Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Hi All,

Have any of you suffered from this? It's a well known football term usually surrounding a newly promoted team doing so well in that first season. By season two in the same division things don't quite go to plan (more info here: Second Season Syndrome ).

Well, i'm smack bang in the middle of one and am trying hard to get myself out of it. Anyone with previous experience with this have any tips on how to stay focused & overcome form slump/circumstance/other outside contributing factors? I'm beginning to think this season is cursed!

After my best ever result late last year I've had this happen: a crash involving a car, an operation on a broken arm, a crash in my comeback race resulting in a damaged wheel, a training wheel crumple half way up a hill climb with a 6.5km walk back to civilisation, a coach that came and went and finally my repaired race wheel stolen by a courier. All this whilst sitting in the back of the pack of every race since the comeback trying to get the mojo back.

Is it just circumstance or expected?

It took me a year to fully recover my performance after smashing my ribs and puncturing a lung. I'm guessing that performance wise you are in a similar situation to me in 2009 and your probably see the improvements in 2011 I saw in 2010

Strawburger wrote: Have any of you suffered from this? It's a well known football term usually surrounding a newly promoted team doing so well in that first season. By season two in the same division things don't quite go to plan

OT I know, but this applies to the ACT Lawn Bowls scene as well

Were they DQ'd for wearing skirts that are too short

Simon, what do you think your faults are?

Thanks for your insight Mike.

My main fault is that i always expect too much too soon - i think i'm rushing into thinking i should be getting results straight away or at least quickly. It does take time getting back to the pace when riding a higher grade and i'm coming to terms with that finally. I'm still regaining confidence - at least sitting in the back of the bunch has got my cornering skills back. I will need to work on descending skills as i am on the brakes the whole way down!

mikesbytes wrote:Were they DQ'd for wearing skirts that are too short

Men's comp!


Although you never know

Might be off track but...

Focus on what you have learned and applied. Don't focus on the result - i.e., finished 3rd or whatever. Friel says it takes 7yr to become a cyclist and I believe him. Each of those setbacks taught you something on your journey. Remember the lesson and be grateful for how you applied that knowledge to become a better cyclist (and to be honest, I mean a racer.) I could give you examples, but that would be self indulgent. Each setback made you stronger. Just have to realise it.

FT

This is interesting and now scary. After taking up racing on both road and track this year, I have taken out our club C grade road title as of last week and on Friday I should either come first or second in our club B grade track. I was very worried about a relegation to B and A grade respectively and now I am REALLY worried.

Going to A / B will make your racing more exciting, look forward to it