RACE NEWS report with Nob Ias.
40 mins + 3 laps.
That was really hard work.
Unfortunately, there was no D grade so I had to race C grade. There were about 9 starters.
Attacks were coming almost right from the start. The attacks would get caught and then there'd be a counter attack so the pace was very fast (for me) for the first half of the race.
For those who don't know the circuit, it's oval(ish) in shape with the finishing straight higher than the back straight. There is a 250m climb before the finish which is very energy sapping.
I thought I was going to get dropped every time we went up the hill. There is a sharpish turn before the hill and I wasn't managing it really well for the first few laps (was at the back of the bunch), but then I got the hang of it and managed to turn around it without losing ground on the bunch. With 15 minutes to go a rider attacked and ended up staying away for the whole race.
The rest of us were racing for second and third place. I knew I didn't have much of a chance in the final sprint. I managed to do a few turns out front but at no point in the race was I able to muster enough energy to attack. I was at the front powering up the climb on the final lap and led the group down the back straight. Some guy took off early on the back straight and flew past me before the final corner and up the hill to the finish. Another guy flew past me in hot pursuit. These two guys had looked to be amongst the strongest in the group.
Then the rest of the bunch passed me. I was last. I got onto the back of the bunch and sprinted up the hill to the finish. Managed to sprint past a rider in front of me to finish 2nd last. At least I made it to the sprint.
Overall I was pretty satisfied with my performancem though I've got a long way to go before I can win a race in C grade.
40 mins + 3 laps.
That was really hard work.
Unfortunately, there was no D grade so I had to race C grade. There were about 9 starters.
Attacks were coming almost right from the start. The attacks would get caught and then there'd be a counter attack so the pace was very fast (for me) for the first half of the race.
For those who don't know the circuit, it's oval(ish) in shape with the finishing straight higher than the back straight. There is a 250m climb before the finish which is very energy sapping.
I thought I was going to get dropped every time we went up the hill. There is a sharpish turn before the hill and I wasn't managing it really well for the first few laps (was at the back of the bunch), but then I got the hang of it and managed to turn around it without losing ground on the bunch. With 15 minutes to go a rider attacked and ended up staying away for the whole race.
The rest of us were racing for second and third place. I knew I didn't have much of a chance in the final sprint. I managed to do a few turns out front but at no point in the race was I able to muster enough energy to attack. I was at the front powering up the climb on the final lap and led the group down the back straight. Some guy took off early on the back straight and flew past me before the final corner and up the hill to the finish. Another guy flew past me in hot pursuit. These two guys had looked to be amongst the strongest in the group.
Then the rest of the bunch passed me. I was last. I got onto the back of the bunch and sprinted up the hill to the finish. Managed to sprint past a rider in front of me to finish 2nd last. At least I made it to the sprint.
Overall I was pretty satisfied with my performancem though I've got a long way to go before I can win a race in C grade.