Last week life was packed and this had to be put on the back burner for a bit.
But as the last event, it will get an entry here.
So as a preamble this event was touted as a 'Tour' but with 'precision timing'... so I think its clear what they're getting at there.
200 people signed up and the forecast for the day was horrible, 8 degrees and raining, but thankfully the rain held off in the end and started on the drive home. Dodged a huge bullet there.
Eight guys from the local cycling club came out too, guys who I ride with every week but who don't often race. That would surely make for some interesting stories at the end, seeing how differently everyone perceived the same 'race'.
During the 5 km neutral start I meandered my way near the front as it was quite a large peloton. I see the manager of Spidertech riding with no gloves in gloomy 4 degree weather. Bold. Turned out he didn't pack them. Bummer.
The first 50 km of the 100 km race was quite slow, 33km/hr. There were a few long but mild surges up the hills, one attack from the gun that came back after ~20km but nothing more. Apparently Cory was sandbagging far back in the pack when a split occurred during one of the surges and lost contact from the front for the rest of the race. Too bad. Playing it too conservative maybe.
50 km in we hit hard crosswinds. A small rotation forms at the front, I get in a take a few short pulls. Roth from Spidertech Bird and are in there, starting to pick up the pace. I look back for the first time during a lull when Gabhan comes up and says 'that sorted things out' and there's probably 30 people left. Everyone is just GONE. Then the hammer goes down from Bird and Co. and we're single file, mowing the grass. I was thankful nobody let a gap open because I was too far from the front when this happened and mighta been caught out. Everyone held firm though and we regrouped before the 'Hurtin Hans' 700m TT within the race. How weird is that btw. But fun idea and they had a blackberry Playbook for the prize.
Coming up to the biggest hill on the course you knew this was it, and was just waiting for Roth to come screaming by. He does, with Bird on his wheel, and I get on the train as we pass the rest of the pack. The two of them finish almost together 10s ahead of me, and I can see them starting a rotation on the rollers following the TT. I'm in no man's land and giving everything to latch on, but once they started working together I had no chance. Before long a pack of ~6 catches up and we start a good hard rotation.
We somehow bring them back after a bit, I think they just sat up for whatever reason.
Then we ride at 25km/hr for a while, nobody taking initiative, I take some food/water, try to read some minds. Then Gabhan and James come back up to this group after a long chase, good work there to keep on chasing.
After a few pointless surges from the pack I throw out an attack, and see no-one is reacting with a bridge, but chasing. I ease up a bit to not waste too much energy, and then out of nowhere Roth flies by. I held a gap of ~10 m while trying so hard to get on, but it wasn't happening and he just started riding away. 30 km to go.
Then the pack flies by me as I'm gasping for breath but manage to get back in. Then for the next 10km we chase at ~50 km/hr trying to get Roth back. It was unreal how he just kept getting further and further away. Clearly racing for 2nd now, the lead group of 9 of us start our own games. Attacks here and there would go, come back.
Then the bottom falls out of the whole thing for me when I was pulling through on the front heading to an intersection. There was traffic everywhere, including in front of us, stopping, and in the heat of the moment paid too much attention to that and the police officer waving his hands to notice where the turn sign was. I bomb straight through the intersection while I was supposed to turn. Slamming the brakes and going back uphill to try to catch the group, I was already far behind.
I chased at ~200 m for a while but it was headwind and I wasn't closing the gap. Two other guys join and we try to work together but I think they had been chasing solo for a while too and were running on empty.
10km of this and I take the final little 3 man sprint end for 9th, but what a messed up finale. I felt I had a good chance at top 3 had I made the proper turn. Of course just a fun race so not the end of the world. We all had a good time and good food afterwards included in the (rather large) entry fee. Cory learned his lesson, James learned he hates road racing (for now), Gabhan had a good ride all around, Adam took a wrong turn too, found a short cut and was apparently the first across the line to loud applause. Bravo my good man. Bravo!
And with that begins the off season. Who knows yet what next year will bring, a lot is uncertain at the moment but that's alright, now is the time to relax from training and the stress of racing/planning for a bit. All things changing gears right now.
Its been fun writing about the races this year and who knows, might fire it up again to dilute the internet again next year.
Thanks for reading and have a safe and happy fall!
Bayden
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Sept 17-18: Univest Grand Prix
It was fast. Brutal fast. And that was definitely expected with this being a pro UCI and NRC class race. With that it was also pretty fun to get into a race like this and see how fast it can get at the top.
Most of the big north american pro teams were there: Spidertech, Kelly Benefits, Jamis/Sutter Homes, Bissell, United Health Care, Kallisto/Wheels of Bloor, all the big guns.
Along with some extra hard intervals in the weeks leading up to the race, my prepartion largely involved being mentally prepared for the biggest sufferfest I've ever beent through. Even worse than Katskills (see related post...). Probably shorter than that, but more intense.
The race was two days, one 160km road race and an 80km crit the next day. They changed the course this year to be all within the host town of Souderton, Pennsylvania, instead of a big loop through the countryside like in years past. 17 laps. It was like a giant crit and had two short but steep climbs each lap. Apparently the constant steep ups made this a harder course than in years before, and I believe it, a race of attrition it was.
After the usual pre-race rituals were done we approach the start line where the announcer and stage were, big screen with TV camera's, the works. I take my place appropriately in the back half of the pack, check that I didn't forget anything like a shoe or leg, all good. The guns goes off, and the hurt comes on!
Within the first lap it was apparent a lot of time could be lost through the corners, there were so many and some we were taking downhill at ~60km/hr, freaky. You had to sprint out of every corner like it was a 90 minute crit, but psych! it was a 160km, 4hr road race.
On the first lap one of the United Health Care guys decided to ride through a bunch of long grass to take the bike path along the road... and in trying to cut the corner ahead he dinged his HEAD on an telephone pole, also while ridding through 2-foot tall grass. Some people. And not very pro, for a pro.
On the second lap I came around a tight corner to see a teamate and a few others who had hit the deck, apparently a truck drove onto and parked on the course which the leading few ridrs hit. It didn't look too bad though.
Through all this the race was on, lots of attacks and chasing made the pace high very early. It was really really hard work just holding position in like 80th place. We had to climb the course's hills 34 times, and though they were short, they were fast, and it just took its toll on me. About half way through the race the pace just kept going up and I slowly lost the wheel going up the climb, sprinting in my big ring. A small group of four were dropped just a head of me too, but I couldn't get up to them to try and get back in as the gap crept up and up. That was it. Chatted with a few other dropped riders who came up to me along the way to the start, and called it quits. Only 94km in. Sigh.
The next day at the crit was very similar. Cool course except for a few big bumps and actual speed bumps on the course, but it had elevation gain and the crowd was awesome. Lined along the barriers all the way through the start finish, lots of excitement and deafening cheers with the announcer getting everyone pumped.
I lasted a bit over half way through this race before I got popped as well. One corner was so sketchy yet everyone was taking it at 65km/hr downhill, and every time right there I had to close a little gap, and that sure wasn't helping me conserve energy. I found that around every other corner where its line choice that makes your speed, I was fine. Its sketchy, high speed, off camber turns that I suck at. At least I didn't crash, that was obviously a priority. Some did of course.
While I never thought that just trying to finish the races would be that hard, given the course profiles/level of the competetion, it was realisic to get shelled where I did. Over 60% of the fields on both days DNF'ed - pure races of attrition! Thats what you get when you mix amatuers with the pros! For sure a good experience though. Very eye opening to see how strong even domestic pros are. No excuse for DNFing here, except I need to train more and just be stronger. All there is too it. If I can just double my muscle mass I'd probaly have an easier time of things. An off season project, perhaps.
The last cycling event of the season for me will be the Tour de Hans, going to enter with a few local riding buddies. Should be fun as it will be a first 'race' for some. That's Oct. 2 and will probably be my last post here for a while. I'll see if we can make something interesting of it. Marketed as a 'tour', but with precision timing? hmm
Been a good long season so far, will check back here soon after Hans.
Most of the big north american pro teams were there: Spidertech, Kelly Benefits, Jamis/Sutter Homes, Bissell, United Health Care, Kallisto/Wheels of Bloor, all the big guns.
Along with some extra hard intervals in the weeks leading up to the race, my prepartion largely involved being mentally prepared for the biggest sufferfest I've ever beent through. Even worse than Katskills (see related post...). Probably shorter than that, but more intense.
The race was two days, one 160km road race and an 80km crit the next day. They changed the course this year to be all within the host town of Souderton, Pennsylvania, instead of a big loop through the countryside like in years past. 17 laps. It was like a giant crit and had two short but steep climbs each lap. Apparently the constant steep ups made this a harder course than in years before, and I believe it, a race of attrition it was.
After the usual pre-race rituals were done we approach the start line where the announcer and stage were, big screen with TV camera's, the works. I take my place appropriately in the back half of the pack, check that I didn't forget anything like a shoe or leg, all good. The guns goes off, and the hurt comes on!
Within the first lap it was apparent a lot of time could be lost through the corners, there were so many and some we were taking downhill at ~60km/hr, freaky. You had to sprint out of every corner like it was a 90 minute crit, but psych! it was a 160km, 4hr road race.
On the first lap one of the United Health Care guys decided to ride through a bunch of long grass to take the bike path along the road... and in trying to cut the corner ahead he dinged his HEAD on an telephone pole, also while ridding through 2-foot tall grass. Some people. And not very pro, for a pro.
On the second lap I came around a tight corner to see a teamate and a few others who had hit the deck, apparently a truck drove onto and parked on the course which the leading few ridrs hit. It didn't look too bad though.
Through all this the race was on, lots of attacks and chasing made the pace high very early. It was really really hard work just holding position in like 80th place. We had to climb the course's hills 34 times, and though they were short, they were fast, and it just took its toll on me. About half way through the race the pace just kept going up and I slowly lost the wheel going up the climb, sprinting in my big ring. A small group of four were dropped just a head of me too, but I couldn't get up to them to try and get back in as the gap crept up and up. That was it. Chatted with a few other dropped riders who came up to me along the way to the start, and called it quits. Only 94km in. Sigh.
Nice shot from cyclingnews.com of one of the small climbs
The next day at the crit was very similar. Cool course except for a few big bumps and actual speed bumps on the course, but it had elevation gain and the crowd was awesome. Lined along the barriers all the way through the start finish, lots of excitement and deafening cheers with the announcer getting everyone pumped.
I lasted a bit over half way through this race before I got popped as well. One corner was so sketchy yet everyone was taking it at 65km/hr downhill, and every time right there I had to close a little gap, and that sure wasn't helping me conserve energy. I found that around every other corner where its line choice that makes your speed, I was fine. Its sketchy, high speed, off camber turns that I suck at. At least I didn't crash, that was obviously a priority. Some did of course.
Again, I'm not in this shot, but a good view of the crit's finish straight, with a nice attack making ground
While I never thought that just trying to finish the races would be that hard, given the course profiles/level of the competetion, it was realisic to get shelled where I did. Over 60% of the fields on both days DNF'ed - pure races of attrition! Thats what you get when you mix amatuers with the pros! For sure a good experience though. Very eye opening to see how strong even domestic pros are. No excuse for DNFing here, except I need to train more and just be stronger. All there is too it. If I can just double my muscle mass I'd probaly have an easier time of things. An off season project, perhaps.
The last cycling event of the season for me will be the Tour de Hans, going to enter with a few local riding buddies. Should be fun as it will be a first 'race' for some. That's Oct. 2 and will probably be my last post here for a while. I'll see if we can make something interesting of it. Marketed as a 'tour', but with precision timing? hmm
Been a good long season so far, will check back here soon after Hans.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Niagara Classic: Pass and Fail.
The Niagara Classic - a race to love and hate. Pretty simple rectangular course with a fairly short but steeeep climb up Effingham hill each of the 10 laps around. Nice course to race, but the hill kills. Really not that hard to get up and over, but its usually a sprint up there each time which can take its toll very quickly.
Going into this one after Catskills I wasn't too worried about the course, even though I'd never ridden this race in S1/2 or done the hill 10 times. I did want to make something of this last O-Cup this year, so early break was the name of the game. Just a question how...
Went in early with Rach and got to watch her race of 9 riders and the winner come in solo by many minutes, pretty crazy. Small races like that are never easy. She did pretty well especially considering her feelings towards climbs. Way to go Rach, job well done.
Our race had about 35 riders, offering the potential of more breakaway combination/attempts. I started making my early moves at the top of the first time up the climb. Tried to get away with Anton as per the plan, but too many people tried to come with and we got chased down instantly. Heard that on this blog before? So original.
I try again over the top of the hill next time, still no luck. By the time we got the hill the first time, a Darkhorse and H&R Block rider had snuck off the front, so their teams were keeping a bit of a leash on things.
On the flats we then set up a move that included another Darkhorse rider, and we started to get away since we didn't have their team chasing, but we STILL got chased down, although it took some more time.
Then right after that a counter attack went from Max C from SRS, which nobody went with. It seemed like a good moment to go after all the action so I jump up to him, and still nobody behind is reacting yet. We start pushing on and getting away, perfect.
Before long we can see the two leaders, but Max is hurting and was having trouble pulling through. We turn onto the false flat, and he's had enough and pulls the chute. By the top of the climb I had burning acid fire in my legs but had finally caught the two leaders. For the next lap we get a good rotation going and are definitely going to stay away a while.
Then starting the false flat up the climb later that lap, a group of about 10 riders catch up to us out of nowhere! There was so many of us I thought it was the peloton at first. Chaos ensued for a moment as everyone looked around to figure this one out, and a shuffling occurred where a new 6-man group formed off the front of this jumbled mess. I made into this group, including team mate Brandon, and again, started pulling away.
This group was a bit different, and we were probably rolling 5km/hr faster than the former lead group. We were cooking along the course and with all the teams represented except Darkhorse, I knew this move would stay away. The only problem (which happened to be a huge one!) was that as the pace spiked over the hill each lap I was hurting and sliding, 10 feet, catching back on, 20 feet, catching back on, and then infinite feet, of the back of the group. The final time I chased with everything I had but was just not shutting down the gap on lap 6, when Steve in the commissar car drives past and points to the chase group about 1min behind that I didn't even know about. Salvation? hmm.
I savour the chance to rest and regain clear vision as the chase group comes up to me, and its more of the strongmen in the race, Schiller, Ivey, the provincial champ and another HR block guy. Hanging onto this group would be no easier, but I latch on, and pull through until the false flat. And sure enough on the hill I slowly slide of the back. For Pete's sake... dropped twice.
- Note to self, I should lose some weight, get a lighter bike, and pack legs with more lightning.
Now I'm no man's land. Up sh*t creek without a paddle. All my matches are burned, and I'm pretty sure I'll get swallowed up by the pack before getting shot out the back and finish last, if at all. Yahoo!
Well its lap 7, and I'm reminded of Catskills and think, if I can solo those courses and survive, I can probably do this. I have no idea how far back the pack is, only that I can't see them, so I plow on, into the remaining 35km and three accents up the climb. The cheers of the crowd on the hill were encouraging, thanks to them for that. I'm sure it wasn't the pinnacle of pedalling fluidity and grace when I was coming through.
For a very painful ~60 minutes it was TT mode with all that I had left and somehow... somehow, hold off the pack. The somehow was that in the lead group, we pulled out major time. They had 11 minutes when they finished, and of that I only lost 7, enough to stay away. So after this sufferfest I rolled in alone, muscles twitching, 9th place.
Apparently Anton finally was allowed to fly the coup and solo'd the last lap ahead of what remained of the peloton (about 15 DNFs), and came within sight of me one the final climb. 'You were that guy weaving up the climb at the finish?' yeah....
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Tour of Catskills
Last weekend was definitely the most strenuous two days of my life. Either of the two days would probably have qualified on their own for the hardest day. Wasn't exactly supposed to be that way, even though the course would have its challenges for everyone!
The first of three stages was a time trial. 20km, easy enough. Andrew M. was generous enough to actually lend me his ridiculously fast Cervelo TT bike, disc wheel, the works. I was ready to suck it up on my road bike but he ran into me just before my start and we decided to rig it up right there, change of pedals, raised the seatpost, and off to the race!
I had a descent run, certainly helped by the bike and funny helmet also lent from Rach.. (gotta get a TT setup of my own some day... but so expensive!), but racing in the pro/1/2 field often humbles your best efforts, and I ended up roughly mid pack on the first day. I'll take that, had some slowdowns with cars on the course and getting used to the new bike.. not to bad a start.
Stage 2, totally different story.
- 150km, 4 KOMs, one of which was the famous Devil's Kitchen which is 2.6km over 12%, and let me tell you, that sucks. Its hard to visualize this thing without staring at the wall-like ramps that make up this climb. For the locals reading this, its like 4xRattlesnake all at once, but steeper. Yes steeper. You make words up when its that steep.
The pace of the stage started off pretty hot, team mate Derrek was planning to light things up early and shake up the teams trying to control the overall situation. He's good at that and there were many short lived breakaways, including a huge 15 man group that had to many hangers-on to stay away, but if they worked that would have been the move of the day for sure.
Anyway, when we were back together 20km into the stage, on a descent I felt the oh so dreaded drag-wobble of a rear flat come on. Great. 60->0km/hr with one brake while avoiding riders flying past me, I finally pull over to the guard rail and hopefully look back for the wheel van to get a quick wheel change. Instead I see not a soul in sight, and suddenly I'm on my own in the middle of nowhere on some mountain. wtf.
Keep on truckin, right? 130km by foot can't take that long...
So as I'm walking down the road, coming up with some hitchiking plan, the wheel van shows up! The driver apologizes and says that after helping some others, and trying to catch the race again, he got wrong directions and got lost! So I get a wheel but its been 3-4 minutes and there is no way in hell I'm chasing back on alone. Regardless, I chase for the next 20km to see what happens, just in case there's a big lull, with no sight at all of the race. Its over.
I sit up and realize what awesome views there were all through this race, jaw dropping nice. Clouds covering tree covered mountain tops, dipping down to wide gorges below... I could look at that all day.
Eventually a group of other mechanical unfortunates make it up to me, and together we proceed to finish the last 100km of the 'race'. By the time we hit Devil's Kitchen at the end, we were all fried and just did what we could. A follow car from another category somehow found us and followed us as the last riders to finish, lights blinking, 7km/hr up this stupid hill. They also gave me a 25 tooth gear to replace my 28 I had on the original wheel. That made it all the more brutal at 10rpm up this thing. We were so wasted just trying to survive this day, oh yeah, it had started raining and getting cold, that we were like the dehydrated animal in the desert being followed by vultures (the wheel van) waiting for us to just kick the bucket and pack into the broom wagon.
Well.. I crossed the line with an H&R block guy, well outside the time cut, but given the fiasco that started the whole thing, they allowed us to start the next day.... as long as I would wake up at all from that night's sleep. If we just had to finish the stage, it wouldn't have been that hard. But driving a small group trying to make the time cut made it like our own race - a lot of effort for just making it through in the end!
Stage 3:
Amazingly I can walk the next day and don't feel like a giant piece of beef jerky, so I decide to start. Game plan? Sit in the first 40km (1hr) and see if I'm alive, then just go from there.
I actually feel fine for the start, see a break get away including team mates and Anton, sweet for them, then we hit the first KOM. Today's profile would be almost as hard as the day before, even without Devil's Kitchen. The chase begins in earnest up the first, LONG, KOM, and I slide out the back as the group starts to shred near the top. On the way down the KOM leader (??) comes by with a train of other riders and we start to chase back on. On the way, half the riders with us just pull off and turn towards their hotels, chute pulled! Oh man, down to two of us.
We make contact with the peloton again, and the initial break had been caught as a result of the high pace. We hit the feed zone, and gear up for the same KOM again... oh god. Pretty early on the pace goes through the roof on the climb, and the pack is shredding to bits again, its all over the place. I ride over the top with another rider as we see the remnants of the peloton get further and further away down the decent. Only 80km in at this point, another long day still ahead.
We pick up riders, drop some, grind up the KOM's on this route, and after what felt like a straight week of riding, make it to the finish in a delirious haze.
It was hours before I was feeling normal again. Couldn't eat, couldn't think straight. Happy it was finished. And how did I finish? You guesssed it, DFL. Never thought I'd be reporting that! The DNF list sheds some light on how tough the whole race was, only ~54 finished of 94 starters. Although last place counts for absolutely nothing, there's a small amount of solace in at least finishing after all that happened.
At this point I can feel the end of the season coming up, just one more local race next weekend, the Niagara Classic, then maybe off to the Green Mountain stage race in Vermont in early Sept.
The end is near!
The first of three stages was a time trial. 20km, easy enough. Andrew M. was generous enough to actually lend me his ridiculously fast Cervelo TT bike, disc wheel, the works. I was ready to suck it up on my road bike but he ran into me just before my start and we decided to rig it up right there, change of pedals, raised the seatpost, and off to the race!
I had a descent run, certainly helped by the bike and funny helmet also lent from Rach.. (gotta get a TT setup of my own some day... but so expensive!), but racing in the pro/1/2 field often humbles your best efforts, and I ended up roughly mid pack on the first day. I'll take that, had some slowdowns with cars on the course and getting used to the new bike.. not to bad a start.
Stage 2, totally different story.
- 150km, 4 KOMs, one of which was the famous Devil's Kitchen which is 2.6km over 12%, and let me tell you, that sucks. Its hard to visualize this thing without staring at the wall-like ramps that make up this climb. For the locals reading this, its like 4xRattlesnake all at once, but steeper. Yes steeper. You make words up when its that steep.
The pace of the stage started off pretty hot, team mate Derrek was planning to light things up early and shake up the teams trying to control the overall situation. He's good at that and there were many short lived breakaways, including a huge 15 man group that had to many hangers-on to stay away, but if they worked that would have been the move of the day for sure.
Anyway, when we were back together 20km into the stage, on a descent I felt the oh so dreaded drag-wobble of a rear flat come on. Great. 60->0km/hr with one brake while avoiding riders flying past me, I finally pull over to the guard rail and hopefully look back for the wheel van to get a quick wheel change. Instead I see not a soul in sight, and suddenly I'm on my own in the middle of nowhere on some mountain. wtf.
Keep on truckin, right? 130km by foot can't take that long...
So as I'm walking down the road, coming up with some hitchiking plan, the wheel van shows up! The driver apologizes and says that after helping some others, and trying to catch the race again, he got wrong directions and got lost! So I get a wheel but its been 3-4 minutes and there is no way in hell I'm chasing back on alone. Regardless, I chase for the next 20km to see what happens, just in case there's a big lull, with no sight at all of the race. Its over.
I sit up and realize what awesome views there were all through this race, jaw dropping nice. Clouds covering tree covered mountain tops, dipping down to wide gorges below... I could look at that all day.
Eventually a group of other mechanical unfortunates make it up to me, and together we proceed to finish the last 100km of the 'race'. By the time we hit Devil's Kitchen at the end, we were all fried and just did what we could. A follow car from another category somehow found us and followed us as the last riders to finish, lights blinking, 7km/hr up this stupid hill. They also gave me a 25 tooth gear to replace my 28 I had on the original wheel. That made it all the more brutal at 10rpm up this thing. We were so wasted just trying to survive this day, oh yeah, it had started raining and getting cold, that we were like the dehydrated animal in the desert being followed by vultures (the wheel van) waiting for us to just kick the bucket and pack into the broom wagon.
Well.. I crossed the line with an H&R block guy, well outside the time cut, but given the fiasco that started the whole thing, they allowed us to start the next day.... as long as I would wake up at all from that night's sleep. If we just had to finish the stage, it wouldn't have been that hard. But driving a small group trying to make the time cut made it like our own race - a lot of effort for just making it through in the end!
Stage 3:
Amazingly I can walk the next day and don't feel like a giant piece of beef jerky, so I decide to start. Game plan? Sit in the first 40km (1hr) and see if I'm alive, then just go from there.
I actually feel fine for the start, see a break get away including team mates and Anton, sweet for them, then we hit the first KOM. Today's profile would be almost as hard as the day before, even without Devil's Kitchen. The chase begins in earnest up the first, LONG, KOM, and I slide out the back as the group starts to shred near the top. On the way down the KOM leader (??) comes by with a train of other riders and we start to chase back on. On the way, half the riders with us just pull off and turn towards their hotels, chute pulled! Oh man, down to two of us.
We make contact with the peloton again, and the initial break had been caught as a result of the high pace. We hit the feed zone, and gear up for the same KOM again... oh god. Pretty early on the pace goes through the roof on the climb, and the pack is shredding to bits again, its all over the place. I ride over the top with another rider as we see the remnants of the peloton get further and further away down the decent. Only 80km in at this point, another long day still ahead.
We pick up riders, drop some, grind up the KOM's on this route, and after what felt like a straight week of riding, make it to the finish in a delirious haze.
It was hours before I was feeling normal again. Couldn't eat, couldn't think straight. Happy it was finished. And how did I finish? You guesssed it, DFL. Never thought I'd be reporting that! The DNF list sheds some light on how tough the whole race was, only ~54 finished of 94 starters. Although last place counts for absolutely nothing, there's a small amount of solace in at least finishing after all that happened.
At this point I can feel the end of the season coming up, just one more local race next weekend, the Niagara Classic, then maybe off to the Green Mountain stage race in Vermont in early Sept.
The end is near!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Provincial Road Race Wrap Up
After the whole National's debacle, I certainly had this race pegged as a priority. Got out last weekend to preview the course with Rachel on a scotching hot day but still had a great ride. It looked like possibility of wind which always makes for an interesting race, but otherwise nothing very special about the course, some rollers but nothing intense.
Turned out to be calm and muggy air for the race, good thing (maybe) I did a lot of training these past few weeks in the heat to acclimate.
Race day we had a 'little snag' on the drive up - what I will now call the 'Great Helmet and Shoe Fiasco of the Millenium'. I'll let Anton fill you in on that one.
It was eventually sorted out by some miracle and Anton got to race after all. But it was a clooose one.
Once into the actual race, the pace reflected the tentative and negative state of mind prevailing in the pack. We started at about 25km/hr for a good long while, got passed by a few joggers, before the first attack. After that it was essentially attack after attack that just got chased down if it got any gap at all. Then the pack would slow down to lows that I simply haven't seen in a race before - like granny gear on the flats sometimes. And because of the violent accelerations every time you tried to blink we still averaged 41km/hr for the whole thing.
But despite the 'I'm watching you, and you and you' mentality, there were some good tries for sure. For example, we got Derrek (team mate) up in a good sized group of 10-15 riders with a solid gap, but their cooperation fell through and the chase behind caught them easily. Annnnd so on, times about a hundred.
We tried every trick in the book to get one of the three of us up the road, counter attacks, I let a gap open behind Brandon while they were drilling it to see if they'd get away, but nah, everyone was chasing everything. I don't know how many moves I was in myself, but enough to be pretty cooked by the end. I was even trying to conserve for the sprint at the end, but I couldn't let certain moves go without a guy from our team so I ended up covering a ton of crap that ultimately went nowhere. A waste of energy in hindsight, but if any of those moves had gotten away with out us.. then I'd be writing about how I should have been covering more...
So in the middle of all this a break of 3 guys got away, interestingly without a single JetFuel rider, the team with the biggest numbers at this race. For the finish, I was just empty and came in with a measly mid pack result.
I didn't feel to fresh going into this race for some reason as well, despite a fairly typical build up to race day.
Really shouldn't have been so creamed in a 145km race like this with no major mountains or climbs.. something felt a lil' off, and I'm blaming not enough rest before hand.
Anyway, it a was fun, exciting race. So from the perspective of good times, it was at least a Sunday afternoon well spent.
Going to rest like a fiend before Tour of the Catskills and its mountainous, 160+km stages in two weeks and see what we can pull out of the bag there.
Enjoy the heat while it lasts, won't be here for too long ;)
Turned out to be calm and muggy air for the race, good thing (maybe) I did a lot of training these past few weeks in the heat to acclimate.
Race day we had a 'little snag' on the drive up - what I will now call the 'Great Helmet and Shoe Fiasco of the Millenium'. I'll let Anton fill you in on that one.
It was eventually sorted out by some miracle and Anton got to race after all. But it was a clooose one.
Once into the actual race, the pace reflected the tentative and negative state of mind prevailing in the pack. We started at about 25km/hr for a good long while, got passed by a few joggers, before the first attack. After that it was essentially attack after attack that just got chased down if it got any gap at all. Then the pack would slow down to lows that I simply haven't seen in a race before - like granny gear on the flats sometimes. And because of the violent accelerations every time you tried to blink we still averaged 41km/hr for the whole thing.
But despite the 'I'm watching you, and you and you' mentality, there were some good tries for sure. For example, we got Derrek (team mate) up in a good sized group of 10-15 riders with a solid gap, but their cooperation fell through and the chase behind caught them easily. Annnnd so on, times about a hundred.
We tried every trick in the book to get one of the three of us up the road, counter attacks, I let a gap open behind Brandon while they were drilling it to see if they'd get away, but nah, everyone was chasing everything. I don't know how many moves I was in myself, but enough to be pretty cooked by the end. I was even trying to conserve for the sprint at the end, but I couldn't let certain moves go without a guy from our team so I ended up covering a ton of crap that ultimately went nowhere. A waste of energy in hindsight, but if any of those moves had gotten away with out us.. then I'd be writing about how I should have been covering more...
So in the middle of all this a break of 3 guys got away, interestingly without a single JetFuel rider, the team with the biggest numbers at this race. For the finish, I was just empty and came in with a measly mid pack result.
I didn't feel to fresh going into this race for some reason as well, despite a fairly typical build up to race day.
Really shouldn't have been so creamed in a 145km race like this with no major mountains or climbs.. something felt a lil' off, and I'm blaming not enough rest before hand.
Anyway, it a was fun, exciting race. So from the perspective of good times, it was at least a Sunday afternoon well spent.
Going to rest like a fiend before Tour of the Catskills and its mountainous, 160+km stages in two weeks and see what we can pull out of the bag there.
Enjoy the heat while it lasts, won't be here for too long ;)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Another Two for One Deal: Crit Weekend
This past weekend was another double, with the Detroit City Crit on Saturday followed by the Ciociaro Ontario Cup in Windsor. Both first year races on the calendar on pretty nice courses.
Its tempting to make the usual jokes about Detroit, like 'after the race I patted myself down to find NO bullet holes in me', or whatever, but the part of Detriot we were in was actually pretty nice. Huge murals (not graffiti) on the sides of some apartment buildings, parks, nice stuff. A lot of abandoned buildings right next to fancy high rises though, sure signs of the city's prime being... not now.
The Detroit crit had about 50 starters, I had two team mates, and Anton was racing as well.
Off the start I lined up near the front, but shifted to the back in no time. I apparently still had some pack jitters from the nationals incident and had a hard time trusting in any wheel in front of me. After a few laps I got into the grove of it again and had memorized all the defects in the pavement to take the right lines. I moved up to the front and popped off my first attack.
After some hard charging I found myself in what looked like the perfect breakaway:
Anton, Garneau's strongest guy, two strong riders from Jet Fuel, and one or two others.
Basically the strongest teams in the race were represented in this break and then some, so any chase behind would be getting some proper blockage from our team mates.
But as they say, if it looks too good to be true, probably is. For some reason, 'some rider' on Jet Fuel decides he'll go attacking before we even establish a safe gap over the peloton. Now we've got the other Jet Fuel rider as a passenger and cooperation falls though, then guess what, we get caught. Way to go, us! 'Here's the silver platter sir, just let me remove the ... whahaooaaoaooao *crash bang cling snap*'
So I hang in the pack while Brandon on my team goes out for a counter attack, same when Derrek goes out to do the same after Brandon gets reeled back in. Then I made it into another good looking break with Anton again and some other guys. Chased down eventually....
Then with about 20mins to go, we're all together and with a slight lull in the pace I shoot out from one side of the pack out of a turn. After driving it to get a gap, I finally check behind and see my team mate Derrek on my wheel, who had the exact same idea but came from the other side of the peloton. We have a Jet Fuel rider for company who just sits on, trying to set things up for his sprinter in the bunch. Other than the infiltrator, this was looking good.
We hold a solid gap until the final laps, driving pretty hard obviously, and then with two laps to go, I ride over one of a millionth cracks in the pavement, and flat. As strong as he is, unfortunately Derrek didn't hold of the pack all by himself and got gobbled up on the final lap, and the pack finished with a sprint.
Ahh what could have been.
Some quality pictures here.
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On Sunday we were back in Windsor for the Ciocaro race. This was on a paved track made for bike racing, but not like a velodrome, which was very cool. Small registration for this race with only 18 guys, so it would be a hard race from the start since everyone will be attacking.
There was so much going on in this race its hard to keep track of the exact order of things, but I remember each of the three of us on Kallisto were taking turns counter attacking and it was Brandon who got into the move that stuck. So did Anton. While they were out there there was more action with the pack and I got into a chase group of 4 guys. The lead group eventually caught what was left of the peloton, with our chase group still out trying to do the same. Brandon got a flat in the breakaway but luckily they were giving free laps for mechanicals here, so he got back in, I learned after the race.
He ended up a controvertial 3rd place to Anton's 2nd. I finished in 7th and Derrek almost bridged up to my chase group by the end and finished right behind us in 9th.
The controversy was that one rider in the lead group who lapped the field had team mates in the lapped group. Those lapped riders hung around to lead him out for the sprint, leaving the other breakaway riders who lapped the field with him to fend for themselves against a full team again... which is the reason one tries to get into a breakaway in the first place, to fight against less riders for the win!
But technically it was the decision of the commissars to make, and they made it that way so you have to adjust tactics accordingly (the other option is to pull lapped riders out of the race entirely, but it rarely happens).
Well... the results weren't quite what they mighta been, but I think we did a respectable job getting one of us from the team into every move of the races and coming within a hair width of another double podium/win weekend.
Fun weekend overall for sure, good road trip with the Guelph posse, never a dull moment.
Its tempting to make the usual jokes about Detroit, like 'after the race I patted myself down to find NO bullet holes in me', or whatever, but the part of Detriot we were in was actually pretty nice. Huge murals (not graffiti) on the sides of some apartment buildings, parks, nice stuff. A lot of abandoned buildings right next to fancy high rises though, sure signs of the city's prime being... not now.
The Detroit crit had about 50 starters, I had two team mates, and Anton was racing as well.
Off the start I lined up near the front, but shifted to the back in no time. I apparently still had some pack jitters from the nationals incident and had a hard time trusting in any wheel in front of me. After a few laps I got into the grove of it again and had memorized all the defects in the pavement to take the right lines. I moved up to the front and popped off my first attack.
After some hard charging I found myself in what looked like the perfect breakaway:
Anton, Garneau's strongest guy, two strong riders from Jet Fuel, and one or two others.
Basically the strongest teams in the race were represented in this break and then some, so any chase behind would be getting some proper blockage from our team mates.
But as they say, if it looks too good to be true, probably is. For some reason, 'some rider' on Jet Fuel decides he'll go attacking before we even establish a safe gap over the peloton. Now we've got the other Jet Fuel rider as a passenger and cooperation falls though, then guess what, we get caught. Way to go, us! 'Here's the silver platter sir, just let me remove the ... whahaooaaoaooao *crash bang cling snap*'
So I hang in the pack while Brandon on my team goes out for a counter attack, same when Derrek goes out to do the same after Brandon gets reeled back in. Then I made it into another good looking break with Anton again and some other guys. Chased down eventually....
Then with about 20mins to go, we're all together and with a slight lull in the pace I shoot out from one side of the pack out of a turn. After driving it to get a gap, I finally check behind and see my team mate Derrek on my wheel, who had the exact same idea but came from the other side of the peloton. We have a Jet Fuel rider for company who just sits on, trying to set things up for his sprinter in the bunch. Other than the infiltrator, this was looking good.
We hold a solid gap until the final laps, driving pretty hard obviously, and then with two laps to go, I ride over one of a millionth cracks in the pavement, and flat. As strong as he is, unfortunately Derrek didn't hold of the pack all by himself and got gobbled up on the final lap, and the pack finished with a sprint.
Ahh what could have been.
Some quality pictures here.
------------------------------------------
On Sunday we were back in Windsor for the Ciocaro race. This was on a paved track made for bike racing, but not like a velodrome, which was very cool. Small registration for this race with only 18 guys, so it would be a hard race from the start since everyone will be attacking.
There was so much going on in this race its hard to keep track of the exact order of things, but I remember each of the three of us on Kallisto were taking turns counter attacking and it was Brandon who got into the move that stuck. So did Anton. While they were out there there was more action with the pack and I got into a chase group of 4 guys. The lead group eventually caught what was left of the peloton, with our chase group still out trying to do the same. Brandon got a flat in the breakaway but luckily they were giving free laps for mechanicals here, so he got back in, I learned after the race.
He ended up a controvertial 3rd place to Anton's 2nd. I finished in 7th and Derrek almost bridged up to my chase group by the end and finished right behind us in 9th.
The controversy was that one rider in the lead group who lapped the field had team mates in the lapped group. Those lapped riders hung around to lead him out for the sprint, leaving the other breakaway riders who lapped the field with him to fend for themselves against a full team again... which is the reason one tries to get into a breakaway in the first place, to fight against less riders for the win!
But technically it was the decision of the commissars to make, and they made it that way so you have to adjust tactics accordingly (the other option is to pull lapped riders out of the race entirely, but it rarely happens).
Well... the results weren't quite what they mighta been, but I think we did a respectable job getting one of us from the team into every move of the races and coming within a hair width of another double podium/win weekend.
Fun weekend overall for sure, good road trip with the Guelph posse, never a dull moment.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Nationals
This will be a short one, not a whole lot to write about the 6km I lasted in this race.
Basically on the descent, someone either dropped a waterbottle and someone ran over it starting a pileup, or people just started running into the rear of riders in front of them, and everyone started bouncing off one another and about 10 of us hit the deck.
Luckily it wasn't on the fast part of of the descent, I kept my distance and lost a few positions there to just keep safe.
Anyway, the bike got destroyed, which was quite unfortunate. I'm fine, just a bit of road rash. I might have landed on the guy who fell in front of me, not too sure.
So I watched the rest of the race from the sidelines. What a crazy race it turned out to be. So many DNFs from those who were caught behind this crash and more from the attrition that followed, no matter the group.
42 of 170 starters finished, crazy.
Basically on the descent, someone either dropped a waterbottle and someone ran over it starting a pileup, or people just started running into the rear of riders in front of them, and everyone started bouncing off one another and about 10 of us hit the deck.
Luckily it wasn't on the fast part of of the descent, I kept my distance and lost a few positions there to just keep safe.
Anyway, the bike got destroyed, which was quite unfortunate. I'm fine, just a bit of road rash. I might have landed on the guy who fell in front of me, not too sure.
So I watched the rest of the race from the sidelines. What a crazy race it turned out to be. So many DNFs from those who were caught behind this crash and more from the attrition that followed, no matter the group.
42 of 170 starters finished, crazy.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Two for One Babble! Double Race weekend, Cambridge Crit and K.W. Classic
Just coming off a wicked race weekend with two back to back. Some tired legs here, but well worth it.
Saturday saw the running of the first Cambridge Crit. Will they possibly turn this into a stage race with KW the next day? Who knows. Maybe the Guelph Crit will be brought back some day too... hmmm.
Either way, the course for this first time race was on quiet streets and perfect pavement with easy, safe corners, exactly what you'd want in a crit course.
Headed down with Anton, got in a proper warm up on the course, found out what Sound Solutions was by incidentally asking the owner of the company riding in his team kit, and started the race with a good sized group of 25.
Then, THIS happened (disclaimer - more gratuitous action shots!):
(not sure who snapped the money shot here)
The first half of the races was full of moves going off the front by teams who had 4-5 guys, plus others testing their legs. A good tactic from the teams, but nothing was exactly sticking. I radio'd Anton on the walkie talkie to come with me for a dig of our own. We shoot out and get a good, albeit short lived gap. As we were getting caught it looked a bit disorganized on the front (still behind us) and I was still not quite caught so I dug again. What the heck.
Anton lets the gap open behind me and before I know it I'm riding alone. Up the road I see a Jet Fuel rider, not sure when he got away, but I soon made it up to him. Together we hold a 20 sec. gap over the field for the next 30 mins. While the gap was smaller at the beginning, a prime was called, and we hold it until then (and then some) and I end up taking a prime. Woot.
Anton says the chase behind was disorganized, just hard attacks from the one Planet Energy rider then chase, then lull, then repeat. Eventually though, a group of 4-5 guys breaks away from the peloton and catches the Jet Fuel rider and I with two laps to go. As soon as the catch was made, organization in the break falls though, and the peloton's shadow was creeping back up to us.
Who would want to be caught like that... so out of the first corner of the last lap, I attack from 2nd wheel with everything I had, hoping to gap the hangers on at the back who should have been more fresh than us powering the break. I see past my seatpost that the chasing wheel was losing ground on me, so I go for it all the way. Solo all the way to the last corner and 'sprint' the final 200 m to hold the chase off. Barely. They shut the gap down a lot in the headwind section, but there was enough left to sit up and savour the moment a little. First S1/2 win, on the day that I upgraded officially to S1!
Waiting...waiting...
(Photo: Gabhan's Dad, Mr. Gabhan)
The finish:.
Big thanks to Mike M. for sticking around after his 3rd place finish in the earlier race to film this.
--------------------------------
The next day saw good racing conditions for KW. Perfect weather and WINDY. The crosswinds made this a really hard race. The first of the 130 km's started out fast. By one lap of twenty into the race, the peloton was already splitting apart. Just carnage. It often came back together, but a lot of legs were getting softened up by all the action. A team mate got into the first break, Anton too, we (and teamates of others in the break) start to block, and they get out of sight in no time.
As the laps wear on attacks and chases from teamates in the pack keep going. When Derrek (my last team mate in the pack) attacks, he gets away, but another solid rider goes after him a bit later. I have to jump on this and burn a huge match there. The two of us stayed away for half a lap or so, but got reeled in.
Derrek's group catches the front break, and behind in my group it was just attrition from there on in. Maybe 20 riders at this point, each lap it gets smaller and smaller. Each attack from our group shells a few more riders, and one or two get away off the front to ride in no man's land between groups for the rest of the day.
Covering those moves and accelerations all day (too many to even mention) through the wind was tough, and I think I definitely dulled my edge by pushing so hard the day before. But another good lesson in racing with crosswinds.
Our group now whittled to about 10 guys on the second last lap, one takes a flyer. Nobody care's because we're all visibly smoked, share a laugh or two (its over for us, so who cares) and just want to finish. On the last time through the crosswinds I go out to catch him just for kicks. He attacks near the finish as we're holding off the little group, and I couldn't be bothered to follow the millionth attack of the day for 15th place, so I just ride in at my own pace for 16th.
Not a super performance for me at KW, but we got two of the three of us from the team into the break, Derrek killing it, again, to take the W. Double win for the team this weekend, have to be happy with that.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Killington Stage Race, Stages 2 & 3
The time trial on Sunday was fun, but I didn't seem to exactly break the sound barrier. 17km on a very nice course though, mostly flat on a nice twisty highway by the river.
Not much to say about a TT except that I pushed really hard on the pedals for a while, and hoped for the best. The whole experiment of racing a TT bike for the first time went fairly well too, I didn't pull anything or get blown into the ditch, all was good.
Stopped the clock at 25:18, for a whopping 62nd place.
The next and last stage was a good one, major climbs, but only 100km in length. Format was predictable, the Louis Garneau team who had ~5 guys in the top 6 on GC would patrol the front of the peloton and bring any break aways back by the base of the final climb.
An 8 man move got away on the 20km downhill that started a few km after the start, and we picked some of them up who got dropped on the first KOM of the day. I got up to the front at the base of this climb because it was a hard turn onto some 12% roads for the first little while, but nothing major went down at the front, just everyone mashing a steady pace.
Before the 3km dirt section not long after the KOM I moved right up again hoping to bring Andrew, our highest placed rider at 16th, up and out of trouble should this road be crappy, and it ended up being the nicest dirt road I've ever seen. It was smooth with hardly any loose gravel.
Over the top of the long climb on this road the pace went way up and things got a bit strung out, but other than that the race was fairly controlled until the bottom of the final climb. The pace all stage just seemed too high to see many attacks go.
Then on the final climb I rode like a bag of bricks. I let the front group just ride away because I was feeling the onset of the dreaded redline and I knew this climb was long enough, 3km at 9%, that you don't want to go too deep to early.
I spent the rest of my way up riding through the string of other dropped riders, gradually upping my pace and rolled across the line solo for 57th place. Not the worst, but I really expected a better climb from myself than that. I felt fine all day and wasn't bonking or even feeling the efforts from the previous days, it was just like my top end that day was Micky-Mouse go-cart speed.
Even afterwards, was feeling fine after no time, but was ready to hurl a lung on the climb itself. Will be looking into this for sure.
So the final GC position is not really worth a mention, but it was 58th. I think I will submit '58 out of 120' as a new definition for 'completely meh' to Webster.
But all in all the weekend and the race were both awesome. Go ride in Vermont, you will love it. And if you want to go get tuned in a P/1/2 road race, they have those too.
Not much to say about a TT except that I pushed really hard on the pedals for a while, and hoped for the best. The whole experiment of racing a TT bike for the first time went fairly well too, I didn't pull anything or get blown into the ditch, all was good.
Stopped the clock at 25:18, for a whopping 62nd place.
The next and last stage was a good one, major climbs, but only 100km in length. Format was predictable, the Louis Garneau team who had ~5 guys in the top 6 on GC would patrol the front of the peloton and bring any break aways back by the base of the final climb.
An 8 man move got away on the 20km downhill that started a few km after the start, and we picked some of them up who got dropped on the first KOM of the day. I got up to the front at the base of this climb because it was a hard turn onto some 12% roads for the first little while, but nothing major went down at the front, just everyone mashing a steady pace.
Before the 3km dirt section not long after the KOM I moved right up again hoping to bring Andrew, our highest placed rider at 16th, up and out of trouble should this road be crappy, and it ended up being the nicest dirt road I've ever seen. It was smooth with hardly any loose gravel.
Over the top of the long climb on this road the pace went way up and things got a bit strung out, but other than that the race was fairly controlled until the bottom of the final climb. The pace all stage just seemed too high to see many attacks go.
Then on the final climb I rode like a bag of bricks. I let the front group just ride away because I was feeling the onset of the dreaded redline and I knew this climb was long enough, 3km at 9%, that you don't want to go too deep to early.
I spent the rest of my way up riding through the string of other dropped riders, gradually upping my pace and rolled across the line solo for 57th place. Not the worst, but I really expected a better climb from myself than that. I felt fine all day and wasn't bonking or even feeling the efforts from the previous days, it was just like my top end that day was Micky-Mouse go-cart speed.
Even afterwards, was feeling fine after no time, but was ready to hurl a lung on the climb itself. Will be looking into this for sure.
So the final GC position is not really worth a mention, but it was 58th. I think I will submit '58 out of 120' as a new definition for 'completely meh' to Webster.
But all in all the weekend and the race were both awesome. Go ride in Vermont, you will love it. And if you want to go get tuned in a P/1/2 road race, they have those too.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Killington Stage Race, Stage 1: May 28th
This update is coming from a ghost town ski resort that is probably bumping in the winter time, now occupied by a bunch of skinny people in tights at every turn.
Had a good drive down here, nice and early Thursday with the Rachel. Seamless trip except for a few exciting episodes. Exit 27, apparently a tricky exit to take. Ask her about it.
That night Vermont had the most insane thunderstorms I've ever seen. I thought maybe the Rapture WAS coming, but alas, the sun rose the next morning, much to my delight as now I have a few more days/months/millenia to figure out how to spend my last pennies and moments on earth. The lightshow went until at least 3am with torrential rain. By morning things were looking up, sun all day.
Pre-rode the stage 1 loop the next day to check out the 'KOM' and ridiculous downhill finish on this course. Quotations because the KOM was a 6km false flat of about 2-3% with a maybe 4% final km. Then riding into the finish straight I was softpedaling in my 12 doing ~55km/hr, so this was going to be a fast finish!
The race starts and instantly the action starts. Pace is right up to 50km/hr straight away and attacks are flying. On the first lap there were some good moves going clear, 5 guys or more, but there are so many different teams here amongst the 115 riders that SOMEONE is always interested in chasing.
I got off the front coming up to the 2nd KOM with Louis Garneau rider, I think the guy who won Battenkill a few weeks ago, and our teams did a good job to block and we were out there for a little while, but didn't make it to the KOM before other teams dragged us back into the fold.
The rest of the race was spent chasing a huge breakaway of ~15 guys that got away after that, and just riding in the bunch over the rolling terrain was NOT a cakewalk at all, the chasing at the front of the pack was pretty fierce. On the last lap the big group was unbelievably caught.. in an Ontario race a move that big would have lapped the field 10 times. At this rate I decided I wasn't even going to think about the final sprint, we were hitting 80km/hr each time through there and I have no reason to be rubbing elbows at that speed for a sprint where we were all together, where I'll probably blow away in the wind before getting a result, so instead I considered attacking over the KOM on the last lap.
NOPE! By then sprinter's teams were setting up their guys, as it was only ~7km to go, and I was doing more than enough work to just hang in there. Each time we went around a bend and I got a good look at whoever was on the front at that moment, they were clearly drilling it, eating their handlebar tape so nobody behind would attack, and it worked very well :S.
NOPE! By then sprinter's teams were setting up their guys, as it was only ~7km to go, and I was doing more than enough work to just hang in there. Each time we went around a bend and I got a good look at whoever was on the front at that moment, they were clearly drilling it, eating their handlebar tape so nobody behind would attack, and it worked very well :S.
The finish was so bananas I was happy to just chill and hold onto the back of the pack and avoid any crashes that might happen, none did though. On the final ~3km of the race, I was riding at about my threshold in my 53-11, and for the final 2.5 minutes we AVERAGED 66km/hr. I can't say I ever finished a race that quickly before! Eventually roll in 74th, same time as the winner. Was an interesting stage, especially for a relatively flat course.
Tomorrow's TT will be the first time for me actually racing w a TT bike, again thanks to Rach! We'll see how that goes! Not expecting anything amazing but I hope to do at least mid pack... hopefully not to much to ask of myself from the first time racing a different bike and not training for TT's at all...
And here's a look at the nearby view. Its ok. Incidentally, Monday's 3rd and final stage finishes right there on the road on the right. And yeah, there's some climbing to do before we get there ;) . More to come soon.
Have a good weekend!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Nith River Race Report: Sunday May 22nd
Nith was a new race on the calendar this year, and the organizers did a really good job with the new course/venue, I thought it was awesome.
I rode out with Aaron last Thursday on his commute to Waterloo and continued on to check the course out, which was on the far side of Waterloo from Guelph. Never ridden that far in that direction, so was a good little bike adventure to get there and back. 150km round trip with lots of rolling hills and 'farm scenery', if you will.
The recon mission was well worth it as the course had some quirks, such as wind EVERYWHERE. No big hills or anything, but enough ups and downs that 132km of it on Sunday would make it a course to wear everyone down.
Headed out, race day, after a monster breakfast with Stu, Kira and her awesome fam, and drove through a major storm that left only sunshine at the sign in. Wasn't sure what I should pack in my jersey pocket... my sunblock or umbrella? I opted for a gel in the end.
Was really looking forward to this race, but the only thing was some lingering soreness in my muscles from some workouts I did earlier in the week. I had plenty of rest days this week so it was strange to feel that way on race day, still not sure what that was... but it was time to race and forget about that for now.
One of my goals for this race was to be more attentive and discerning to groups that went off the front, and think hard before bridging any gaps to groups that were just destined to be dust in the path of the giant vacuum-cleaner.
The first of eight laps lots of moves were attempted, and I guessed right about all of them as I didn't try to reach any of them, and they were all brought back . The second lap, the peloton seemed very attentive and jumpy still and I thought it would be too early for a big break to go. So I'm fighting my way through the crosswind section, probably 20th back or so, and it gets strung out and a split occurs, 10 guys deep, the rest is just carnage with riders on their own everywhere. It was kinda awesome, except when you're 20 wheels back, behind the most significant selection.
Over the next brutal few km in the wind, it shakes out and I'm in a 5-man group, chasing a 3 man group ahead, which is chasing the first group of 10 guys. We start rotating, but soon get some hanger's on. I look around and recognize these chaps, some of whom I know to be quite strong, but they're saying they just can't pull through. I thought I was getting hustled into doing more work, but not so as it would soon turn out.
With the sloppy rotation we had, the peloton behind was gaining fast and the groups ahead were getting no closer. About 100m between us and the giant hoover, almost everyone sits up in my group and gives up, but I've seen this before: if we get caught, we're spending the next 90km in a 30km/hr group ride. No thanks.
I look to my former teammate in the little group, who I only then recognized in his different kit, and tell him to come with me, as he was the only guy working with me at this point. He's a solid rider, so I thought he'd be with me no problem, but as I come by he's soaking wet from the earlier efforts and as I accidentally gap him, I ask if he's ok and he only shakes his head, 'no'. Oh boy.. just me now, sh*t!
A do-or-die moment, and I commit to catching that 2nd chase group up the road. I floor it as hard as I can and put some daylight between myself and the peloton, and slowly, agonizingly slowly, reach the chase group after 5 minutes solo that may have subtracted or added years to my life, I may never know.
After finally catching, I sit on for a few minutes, regain my senses, and try not to puke on my bike. On this course with the wind, even sitting on a small group is work, so even after the catch I had to be careful not to pop off until I was recharged.
And so there it was, odometer reading 42km, the rest of the race would be us four chasing the ten guys ahead and battling the crosswinds for the next 90km.
The lead group apparently split, and we became group 3 on the road, and ultimately finished 9 minutes back! I couldn't believe how far back we were.. but considering that there was no coasting/recovery anywhere on the course I'm sure I was more drained that I realized at the time.
Final sprint in our group set up after an attack from Evan, we regrouped, then 600m before the line, on the hill, I put in a dig, get caught, and as 2 guys come by I go to catch their wheel but the 4th guy is half-wheeling me on the side I needed to go to, and he wouldn't move up or back. Felt pretty cheap because to not run him off the road I stuck it out in the wind while he hid in the draft and eventually sprinted by just at the line.
Aside from the anti-climactic/lame finish, it was a fun, hard race.
The results showed just how hard it was for everyone in every group. I ended up just 13th of 36 starters, but there were only 17 finishers! That chasing peloton behind us just kept dwindling as the race wore on, apparently.
Honorable mentions to teammate Derrek who again killed it, finishing 3rd, no thanks to me whatsoever, and Anton who finally makes the main breakaway, only to be taken down by sushi/mystery malady in the end. Still hung onto the group though, so not bad at all.
Well, this weekend its off to Vermont for the Killington stage race. Two road stages sandwiching a TT, where thanks to Rach I will actually race a TT bike for once. Updates to come!
Bayden
I rode out with Aaron last Thursday on his commute to Waterloo and continued on to check the course out, which was on the far side of Waterloo from Guelph. Never ridden that far in that direction, so was a good little bike adventure to get there and back. 150km round trip with lots of rolling hills and 'farm scenery', if you will.
The recon mission was well worth it as the course had some quirks, such as wind EVERYWHERE. No big hills or anything, but enough ups and downs that 132km of it on Sunday would make it a course to wear everyone down.
Headed out, race day, after a monster breakfast with Stu, Kira and her awesome fam, and drove through a major storm that left only sunshine at the sign in. Wasn't sure what I should pack in my jersey pocket... my sunblock or umbrella? I opted for a gel in the end.
Was really looking forward to this race, but the only thing was some lingering soreness in my muscles from some workouts I did earlier in the week. I had plenty of rest days this week so it was strange to feel that way on race day, still not sure what that was... but it was time to race and forget about that for now.
One of my goals for this race was to be more attentive and discerning to groups that went off the front, and think hard before bridging any gaps to groups that were just destined to be dust in the path of the giant vacuum-cleaner.
The first of eight laps lots of moves were attempted, and I guessed right about all of them as I didn't try to reach any of them, and they were all brought back . The second lap, the peloton seemed very attentive and jumpy still and I thought it would be too early for a big break to go. So I'm fighting my way through the crosswind section, probably 20th back or so, and it gets strung out and a split occurs, 10 guys deep, the rest is just carnage with riders on their own everywhere. It was kinda awesome, except when you're 20 wheels back, behind the most significant selection.
Over the next brutal few km in the wind, it shakes out and I'm in a 5-man group, chasing a 3 man group ahead, which is chasing the first group of 10 guys. We start rotating, but soon get some hanger's on. I look around and recognize these chaps, some of whom I know to be quite strong, but they're saying they just can't pull through. I thought I was getting hustled into doing more work, but not so as it would soon turn out.
With the sloppy rotation we had, the peloton behind was gaining fast and the groups ahead were getting no closer. About 100m between us and the giant hoover, almost everyone sits up in my group and gives up, but I've seen this before: if we get caught, we're spending the next 90km in a 30km/hr group ride. No thanks.
I look to my former teammate in the little group, who I only then recognized in his different kit, and tell him to come with me, as he was the only guy working with me at this point. He's a solid rider, so I thought he'd be with me no problem, but as I come by he's soaking wet from the earlier efforts and as I accidentally gap him, I ask if he's ok and he only shakes his head, 'no'. Oh boy.. just me now, sh*t!
A do-or-die moment, and I commit to catching that 2nd chase group up the road. I floor it as hard as I can and put some daylight between myself and the peloton, and slowly, agonizingly slowly, reach the chase group after 5 minutes solo that may have subtracted or added years to my life, I may never know.
After finally catching, I sit on for a few minutes, regain my senses, and try not to puke on my bike. On this course with the wind, even sitting on a small group is work, so even after the catch I had to be careful not to pop off until I was recharged.
And so there it was, odometer reading 42km, the rest of the race would be us four chasing the ten guys ahead and battling the crosswinds for the next 90km.
The lead group apparently split, and we became group 3 on the road, and ultimately finished 9 minutes back! I couldn't believe how far back we were.. but considering that there was no coasting/recovery anywhere on the course I'm sure I was more drained that I realized at the time.
Final sprint in our group set up after an attack from Evan, we regrouped, then 600m before the line, on the hill, I put in a dig, get caught, and as 2 guys come by I go to catch their wheel but the 4th guy is half-wheeling me on the side I needed to go to, and he wouldn't move up or back. Felt pretty cheap because to not run him off the road I stuck it out in the wind while he hid in the draft and eventually sprinted by just at the line.
Aside from the anti-climactic/lame finish, it was a fun, hard race.
The results showed just how hard it was for everyone in every group. I ended up just 13th of 36 starters, but there were only 17 finishers! That chasing peloton behind us just kept dwindling as the race wore on, apparently.
Honorable mentions to teammate Derrek who again killed it, finishing 3rd, no thanks to me whatsoever, and Anton who finally makes the main breakaway, only to be taken down by sushi/mystery malady in the end. Still hung onto the group though, so not bad at all.
Well, this weekend its off to Vermont for the Killington stage race. Two road stages sandwiching a TT, where thanks to Rach I will actually race a TT bike for once. Updates to come!
Bayden
Monday, May 16, 2011
Bike the Bruce Race Report
Headed up to the Bruce Peninsula yesterday for this race on a fairly flat but pretty interesting course. Enough twisty roads, one twisting along the coast of Lake Huron offering a nice distracting view, and a LOT of wind. Gusts didn't stop all day and on pretty much every section/turn, wind was a factor.
The action started right off the gun with 132km ahead when someone snapped their chain and took a tumble. Took a little detour on the gravel shoulder and caught up the already charging front of the race.
Two riders each from the other main teams at this race were making a little move, being the Kallisto rider nearest the front I went with them, only to meet an instant chase down by the pack.
Then a large counter attack goes with some more teammates in it, and being tired I let it go and see what happens. All teams were in this move too, and it gets minutes ahead in no time. So let the games begin. The pack slows down drastically with all teams in lock down mode, not letting any more attacks get away to chase the break.
Anton and a few other rides see the impending boredom of the next km's setting in and move to the front to make some things happen. Anton pulls for a while and drills it up a climb, putting the pack single file, and when he comes off the front someone else drills it and as Anton comes drifting by us yells something which I didn't quite hear, but probably to the effect of 'gahh!'.
A small 2nd group of three get off the front, a teammate in there, and they stayed away for a good while. Anton and a few others just rotating on the front got them back. Once they were back and we turned up the hill I put in a dig to see who would follow. Turns out almost everyone and we were all back together by the top. Then the counterattack goes AGAIN including Charlie (teammate) and Anton. Kinda boxed in and tired from jamming it up the hill I have to just watch it ride away, knowing it would likely stay away.....
Enter phase two of the race... stuck in the 3rd group on the road, the remnants of the race if you will. Just a bunch of teammates of riders up in the breakaways and a bunch of independent riders who also happened to miss the breaks. Still quite a ways to go, at least 50km, some riders just go to the front and ride a hard tempo, the teams get into it as well, just to make sure we finish the race before Tuesday.
To break the monotony even more a million attacks start going, just for the hell of it it seems. One of our remaining guys just rides off the front for almost 30km solo, but with all the attacks and counter attacks he gets caught within 3km to go to the line. At that point the one other teammate I had in this group, Brandon, eyes me to get on his wheel. He makes a solid leadout, slogging it out into the wind, up the false flat to the finish line. I do my best to make that effort worthwhile, pull out a 2nd in the bunch sprint for 13th overall. Nothing too special, but definitely an interesting race overall. Learned some new tricks this race that I be sure to use next weekend on a course that will be fairly similar.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Springbank Race Report
Some people love this race, some people hate it. The 2.2 km loop in Springbank park has one downhill corner that's a little tricky, but isn't as dangerous as reputation may suggest.
An interesting edition of the race this year: tiny field of 19 riders, two teams between them had half the riders in the race, and pouring rain all race long.
We went early and watched Rachel's race where the weather was looking good, then about an hour before our race it started really coming down and cooling off. Tried to warm up during my... warm up, but the rain was just too cold to actually get warm. Should have brought a rain-parka.
The race itself was interesting to watch, from the inside at least. The teams would set up breakaways, and then chase them down, even with their own riders up the road. It was a little strange at times to be honest. Clearly the Garneau team was working for their rider who won the race last year, and it was a bit of a battle between them and the Darkhorse Flyer guys to get who they wanted up the road.
During all this I made an early attack that was chased down, and went with several other attacks with the teams, all chased down. It was turning into a race situation where the team that was the most tired of chasing would be the one that missed out, because it was just constant attacks and counter attacks.
As if that weren't enough to make the race hard, we were all riding through so much rain and standing water it was like having a pressure washer shooting you in the face the whole time.
Eventually Anton, who was riding 3rd wheel at the time, decided to let a gap open between himself and the two pace-setting Garneau and Darkhorse riders in front of him. They slowly rode away, seeing their gap, and the peloton slowly creeped back behind. Like all other moves this race I was just waiting for one of the teams to chase themselves down again.
Then near the back of the group (not far from the front when it's this small), I see Garneau's main guy attack. Surely Darkhorse will start chasing this and bring it back, otherwise I would have tried to go with the move for sure. Unbelievably, Darkhorse didn't react at all. The guy bridges up, and the breakaway stays away to win. Talk about rolling the dice. He might have attacked so hard the Darkhorse team couldn't react in time to catch his wheel or something, but I think everyone was just getting tired.
Meanwhile the cold is setting right into my bones and I'm looking forward to finishing this race. I set up for the sprint and jump from exactly where I wanted to, and then after about 5 pedal strokes my legs almost seized up from I can only guess the cold and previous efforts, it wasn't cramping that's for sure, and got passed by almost everyone who was left by the time I cross the finish line. Never felt that way before, definitely the worst sprint of my life!
Other than the last 500m, the race went fairly well. To bad they're the ones that often count the most! Next time a thermal wetsuit will be worn for a race in conditions like yesterday, fix that right up.
And finally, gotta say the new bike is amazing, now that I've actually raced with it. Its so stiff and responsive it just never lets you down. The somewhat lower stance it has, compared to other bikes (Argon 18 feature that has the bottom bracket 5mm lower), was no problem when leaning into the corners.
I'm sure everyone's as sick of this monsoon weather as I am, hopefully spring will show up one of these days and we can ride in the sun soon!
An interesting edition of the race this year: tiny field of 19 riders, two teams between them had half the riders in the race, and pouring rain all race long.
We went early and watched Rachel's race where the weather was looking good, then about an hour before our race it started really coming down and cooling off. Tried to warm up during my... warm up, but the rain was just too cold to actually get warm. Should have brought a rain-parka.
The race itself was interesting to watch, from the inside at least. The teams would set up breakaways, and then chase them down, even with their own riders up the road. It was a little strange at times to be honest. Clearly the Garneau team was working for their rider who won the race last year, and it was a bit of a battle between them and the Darkhorse Flyer guys to get who they wanted up the road.
During all this I made an early attack that was chased down, and went with several other attacks with the teams, all chased down. It was turning into a race situation where the team that was the most tired of chasing would be the one that missed out, because it was just constant attacks and counter attacks.
As if that weren't enough to make the race hard, we were all riding through so much rain and standing water it was like having a pressure washer shooting you in the face the whole time.
Eventually Anton, who was riding 3rd wheel at the time, decided to let a gap open between himself and the two pace-setting Garneau and Darkhorse riders in front of him. They slowly rode away, seeing their gap, and the peloton slowly creeped back behind. Like all other moves this race I was just waiting for one of the teams to chase themselves down again.
Then near the back of the group (not far from the front when it's this small), I see Garneau's main guy attack. Surely Darkhorse will start chasing this and bring it back, otherwise I would have tried to go with the move for sure. Unbelievably, Darkhorse didn't react at all. The guy bridges up, and the breakaway stays away to win. Talk about rolling the dice. He might have attacked so hard the Darkhorse team couldn't react in time to catch his wheel or something, but I think everyone was just getting tired.
Meanwhile the cold is setting right into my bones and I'm looking forward to finishing this race. I set up for the sprint and jump from exactly where I wanted to, and then after about 5 pedal strokes my legs almost seized up from I can only guess the cold and previous efforts, it wasn't cramping that's for sure, and got passed by almost everyone who was left by the time I cross the finish line. Never felt that way before, definitely the worst sprint of my life!
Other than the last 500m, the race went fairly well. To bad they're the ones that often count the most! Next time a thermal wetsuit will be worn for a race in conditions like yesterday, fix that right up.
And finally, gotta say the new bike is amazing, now that I've actually raced with it. Its so stiff and responsive it just never lets you down. The somewhat lower stance it has, compared to other bikes (Argon 18 feature that has the bottom bracket 5mm lower), was no problem when leaning into the corners.
I'm sure everyone's as sick of this monsoon weather as I am, hopefully spring will show up one of these days and we can ride in the sun soon!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Mess Report: Good Friday Road Race
Things were looking good going into this one. We had good representation from the team with 8 riders, I was feeling good, new bike, what could go wrong... turns out a lot!
After a little delayed start we set off 'into' the tailwind, already shivering quickly go up to race speed and moving up towards the front, our team would be active today and making moves early.
Going around the first turn, into a strong crosswind from the right, almost the entire field went and stayed straddling the yellow line, it was all over the place! With yellow line rule, as usual, in effect, this would lead to the disqualification of about 3/4 of the entire field over the race! Although unbeknownst to anyone until the end because they weren't pulling riders due to DQ's.
Onto the hills, I was riding about 10th position and speeding up to go with an attack from a teammate, I see some surge on my right and someone falls into the guy next to me, who then falls, quite literally, onto me. The three of us go down and we have a silly mess of tangled handlebars. After we finally untangle bikes and we get up, I look around to get my waterbottle, still in the cage that got broken off and stick it in my pocket. Elbow is stiff and chain is off so by the time I'm going again, the pack is long gone. Race over, after only 10km.
On the brighter side, teamates Charlie and Adam (who drove all way up from NY) went on to take the 1-2 for the team, with the others doing fine work watching all attacks attempting to get away and bridge up from the peloton. And when the results come up turns out I got swept up in the DQ Blizzard too! Only 3 from our team actually placed in the official results, very odd day.
The next two weeks will be fun trying to sleep with some new road rash, but no major injuries and the bike is fine at least.
Next race is Springbank in about a week. Had a good result there in S3 last year, will go for the same this time around in S1/2.
Enjoy the sun today, possibly the nicest day we've had all year!
After a little delayed start we set off 'into' the tailwind, already shivering quickly go up to race speed and moving up towards the front, our team would be active today and making moves early.
Going around the first turn, into a strong crosswind from the right, almost the entire field went and stayed straddling the yellow line, it was all over the place! With yellow line rule, as usual, in effect, this would lead to the disqualification of about 3/4 of the entire field over the race! Although unbeknownst to anyone until the end because they weren't pulling riders due to DQ's.
Onto the hills, I was riding about 10th position and speeding up to go with an attack from a teammate, I see some surge on my right and someone falls into the guy next to me, who then falls, quite literally, onto me. The three of us go down and we have a silly mess of tangled handlebars. After we finally untangle bikes and we get up, I look around to get my waterbottle, still in the cage that got broken off and stick it in my pocket. Elbow is stiff and chain is off so by the time I'm going again, the pack is long gone. Race over, after only 10km.
On the brighter side, teamates Charlie and Adam (who drove all way up from NY) went on to take the 1-2 for the team, with the others doing fine work watching all attacks attempting to get away and bridge up from the peloton. And when the results come up turns out I got swept up in the DQ Blizzard too! Only 3 from our team actually placed in the official results, very odd day.
The next two weeks will be fun trying to sleep with some new road rash, but no major injuries and the bike is fine at least.
Next race is Springbank in about a week. Had a good result there in S3 last year, will go for the same this time around in S1/2.
Enjoy the sun today, possibly the nicest day we've had all year!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
A new ride
The other day our team bikes came in, they're lookin' something like this:
Wheels of Bloor set up the team with these racing machines. Put on some wheels I had waiting and off we go, just in time for the first 'actual' road race this Friday.
Put in a few good rides on it so far and it rides just like it looks.. fast. Just rock solid too, can't flex the frame a nanometer even when I'm laying down my 3000 Watt sprints with my gorilla legs.
First time riding an Argon 18 and I definitely dig the Canadian factor going on there, although of course they are actually manufactured in the same place as all other carbon bike parts.
I'll be back with an update on how 'the bike' performs this Friday. Enjoy the brief glimpse of sun we have coming the next two days :)
Monday, April 18, 2011
Paris to Ancaster Race Report
This was a really fun race. Definitely one of the most unique styles of bike races around. Over the 60km of this race we had everything from full speed, spinning out our gears on the roads to barely going 10km/hr under full power over bumpy, muddy, grass stretches.
Funny how such a race would end up as the largest in Canada, but it is! Over 2000 people raced on Sunday.
Big thanks to Rachel for lending me her cross bike for the race, even though she may have been trying to kill me. For all its 'incidental' quirks, such as non-downshiting front shifter, squiggly rear wheel, and exploding waterbottle cage, it was a fine ride.
Speaking of thanks, thanks to the organizer our team was granted access to the 'top 100' coral, where you can start in the top 100. Usually you have to finish in the top 100 the year before to get there. So that saved us having to fight through +300 people on rail trails to get to the front (not all 2000 people go in one wave, just ~350 in the first).
Mike D from Speed River raced with his video cam too, should be some good footage on that!
After the army of cyclists was let loose to invade the farm roads of southern Ontario, I worked myself up to the top 30 or so riders before the big funnel onto the first rail trail, off the open road. Pace eased up after a totally frenetic start. Figuratively bumped in to Andrew D., had a little chat and he musta been feeling charitable as he told me on the hill just up ahead is where it all hits the fan.
Literally out of nowhere, its a right turn up this loose gravel hill, and I was totally not ready for this thinking the hill was coming on a proper dirt road, not off the rail trail! This was where the first big selection was made. Everyone was off their bike and bumping elbows up this hill, shoving gravel everywhere. By the time I scramble to the top I can see a group of about 20 guys riding away, guys who were expecting that little turn! Good on them, that's apparently part of how you win this race.
So I started hammering in pursuit, they weren't out of reach yet, and things got single file really quickly. Started bridging to/from groups, everyone gasping, let the gong show begin!
Turn onto some forest trail about 10km into the race, bike through two small ponds, instant double-foot-soaker at 2 degrees C, awesome! Emerge onto road again, see group ahead about 700m now, time to bury the needle some more. Had a few others with me in this chase until next section...and repeat.
While chasing this lead group out on the road, there were several km's where we were all spinning out our gears, going at least 50km/hr for km's on end. Some mountain bikers got shelled just because of their easier gears wouldn't let them spin fast enough!
Well the lead group was getting away, we were too few and not strong enough to get them back. About halfway through the race, my teamate Derek shows up, after bridging solo for who knows how long. No big deal. What does he do? Goes straight to the front and starts drilling it. So much ass was hauled on those open rail trails with the winds, so many train jokes to make. But I won't do that to you.
One of the more 'interesting' parts of the course came near the end, called the 'chute' I think. Its a downhill trail that makes you wonder if the best way through is to ride in and hope for the best or to bellyflop into it and use your momentum to slide through like a greased pig in spandex. No time to think that through, so I chose the former. This was bonkers - not knowing what was coming up. We had bricks, broken cement and all kinds of stuff underneath the mud. Picking up ridiculous speed I wanted to reach for the brakes but between all the bumps and sliding, that didn't happen. Instead, I came to an unplanned stop by some unseen dirt-dwelling piece of rubble, just standing there wondering what just grabbed my wheels. So I rode out at a more civilized pace without having any dirt sandwiches.
After not too long I finally make it to the final hill there the race finishes, see Josh camped out taking wicked pics again.. hmm maybe I'll post some up here someday...
That thing was steep. Checked about five times to see if I had an easier gear, and I never did :(.
Come in 22nd at the end, and I can't help but wonder how it would have turned out if I were prepared for that first uphill turn where the split happened.... Regardless, a fun little adventure with the snow and winds, and just the race itself. A race with character for sure!
For the next race we might finally NOT get covered in mud.. we'll have see. The Good Friday road race.. can never remember what day its on but its soon. We might have our full team out for this one, looking forward to it!
Happy Monday, once again
Funny how such a race would end up as the largest in Canada, but it is! Over 2000 people raced on Sunday.
Big thanks to Rachel for lending me her cross bike for the race, even though she may have been trying to kill me. For all its 'incidental' quirks, such as non-downshiting front shifter, squiggly rear wheel, and exploding waterbottle cage, it was a fine ride.
Speaking of thanks, thanks to the organizer our team was granted access to the 'top 100' coral, where you can start in the top 100. Usually you have to finish in the top 100 the year before to get there. So that saved us having to fight through +300 people on rail trails to get to the front (not all 2000 people go in one wave, just ~350 in the first).
Mike D from Speed River raced with his video cam too, should be some good footage on that!
After the army of cyclists was let loose to invade the farm roads of southern Ontario, I worked myself up to the top 30 or so riders before the big funnel onto the first rail trail, off the open road. Pace eased up after a totally frenetic start. Figuratively bumped in to Andrew D., had a little chat and he musta been feeling charitable as he told me on the hill just up ahead is where it all hits the fan.
Literally out of nowhere, its a right turn up this loose gravel hill, and I was totally not ready for this thinking the hill was coming on a proper dirt road, not off the rail trail! This was where the first big selection was made. Everyone was off their bike and bumping elbows up this hill, shoving gravel everywhere. By the time I scramble to the top I can see a group of about 20 guys riding away, guys who were expecting that little turn! Good on them, that's apparently part of how you win this race.
So I started hammering in pursuit, they weren't out of reach yet, and things got single file really quickly. Started bridging to/from groups, everyone gasping, let the gong show begin!
Turn onto some forest trail about 10km into the race, bike through two small ponds, instant double-foot-soaker at 2 degrees C, awesome! Emerge onto road again, see group ahead about 700m now, time to bury the needle some more. Had a few others with me in this chase until next section...and repeat.
While chasing this lead group out on the road, there were several km's where we were all spinning out our gears, going at least 50km/hr for km's on end. Some mountain bikers got shelled just because of their easier gears wouldn't let them spin fast enough!
Well the lead group was getting away, we were too few and not strong enough to get them back. About halfway through the race, my teamate Derek shows up, after bridging solo for who knows how long. No big deal. What does he do? Goes straight to the front and starts drilling it. So much ass was hauled on those open rail trails with the winds, so many train jokes to make. But I won't do that to you.
One of the more 'interesting' parts of the course came near the end, called the 'chute' I think. Its a downhill trail that makes you wonder if the best way through is to ride in and hope for the best or to bellyflop into it and use your momentum to slide through like a greased pig in spandex. No time to think that through, so I chose the former. This was bonkers - not knowing what was coming up. We had bricks, broken cement and all kinds of stuff underneath the mud. Picking up ridiculous speed I wanted to reach for the brakes but between all the bumps and sliding, that didn't happen. Instead, I came to an unplanned stop by some unseen dirt-dwelling piece of rubble, just standing there wondering what just grabbed my wheels. So I rode out at a more civilized pace without having any dirt sandwiches.
After not too long I finally make it to the final hill there the race finishes, see Josh camped out taking wicked pics again.. hmm maybe I'll post some up here someday...
That thing was steep. Checked about five times to see if I had an easier gear, and I never did :(.
Come in 22nd at the end, and I can't help but wonder how it would have turned out if I were prepared for that first uphill turn where the split happened.... Regardless, a fun little adventure with the snow and winds, and just the race itself. A race with character for sure!
For the next race we might finally NOT get covered in mud.. we'll have see. The Good Friday road race.. can never remember what day its on but its soon. We might have our full team out for this one, looking forward to it!
Happy Monday, once again
Monday, April 11, 2011
Race Report: Tour of Bronte
Skipping to the end, 3rd place finish.
Here's how it went down:
Under rapidly clearing skies but not so dry roads, we had ~100km to ride with about 30% gravel. And the gravel sections were quite a minefield this year. Not just because of the wet, soft dirt everywhere that could suck you in like quicksand in some spots, but the potholes were everywhere! One section it was almost impossible to ride through, even solo, without nailing one. Even the pavement had its bottomless pits!
Anyway, the first 9 laps of the paved part were pretty uneventful. Everyone was pretty relaxed for the first Ontario road race of the year, and the pace was easy-peasy for a lap or two. Then a group of 3 guys went away, two from 3Rox and one from Trek Canada. That made the pace go up for the rest of the paved laps, but they were pulling away for sure. I felt it wasn't the time for me to make moves, so I waited in the draft for the gravel sections.
You could tell everyone was getting anxious for the first gravel section, and I was expecting some attacks right away, but it was fairly smooth transition. Rode in the top 5 to keep an eye on developments but no attacks, just the same consistent tempo-ish pace.
I bided my time until the next time through the gravel section, it was about 40km into the race at this point and if the people I was marking weren't going to make a move, I would try to draw them out with my own. Just as I was positioning to attack through the false flat, an attack goes out hard with 3 guys. Did they read my mind?! I jumped onto that right away, caught my breath after the bridge and looked around to see a group of 5, and we had a nice gap growing as we returned to the pavement. There was good power in this group and we got our rotation going, keeping a very strong pace.
Then the bottom almost fell out of this 'so far so good' race. I bailed on the sharpest dirt corner of the course, just two-tire slide until my front caught and twisted me off the bike. The breakaway had to go on, and I was left getting my chain back on and sorting myself out. It was a slow fall and not that bad at all, but being tired form working in the break and suddenly in no-man's land between the break and the peloton is almost worst case scenario. Being ticked at myself for overcooking the corner probably helped get some more adrenalin, and I rode up to a Darkhorse rider (I think Isaac) who happened to be making a bridge up himself to the breakaway, and together we re-joined the break. For a while though, the peloton looked closer than the breakaway! It did not look good then. While just a bike race, I could not have been impressed with myself if I crashed out of the winning breakaway - so it was on.
Later, after having caught my breath (again) and plugging away in the break, I notice someone sitting on my wheel, who had bridged up SOLO from the pack across what must have been a minute long gap. With this added horsepower we went on to catch the initial group of three, and then we were 9 of us.
A group this big was destined to come down with 'I don't wanna work' syndrome, and the paceline got interrupted all the time by ppl sitting on and not pulling through. Granted at least 3 guys were out there for longer by themselves so were understandably tired, but there games were being played all along.
All in all, good group to have out front and we pulled time out on the pack until the last lap, assuring the winner would be one of the 9. With about 10km to go on the dirt, I pulled through after nobody else would and then pulled off to let someone else resume.... and... nothing. I think I heard a pin drop, a tumbleweed blew by. I know there's 8 guys behind me and I'm almost coasting now.... then BOOM. Attack from last year's winner. Half expecting this, I jump with all I had to get on the move. There's 3 guys up, and I need to get there. I think time slowed down, maybe it was my tunnel vision from here until the end, but it felt like forever until I made contact, really probably less than 30 seconds though. After that I didn't look back to see who was with me but the attack had shattered the break. Riding out onto the final and paved stretch, more attacks flew from the Darkhorse riders doing the old one-two on us. Neither move got away and I think it was 5 of us heading into the sprint, tunnel vision getting worse as we all jumped on moves.
Hauling ass into the finish, I was holding 3rd wheel and waiting for the sprint when the winner opens his sprint, comes by us and we jump after him. I got stuck on the wrong side of the guy who was leading us out thinking he was pulling off, so had to check my speed and lost a bit of ground before being able to pass and wind it up. Haha wind it up with whatever was left, that is.
Good finish by all though, I think everyone was really givin' it the beans, as they say. So I come in 3rd, about half a bike length out of 2nd. The pre-race plan worked out perfectly and despite the major hiccup (wiping out), I dealt with it and the day ended on a really high note. I love bike racing.
And its that time, race after race is now on its way!
Happy Monday.
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Wheel Keeps on Turning
Didn't make it after all to Homage to Ice, transportation fell through and by all accounts it was tough going through snow covered double track. Not exactly my idea of a good time, but kudos to those who slogged it out and raced all the way through snow.
Instead, a handful of us gathered early Sunday morning around the TV and streamed one of the best races of the year, Tour of Flanders. As usual it didn't disappoint and had us on the edge of our seats for the entire time. I love this race because you see all tactics of road racing being applied in the same race. A sprinter can win, so you have full teams chasing small breakaways, you have insane solo breakaways that sometimes make it, attacks on the hills, the flats - it's just bananas.
Can't help but think of the whole radio debate in light of races like theses. Cycling's governing body is trying to phase out the use of radios between riders and their sports directors in the follow cars, arguing they want the sport to remain about the 'cyclist' and not have them become puppets, with the goal of keeping races more exciting.
This article by a pro rider affected by this debate says it the best: Radios don't make races boring and predictable, boring courses do.
eg: The first week of the Tour every year. Flat 200km stages, what do you expect? Long breakaway, chase, catch, sprint. 6hrs of riding for 10mins of racing at the end. Very boring.
Tour of Flanders? Many many steep cobbled climbs, twisty/never straight course - anybody can win, so everyone will try. Amazing racing. Doesn't get better, equaled by Paris-Roubaix perhaps (next weekend). And radios, either way, can't change any of that.
Ok, end rant..
After watching the race, we headed out for a long ride with some guys from the SRCC, good to see some faces I hadn't seen since fall. Spring is really struggling to arrive this year, you can do it, Spring.
Otherwise, training is going well and just heading into a needed rest week now before the first Ontario road race next weekend at Bronte.
It snowed AGAIN last night, and is raining all day today, so at least that might clean the grit off the roads a little bit - but with the day off of training and work, looks like a good time to do a spring tune-up on the commuter and clean up the road bike which has been seeing interesting conditions outside these past few weeks.
Over 'n out!
Instead, a handful of us gathered early Sunday morning around the TV and streamed one of the best races of the year, Tour of Flanders. As usual it didn't disappoint and had us on the edge of our seats for the entire time. I love this race because you see all tactics of road racing being applied in the same race. A sprinter can win, so you have full teams chasing small breakaways, you have insane solo breakaways that sometimes make it, attacks on the hills, the flats - it's just bananas.
Can't help but think of the whole radio debate in light of races like theses. Cycling's governing body is trying to phase out the use of radios between riders and their sports directors in the follow cars, arguing they want the sport to remain about the 'cyclist' and not have them become puppets, with the goal of keeping races more exciting.
This article by a pro rider affected by this debate says it the best: Radios don't make races boring and predictable, boring courses do.
eg: The first week of the Tour every year. Flat 200km stages, what do you expect? Long breakaway, chase, catch, sprint. 6hrs of riding for 10mins of racing at the end. Very boring.
Tour of Flanders? Many many steep cobbled climbs, twisty/never straight course - anybody can win, so everyone will try. Amazing racing. Doesn't get better, equaled by Paris-Roubaix perhaps (next weekend). And radios, either way, can't change any of that.
Ok, end rant..
After watching the race, we headed out for a long ride with some guys from the SRCC, good to see some faces I hadn't seen since fall. Spring is really struggling to arrive this year, you can do it, Spring.
Otherwise, training is going well and just heading into a needed rest week now before the first Ontario road race next weekend at Bronte.
It snowed AGAIN last night, and is raining all day today, so at least that might clean the grit off the roads a little bit - but with the day off of training and work, looks like a good time to do a spring tune-up on the commuter and clean up the road bike which has been seeing interesting conditions outside these past few weeks.
Over 'n out!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Today's Forced Training:
- Bike Handling Skills.
- Brought to you by Old Man Winter.
Nothing like a commute home as your pawls freeze up and your pedals spin with no engagement with the rest of the time spent biking sideways. Gah.
Still, I can't complain. It could be worse, right?
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
If I Were King...
... I would make this an official national holiday.
Happy 'first outside ride of the year' day/week everyone!
I hope yours was awesome.
Happy 'first outside ride of the year' day/week everyone!
I hope yours was awesome.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
On the Energy Demands of Different Weight Tires
The other day brought me into the local shop, for probably the 6th time this week but that's another story, to get some training tires. My current ones are peeling. Yes peeling. Maybe they got sunburnt down south.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to riding these tank treads I picked up, because no flats while training and not worrying about riding through occasional debris, or on sketchy-surface roads, is a very nice thing.
As with any cycling related purchase, there's a million choices, with as many different prices you can pay. With it being a pretty slow day today (I swear I don't normally think of stuff like this ;) ), I got to asking 'the universe':
How much of a difference do lighter, more expensive, race tires actually make? And I want the answer in Watts, a unit most cyclist can relate to.
- This 'how much' is always the question, as far as I'm concerned, when you're picking up something new. Some gimmick can claim it 'does this', but if that effect is actually imperceptible - who cares, get the regular thing instead.
- Discalimer: The following is a nerd-out of epic, like the cycling term, proportions. Proceed only once pocket protector and taped glasses have been engaged.
The specific question is:
To accelerate from v_1 to v_2 over a time interval t, what is the energy required, in Watts, for a 400g training tire, compared to a 200g racing tire?
The answer will take into account forward motion as well as rotational motion, the only variable is tire weight and speeds.
Answer 1: (v_1 = 30km/hr, v_2 = 35km/hr)
- The heavy tire takes 0.51 W MORE than the lighter tire, if acceleration is over 5 seconds.
Answer 2: (v_1 = 45km/hr, v_2 = 50km/hr)
- The heavy tire takes 0.66 W MORE than the lighter tire, if acceleration is over 5 seconds.
- Nerd note: answers differ. That's the non-linearity of kinetic energy. Nature is whack.
- The question of rolling at a constant speed is moot, as weight will not make a difference.
- The universe has the (few) answers that Google doesn't!
Conclusion:
The weight of a boat anchor of a tire will not slow you down much at ALL. During accelerations of race-winning consequence, a top rider would be putting out at least 300 W, up to 1800 W for pro sprints. You'd have to double the weight of the tire AGAIN over the light racing tire to even get a 1 W difference. That's almost a motorcycle tire.
The most difference this makes over the lighter tire, on the most humble power outputs, is a meager ~0.33%.
(There's other obvious factors like materials and pressures that will affect rolling resistance and all that, so this talking purely about the WEIGHT of the tire, something very easy to measure accurately)
I hope you found something interesting here and may there be few flats for all this summer! (keep reading for the nitty gritty)
----------------------------------
The Nitty Gritty:
- Total Energy of a rotating tire:
E_total = (1/2)m*v^2 + (1/2)I*r^2
- Change in energy from v_1 to v_2 (after some re-arranging):
dE = (1/2)*m*(1+r^4)*(v_2^2 - v_1^2)
dE gives the change in energy in Joules, divide this by t (5 s) to get Watts. Compare answers using different m's (tire weights).
Friday, March 11, 2011
That racing feeling
I stumbled upon this while doing the daily following up on two big stage races going on in Italy and France right now.
This finish, from Tirreno-Adriatico today, is just awesome. Check Hushovd in the world champion jersey lead out his teammate and basically drop the peloton.
Hairier than an armpit on the French Riviera. Nerves of steel to be a sprinter.
This finish, from Tirreno-Adriatico today, is just awesome. Check Hushovd in the world champion jersey lead out his teammate and basically drop the peloton.
Hairier than an armpit on the French Riviera. Nerves of steel to be a sprinter.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Race Report #1, Valley of the Sun
You'll have to excuse this post being out of order - the Valley of the Sun race was in mid February, before my levels of self importance rose to the blogging-point ;).
Anyhow, I'm finally getting to this one, as I plan to have all race reports of 2011 up on here as a sort of history of flame-outs, repeat solo wins using only one leg, or whatever else might happen. I'm really not in the prophecy business.
So the race breakdown:
Valley of the Sun Stage Race. One flat 23km time trial, one 145km circuit race with a 3km climb to be done 5 times, and then a 7-corner criterium on the last day, all in/around Phoenix.
The plan was to still race cat2 at this point just to get more experience before the cat1 races we'll be doing as a team later on in the year. Also for the first stage, I did not have a time trial bike to bring in, putting me in the vast minority as disc wheel after disc wheel (and full TT setup) rolled down the start ramp, so the plan was to basically NOT finish last, and hopefully not kill myself to accomplish that. I went out with my regular equipment, pushed, but not too hard, and finished 69/85. Remarkably, that was a minor success. I even passed one guy in full TT setup - must not have been having a nice day.
The next day for the road race there was no holding back, so I ate my wheaties that morning and went in feeling ready to go. Along with the hill there was a tricky crosswind section that smushed the peloton over to one side of the road, where there happened to be a rumble strip on the road too! That was definitely interesting.
Anyway, trying to make/get into the first good break the first time up the climb, I bridged up to a group of about 8 guys who had made a gap, and sat onto this move to catch my breath and see what would happen after that. And we got caught. First break, too many guys, maybe my dead weight at the back, peloton too happy to chase.
Going on like this, following individual attacks or making my own, then resting during the next one, was the pattern for the first lap and bit (of 4.5). Of course a move of 5 guys gets away while I'm catching my breath a few rows back in the group. Great. More attempts a little later using the crosswind section to make a split almost worked, we got a gap with about 10 guys but again, collusion was not there and the gap closed up after not too long. It goes to show how easily crosswinds can make splits though. If only we were more organized and committed, you don't even need the strongest guys to do it, just some cooperation.
Then slowly on the 3rd time over the climb, a few guys were dangling out front while some team set tempo on the front of the peloton, I thought, those guys will get eaten up, we have a very long, fast, straight descent and they don't stand a chance against a peloton there. Well, once over the top of the climb, the team workhorses who were chasing sat up, the peloton slowed, and the 2nd group of those danglers got away! I couldn't believe it. Props to those guys for sticking with it. They were so close at the top of the climb but the chase just gave up and there I was stuck again behind the move.
Being so close to the finish now there was no point in attacking since teams were getting more attentive and drawing in all flyers that went out, I just positioned for the sprint and tried to be as fresh as possible after all this messing around. So we approach the climb the last time, where the finish line is at the top. Teams still on the front, pace not too hot yet but still firm. 2km left, and the first jump goes. You could tell everyone was waiting for it, but didn't want to be the first to do it. This draws out a stream of riders, including me, past the teams train and the leadout starts. It was quite a drag, since we had so long to go still and all uphill. Immediately people start popping and throwing elbows of desperation all over the place trying to get every ounce of energy out of themselves. After going around some riders I latched onto the small leading group here and just hung on until the finish. We were all redlining so hard there was no real sprint at the line, I don't think anyone even changed position/order in the last 100m. I look back and there was a small gap to the peloton from the group of about 12 that I finished in.
So overall it was 25th/85 for me that day, tried to make some kind of result after missing the breaks. Ah well, live 'n learn.
Lastly the crit the next day in downtown Phoenix. Fun course with all the turns, hadn't done a crit quite as technical before. After settling in with the pace on the first few laps, decided to go out and make an attack and was joined by two other guys. We made the one and only breakaway of the race for a few laps, and although we were going full out we just couldn't get away from the teams that were chasing to secure the lead of their teammates. Easy to defend a general classification lead in a crit, very hard to get time out, although that's not really what we were after.
After getting caught, a bunch of uneventful riding around, then went out for a prime and scored some cash:
If anyone reading doesn't know what a prime is, its when the organizers decide to say there will be a prize for whoever crosses the start/finish line on the next lap first. Usually its just to make the race more interesting and keep everyone from just sitting in all race waiting for the final sprint. I made a few more attacks after this to try and get another break going with no personal interest in the sprint this day. Once the finish came all my matches were burnt so I just rode in safely at the back of the pack.
Pretty lean on results from this race but lots learned, gained some good experience that will come in handy for the more important targets of this year.
Didn't mean to turn this into a novel, I'll up the brevity for the next ones ;)
Anyhow, I'm finally getting to this one, as I plan to have all race reports of 2011 up on here as a sort of history of flame-outs, repeat solo wins using only one leg, or whatever else might happen. I'm really not in the prophecy business.
So the race breakdown:
Valley of the Sun Stage Race. One flat 23km time trial, one 145km circuit race with a 3km climb to be done 5 times, and then a 7-corner criterium on the last day, all in/around Phoenix.
The plan was to still race cat2 at this point just to get more experience before the cat1 races we'll be doing as a team later on in the year. Also for the first stage, I did not have a time trial bike to bring in, putting me in the vast minority as disc wheel after disc wheel (and full TT setup) rolled down the start ramp, so the plan was to basically NOT finish last, and hopefully not kill myself to accomplish that. I went out with my regular equipment, pushed, but not too hard, and finished 69/85. Remarkably, that was a minor success. I even passed one guy in full TT setup - must not have been having a nice day.
The next day for the road race there was no holding back, so I ate my wheaties that morning and went in feeling ready to go. Along with the hill there was a tricky crosswind section that smushed the peloton over to one side of the road, where there happened to be a rumble strip on the road too! That was definitely interesting.
Anyway, trying to make/get into the first good break the first time up the climb, I bridged up to a group of about 8 guys who had made a gap, and sat onto this move to catch my breath and see what would happen after that. And we got caught. First break, too many guys, maybe my dead weight at the back, peloton too happy to chase.
Going on like this, following individual attacks or making my own, then resting during the next one, was the pattern for the first lap and bit (of 4.5). Of course a move of 5 guys gets away while I'm catching my breath a few rows back in the group. Great. More attempts a little later using the crosswind section to make a split almost worked, we got a gap with about 10 guys but again, collusion was not there and the gap closed up after not too long. It goes to show how easily crosswinds can make splits though. If only we were more organized and committed, you don't even need the strongest guys to do it, just some cooperation.
Then slowly on the 3rd time over the climb, a few guys were dangling out front while some team set tempo on the front of the peloton, I thought, those guys will get eaten up, we have a very long, fast, straight descent and they don't stand a chance against a peloton there. Well, once over the top of the climb, the team workhorses who were chasing sat up, the peloton slowed, and the 2nd group of those danglers got away! I couldn't believe it. Props to those guys for sticking with it. They were so close at the top of the climb but the chase just gave up and there I was stuck again behind the move.
Being so close to the finish now there was no point in attacking since teams were getting more attentive and drawing in all flyers that went out, I just positioned for the sprint and tried to be as fresh as possible after all this messing around. So we approach the climb the last time, where the finish line is at the top. Teams still on the front, pace not too hot yet but still firm. 2km left, and the first jump goes. You could tell everyone was waiting for it, but didn't want to be the first to do it. This draws out a stream of riders, including me, past the teams train and the leadout starts. It was quite a drag, since we had so long to go still and all uphill. Immediately people start popping and throwing elbows of desperation all over the place trying to get every ounce of energy out of themselves. After going around some riders I latched onto the small leading group here and just hung on until the finish. We were all redlining so hard there was no real sprint at the line, I don't think anyone even changed position/order in the last 100m. I look back and there was a small gap to the peloton from the group of about 12 that I finished in.
So overall it was 25th/85 for me that day, tried to make some kind of result after missing the breaks. Ah well, live 'n learn.
Lastly the crit the next day in downtown Phoenix. Fun course with all the turns, hadn't done a crit quite as technical before. After settling in with the pace on the first few laps, decided to go out and make an attack and was joined by two other guys. We made the one and only breakaway of the race for a few laps, and although we were going full out we just couldn't get away from the teams that were chasing to secure the lead of their teammates. Easy to defend a general classification lead in a crit, very hard to get time out, although that's not really what we were after.
After getting caught, a bunch of uneventful riding around, then went out for a prime and scored some cash:
If anyone reading doesn't know what a prime is, its when the organizers decide to say there will be a prize for whoever crosses the start/finish line on the next lap first. Usually its just to make the race more interesting and keep everyone from just sitting in all race waiting for the final sprint. I made a few more attacks after this to try and get another break going with no personal interest in the sprint this day. Once the finish came all my matches were burnt so I just rode in safely at the back of the pack.
Pretty lean on results from this race but lots learned, gained some good experience that will come in handy for the more important targets of this year.
Didn't mean to turn this into a novel, I'll up the brevity for the next ones ;)
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The End of Training Camp
A month has passed in Tucson, presumably elsewhere as well, and within that month were the hardest, longest, and really the best weeks of riding and training I've ever experienced. Hard not to accomplish in an environment where there are few distractions from training, one single day of rain out of 28, and perfect mountain roads to work the body and skills in different ways.
Arbitrary though: With all the cyclists from out of town that come here for winter training, it makes one wonder if it makes a dent in the economy of the city. If the city planners knew, or cared, they could make quite a bit of money setting up specific travel packages or something for all the cyclists and teams that are coming here already and self organizing.
This winter's training/set up has me looking forward to race season more than ever, things will be totally different this year, again.
I'll have trained a little wiser, and way more than before, the team setup is something totally different from what I'm 'used to', not that any cycling year has been routine for me yet, always huge changes year to year. And the racing itself will be on a much larger scale - bigger races and tougher competition. But I'm feeling good and as ready as I should be at this time of year, so any doubts of getting flung out the back once the gun goes off have gone away. More specific training will start soon that should have me especially ready for the hillier races on the calendar.
It's good to be back in Canada, and back to work contributing, however slight, back to society.
The last day of camp was spent making my way by bike to Anton's appartment near Mt. Lemmon, where we set off to ride to the top of that mountain which I'd been living in the shadow of for a month. What a long ride that is - 45km from base to summit and over an HOUR of descending. As always there's lots to see on the way up, especially the change with altitude like snowbanks appearing. We might have had a snowball fight while riding up with whatever snow I could snatch from the side and toss over. I was definitely toast after that ride which brought the ticker up to 185km for the day.
Just over a month until our first race, April 10th, Tour of the Battenkill in New York. Our team will race for the first time with most of the riders together, and I can't wait! Its the tail end of 'training season' and almost race season, how time flies.
Here are some pictures from Lemmon:
Arbitrary though: With all the cyclists from out of town that come here for winter training, it makes one wonder if it makes a dent in the economy of the city. If the city planners knew, or cared, they could make quite a bit of money setting up specific travel packages or something for all the cyclists and teams that are coming here already and self organizing.
This winter's training/set up has me looking forward to race season more than ever, things will be totally different this year, again.
I'll have trained a little wiser, and way more than before, the team setup is something totally different from what I'm 'used to', not that any cycling year has been routine for me yet, always huge changes year to year. And the racing itself will be on a much larger scale - bigger races and tougher competition. But I'm feeling good and as ready as I should be at this time of year, so any doubts of getting flung out the back once the gun goes off have gone away. More specific training will start soon that should have me especially ready for the hillier races on the calendar.
It's good to be back in Canada, and back to work contributing, however slight, back to society.
The last day of camp was spent making my way by bike to Anton's appartment near Mt. Lemmon, where we set off to ride to the top of that mountain which I'd been living in the shadow of for a month. What a long ride that is - 45km from base to summit and over an HOUR of descending. As always there's lots to see on the way up, especially the change with altitude like snowbanks appearing. We might have had a snowball fight while riding up with whatever snow I could snatch from the side and toss over. I was definitely toast after that ride which brought the ticker up to 185km for the day.
Just over a month until our first race, April 10th, Tour of the Battenkill in New York. Our team will race for the first time with most of the riders together, and I can't wait! Its the tail end of 'training season' and almost race season, how time flies.
Here are some pictures from Lemmon:
At mile 14, a little more than halfway up. The city is way in the distance.
A little further up, a little further away. Hoodo!
At the top, after climbing for HOURS. Why am I climbing more? Must be proof of evolution: vestigial instincts left behind by our ape-ancestors
A view from the last few km's of the last ride of camp
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