Crit racing at Stromlo

[nescius]

it was just an accident.

Unless it's some completely random factor outside the control of the participants (ie. a Kangaroo, a sudden strong wind gust on an otherwise calm day) : Accident's don't happen, they are made.

True, but given that nobody seems to have actually seen the crash happen, and I haven't spoken to either of the guys involved, I was giving them the benefit of the doubt

[twizzle]

it was just an accident.

Unless it's some completely random factor outside the control of the participants (ie. a Kangaroo, a sudden strong wind gust on an otherwise calm day) : Accident's don't happen, they are made.

True, but given that nobody seems to have actually seen the crash happen, and I haven't spoken to either of the guys involved, I was giving them the benefit of the doubt

Pedal strike. Andrew is, reportedly, quite a mess, as he was rider behind and launched over the the crashed bike.

[Ross]

Broken collarbone as well as punctured lung I heard this morning. This is why I don't do crits.

[twizzle]

Broken collarbone as well as punctured lung I heard this morning. This is why I don't do crits.

Ya big girl - come and do crits with the Vets instead, only one broken collarbone in crits in the last year, and that was caused by a tyre coming off a rim.

[HAKS]

Was out of town this week but will be there next week.

I disagree with the "there is usually a crash in every grade every week" comment. I rode 3 races last year and watched another few and not once did I see a crash.

[HAKS]

Would Vikings members be able to participate in CCC crits/events and vice versa?

I'm trying to decide which club to join....

... and are non-CA & CCC members allowed to have a crack at these warm up crits before they dump a ton of cash in the direction of CA and the club? I've not done one, so want to see if I like it first.

You can join either club and race at either clubs events, main thing is you have a license and pay the entry fee on the night. CCC is $8 I think and there is prize money down to 5th for each grade (last year I scored $50 for a win ). You can get a 3race license for about $50 which lets you try the events out before making the plunge. If you do decide to get a full license the $50 for the 3race one comes off the price of the full membership.

[Haydo]

Keen to try one of these, been around the circuit a few times. Might try out the lowest grade in a few months, see how I go.

[HAKS]

6th for me in the easy race tonight......easy my ass . Spent a bit too long in the middle playing yo-yo. Got into good position for the sprint but when I got out of the saddle my legs said no . Sat back down and spun to the finish and still made up a few places . Didn't help I left work late and did a 17km ITT from Fyshwick to SFP

[nescius]

Well done! It looked like a reasonable number of people were rolling around in the easy race.

I did the medium race, I felt better than last week, average speed was 41.8kmh. Unfortunately there was another crash, pedal strike followed by blown front tyre on collarbone corner, didn't look like any really serious injuries. There was some pretty sketchy riding on display, and I saw quite a few people take unintended detours into the grass, not good at all.

[HAKS]

Well done! It looked like a reasonable number of people were rolling around in the easy race.

I did the medium race, I felt better than last week, average speed was 41.8kmh. Unfortunately there was another crash, pedal strike followed by blown front tyre on collarbone corner, didn't look like any really serious injuries. There was some pretty sketchy riding on display, and I saw quite a few people take unintended detours into the grass, not good at all.

I left about 10min into the medium race, sucks about another crash. Hopefully next week with all the classes running the numbers in each one will be a little lower. True to the sketchy riding. Few ppl in easy don't know what hold you line means. They would take the inside line through the first corner after the finish straight then cut straight through the pack to get the inside line around the next one .

[HAKS]

Small crash in Women's B tonight, on the main straight half way through the race. Apparently someone changed their line up the straight and took out a few riders.

Not quite as hectic as last week in the easy class (Men E). Managed 5th . Had a good position going into the final corners but got swamped through the last 2 turns and by then it was too late.

[nescius]

C Grade was a little more sensible last night, and nobody crashed which was nice. It seemed like a reasonably big field and my tactics let me down again, I should have started moving up sooner than the second last lap, I got stuck further back than I wanted to be and couldn't get close enough to the front for the last corners. I ended up just scraping into the points but was a bit disappointed because I felt strong enough to have challenged some of the guys ahead of me. Oh well, you live and learn, I'll just start my move earlier next week Avg speed was 41.1, so a little slower than last week.

[twizzle]

Hmmmm... crash in vets A grade tonight, looked like a broken collar bone or arm. Very windy conditions, and the crash occurred about the point the wind would catch you as you started the right hand turn before the main straight (clockwise).
I was racing B, but a few A-graders were riding down, probably not a good night to try out the 50mm carbon on the front, but it wasn't as bad as I thought. Low average speed though, only 38kph, but I soloed the first ten minutes and managed to drop half the bunch. Took fourth in the end, but I was pretty stuffed - and most of the guys still in it at the end had done Fitz's, unlike me. 356w average for approx 30 minutes.

[HAKS]

Heard about the crash this morning on the bunch ride. Not good

Managed 2nd tonight in E grade. Hopefully will move up to D next week.

[bpmhigh]

Heard about the crash this morning on the bunch ride. Not good

Managed 2nd tonight in E grade. Hopefully will move up to D next week.

Well done on 2nd HAKS.

Was it a Bilbys bunch crash..? I ask because last night I cleaned the bike, changed the cassette and was all set to join them this morning for the first time since being taken out in the last Bilbys bunch crash six months ago! (It had momentarily slipped my mind that my little guy was turning three today so stayed at home - thankfully perhaps...)

[HAKS]

Heard about the crash this morning on the bunch ride. Not good

Managed 2nd tonight in E grade. Hopefully will move up to D next week.

Well done on 2nd HAKS.

Was it a Bilbys bunch crash..? I ask because last night I cleaned the bike, changed the cassette and was all set to join them this morning for the first time since being taken out in the last Bilbys bunch crash six months ago! (It had momentarily slipped my mind that my little guy was turning three today so stayed at home - thankfully perhaps...)

Thanks

Sorry, I meant one of the guys on the novice Wed bunch ride I did today said there was a collarbone incident at last nights Vets crits. Can understand though how my original comment sounded like there was a crash on the bunch ride

[bpmhigh]

Sorry, I meant one of the guys on the novice Wed bunch ride I did today said there was a collarbone incident at last nights Vets crits. Can understand though how my original comment sounded like there was a crash on the bunch ride

Uh-huh!

I'm keen to come and watch the crits - to save me clicking around, what time and which days?

[HAKS]

Sorry, I meant one of the guys on the novice Wed bunch ride I did today said there was a collarbone incident at last nights Vets crits. Can understand though how my original comment sounded like there was a crash on the bunch ride

Uh-huh!

I'm keen to come and watch the crits - to save me clicking around, what time and which days?

Tues = Vets, not sure about timing
Wed = CCC, racing from 5pm to 7.30. Rotatting roaster interms of which grade at which time
Thur = VCC, racing from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, 3 grades, MF/WC (AT) 5.30pm, ME/MD/MC/WB/WA (AT) 6.00pm ish and MB/MA (AT) around 6.45pm

[nescius]

I raced C grade last night, made my move with a lap and a half to go, I thought I had dragged my team up behind me but it turns out someone else had dived onto my wheel and then couldn't hang on so we got separated. Then I was on the front, and it turns out that I can go flat out for a lap, not a lap and a half... ended up last I think The lap I did on the front was my fastest ever lap though, a 1:37 for an average speed of 45.4kmh.

[twizzle]

I raced C grade last night, made my move with a lap and a half to go, I thought I had dragged my team up behind me but it turns out someone else had dived onto my wheel and then couldn't hang on so we got separated. Then I was on the front, and it turns out that I can go flat out for a lap, not a lap and a half... ended up last I think The lap I did on the front was my fastest ever lap though, a 1:37 for an average speed of 45.4kmh.

Nice, I think my fastest ever is a 1:37 as well.

[HAKS]

Raced combined MC/MD/ME/WA/WB last night with VCC. Was was 39min + 2laps. Hung on for about 30min but then the wind did a u-turn and a massive easterly blew in. Split most of the bunch and I was dropped so rode on my own for the last 15min. Wind was absolutely brutal with the only relief coming on the small E-W section at the southern end of the track. The remainder was either cross or head wind. Still managed to average 37.5km/h which I was impressed with considering I did 15min of that by myself.

Fastest lap for me last night was a 1.43 about half way through.

Legs then packed it in at the finish. Massive cramps and must have pulled something as my legs locked up in the car on the way home. Took me 10min just to into the house . I think 65km Wed morning, racing on Wed night, then sprint training Thur morn followed by another Crit was a bit much!

[HAKS]

5th for me in E tonight. Got stuck on the front for the first half which zapped some energy. Positioned myself well to what I thought would be the last lap only for the director to decide we could do 2 more laps instead of one . By the time the last lap came about 6riders gapped me so spent all my energy getting back on. Hit the top corner and they all went and I waved goodbye. Oh well still a good result .

[Haydo]

Managed to get 7th in the E grade last night. Not too bad I guess considering my first ever race and only been riding since June/July. Very tired by the end of it though, could probably do better with some better tactics I think. Was good fun though, looking forward to next week!

[HAKS]

^^ Well done .

Did you also think they chucked an extra lap on at the end? I spoke to another guy in the change rooms and he said he saw the 2laps to go board on 2 consecutive laps as did I.

If you want a more endurance challenge, head out to the VCC crits tonight. ME is 43min + 2laps

[Haydo]

Yea I think they did because I was coming around expecting to hear the bell, didn't hear it so kept going but yea pretty sure we did an extra lap, that extra lap hurt heaps too haha.

Is the pace just as fast for the VCC because I think I would get dropped at that pace for 43 minutes, do you need to be a member of vikings to join in?