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Thanks guys, only way I can win is by breaking away, my sprint still isn't very good.

If some of the FPR's are out next week wouldn't mind trying to break away with 3 laps to go .

B grade at Beauie today:

Race started off fast, in fact a couple pulled out in the first 3-4 laps, there were a few attacks which were quickly shutdown. Eased up a bit during the middle of the race as I think people realised the attacks weren't going to get anywhere. If the stronger riders got organised and went off at the same time they'd be able to stay away, but there were always stronger riders left who didn't want to see the attacks get anywhere. I spent a bit of time at the front in the first part of the race then wasn't feeling great so dropped back a bit, at the same time the pace dropped so I was able to recover. Coming up to the last few laps I made my way towards the front again, determined to get in a good spot for the sprint. In the last lap I was a bit further back than I would have liked, however people were dropping like flies so I ended up 2nd wheel with a few hundred metres to go. I was desperately hoping the guy in front of me wasn't going to peel off, and he didn't, I could see he was pushing it which was good. I at last took TLL's advice and didn't go until I could see the finish line. I went around him but then the 2 guys behind me were also able to get around, so I got 3rd. Happy with that, the guy who got 2nd deserved it, he was on the front a fair bit and had put in a few attacks. My first podium finish in B!

heliage wrote:Thanks guys, only way I can win is by breaking away, my sprint still isn't very good.

If some of the FPR's are out next week wouldn't mind trying to break away with 3 laps to go .

I would love to give it a go with you Nicholas....hopefully the 9th March as I am working this Tuesday. Maybe the last 2 laps 3 might be too much for a fat arse like me

I got 3rd from 8 in D grade so I was pretty happy today.

Makes up for the dam course with a hill in it (shelled out the back )

philip wrote:My first podium finish in B!

Nice work Philip

philip wrote:My first podium finish in B!

Brilliant Phillip, really happy for you!

Nice one Philip...it is a difficult sprint at Beauies World.Really hard to get right (if you are in the right grade)...also people often go wrong side of the white line!.
So well done.

toolonglegs wrote:Nice one Philip...it is a difficult sprint at Beauies World.Really hard to get right (if you are in the right grade)...also people often go wrong side of the white line!.
So well done.

+1. Congrats on the podium Philip

Now you that you have tasted success, you will try a little harder in the future.

Thanks guys

ft_critical wrote:Brilliant Phillip, really happy for you!

cheers - were you there? I think I must've been in a few races with you but still not sure who you are

philip wrote:cheers - were you there? I think I must've been in a few races with you but still not sure who you are

No I rode with Waratahs at WSID. They doubled the prize money so I was feeling greedy.... And as a reward I flatted and there is no lap out. But the commissaires let me sit on the back of the bunch so I got a sort of 75k training ride in.

At one stage I got it into my head that if I unlapped myself they would let me back in the race. But, that was way overestimating my own abilities.

Next week is WSID again, but this time I will bump myself up to A grade as I don't feel I am learning much in B anymore.

But I will be back at Beaumont the week following so I will say hi then.

I was thinking of bumping myself to Waratah Vet A grade. I recon I'd get dropped in about every second race, but its the only series where I'm fast enough to experience A grade racing, which due to the attacks is quite different to the other grades.

Armidale CC 15km time trial.

This was run over the same course as one last year (an undulating out-and-back), so it was interesting to compare between the two days (similar weather conditions).

Last year: 28.21 31.9km/h average
This year: 26:16 34.4km/h average

The winner was down in the 23.20 range.

I haven't seen the rest of the results, but I'm ecstatic.

drubie wrote: Last year: 28.21 31.9km/h average
This year: 26:16 34.4km/h average

That's a big improvement, very big, congrats!

ft_critical wrote: That's a big improvement, very big, congrats!

It's huge for me, although it's fascinating to do a quick scan down the list and see how the other club members are doing. Most of the C grade riders I raced against last year did around about the same time they did last year, the B graders have (oddly) split either way - some slower, some faster.

But hey, what do I care what the other riders are doing

Heffron, B Grade, Crit, 50 odd minutes, Cool and a little windy SE, cross-head wind down the straight.

Race plan was work at the front until just after mid race then drop to the back, recover, and wait for A grade. Just before A grade come though blast to the front to get ahead of the rest of B. It was a pretty small group and there was much work to be done. I actually really enjoyed it. There are a couple of corners I am going through on the limit of traction and really leaning the bike over. I can feel the tyres really biting into the bitumen. Such fun and you really get a few milliseconds on the group if you corner hard. Kept the HR well under control this week. Otherwise it was pretty uneventful till 4.5 laps to go.

As planed I shot to the front of B ahead of A grade. That being the end of my race plan, this is where reality and my brain disengaged. 6th wheel goes past in A and someone says okay. I slot into a nice little gap. Except I am in the break off the front. And I am getting sucked to the front and made to work. I really don't like this as it is killing me, so I cross to the paceline comming back from their turn on the left and how do you think those polite understanding A graders feel about me shirking my pull. Oh yeah. Man such little guys can swear like troopers. And I felt bad. So I hung about trying to work but I knew it was going to blow me up. So after two laps of this, I dropped to the back (bunch integrated as we went through C grade.) I hung on the back but was blown, so I was off with two laps to go.

I felt great before and during the race. I really enjoyed it and even though I blew up, I felt fine after the race. So all and all, in spite of being dropped, I had a great time. I also learned that trying to drive with A grade is stupid. The pace was manic. Racing elicits the full range of emotions week to week.

Hehe...I had a very similar experience at Hefron.Managed to grab a gap in the A grade TGV as it went past...I went purple trying to hold the wheel in front (I couldn't)..felt really bad for the guy behind,although i did dig deep enough to nearly pull him up to the wheel in front before I blew .

toolonglegs wrote:Managed to grab a gap in the A grade TGV as it went past...

wouldn't you be disqualified for jumping on the back of a faster grade?

JV911 wrote:wouldn't you be disqualified for jumping on the back of a faster grade?

It is handicap, C has half a lap on B has half a lap on A. Who ever is first accross the line is FIRST! But a bit like water finding it's own level, at the end, if there is a Bunch, it is generally A, B then C graders in order. If the catch early, then it is probably only A and 2 or 3 B graders at the end.

ft_critical wrote:It is handicap

ahh that explains it

Made a mess of the afternoons 30k handicap - went off with another rider at 3 minutes, we worked pretty well together but didn't put much of a dent into the 3 riders off first.

At the turnaround I counted about 90 seconds difference about 2 minutes to the riders behind, so we dug the spurs in but I couldn't keep up with my partner and he dropped me with 7ks to go. The headwind was starting to bite on the way back in too. At around the same time I was dropped, I paused just long enough for the riders behind to blitz past on an uphill and I lifted my pace but couldn't latch on, my former partner was caught at the top of the hill and took full advantage.

i did finally overhaul the three riders who started first, only to lose the sprint by a huge margin.

Overall, tactically it was stupid to pause on the climb when I should have hammered but I felt like I had nothing left. After last weeks TT, I'm bummed.

Anyone do the Token 12hr yesterday?

I know Snedden was there.

Burt 'Pigeon Racer' Jones wrote:Anyone do the Token 12hr yesterday?

I know Snedden was there.

Where you there Burt? Bloody good race, well run too.

WSID A Grade

Bit of an underperformer of late I am afraid, however, we have to post the bad and the good.

So as I waited for the start I cycled though the functions on my Cateye Computer to zero the distance. I looked at the Odometer, 16,666. God's truth that was the reading. It made me feel really uneasy.
So, first run in A grade. The pace is about 2kmh faster than B, which is not a big jump. There are two A grades anyway, the ES and PM A grade and the one I was riding in. Race plan was to practice doing nothing.

Race plan, FAIL. I did a lot of work on the front. I actually did a full lap and a half in the lead just before the PRIME. PM went with one other just after this. Then ES went, I tried to hold his wheel but I had missed the move and I could, unsurprisingly, not hold his speed. So he bridged maybe 400m, I made it to within 100m of them; maybe it was more. I was at 95% of my maximum. I don't know if this was the correct decision, but the logic was; I might, might , have been able to bridge that last 100m if I went to 100%. But when I got there I would be killed if they decided they didn't want a non Penrith joiner and dropped the hammer. So, the Bunch were 250m back. I sat up. Right-wrong, don't know I am still too inexperienced a racer I guess.

After 1hr and 30min exactly, feeling good, still working on the front often – ANOTHER PUNCTURE. I found some green glass so it was not the previous problem from the rim side. I was disappointed but I was glad I could run in A grade (well the second bunch of them) without any trouble.

On the shake my head side, there were about 6 cycling coaches out there "move up rider x," "close the gap," "come through," etc. Lot's of talk and very few people who would roll turns or who seemed to know how to roll. Really disorganised. Bit disappointed in that really. Everyone saving themselves for the sprint for 4th place - seriously, what is the point? If you are ever going to be with ES and co, you have to improve, not practice your sitting in.

Stats: Avg 39.45kmh for the 1:30 I rode, Max HR 186, Avg 167, max speed was 57.3.

Lesson Learned. Check your tyres before you race - stupid!

Bummer about the puncture but sounds like you handled A grade fine, nice one