Been slack post race reports so this week and last week
PDCC D grade Criterium
Smeaton Way Rockingham
2 March 2014
If you are a regular reader of my race reports, you will know I like to have a plan for a race. This week's plan was to put in an attack (not a go to the front and ride hard, but hard sprint and get a gap attack) two thirds into the race, up the main straight and time trial to the finish solo. I even rode the Wednesday night time trial to try and gain a psychological advantage over my opponents. I was the fastest D grade rider on the night, but not by a convincing margin or anywhere near my best performance.
I quickly discovered I was suffering from a mild cold. A couple of days of recovery and a Saturday morning group ride and I knew I was not in top shape. I was still racing, I enjoy it and the worse thing that could happen is I would get popped off the back of the bunch, exhausted and in need a couple of extra days recovery.
It was a good size bunch and I settled on the front for the first couple of laps, so I could work out wind direction and my preferred cornering lines. Then everybody wanted to move up and pick up the pace, so I dropped back to the tail of the field. I did not waste my time, I was watching the line a couple of more experience riders took through the corners, and listened in on the advice one was giving his daughter, regarding cornering. I also took the advice from a former multiple world track champion, the advice was aimed at his son, but I heeded it and move up to the middle of the bunch.
Which was the place to be after fifteen minutes, as the "attacks" started. Though they were no real attacks, more going to the front and putting in a hard effort. I even did a couple of turns, to see how I felt, which was good and for a number of tactically reasons, including improving my confidence at cornering at speed, tiring my opponents and not letting them know I had a plan.
My plan was to go at the 22 minute mark on the front straight. However at that time another rider was on the front working hard, so I delayed my attack. The pace eased off, then down the back straight another rider put in an effort, we slowed and then bunched up as we entered the main straight again. I swung outside and produced a sprint effort for 10 seconds, hitting 47kph. Two corners later I looked under my arm, could not see anybody with 50m.
I train to hold my pace at VO2max for six minutes, today I held it for 5 minutes or two laps, before easing back to my TT pace. My lungs and legs were hurting, I was thinking I had gone a lap to early, when I was shown the two laps to go board. I could see a couple of riders behind be in the distance. I keep the pace going and two laps later crossed the finish line 10 seconds clear of the bunch.
It appears when I attacked, nobody could or wanted to chase me. I built up a lead of 10 seconds or 100 metres on the first lap and 20 seconds or 200 metres by the second lap. Then only reason the gap got halved was on the final lap as everybody fought for the minor placings.
There was some suggestions that after winning by such a margin, I should get promoted to C grade. I would disagree with that the power data shows it was a relatively easy race for me compared to the last couple of races at the Motorplex. Both my average and normalised power was down, along with the time spent in zones 6 and 7. Which means I won it by reading the race right, attacking at the right time and riding to my strengths.
What will probably see me fronting up in C grade next week (or the week after) I was riding with a cold, my physical performance was down, compared to the previous weeks and even more compared to last year, prior to taking 6 weeks off the bike due to a broken collarbone. So I am looking forward to the challenge of a new grade, with my new found cornering confidence and better tactics.
Strava
Me in the new club kit crossing the line
PDCC D grade criterium
Motorplex
23 February 2014
Back to the Motorplex and that corner.Turned up early to get a few practise laps in and ended up helping out on the registration desk. Managed two laps behind the juniors and found the corner had been changed from the week before. A couple of barriers had been added to direct traffic through the first gate, moving the apex, totally changing the line through the corner and giving a bigger margin for error on the exit.
With 17 riders in D grade, including a few new riders and others who had never ridden the course. The first lap was supposed to be a sighting lap, so I took to the front to tap out a steady pace. Another rider who likes to sit on the front early in the race, came round me, so I settled into second wheel. We slowed for the tight turn up the hill, just as a couple of experienced riders who had not ridden the course before, charged to the front. Three wide into a single width choke point, do not mix, a lot of cursing and braking saw the bunch through safely.
The next lap and a half, I sat close to the front, but was burning nervous energy trying to keep safe. So I settled back as ticket collector and bide my time. I rarely attack early in a race, not for any tactical reason, more to make sure everybody gets at a good bit of racing in, before I try and put them out the back.
The tactics today were simple, put the "sprinters" into difficulty and go to the end in a small group. Halfway through the race, there was a little lull, so worked my way to the front on the return road, slowed into the single file corner on the line and hit it hard up the climb and over the other side. I kept the pace up for another lap, rolled off the front just after the climb. Then the counter attack came, I was not quick enough to grab the wheel of the four riders in the attack. The three or four riders left look spent, so I gave chase.
Three quarters on a lap later, two riders came past, at exactly the wrong spot for me, on the corner to the climb. I had swung wide, they came in underneath without warning and carried more speed than me through the corner and up the climb. Try as I might I could not catch them, then there was six on the front.
I had a couple of riders on my wheel, one of then took a few short turns. I did bulk of the chasing, though after a couple of laps it became obvious, we were not catching them. I could of conserved my energy and sprinted for 7th place. Instead, I kept pulling long turns, managing to catch one of the riders who was dropped and lapping a couple of riders who finished ahead of me in last couple of weeks.
The two on my wheel me fought out 6th place, not much left in the tank as I rolled over the line 8th.
Overall, I was a little disappointed that I missed the counter attack, and getting on the wheel of the two chasers. Otherwise I was happy with how well I am racing, being able to go to the front, ride hard for a couple of kilometres and drop half the bunch.
, but managed to make it through to the 6th. Big field, maybe 60 or so, I never saw the front or even the front 20!. 
... I am sure there are some in there!.
... The only races that pay here that I could enter have guys on pro licenses in them!.
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