RR: HCC Kew Crits 22/11/2006

[gplama]

Just a quicky report... A Grade - HCC Kew Crits 22/11/2006

15-18 riders(?), one rider blasting out of the gates and nobody wanting to chase... easy chance to move up to the front and get some more warm up in.. got him back no worries.. there was a few surges and attacks in the next few laps before a group of three finally went. Not sure who the other two were but JonoL was up the road!

I was still up/on/around the front and saw another good friend of JonoL and mine throw in a few attacks that would have no doubt seen that break caught. I had a quick work to him, which may or may not have been for the benefit of the break JonoL was in, I cant disclose this. Anyways - the bunch virtually let the two of us contain and control the race. The attacks closed right down and the break moved out to around 26 seconds. (one lap is around 1:28ish in A grade) We ran the full 45mins+ with the break back within 6 seconds at 2 laps to go. We got word that the break were bickering amongst themselves and we could see they were no longer working together.

One lap to go it looked like JonoL put the hammer down and the other two just sat on. The gap was down to a few lengths on the back straight and we rolled through on them. Final hairpin and smash up the hill... I had a few lengths on the field 48km/h and hitting max HR on he line some little bugger get me on the line by the man's part of a bee. Damn! But awesome! 2nd! Bleve, FlyingDutch and Ess where there to see it, so its all true!!

Avge was still up at 40.1km/h for around 53mins, so it wasn't all a walk in the park..


lama

 

[Jono L]

Grrr dam wheelsucking sh!ts grrrr





EDIT: Getting 2nd is no slack effort, well done Just don't go too quick up Hotham...

 

[Roadie_scum]

Grrr dam wheelsucking sh!ts grrrr





EDIT: Getting 2nd is no slack effort, well done Just don't go too quick up Hotham...

If they don't want to come through they don't have to. You're strong enough - learn to ride smart and beat them, don't complain. There are riders around who want to help you out if you are willing to listen.

Well done shane...

 

[Jono L]

So what would you do?

If they don't want to come through they don't have to of course. But if I want to be really ****** off because our lead went from 20secs to 5secs in 2 laps because this *sprinter* sat on then god dam I'm gonna be ****** off

 

[ritcho]

Just a quicky report... A Grade - HCC Kew Crits 22/11/2006
[snip heroics]

. Damn! But awesome! 2nd! Bleve, FlyingDutch and Ess where there to see it, so its all true!!

Avge was still up at 40.1km/h for around 53mins, so it wasn't all a walk in the park..


lama

>40km for 53 minutes is what? 35 or so times around, up and down and up and down and...

Well done - I'd love to come down and have a go. Perhaps after the Shep half IM.

Ritch

 

[Bleve]

Jono L wrote:
> So what would you do?
>
> If they don't want to come through they don't have to of course. But
> if I want to be really ****** off because our lead went from 20secs to
> 5secs in 2 laps because this *sprinter* sat on then god dam I'm gonna
> be ****** off

Never trust a sprinter

(and deep down, all racing cyclists are sprinters ....)

 

[Roadie_scum]

So what would you do?

If they don't want to come through they don't have to of course. But if I want to be really ****** off because our lead went from 20secs to 5secs in 2 laps because this *sprinter* sat on then god dam I'm gonna be ****** off

Yeah, I understand. I've been in the situation before. You need to be less committed to the break. At the end of the day, you will sprint well if you're fresher than everyone else, even if they'd cane you if the sprint was on the first lap. Being slightly less committed to most breaks you're in (unless they are working well) also means you can go in more breaks and be fresher when the one that works comes along. It also helps to follow rather than start attacks. Attack - follow, bunch splits a little, then come off the wheel and attack again as the first guy who attacked starts to fade.

My advice: if someone is sitting on, tell them you'll stop working too if they don't roll through, then do it (unless they are sitting on for a teammate in which case they really don't have to come through and won't). If this means giving up on some breaks, so be it. It means you'll only work in the breaks that are likely to stick. The other thing is: if the reason they aren't coming through is because they are f'ed, then sit it up for a second then attack. Even though you don't think of yourself as a sprinter, your higher threshold means you can attack more often and recover faster. A few well timed efforts will spit them, the bunch will likely sit up a bit when they catch your fellow breakaways and you might stick out a classy win solo.

Also, if you're rolling turns with someone who won't come through or won't come through hard, try to hit the front as they roll off be on their wheel), then when they slow up/come off the front, stay in the saddle and don't murder yourself, but roll through HARD. They will have decellerated to let you come through and will have to push hard to get up to speed. Let them know this will keep happening if they don't pull as hard as you want them to.

Note: there is no prize for working hard. Look at Lapthorne or Crowe. They are very well respected and they almost never pull except in a break that is gonna stick. You get that kind of cred by winning not by pulling all the time.

Finally, I'm not advocating being a softie. When you see a break you're in is working well together, all out mate. Sell your soul to make it stick, but only if you are sure everyone else is doing the same. Think about which riders will do this with you. Shane? Tick. But not just friends... Lapthorne, Braunsteins 1 & 2, Lachie Norris, Tighello, etc. You know the guys who will work hard in the right move. Follow them a little bit then surprise them with your freshness in the sprint.

Good luck!