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jules21
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Sat Mar 23, 2013 1:42 pm

Coburg, B gr, 55 mins + 3. worked hard to stay with the bunch today. race was made harder by roadworks neutralising a section of the course and a headwind down the back straight, but we still averaged 40 km/h. i was pretty spent after numerous hard accelerations, particularly coming out of the road works. a break of 4 got away and we didn't see them again until the finish, so i drifted in with the main bunch. then after the race i realised one of my back spokes had come completely loose (again) and the rim was rubbing hard against the brake pad! i was a bit happier when i saw that, as i suppose i would have finished more strongly if my bike was working. damn bike.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby lock_ » Sat Mar 23, 2013 7:39 pm

jules21 wrote:Coburg, B gr, 55 mins + 3. worked hard to stay with the bunch today. race was made harder by roadworks neutralising a section of the course and a headwind down the back straight, but we still averaged 40 km/h. i was pretty spent after numerous hard accelerations, particularly coming out of the road works. a break of 4 got away and we didn't see them again until the finish, so i drifted in with the main bunch. then after the race i realised one of my back spokes had come completely loose (again) and the rim was rubbing hard against the brake pad! i was a bit happier when i saw that, as i suppose i would have finished more strongly if my bike was working. damn bike.
Sorry about not saying hi Jules, too busy chewing the bars...

Talked to a few guys before the race about the roadworks, thought they may do a smaller circuit around the bottom half. For those that don't know, there's a crossroad that bisects the National Boulevard course. Turns out the race permit didn't include the crossway, so it wasn't an option. To my surprise neutral through the road works turned out ok. Big concertina effect going in and out of it, made for different racing.

Back of the field was a bit different today. B Grade usually sticks together pretty well, but I found myself going round quite a few riders that had dropped a wheel and couldn't get back on. Mostly due to the wind I think. That said there were no big moves up until the last 10min or so. Didn't do much the whole race so moved up towards the front, took a breather for a sec, then attacked hard out of the neutral zone. Quick headcheck showed a nice little gap, but I was done by then, fortunately one of the other guys was there to roll through. Four of us were off the front, but only three of us were working. Now, anything goes in racing, but not even pulling a token turn to say "Hey guys, I'm not feeling strong, but I'm still willing to kill myself for this break to work" doesn't go down well. Nothing was said in the break, but really the looks and body language said enough. Don't think any of us really cared who won, just that he come 4th. And that's how things worked out :D .

Probably worn out my welcome in B now, conveniently just as the crit season is wrapping up (hoping to sneak into B next season). Will do the Coburg crit champs next Sat, and be very happy just to finish the race. Coburg has a few strong riders that haven't shown up at the crits, but may just do so with the championship up for grabs.

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Metor
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby Metor » Sat Mar 23, 2013 9:13 pm

Nice riding! Always nice to get in the right breakaway.

Maybe I will join Coburg B grade coming saturday as well. Never raced there, so could be nice to check it out.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby toolonglegs » Sun Mar 24, 2013 8:08 am

Was motivated for a good race today... but it didn't happen :| . The course was run in reverse to previous years and it nullified it a bit by taking out the pinch climb and instead a long gentle rise into the wind. I missed the first break... and the 2nd too :roll: . I was sure it would come back together but then Cat1 come past and we let them go... the break didn't :roll: .
I am not really pee'd off about that... just get ppe'd off in race where I decide to sit in for a sprint and then turns out it is sprinting for nowhere... so much so that even though the forecast is for heavy rain tomorrow I might try and find a 80 km crit to go and flog myself ! .
Then 12 days off the bike... bye bye form :( .
Time 01:57:12
Max Speed 63.2km/h
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jules21
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Sun Mar 24, 2013 12:00 pm

lock_ wrote: Back of the field was a bit different today. B Grade usually sticks together pretty well, but I found myself going round quite a few riders that had dropped a wheel and couldn't get back on. Mostly due to the wind I think. That said there were no big moves up until the last 10min or so.
the neutral zone definitely made it harder, particularly when you were near the rear of the bunch and having to kick hard out of it to catch the leaders who were by then riding off into the distance. i remember seeing you go around me Lock, but i did get back on :)
lock_ wrote:Probably worn out my welcome in B now, conveniently just as the crit season is wrapping up (hoping to sneak into B next season). Will do the Coburg crit champs next Sat, and be very happy just to finish the race. Coburg has a few strong riders that haven't shown up at the crits, but may just do so with the championship up for grabs.
congrats again on 2nd - we were on the penultimate lap and someone was urging us to roll turns. lol, it was too late for that. good luck in A - that shannon bloke is beatable, surely? :shock:

anyway, i was looking for a better performance this morning at SKCC D grd. the smaller field - due to Warby road race i assume - was rolling around at 36 km/h. i didn't pay $20 for a recovery ride so i threw in a few attacks. sadly, my attacks are too weak and everyone bridged up - which is predictable when they've been rolling around doing mid-30s. there was one point where i jumped on the back of another attack and we seemed to move away, but then a car on the track blocked us(!) i didn't contest the sprint, my positioning is terrible, but at least help make the race more interesting.

also met Cerb, who raced in D with me - tried to convince him to give road season a go..

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby nickobec » Mon Mar 25, 2013 12:31 am

PDCC Club Criterium Championship D grade Smeaton Way Rockingham
Last crit of the season
aka last chance to get to C grade for a couple of months

I have never had any luck at Smeaton Way, always finishing in the second half of the group. My dismal record had little to do with my limited sprinting ability, even though every race finished in a bunch sprint, but more to do with bad positioning and my lack of confidence in cornering.

Today, even suffering from my continuing cold, I was not worried about finishing in the front half of the group, I was aiming for a win and promotion to C grade. I decided on a simple tactic that was successful for Clint on the final lap in the WCMCC points race here. Attack hard on the final straight into the bell, get a gap and just ride the final lap flat out to the finish.

To that end, I settled in the now unfamiliar position of ticket collector, and stayed there for the a few laps. My first couple of laps was punctuated with poor cornering, but very quickly my confidence improved and I was having to feather my brakes as I was carrying more speed through the corners than the riders in front of me.

There where a few half hearted attacks, which where quickly countered, this kept the speed fairly high. At times, the pace dropped, so after 15 minutes I took the chance to go to the front to successfully test my new found cornering confidence. About 200m shy of the finish line, I launched an attack, after crossing the line I could here Tom yelling "Go, Go, Go" so I drove to the end of the straight and swung wide, Travis came through and then slowed as the 4th member of our short lived breakaway, did not fancy their chances with the 3 riders who rode away with the race the week before, tucked in behind me as did Tom.

Attack nullified, I dropped back down the bunch and settled in as ticket collector, there where a few attacks, nothing serious and a few slow periods, but the pace was generally fast. Approaching the 35 minute mark, I made my way to the front on what I thought would be the second last lap, but I had been caught out before. I was right it was the 2nd last lap and I was on the front, not to matter, I set a pace I was comfortable I could keep going all day.

Then 200m from the line, just as the bell started ringing I attacked. When I got to the first corner, I knew I had not established a break, as I had at least one rider on my wheel. No problem, fired out of that corner into the headwind, round the next corner and down the back straight, my legs was beginning to tire, I knew I had more than one rider on my wheel. Still I drove on, round the next corner, I knew I had gone out too hard, but I kept going. Around the final corner, I was tiring, but I still thought I had a chance, 300m to go I was spent, 200m to go, riders started coming around me, after five, I sat up and cruised to the line finishing 12th.

So not the result I wanted, I could blame my tactics, I needed to attack from the back or middle of the peleton, not the front to get the element of surprise and get that desired gap. My current state of health and lack of training in the last couple of weeks was another factor. Still happy with my performance given my tactical error and health. Hopefully I should be fully fit and back to full training for the road race season that starts in a few weeks.

On Strava

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby toolonglegs » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:39 am

Nick it is better to have tried and failed than to have just been pack fodder :D .
After my race yesterday I was a little bit annoyed... didn't try anything and in the end didn't do anything apart from a good training race.
Today I found a nice little race to finish the weekend off... good size field of 50, maybe 60. Great little course with a climb and two near dead stop hairpins. Damp roads to boot. Although the aim of the day was training, or only racing for the win if it was a damn good chance. Why?... because it is out of my region and federation, so while the win is nice the points don't count for the club challenge, but anywhere I place in the top 5 does give me points for going up a grade and I still haven't decided if I want to go back to Cat 1 :roll: .
Anyway great pace today with 3 primes as well... probably did have the legs for an attack today but not the will. Plenty got dropped and I would say only half the pack finished. Final corner I was cut up a bit and realized after that that 1st wasn't going to happen... so sprinted for 6th and no points :lol: . Much happier today, good hard race on a more selective course.
Next race will be in 3 weeks with very little riding until then :lol: . When I get back I have to put in a serious month of riding as I have a nice little 3 day race in 6 weeks :mrgreen: .
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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby cerb » Mon Mar 25, 2013 9:44 am

jules21 wrote:but then a car on the track blocked us(!) i didn't contest the sprint, my positioning is terrible, but at least help make the race more interesting.

also met Cerb, who raced in D with me - tried to convince him to give road season a go..
Yeah, that car sucked... Holed up the first break that actually started to look good! Don't even know why it was on the course.... Luckily for me the break was the first one I decided not to follow and the car brought it back! :)

I was pretty happy with my race - first one after 4 weeks off the bike. As such, I played the game of sucking wheels and sitting in most of the race, while the low pace made it a bit easier to get back into race speeds again.

Managed to keep good position throughout the race but found myself in second wheel coming into the final lap. Was too far forward, too early, so foxed a bit until one of the strong regular riders came through and I jumped on his wheel. He had a good attempt at ripping the legs off the field but I held on in second position entering the final corner. Three guys swamped us through the corner and my legs didn't have a sprint in them to grab a wheel when I jumped, so I just TT-styled to the line and held on for 4th. Pretty happy with the effort after a long time out - the legs sure felt it in the afternoon though!


SKCC crits are basically over now with no racing next weekend then club champs. Might head over to Glenvale for a few weeks to see what the racing there is like as they run until end of April.

Jules - Great to meet you! I saw you mid race and was going to strike up a convo, but didn't want to distract from the racing. Road season - as I said, I'm not designed for uphills! There's a small chance I'll give Hell of the West or one of the other relatively flat courses a go, but might just start doing some longer social rides with the wife & friends over winter. I don't think I've done further than 50km in a single ride for the past 6 months!

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby lock_ » Mon Mar 25, 2013 10:08 am

jules21 wrote:the neutral zone definitely made it harder, particularly when you were near the rear of the bunch and having to kick hard out of it to catch the leaders who were by then riding off into the distance. i remember seeing you go around me Lock, but i did get back on :)
Yeah, remember that, was just trying to move up a few places that time. One of the other guys really looked to be struggling, meanwhile I was sitting behind them watching half the peloton ride up the road.
jules21 wrote:congrats again on 2nd - we were on the penultimate lap and someone was urging us to roll turns. lol, it was too late for that. good luck in A - that shannon bloke is beatable, surely? :shock:
Thanks. I've never had much success getting anyone to work trying to bring a break back out at Coburg.

Sucks to be racing against guys who get given free bikes. At least the NRS will mean A grade don't have to worry about Shannon showing up for the Northern Combine races. Chatted to him riding home after one of the Thursday night crits; he's doing about 600km a week or so, some commuting, but mostly proper structured training. But that's really what I'd expect for A Grade. Me, I'm just a hack, out at Coburg I'm very much of the opinion that B Grade has gotten slower hence my recent run of places.
cerb wrote:Jules - Great to meet you! I saw you mid race and was going to strike up a convo, but didn't want to distract from the racing. Road season - as I said, I'm not designed for uphills! There's a small chance I'll give Hell of the West or one of the other relatively flat courses a go, but might just start doing some longer social rides with the wife & friends over winter. I don't think I've done further than 50km in a single ride for the past 6 months!
:lol: , yep definitely give HoTW a go. :wink:

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Mon Mar 25, 2013 10:38 am

cerb wrote: Yeah, that car sucked... Holed up the first break that actually started to look good! Don't even know why it was on the course.... Luckily for me the break was the first one I decided not to follow and the car brought it back! :)
not for me.. I was on that one! i'm sure there's someone driving around Melbourne crit courses waiting for me to get into breaks, then driving onto the course :cry:
cerb wrote: Three guys swamped us through the corner and my legs didn't have a sprint in them to grab a wheel when I jumped, so I just TT-styled to the line and held on for 4th. Pretty happy with the effort after a long time out - the legs sure felt it in the afternoon though!
I didn't realise you got 4th.. that's a great effort after so long off the bike.

I might try Glenvale too - I've done a couple of crits over there and they are good - but i'm also keen to give road season a go. crits aren't really my strength.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby cerb » Mon Mar 25, 2013 11:13 am

lock_ wrote: :lol: , yep definitely give HoTW a go. :wink:
Yeah well, 'flat' is how it was sold to me last year... and the guy doing the selling was right, it is flat apart from ONE, SHORT hill. My legs still ache thinking about that hill... I walked up the last 100m of it after the person in front of me came off and I couldn't re-start on the steep gradient!

John Sewell handicap is a good race, but got dropped in that last year too... :lol:

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby jules21 » Mon Mar 25, 2013 11:24 am

lock_ wrote:Me, I'm just a hack, out at Coburg I'm very much of the opinion that B Grade has gotten slower hence my recent run of places.
I think it's more likely you've gotten stronger Lock.. I can't judge as I haven't been riding B for that long, but it's usually averaging 40-41 km/h since I've been there. we didn't get lapped by A on Saturday. i'd love to ride A but i'm far from that level.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby philip » Tue Mar 26, 2013 12:06 pm

Haven't done a report for a while, been a bit lazy. Been having some good races though.

Sunday was suvelo Heffron. Well organised race, big fields. I'm not sure how many were in A grade but it had to be 40 or 50 I reckon. That many on that course makes for a very long line. I got the start line early and said to myself "ok, you have to stay near the front for this race, get to the back and you'll never see the front again". So in the first lap I did a turn at the front then rolled back.. and back.. and back! Couldn't find a slot until I was 3/4 of the way back. It stayed like that for a long time. Very hard to move back up, it was a fast pace and in the places the track widens a bit the pace either got faster or everyone was trying to move up.

About 1/2 way through when we were passing another bunch there was a crash, I avoided it, then 2 slow neutral laps. 45 mins in (it is 50 + 1) I was still feeling pretty good and decided I had to move up NOW. Not sure how but somehow I managed, within a lap I got right to the front, with 1 lap to go I was exactly where I wanted to be. That last lap though... very aggressive positioning, not what I'm used to. Racing at Heffron isn't like any other races I go to. I ended up losing about 10 wheels so was too far back for the sprint. Need more practise at that sort of racing. Fast race, average was 44km/h, including those 2 slow laps.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby cerb » Tue Mar 26, 2013 3:59 pm

Ouch! 44 average is fast - no wonder the bunch was strung out a lot...

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby ni78ck » Tue Mar 26, 2013 5:58 pm

solid ride phil!

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby toolonglegs » Tue Mar 26, 2013 6:07 pm

Nice win up in Beauie a few weeks ago Philip!... where the pics?.

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Re: Race Report Thread

Postby philip » Tue Mar 26, 2013 6:54 pm

toolonglegs wrote:Nice win up in Beauie a few weeks ago Philip!... where the pics?.
Thanks tll and Nick! Unfortunately haven't had any pics snapped for a few races :cry: That win was a good one, I got in a break of 4 and we just drove it to the finish where I took out the sprint. There was a big head/cross wind from the right and they left a big gap on the left on the finishing straight, yep I'll take that! Actually I have another race report from a fortnight ago that I wrote up for some mates, I'll edit it and post it here in a bit...

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