G
GPLama
Guest
Locking myself out of the house/shed was not a good start - especially when
I needed to use the floor pump to make sure I was running some decent
pressure... Off to the crits I roll. My gf was going to be there taking
pics today so no house keys was not much of a problem.
Rolling around the circuit - I was the first one there at 8:30am. Attempted
to get more air in the front with my carbon-pump-o-fun, no luck.. arh well,
I guess I'll have good for grip on the hairpin. Rolling around I found
another C grader, I didn't catch his name but we talked about best places to
attack and at what points we may want to start driving something off the
front.
Race underway, I spent the first lap on the front looking around wondering
what everyone was doing. Were they here to race or for the scenery? Lap 3
things picked up. Two younger guys drove a lap hard off the front and got
nowhere. Few more laps roll by, with me on the front. This wasn't even a
warm up, so I jumped out of the seat and gave it a little more gas. Pulling
20-30m on the bunch, I sat up on the hill waiting for them to catch me. A
solo breakaway that early would not last. As we reach the top the guy I was
talking to pre-race comes past and says "lets go".. we take off for two laps
at a decent rate. We didn't manage to drop the bunch, but we broke it in
two. I roll past him again and we both have the same thoughts "yeah, well,
that didn't work, but we dropped a few".. his reply "yeah, one of them was a
sprinter, so I'm happy with that!".. heh..
No intermediate sprint for C grade today, so I didn't have the safety net of
taking that to reclaim my money, all down to the last few laps to earn that
back! Rolling around and around - mostly on the front. Got sick of doing
all the work so decided to take the LONG way on each corner - wheel suckers
only today - everyone else snaked their way behind me. Then out pops Jono
Lovelock for his turn on the front - we swap turns. He comments, "none of
them want to do any work".. to which I reply 1/2 a lap later "yeah, so I
noticed, make them pay for it on the final sprint".. I didn't know at the
time, but Jono had a hard days racing yesterday at Broadford... more laps,
more laps. I turn around at one stage (still on the front) and see only 5-6
guys left in the bunch. I sit up and ask "this all that's left?" as they
roll past. I get a conformation and I take off managing to be on the front
yet again. If this race had points, I'd be wearing green by now!
3 laps to go - Time for a drink and to dump the extra drink I was carrying.
2 laps to go, still up the front either 1st or 2nd wheel.. Waiting for the
surge. 1 lap to go!! My pre-race mate takes off like a rocket over the
line. I chase but he has pulled 20-30m - we catch him as he coasts(!) on
the downhill.. Another guy who I hadn't seen all race gets into the mix. I
try hold his wheel on the flat but I need to save myself for after final
hairpin. Three guys ahead of me at the hairpin - no idea about the others
behind. Taking the corner quicker this time one guy overcooked it and ends
up in the gutter/rough, his sprint was over before it began. Not knowing
the sprinting legs of the other two, I start winding up for something big.
On the last bend they both appear to be going backwards - I come past and
take the win by about two bike lengths (yes, I have photo proof!). w00t!
Lama Pics:
http://tinyurl.com/9l686 - Up the front early
http://tinyurl.com/dbca4 - Help as arrived!
http://tinyurl.com/au4cq - Cheers for the time-check (5mins to go)
http://tinyurl.com/78pgq - More work on the front..
http://tinyurl.com/dxe7g - Still winding up!
cheers,
GPL
I needed to use the floor pump to make sure I was running some decent
pressure... Off to the crits I roll. My gf was going to be there taking
pics today so no house keys was not much of a problem.
Rolling around the circuit - I was the first one there at 8:30am. Attempted
to get more air in the front with my carbon-pump-o-fun, no luck.. arh well,
I guess I'll have good for grip on the hairpin. Rolling around I found
another C grader, I didn't catch his name but we talked about best places to
attack and at what points we may want to start driving something off the
front.
Race underway, I spent the first lap on the front looking around wondering
what everyone was doing. Were they here to race or for the scenery? Lap 3
things picked up. Two younger guys drove a lap hard off the front and got
nowhere. Few more laps roll by, with me on the front. This wasn't even a
warm up, so I jumped out of the seat and gave it a little more gas. Pulling
20-30m on the bunch, I sat up on the hill waiting for them to catch me. A
solo breakaway that early would not last. As we reach the top the guy I was
talking to pre-race comes past and says "lets go".. we take off for two laps
at a decent rate. We didn't manage to drop the bunch, but we broke it in
two. I roll past him again and we both have the same thoughts "yeah, well,
that didn't work, but we dropped a few".. his reply "yeah, one of them was a
sprinter, so I'm happy with that!".. heh..
No intermediate sprint for C grade today, so I didn't have the safety net of
taking that to reclaim my money, all down to the last few laps to earn that
back! Rolling around and around - mostly on the front. Got sick of doing
all the work so decided to take the LONG way on each corner - wheel suckers
only today - everyone else snaked their way behind me. Then out pops Jono
Lovelock for his turn on the front - we swap turns. He comments, "none of
them want to do any work".. to which I reply 1/2 a lap later "yeah, so I
noticed, make them pay for it on the final sprint".. I didn't know at the
time, but Jono had a hard days racing yesterday at Broadford... more laps,
more laps. I turn around at one stage (still on the front) and see only 5-6
guys left in the bunch. I sit up and ask "this all that's left?" as they
roll past. I get a conformation and I take off managing to be on the front
yet again. If this race had points, I'd be wearing green by now!
3 laps to go - Time for a drink and to dump the extra drink I was carrying.
2 laps to go, still up the front either 1st or 2nd wheel.. Waiting for the
surge. 1 lap to go!! My pre-race mate takes off like a rocket over the
line. I chase but he has pulled 20-30m - we catch him as he coasts(!) on
the downhill.. Another guy who I hadn't seen all race gets into the mix. I
try hold his wheel on the flat but I need to save myself for after final
hairpin. Three guys ahead of me at the hairpin - no idea about the others
behind. Taking the corner quicker this time one guy overcooked it and ends
up in the gutter/rough, his sprint was over before it began. Not knowing
the sprinting legs of the other two, I start winding up for something big.
On the last bend they both appear to be going backwards - I come past and
take the win by about two bike lengths (yes, I have photo proof!). w00t!
Lama Pics:
http://tinyurl.com/9l686 - Up the front early
http://tinyurl.com/dbca4 - Help as arrived!
http://tinyurl.com/au4cq - Cheers for the time-check (5mins to go)
http://tinyurl.com/78pgq - More work on the front..
http://tinyurl.com/dxe7g - Still winding up!
cheers,
GPL
