Vander's Tour to Canberra

rogan
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby rogan » Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:33 pm

AndrewBurns wrote:Yep I was confused by "PCC" and thought Penrith. What format is the race, from what I can see it's a ~7km course, how many laps, handicap or graded etc?

I'll probably turn up and give it a go though I usually race C-grade at Heffron, not sure what grade I'd be out there. I'm the guy in the bright red DHBC jersey, if you see me say hello because I won't know anybody there :P
I've never raced there before but the strava segment is here:

http://app.strava.com/segments/658488

It looks from previous results that C Grade in the past has done 5 laps and B Grade 6 laps.

I recommend you start with the same grade you would usually race at Heffron and see how you go. From the course profile, it looks like very different racing to Heffron. Looks like ~70 vertical metres per lap, and a fast downhill section down Saunders Rd. I've ridden some of those roads - don't expect a smooth road surface!

Look forward to seeing you out there on Saturday.
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby vander » Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:27 pm

rogan wrote: I've never raced there before but the strava segment is here:

http://app.strava.com/segments/658488

It looks from previous results that C Grade in the past has done 5 laps and B Grade 6 laps.
Looks interesting not too steep more of a gradual climb, this is going to be hard dont know if I should race B or C 42km at the moment could be really tough.

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Porridgewog
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby Porridgewog » Fri Apr 13, 2012 5:39 am

Well guys i can tell you that oakville is far from smooth and its basically one long downhill and one long return up with the steepest just after the start line...uphill sprint too...im in "C" as i dont do climbs...... :oops:
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby NotFlyingScot » Fri Apr 13, 2012 6:09 pm

Porridgewog wrote:oakville is far from smooth
A fine example of "understatement" IMO
Porridgewog wrote: im in "C" as i dont do climbs...... :oops:
Burglar :P
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby AndrewBurns » Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:40 pm

NotFlyingScot wrote:
Porridgewog wrote:oakville is far from smooth
A fine example of "understatement" IMO
Porridgewog wrote: im in "C" as i dont do climbs...... :oops:
Burglar :P
Sorry to hijack your thread Vander but not having been to Oakville I have a few more questions when I hear statements like this :P

Are the roads too terrible to be riding my cosmic carbone's with Force/Attack tyres? Should I be swapping to my Aksium training wheels with 25C conti GP 4 seasons tyres? Obviously the cosmics with Force/Attack tyres and lighter tubes roll a lot better and are a bit lighter but I'm a little worried about punctures now and the Aksiums are a little more robust.

Also the cosmics have an 11-25 cassette while the aksiums have a 13-29 cassette, I'm running a compact 50/34 crank so I imagine I'd spin out down hills if I decided to race the aksiums and kept that cassette on there...
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby Porridgewog » Fri Apr 13, 2012 8:47 pm

Andrew,loads of guys race full carbons inc Zipps at oakville...i run normal 39/52 and 11-23 and i dont drop out of the main ring......easily hit 60 ish on the down hill so yes id have the higher gearing......main thing is to do a sighting lap and see the best line etc before you race.....its not that bad really just most guys get spoilt on the better courses.....but it suits the Parra guys as we tend to be a bit harder!!! :lol:
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby vander » Fri Apr 13, 2012 8:52 pm

Is it similar to Horsley park as far as smoothness goes or even worse?

Gotta get my recovery rides under control todays recovery ride had a NP of 224 which is way too high.
Last edited by vander on Fri Apr 13, 2012 11:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Porridgewog
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby Porridgewog » Fri Apr 13, 2012 8:54 pm

Well ive never been to horsley park.....but imagine the bumps at eastern creek going down hill at the booth....pretty normal stuff and worse at oakville
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby vander » Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:04 pm

Another good race with some more peak powers this time 30sec to 1.5min + almost 1 hour. I eneded up racing B grade and it was a pretty good race not even many break away attempts but the pace was just kept pretty high (although surgy) all the time. No one really got more than about 30m of the field. I hurt it was a tough race and I suffered most times going up the climb hurt me a bit. Then when it came sprint time I thought I was in a pretty good spot (3rd around the bottom corner) and I pushed hard up the little hill to hold my spot then over the top I assessed things and one of the guys I thought was going to feature started his sprint so I opened up also and I opened up way too early and with about 50-100m to the line 2 guys came past me. I didnt have much left for the sprint and the power for it was pretty low but I was happy to hold on for the race so it didnt worry me too much and cant complain about 3rd after just coming back.
Time: 1:09:21
Av Power 230
NP 298
Av Hr 173 (didnt feel quite that hard)
Peak power was a measly 1193 with 10 sec at just short of 1000 but I had just a few seconds earlier pushed almost 900 avg for 13sec peaking at 1120 to get up the little hill out of the corner, I pushed way to hard out of the corner then opened up the sprint to early I have learned for next time I go back there but. Good fun race not in the same league as west head I dont think

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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby foo on patrol » Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:33 pm

A good day just the same Vander! :wink:

Do some homework on your competitors, if you are racing pretty much the same every week and adapt your tactics to suite! :idea:

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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby rogan » Sun Apr 15, 2012 6:27 pm

Nice work vander - they put me in the other B Grade - odd numbers - and I still don't know who you are.

But getting 3rd in B Grade is nice going.

Warming up, a guy I was riding with said it was unusual for it to end in a bunch sprint. But that's what happened with us. We started with 17, and coming down the hill on the last lap I counted 15. I was in the wrong position and didn't feel like sprinting, so I just rolled in with the pack. I reckon I was dehydrated, because I drank a powerade at the end of the race, and 2 litres when I got home...

It was significantly easier than West Head, though. I wasn't in any danger of being dropped at any stage. The main trick for me is I HAVE to work out that bottom corner, I was continually having to go around the witches hat onto the wrong side of the road. The apex is no good coz there's a bit of gravel, but there has to be a way to hold it in tighter. More work required there...
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby tiz1974 » Sun Apr 15, 2012 7:12 pm

i raced at oakville, in the 2nd B grade heat, struggled a little bit on the uphill sections, but never got dropped, there was a 3 man breakawayfor 2 laps, and we chased pretty hard, with not much teamwork, we only got the last 2 guys approx 100m before final bend !! did a fair bit of work at the front to help catch them, then i was about 7th at the turn, in a good position, but the guy whose wheel i was on, drifted back and let a 2 bike length gap appear, so i went around and it took 250m to get on the next wheel, and just as i got there, they started there sprint !!! i came home strong about 10m behind the top 4, for 5th ! was pretty happy with that, as i didnt think this course suited me !! im more of a crit man !! but steve , who won our race is a good strong crit rider, so i think this course suits me more than the true climbers !! by the way vanders, did you park at the thai restaurant at west head , when you raced there, with your mate !!

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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby vander » Sun Apr 15, 2012 8:32 pm

Yep parked at the Thai restaurant.

Raced again today at Heffron B grade and the group was huge at the start. I was the ticket collector for a long time and couldnt really move up. About mid race I moved up and stayed there for a while but slowly drifted back then about 3/4 of the way though A grade passed us and it got really hairy with a few almost crashes I was going to pull out then but decided to sit at the back again. With a bit over a lap to go my mate came back to me and said he was going to drag me up I didnt think I had the legs to do but come into the 3 big corners of the last lap I was in the top probably 15. I stayed there until the last little pimple when one of the guys infront of me almost lost it, I lost all momentum and dropped back again but I decided to still keep going coming into the straight but I was in a pretty bad position and couldnt get to the outside. I thought it was going to open up on the inside and it almost did, I started moving up and got to about 5th wheel when someone pulled out infront of me so I had to put the breaks on and sat up rolled over mid pack feeling like I would of done well in the sprint oh well. I thought the race was ridiculously tough really struggling to hold at times and not being able to move up. The garmin powers were really high also up to 350 for one lap. However when I got home and looked at it, the powers were quite low. Average speed was a bit over 40 but the avg power was only 230W and normalised (the big surprise) was only 270. I thought it was a lot harder than that. However the first 30min was over 280W NP (peak 10min at 300W) then it eased up a little then the last few laps were close to 300W NP. Felt probably as hard as West Head.

Good to be back racing. Easy day tomorrow!

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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby rogan » Sun Apr 15, 2012 9:49 pm

tiz1974 wrote:i raced at oakville, in the 2nd B grade heat, struggled a little bit on the uphill sections, but never got dropped, there was a 3 man breakawayfor 2 laps, and we chased pretty hard, with not much teamwork, we only got the last 2 guys approx 100m before final bend !! did a fair bit of work at the front to help catch them, then i was about 7th at the turn, in a good position, but the guy whose wheel i was on, drifted back and let a 2 bike length gap appear, so i went around and it took 250m to get on the next wheel, and just as i got there, they started there sprint !!! i came home strong about 10m behind the top 4, for 5th ! was pretty happy with that, as i didnt think this course suited me !! im more of a crit man !! but steve , who won our race is a good strong crit rider, so i think this course suits me more than the true climbers !! by the way vanders, did you park at the thai restaurant at west head , when you raced there, with your mate !!
Yep tiz - I was in that race, which rider were you?

It's definitely not a climbers' course...
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby tiz1974 » Sun Apr 15, 2012 10:48 pm

rogan,i was the guy in parra kit , that got there late, and didnt have time for a warm up or even register, i rode without a number, which one were you mate !!

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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby rogan » Sun Apr 15, 2012 10:53 pm

Yep - gotcha. I saw you roll up at the start.

I was in the Peloton Sports kit.
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby vander » Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:45 pm

Decided to start training properly with a program again going to do 6-8weeks of base a few builds then a peak peaking for Sept. Next 6 weeks of base and strength training first day of weights today and it hurt!

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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby vander » Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:06 pm

Got put in Div 2 for Bathurst, its going to hurt.

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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby tiz1974 » Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:08 pm

what do you mean div 2 !! is that fo r the crit, or long course (168) !! im doing 110 kms !! dont you nominate your level !! you say they put you in div 2 ?

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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby vander » Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:30 pm

Its for the crit I am missing B2B as I have exams the next 2 days. After looking at some of the names in Div 1, I will be happy to finish with Div 2. I will probably be happy to make it 30min.

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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby AScyclist21 » Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:02 am

Lol yeah, after reading the start lists I have decided I know whose wheel to sit on in the 160km event :) Opted for the 40+ category so I'll be happy with finishing.... This is going to hurt.... Vander, are you doing the hill climb?
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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby vander » Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:32 am

AScyclist21 wrote:Lol yeah, after reading the start lists I have decided I know whose wheel to sit on in the 160km event :) Opted for the 40+ category so I'll be happy with finishing.... This is going to hurt.... Vander, are you doing the hill climb?
Yea should be interesting to see how I compare going uphills even though I am carrying too much weight at the moment and have lost a bit of power. 160km event has some really strong riders in it would not want to be trying to do that in the front group :) .

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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby vander » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:18 pm

Ouch! Tough day.

Hill climb was terrible. I ran 11:55. I had almost no warm up as my mate slept in and his phone was on silent. So I got there after over 2 hours in the car jumped on my bike for 5min then raced. I hadnt scoped out the climb and I rode hard at all the wrong times. Also my powertap was not working to well so I cant even see powers (I think its cause I had auto 0 and sitting in the start gate I had torque going through with no cadence possibly) it was saying about 100W when I was pushing hard! So that was really disappointing a long way from my sub11 aim but I am weighing in at far too heavy at the moment and I have hardly climbed a hill in 2 months so really I shouldnt get to disappointed.

Div 2 Crit was insane it was a technical course with a lot of ups and downs. I lasted just short of 10 of the 22 laps and pulled out as soon as I was off the back as I was losing them so quickly. Problem was if I survived past the priem (lap 12) I think they were starting to ease up and I was settling into a bit of a rhythm. It was so tough. Averaged about 41.5 km/h and my average power was 300W normalised was only just short of 340 (which I thought it would be higher) but that my be due to me only lasting 16min and I dont know if it is related, but seen as though it was 300W avg (including zeros) and over 350W (not including 0s) I would of thought it would of been higher.

Tough day got put in my place still a long way to go but not a bad place to start from.

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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby number21 » Mon Apr 23, 2012 10:49 am

vander wrote:Ouch! Tough day.

Hill climb was terrible. I ran 11:55. I had almost no warm up as my mate slept in and his phone was on silent. So I got there after over 2 hours in the car jumped on my bike for 5min then raced. I hadnt scoped out the climb and I rode hard at all the wrong times. Also my powertap was not working to well so I cant even see powers (I think its cause I had auto 0 and sitting in the start gate I had torque going through with no cadence possibly) it was saying about 100W when I was pushing hard! So that was really disappointing a long way from my sub11 aim but I am weighing in at far too heavy at the moment and I have hardly climbed a hill in 2 months so really I shouldnt get to disappointed.

Div 2 Crit was insane it was a technical course with a lot of ups and downs. I lasted just short of 10 of the 22 laps and pulled out as soon as I was off the back as I was losing them so quickly. Problem was if I survived past the priem (lap 12) I think they were starting to ease up and I was settling into a bit of a rhythm. It was so tough. Averaged about 41.5 km/h and my average power was 300W normalised was only just short of 340 (which I thought it would be higher) but that my be due to me only lasting 16min and I dont know if it is related, but seen as though it was 300W avg (including zeros) and over 350W (not including 0s) I would of thought it would of been higher.

Tough day got put in my place still a long way to go but not a bad place to start from.
Dude, I feel your pain. My first time there also, buggered my timing on the hill climb and was about a minute off what I wanted. Waited hours for the crit only to be eventually dropped before half way in the div3 race. With the massive field I was way too timid on the opening lap which had me following wheels that were dropping like flies over and over again. Tried to solo back to the bunch but couldn't do it. Positives were to learn from experience, tan lines got a workout, and I fixed a rattle thats been bugging me for ages!

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Re: Vander's Tour to Canberra

Postby Strawburger » Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:51 pm

Bummer! It's a big drive out there and to jump out of the car to do the hillclimb is tough! I was looking out for you but didn't find you. Saw quite a few LACC guys around, your club had a good representation on both days.
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