RR: Glenvale - How many ways can I lose..?

[hippy]

Scene: Racer boy has just emptied his local Brumby's
bakery and washed the lot down with some Farmer's
Union Iced Coffee. He now prepares his weekly
Glenvale race report..

A couple of days off the bike in Mildura meant that I
wasn't sure how today's race would go. I felt good so I
figured that rest was actually a benefit rather than a
hinderance. I was also highly motivated, having returned
to Melbourne early just to race.

The first 40 minutes went well with quite a few breaks
trying to get away and failing. I was sitting comfortably in
the bunch (except for one or two chasing efforts - Rickster,
lets just say I 'prefer' not to chase ).

D grade had just sprinted so we didn't have too long to go
until we got the '3' laps sign. In prime position for winning
the bunch sprint, I noticed two riders off the front on the
main straight. In a moment of, uh, boredom, I guess, I
decided to be a hero and bridge the gap to the breakaway
(of course this was timed for maximum exposure to the
crowd! ).

I made it easily with no one else coming across (wish I
could do the same in those sprint training sessions!) and
yelled some encouragement to the other riders to get them
into attack mode. We started working together. I think
Blackburn's Scott Setford came across after me(?) - we
ended up with four guys, anyway.

Swapping turns we are still in front of the bunch with a lap
to go. The gap is getting smaller but we might just make it!
Approaching the last corner, just before the apex, we're
caught! Fark!

I keep the pace up in the hope that some of the bunch
sprinters die off before me but I've used up too much juice
in the break. I'm done.

Debrief:
"Why the hell did you throw away your 'soon to be' winning
strategy for a breakaway attempt??!!!!!"
With the juice I had left at the end, the sprint could've been
very good for me.

Share the Love:
A big two-fingered salute to the Brunetti(?) "team" on the
Colnagos with the Cosmics. Thanks for chasing us down to
set up the sprint for your mate who didn't win anyway!
You wont be getting any favours from me.
Must check those 'teamwork' rules.. anyone wanna work
for me for a share of the money?

http://thehippy.net/nucleus/index.php?itemid=201

hippy

 

[Parbs]

"hippy" wrote in message ...
> Scene: Racer boy has just emptied his local Brumby's
> bakery and washed the lot down with some Farmer's
> Union Iced Coffee. He now prepares his weekly
> Glenvale race report..
>
Nice report. I figure you're losing on purpose to put off heading of to London until the weather gets a bit warmer.

Parbs

 

[flyingdutch]

Share the Love:
A big two-fingered salute to the Brunetti(?) "team" on the
Colnagos with the Cosmics. Thanks for chasing us down to
set up the sprint for your mate who didn't win anyway!
You wont be getting any favours from me.
Must check those 'teamwork' rules.. anyone wanna work
for me for a share of the money?

http://thehippy.net/nucleus/index.php?itemid=201

hippy

Rules? There are Rules?? Next you'll be tellin me Dgraders arent allowed to sit on C!!!

So what are the 'team' rules. and if they exist how come we keep practicing 2-on-1's at Blackburn?

If I had a clue I would have gone earlier with the Hawthorn dude in my race and then gone again once he was blown rather than waiting fo the sprint (which I screwed up anyways )

F "Rules are made to be, well, annoying" Dutch

 

[hippy]

"flyingdutch" <[email protected]
> Rules? There are Rules?? Next you'll be tellin me Dgraders arent
> allowed to sit on C!!!

hehe.. hey Dutch.. did you know that D-graders aren't
allowed to sit on C-grade?

> So what are the 'team' rules. and if they exist how come we keep
> practicing 2-on-1's at Blackburn?

I don't know. I thought there was a rule against collusion? So, you
weren't supposed to race as a team. In a breakaway it's different,
you're not blocking and leading out a team member, you are simply
doing turns together, possibly with complete strangers, to stay away
from the chasing riders.

> F "Rules are made to be, well, annoying" Dutch

"Riders with more money than sense are made to be annoying".

("Hi" to the tricked out Fondriest rider who kept trying to drop
a post-race hippy on Springy Rd and failed.. maybe you need
more Aqua-Sapone gear.. or a helmet?)

bitter hippy

 

[hippy]

"Parbs" <[email protected]
> "hippy" wrote in message ...
>> Scene: Racer boy has just emptied his local Brumby's
>> bakery and washed the lot down with some Farmer's
>> Union Iced Coffee. He now prepares his weekly
>> Glenvale race report..
>>
> Nice report. I figure you're losing on purpose to put off heading of to
> London until the weather gets a bit warmer.

Oh.. if only that were true..

hippy

 

[jazmo]

Sounds like it was touch and go as to whether the break could make it or not. The fact that you chose such a good and worthwhile break shouldn't be overlooked - anything could've happened.

Jazmo who always looks at the bright side.

 

[ritcho]

Scene: Racer boy has just emptied his local Brumby's
bakery and washed the lot down with some Farmer's
Union Iced Coffee. He now prepares his weekly
Glenvale race report...

[snip sad story of lost glory]

http://thehippy.net/nucleus/index.php?itemid=201

hippy

Hard luck, Hippy. Although many people advise against having a go in a breakaway, it sometimes works and almost did in your case.

I'm just wondering though, did you have the opportunity to try your own luck with a lap to go (a' la Brad McGee style?)?

Ritch

 

[NickZX6R]

hippy wrote:
> "flyingdutch" <[email protected]
>
>>Rules? There are Rules?? Next you'll be tellin me Dgraders arent
>>allowed to sit on C!!!
>
>
> hehe.. hey Dutch.. did you know that D-graders aren't
> allowed to sit on C-grade?
>
>
>>So what are the 'team' rules. and if they exist how come we keep
>>practicing 2-on-1's at Blackburn?
>
>
> I don't know. I thought there was a rule against collusion? So, you
> weren't supposed to race as a team. In a breakaway it's different,
> you're not blocking and leading out a team member, you are simply
> doing turns together, possibly with complete strangers, to stay away
> from the chasing riders.
>
>
>>F "Rules are made to be, well, annoying" Dutch
>
>
> "Riders with more money than sense are made to be annoying".
>
> ("Hi" to the tricked out Fondriest rider who kept trying to drop
> a post-race hippy on Springy Rd and failed.. maybe you need
> more Aqua-Sapone gear.. or a helmet?)
>
> bitter hippy
>
>


hehehe....was he wearing the zebra outfit?

--
Nick

 

[hippy]

NickZX6R wrote:
> hippy wrote:
>> ("Hi" to the tricked out Fondriest rider who kept trying to drop
>> a post-race hippy on Springy Rd and failed.. maybe you need
>> more Aqua-Sapone gear.. or a helmet?)
>
> hehehe....was he wearing the zebra outfit?

Yeah, booties and all..

Do you know him?

hippy

 

[warrwych]

Scene: Racer boy has just emptied his local Brumby's
bakery and washed the lot down with some Farmer's
Union Iced Coffee. He now prepares his weekly
Glenvale race report..

A couple of days off the bike in Mildura meant that I
wasn't sure how today's race would go. I felt good so I
figured that rest was actually a benefit rather than a
hinderance. I was also highly motivated, having returned
to Melbourne early just to race.

The first 40 minutes went well with quite a few breaks
trying to get away and failing. I was sitting comfortably in
the bunch (except for one or two chasing efforts - Rickster,
lets just say I 'prefer' not to chase ).

D grade had just sprinted so we didn't have too long to go
until we got the '3' laps sign. In prime position for winning
the bunch sprint, I noticed two riders off the front on the
main straight. In a moment of, uh, boredom, I guess, I
decided to be a hero and bridge the gap to the breakaway
(of course this was timed for maximum exposure to the
crowd! ).

I made it easily with no one else coming across (wish I
could do the same in those sprint training sessions!) and
yelled some encouragement to the other riders to get them
into attack mode. We started working together. I think
Blackburn's Scott Setford came across after me(?) - we
ended up with four guys, anyway.

Swapping turns we are still in front of the bunch with a lap
to go. The gap is getting smaller but we might just make it!
Approaching the last corner, just before the apex, we're
caught! Fark!

I keep the pace up in the hope that some of the bunch
sprinters die off before me but I've used up too much juice
in the break. I'm done.

Debrief:
"Why the hell did you throw away your 'soon to be' winning
strategy for a breakaway attempt??!!!!!"
With the juice I had left at the end, the sprint could've been
very good for me.

Share the Love:
A big two-fingered salute to the Brunetti(?) "team" on the
Colnagos with the Cosmics. Thanks for chasing us down to
set up the sprint for your mate who didn't win anyway!
You wont be getting any favours from me.
Must check those 'teamwork' rules.. anyone wanna work
for me for a share of the money?

http://thehippy.net/nucleus/index.php?itemid=201

hippy

better to have taken a risk and have a go, then to sit back and think of england.. Bad luck Hipmeister.. at least you were in the mix and giving it a good solid shot.. you're getting closer each race....