RR: Kew Boulevarde C Crit Wed, 16th March 2005

[jazmo]

Below is an account that I've just written in my ride spreadsheet.

Raced with Hawthorn cycling club at Tear Drop circuit at Yarra Blvd.

C grade

Was rather nervous at the start - not so much about being able to stay with the bunch but staying upright was foremost on my mind. Haven't raced this circuit for over a year now.

Race starts and am feeling tentative around the sweeping descent but that feeling soon disappears after a couple of laps. After a few more laps I decide I'm feeling good and go up the inside on the climb and up to the front of the bunch just to string things out a bit. My legs soon start to begin to lactate so I take off the pressure and get back into the bunch near the front.

Official soon indicates that there's to be an intermediate sprint next lap. I'm well positioned near the front. End up getting third and the sprint has caused massive gaps to appear in the bunch. This leads to the first four of us to get into a handy breakaway. We're about 100m infront of the chasing bunch. Heart was pounding and lungs were burning. It's very difficult for a breakaway to work effectively together as a result of the climb on the circuit and we're reeled in after about 2 or 3 laps.

Bunch generally stayed together for the remainder of the race. There was one point where two riders stayed in front for about two laps with only about 30 metres. The bunch didn't let them get further away than that.

Didn't see the "3 laps to go" sign being held up so I was surprised to see the "2 laps to go sign" being held at the top of the hill while leading the bunch. Damn, I'd gotten to the front too close to the finish. Over the top of the climb I found I have about a 20 metres lead over the bunch. I got excited and just decided to take off on a solo effort down the sweeping bend - stupid thing to do. I knew I wouldn't be strong enough to hold off the bunch. Down the back straight I could see I wasn't gaining any distance on the bunch so I eased up. I looked back and noticed that the bunch had also eased up upon seeing me ease up. I still had about 15 metres on them and having rested for a few moments I got out of the saddle again. I heard the guy on the front of the pack yelling "Anybody! Anybody!" basically trying to get someone else to chase me. I had no hope. I got caught on the way back up the hill. Managed to slot into about 10th place in the bunch for the final lap. Recovered reasonably well that lap.

Coming to the sprint the bunch really slowed down at the final hairpin turn. So it was out of the saddle for the sprint up the hill. Back wheel was bouncing around everywhere but it was impossible to get anywhere from 10th place. I still put in a big effort and passed some riders on the way up. Managed to get 7th or 8th.

I reckon I could take that sprint if I better position myself (say 3rd or 4th wheel) on the final hairpin turn. I think I'd even get a placing if I was at the front on the final turn. Something for next time.

 

[flyingdutch]

Below is an account that I've just written in my ride spreadsheet.

Raced with Hawthorn cycling club at Tear Drop circuit at Yarra Blvd.

C grade...

good stuff Jazmo. we saw you go over the top with 2 to go and thawt, 'wrong position', then realised you had seen where you were and decidied to go. Also thawt as you dissaperared down hill that you'd be caught by rthe bottom of it!

D grade was kinda the same.
7-8 of us (including ess93 who went past me way-too-easily) put the foot down over the top on the last lap and the rest just dropped off. I got dropped with about 100-200m before the hairpin and crossed the line 7th, still about that same 100m of the winner

The 'only' thing i cant get at the moment is being in the first halfdozen at the hairpin (oh that and general fitness, bigger lungs, etc after OS trip and current chestcold I now understand why Lance stays away form his kids. its to stop picking up every soddin disease on earth!!!)

funniest moment: at about 15minute mark we were all just cruising at a ridiculously slow speed along the lower straight and i was sick of dodging people who couldnt do the hairpin well so i went up the inside, got to the corne rabout 0-15m ahead and just flew around and then stomped for a few and looked around and the bunch was already about 50m behind. Sat up and twiddled while they all huff-puffed back to me by the top.
Next 3-4laps tempo was up, but alas my lungs didnt want to playball at the end

Next time, Jazmo. next time...

 

[DaveB]

flyingdutch wrote:
>
> funniest moment: at about 15minute mark we were all just cruising at a
> ridiculously slow speed along the lower straight and i was sick of
> dodging people who couldnt do the hairpin well so i went up the inside,
> got to the corne rabout 0-15m ahead and just flew around and then
> stomped for a few and looked around and the bunch was already about 50m
> behind. Sat up and twiddled while they all huff-puffed back to me by the
> top.

GPL and I were watching that saying "what the hell is he thinking?" then
it appeared that sanity prevailed.

DaveB

 

[jazmo]

funniest moment: at about 15minute mark we were all just cruising at a ridiculously slow speed along the lower straight and i was sick of dodging people who couldnt do the hairpin well so i went up the inside, got to the corne rabout 0-15m ahead and just flew around and then stomped for a few and looked around and the bunch was already about 50m behind. Sat up and twiddled while they all huff-puffed back to me by the top.
Next 3-4laps tempo was up, but alas my lungs didnt want to playball at the end

What's so funny about that? The bunch chasing you down because they thought you could actually get away? Sorry, you set yourself up for that one.

We'll done though. Good that you kept in the front bunch while the rest dropped away. Sounds like you did it a lot better than last time when you got dropped.

Yeah, getting into a good position at the end is really hard. I reckon it's worthwhile putting in an effort to get to the front just before the hairpin. At least that way I reckon you'd be capable of getting a placing at least.

 

[flyingdutch]

What's so funny about that? The bunch chasing you down because they thought you could actually get away? Sorry, you set yourself up for that one.

woz just funny to break it up a bit and watch em all go fractured round the corner thinking i was going (as-if). Woz bored. that's all

 

[jazmo]

woz just funny to break it up a bit and watch em all go fractured round the corner thinking i was going (as-if). Woz bored. that's all

Yep, figured as much. I must admit - I got a real buzz from this race. Being in that breakaway half way during the race was great - it hurt, but it was great. I'm keen to race again next week.

 

[GPLama]

jazmo wrote:
> flyingdutch Wrote:
>
> Yep, figured as much. I must admit - I got a real buzz from this race.
> Being in that breakaway half way during the race was great - it hurt,
> but it was great. I'm keen to race again next week.
>

woot.. a friendly wheel to suck in C grade! If Gags shows he will have
to make his C grade debut... that will make three of us.. lets plan to
go off the front with two to go


cheers,
GPL

 

[ritcho]

jazmo wrote:
> flyingdutch Wrote:
>
> Yep, figured as much. I must admit - I got a real buzz from this race.
> Being in that breakaway half way during the race was great - it hurt,
> but it was great. I'm keen to race again next week.
>

woot.. a friendly wheel to suck in C grade! If Gags shows he will have
to make his C grade debut... that will make three of us.. lets plan to
go off the front with two to go


cheers,
GPL

... or a team sprint into the hairpin and the latter two blocking through the corner... (ooh, that will _not_ be popular)

Ritch

 

[flyingdutch]

... or a team sprint into the hairpin and the latter two blocking through the corner... (ooh, that will _not_ be popular)

Ritch

that's the 2nd time you have mentioned that tactic. is this some common Syd-*******'s angle or summat?

 

[ritcho]

that's the 2nd time you have mentioned that tactic. is this some common Syd-*******'s angle or summat?

Racing is not about being the fastest, it's about being first.

I've not seen the Kew course, but from the sounds of the descriptions, positioning and the ability to make a clean exit out of the last hairpin is crucial. Part of the concept of a clean exit is a messy exit for the people behind - an individual can't really do it, but a team can. Reading a few pro-race reports suggests it is a regular tactic.

Other courses might not provide the same opportunities for such shenanigans, but I reckon it would be neat to see if could be done at club level racing... Personally, I'd rather ride on a course where position into the last corner _didn't_ matter, but you race where it's convenient.

1x3 > 3x1

Ritch

 

[flyingdutch]

Racing is not about being the fastest, it's about being first.

I've not seen the Kew course, but from the sounds of the descriptions, positioning and the ability to make a clean exit out of the last hairpin is crucial. Part of the concept of a clean exit is a messy exit for the people behind - an individual can't really do it, but a team can. Reading a few pro-race reports suggests it is a regular tactic.

Other courses might not provide the same opportunities for such shenanigans, but I reckon it would be neat to see if could be done at club level racing... Personally, I'd rather ride on a course where position into the last corner _didn't_ matter, but you race where it's convenient.

1x3 > 3x1

Ritch

if i ever get 'in' the mix at that last corner I'll let you know

 

[essendon93]

funniest moment: at about 15minute mark we were all just cruising at a ridiculously slow speed along the lower straight and i was sick of dodging people who couldnt do the hairpin well so i went up the inside, got to the corne rabout 0-15m ahead and just flew around and then stomped for a few and looked around and the bunch was already about 50m behind. Sat up and twiddled while they all huff-puffed back to me by the top.
Next 3-4laps tempo was up, but alas my lungs didnt want to playball at the end

...

Hehe...I saw you go off at the front, wasn't exactly sure what to make of it, just figured you were trying to loosen up your legs a bit.

I went into the last lap at about 3rd wheel, just after the sweeper the winner made the break down the inside, and I just couldn't respond, and was a bit late to react as 2nd and 3rd sprinted off. Any thought of pulling back 3rd was gone when I overcooked the hairpin. Wasn't exactly happy with the way I rode, but the $15 for 4th cheered me up

If I can get 4th next week I think I'd take it, with every man and his dog racing next week me thinks shes going to be a tough one.

Dutch the wheels there next week if you want it!

 

[essendon93]

Over the top of the climb I found I have about a 20 metres lead over the bunch. I got excited and just decided to take off on a solo effort down the sweeping bend - stupid thing to do. .

hehe thats what I did in my first crit a couple of weeks back on the last lap, just got a bit excited and blew the engine to early, had nothing left for the hill.

I reckon I could take that sprint if I better position myself (say 3rd or 4th wheel) on the final hairpin turn. I think I'd even get a placing if I was at the front on the final turn. Something for next time.

Theres no doubt in my mind, that if your even 5th, you'd take it out. They wouldn't know what hit them going up that hill. Of course you have to play it smart and not waste your energy early on. Let everyone else do the work