RR: Hawthorn Cycling Club Road Racing Championships 2006
Lancefield, Vic. 07/10/2006
I'll keep it short(ish), as my memory of the event may be a little patchy.. for good reason... Post sanitised post for Usenet, so priv msg or email me for pic link URL
Out of the blocks things were slow. Easy cruising for the first 20kms into Newham A handful of the same people were up/on the front watching AaronC in the distance (Pic #1). The sun was out and thankfully the wind was nowhere near as bad as last year. A few movements were made on the hills, more of a leg stretch by some riders.
Still all together at around the 45-50km mark the average pace wasn't any higher than 33km/h. (Pic #2) LaurieL was hot on JonoL's wheel with only 1/2 a lap to go in his class. I suggested JonoL give him a lead out on the way through, but LaurieL knew what was waiting around the next corner. Cam MaKenzie was looking good making a few moves off the front. (Pic #3) I jokingly pointed out to RussC "there goes your champ title up the road". Back came some friendly fire about spinning my skinny legs.
Around the next corner they started to spin! JonoL instigated the right moves at the right time, well, he just took off up the hill out of Newham and some of us went with him. This was the move that did the most damage for the day. JonoL, JayP, PeterB and myself worked hard through the 'mid' section between the two "hills" bridging back to CamM, MitchV, AaronC and StuD. (Pic #4) There were now 8 of us in the front group with most rolling hard turns before the next few rises in the road. (Pic #5 Pic #6)
A mixed group of categories meant different races all in the one group. I only had to keep an eye on the elite class, which made things easier. Into Cobaw (20kms to go) we knew any chasers went getting back on. Always pulling through up the front was JayP, never missing a turn and happy to keep things moving when the others backed off. I know 'tactics to win' can influence doing an honest amount of work on the front in a race, so I have a great deal of respect for JayP's racing style.
Into the first climb out of Newham, JonoL again shoots off up the climb. I respond with JayP in tow. PeterB joined back in the fun, so it was the same four pushing hard turns through the 'mid' section again.
We'd dumped CamM and another rider who I have no memory of who it was. Strong turns all around with about 10kms to go. JonoL and I were working turns like madmen, JayP and PeterB were feeling the pinch, but still contributing to the effort. The pace was hot, and it was JayP and I for the top spots in our class. Given how much work JayP did to keep things alive in the bunch, any order of 1-2 would suit me just fine. (Pic #7 Pic #8)
On a slight rise, I was sitting third wheel behind PeterB. When I skimmed his back wheel. I let out a few default words as I got things under control, just in time to dive the front wheel into that grey stone gravel **** just off to the left. I remember taking a shoulder/head dive into the loose gravel **** and thinking all my efforts were wasted. HR stats tell me this took place at 33km/h and while I was on 175bpm. No time to waste, collar bone check - good, front wheel check, true. Bike check - who cares RIDE MOTHERF**ER, RIDE! Back on the saddle I could still get the power down, so nothing was broken. 7Kms to go I caught back on to CamM and rider X. JayP was 20-30secs up the road. The bike was good, but I had no time to look at the battle scars. I ask CamM and X how much I was bleeding. "Not much" was the reply.. and I was off. I bridged back to Jay on the last climb dropping CamM (and maybe rider X?) in the process. Rolling up to JayP, I remember letting out something along the lines of, "I bounce, LETS GO!!!"
AaronC is now on the scene, (he may have been rider X and kept with me on my push to get back in touch with Jay? Not much I can recall of that 5mins)... 70km/h+ on a potentially busted bike, no problems! Jay, Aaron and I keep the pace on into the final straight ( Pic #9) I ended up on the front at the final turn with Aaron on my wheel. JonoL and PeterB were untouchable at this point (Pic #10). At that time of day the shadow location was perfect, I sat in the middle of the road with the power down watching for any late attack from Jay. I backed off the gas so I'd have something for the sprint. My only concern was that Aaron would drag Jay back onto my wheel. 100m to go this wasn't the case. No thoughts of overall placing, Aaron comes around me as I'm keeping an eye on my gap to Jay. I roll over the line not knowing weather to laugh or cry. (Pic #11) My head is hurting, my hip has stones in it, and my arm and shoulder are covered in blood.
I pull up waiting for Jay to congratulate him on 2nd (Pic #12 ) - and as I said - any combo of 1/2 suited me just fine.
End results were:
- A few stone stuffs on the bike.
- A few nice bleedy arm/elbow gouges.
- A raw hipper to match my other side. (I'll withhold these pics)
- One _really_ sore shoulder now with bonus restricted movement.
- My new Specialized Decibel helmet cracked all the way through in 4 places. (Pic #13)
- A sore head....and....
- The club champion title for elite male 2006.
One race down for the weekend, one to go.
GPLama
Lancefield, Vic. 07/10/2006
I'll keep it short(ish), as my memory of the event may be a little patchy.. for good reason... Post sanitised post for Usenet, so priv msg or email me for pic link URL
Out of the blocks things were slow. Easy cruising for the first 20kms into Newham A handful of the same people were up/on the front watching AaronC in the distance (Pic #1). The sun was out and thankfully the wind was nowhere near as bad as last year. A few movements were made on the hills, more of a leg stretch by some riders.
Still all together at around the 45-50km mark the average pace wasn't any higher than 33km/h. (Pic #2) LaurieL was hot on JonoL's wheel with only 1/2 a lap to go in his class. I suggested JonoL give him a lead out on the way through, but LaurieL knew what was waiting around the next corner. Cam MaKenzie was looking good making a few moves off the front. (Pic #3) I jokingly pointed out to RussC "there goes your champ title up the road". Back came some friendly fire about spinning my skinny legs.
Around the next corner they started to spin! JonoL instigated the right moves at the right time, well, he just took off up the hill out of Newham and some of us went with him. This was the move that did the most damage for the day. JonoL, JayP, PeterB and myself worked hard through the 'mid' section between the two "hills" bridging back to CamM, MitchV, AaronC and StuD. (Pic #4) There were now 8 of us in the front group with most rolling hard turns before the next few rises in the road. (Pic #5 Pic #6)A mixed group of categories meant different races all in the one group. I only had to keep an eye on the elite class, which made things easier. Into Cobaw (20kms to go) we knew any chasers went getting back on. Always pulling through up the front was JayP, never missing a turn and happy to keep things moving when the others backed off. I know 'tactics to win' can influence doing an honest amount of work on the front in a race, so I have a great deal of respect for JayP's racing style.
Into the first climb out of Newham, JonoL again shoots off up the climb. I respond with JayP in tow. PeterB joined back in the fun, so it was the same four pushing hard turns through the 'mid' section again.
We'd dumped CamM and another rider who I have no memory of who it was. Strong turns all around with about 10kms to go. JonoL and I were working turns like madmen, JayP and PeterB were feeling the pinch, but still contributing to the effort. The pace was hot, and it was JayP and I for the top spots in our class. Given how much work JayP did to keep things alive in the bunch, any order of 1-2 would suit me just fine. (Pic #7 Pic #8)
On a slight rise, I was sitting third wheel behind PeterB. When I skimmed his back wheel. I let out a few default words as I got things under control, just in time to dive the front wheel into that grey stone gravel **** just off to the left. I remember taking a shoulder/head dive into the loose gravel **** and thinking all my efforts were wasted. HR stats tell me this took place at 33km/h and while I was on 175bpm. No time to waste, collar bone check - good, front wheel check, true. Bike check - who cares RIDE MOTHERF**ER, RIDE! Back on the saddle I could still get the power down, so nothing was broken. 7Kms to go I caught back on to CamM and rider X. JayP was 20-30secs up the road. The bike was good, but I had no time to look at the battle scars. I ask CamM and X how much I was bleeding. "Not much" was the reply.. and I was off. I bridged back to Jay on the last climb dropping CamM (and maybe rider X?) in the process. Rolling up to JayP, I remember letting out something along the lines of, "I bounce, LETS GO!!!"
AaronC is now on the scene, (he may have been rider X and kept with me on my push to get back in touch with Jay? Not much I can recall of that 5mins)... 70km/h+ on a potentially busted bike, no problems! Jay, Aaron and I keep the pace on into the final straight ( Pic #9) I ended up on the front at the final turn with Aaron on my wheel. JonoL and PeterB were untouchable at this point (Pic #10). At that time of day the shadow location was perfect, I sat in the middle of the road with the power down watching for any late attack from Jay. I backed off the gas so I'd have something for the sprint. My only concern was that Aaron would drag Jay back onto my wheel. 100m to go this wasn't the case. No thoughts of overall placing, Aaron comes around me as I'm keeping an eye on my gap to Jay. I roll over the line not knowing weather to laugh or cry. (Pic #11) My head is hurting, my hip has stones in it, and my arm and shoulder are covered in blood.
I pull up waiting for Jay to congratulate him on 2nd (Pic #12 ) - and as I said - any combo of 1/2 suited me just fine.
End results were:
- A few stone stuffs on the bike.
- A few nice bleedy arm/elbow gouges.
- A raw hipper to match my other side. (I'll withhold these pics)
- One _really_ sore shoulder now with bonus restricted movement.
- My new Specialized Decibel helmet cracked all the way through in 4 places. (Pic #13)
- A sore head....and....
- The club champion title for elite male 2006.
One race down for the weekend, one to go.
GPLama
