No longer slumming it

Well, I never called it "slumming", but I managed to have a go in C
grade today and finished 4th. There is clearly a lot to learn in thi
racing game

Bunch sprints are not to my comparative advantage and I (unfortunately
led for most of the last lap as the bunch was quite happy to allo
(inexperienced) me ride on the front. I figured my only chance was t
put in a flying 500tt, but it wasn't enough and it was a 4th, about
bike length behind the winner..

Although I have little experience in racing matters, I have plenty o
experience as an economist - why don't the "non-sprinters" make the mos
of their skills and try to make a break? Some chance is surely bette
than no chance? Oh well, it was a good day out and I'll hopefully grow
few brain cells for next time

Ritc


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ritcho wrote:
Well, I never called it "slumming", but I managed to have a go in C-
grade today and finished 4th. There is clearly a lot to learn in this
racing game.
why don't the "non-sprinters" make the most of their skills and try
to make a break? Some chance is surely better than no chance? Oh
well, it was a good day out and I'll hopefully grow a few brain cells
for next time.
Ritch


I was being cheeky referring to your D-grade experience a few week
ago Ritch:

Re the sprinting thing (and Im sure the wheelsucking brigade led b
hippy can say better than i...) going on what I have seen/read, the non
sprinters may not have made a brake bcos
a) the pace was too high and thus couldnt get off the front. This seem
to be the primary reason that sprinter's teams in organised race
(refer Patacchis Fasso train in the recent Giro or what McGee doe
for 'Cooky') wind up the approach to the start at a long way out (i
up o 25k out ) so its impossible for someone to do as yo
suggest and break awa
b) you managed to simply pull 3 sprinters to the line and they al
individually thought the were up for a shot in the last 100m! (th
fact that all 4 of you crossed within the one bike length makes thi
a likely scenario
c) maybe next time if you fancy your chances at TTing for a stretch hav
a go after he halfway mark and see if you can get clear. If you star
to wain(?) you can just jump onto the chasing group and sit on an
have a go at the end again if you have anything lef
d) sounds like once you get your head around the tactics you might be u
for Bgrade

Kew Dgrade for this little black duck tomorrow morning! excited but als
a bit scared as the last couple of months have been more about carbo
loading than expenditu


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ritcho wrote:
Well, I never called it "slumming", but I managed to have a go in C-
grade today and finished 4th. There is clearly a lot to learn in this
racing game.


You've gotta go a lot earlier. Nobody will let you off the front in th
last lap, and usually not in the one before, either. When I'm feelin
good, I'll often have a dig a little after half way, when the sprinter
are thinking about bludging for the rest of the race. It rarely works
especially in a crit, but is often worth a try

On one of my more enjoyable rides I went like a maniac straight from th
starting line. Two guys bridged after the first lap, and it was on fo
young and old after that. I didn't have the endurance to keep it u
though, and ended up back in the main bunch at the end, but the two guy
that bridged came 1, 2 by a comfortable margin

Good to see you're up in a grade that can challenge you

Suz


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suzyj wrote:
You've gotta go a lot earlier. Nobody will let you off the front in the
last lap, and usually not in the one before, either. When I'm feeling
good, I'll often have a dig a little after half way, when the sprinters
are thinking about bludging for the rest of the race. It rarely works,
especially in a crit, but is often worth a try.
On one of my more enjoyable rides I went like a maniac straight from the
starting line. Two guys bridged after the first lap, and it was on for
young and old after that. I didn't have the endurance to keep it up
though, and ended up back in the main bunch at the end, but the two guys
that bridged came 1, 2 by a comfortable margin.
Good to see you're up in a grade that can challenge you.
Suzy


Ta muchly... I'll freely admit that the older and wiser heads got th
better of me. Next time, I'll try to remember the words from an ol
motorcycle magazine - racing isn't about being the fastest, it's abou
getting in front of other people. I guess this will take a bit o
thinking, planning and finally, execution in the race

C'est la vie..

Ritc


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Originally posted by ritcho Ta muchly... I'll freely admit that th
older and wiser heads got the better of me. Next time, I'll try t
remember the words from an old motorcycle magazine - racing isn'
about being the fastest, it's about getting in front of other people
I guess this will take a bit of thinking, planning and finally
execution in the race

Let me clarify this for you..

It's about "getting in front of other people ON THE LINE" :-

There's no point being in front of anyone during most of the race unles
you want to try for a breakaway (even wheelsucker me tries breaks al
the time.. usually to no success.. but I prefer not to be in the bunch.
contrary to popular belief :P)

So, next race, find a guy who looks fast - maybe he won last week? Tr
your best to stick to his back wheel like glue. Leave his back wheel i
1) the final sprint is on and you are going around him, 2)he is slo
this week 3)he's in a bad position 4) a break is going away that yo
should be in

Make sure you are always in the front bunch. Don't lose sight of th
first 4 or 5 riders. If you do, you run the risk of not seeing a break
You'll come screaming past who you _think_ is the leading rider, only t
find that 3 guys got away while you were at the back of the bunch an
have already claimed top three places

Have FUN

hth hipp


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Rolled down to Kew crit on Sunday morning

After having ridden for an hour to loosen/warm up and achieving only a
'ice cream headache' i decided to go for a couple of laps without th
long gloves on. BIG Mistake! On the line i realised everyone else stil
had theirs on. oh, well. it'll warm up, me thinks. Musta been about 2-
degrees at bes

Went round for the first 10 minutes and started getting numb toes. The
my hands started aching. and aching and then getting so bad it felt lik
i had them in boiling water. It was a really wierd sensation. I wa
never up for doing anything major, just wanting toblow off some cobweb
and guage where i was at after quite a few weeks of lower ridin
Eventually pulled up after 15 minutes and it took the rest of the rac
for my hands tostop aching. Is that a 'cold' burn??


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flyingdutch wrote:
Rolled down to Kew crit on Sunday morning.
[snip freezer burn story]
Eventually pulled up after 15 minutes and it took the rest of the race
for my hands to stop aching. Is that a 'cold' burn???


Brrr. You made me feel cold just thinking about it. I have lived i
Melbourne on-and-off for about 12 years, but I wasn't really into ridin
back then - it was all about motorbikes. My wife comes from Melbourne
which means that I visit reasonably often. Perhaps I should bring th
bike and some ski-gloves down and come have a go at Kew. Is it fla
or hilly? tight or open? bumpy or smooth

Ritc


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ritcho wrote:
Brrr. You made me feel cold just thinking about it. I have lived in
Melbourne on-and-off for about 12 years, but I wasn't really into riding
back then - it was all about motorbikes. My wife comes from Melbourne,
which means that I visit reasonably often. Perhaps I should bring the
bike and some ski-gloves down and come have a go at Kew. Is it flat
or hilly? tight or open? bumpy or smooth?
Ritch


1-1.5km loo

hairpin(-ish) corner at bottom/start leading up 300-400m hill to to
where finish line is. fairly smooth but they really could do with re
surfacing that corner! Fairly open Was just 'D' and 'C' grade on Sunda
and lots riding 'down' as nobody registered for B/A grades Amazes m
that the same 3/4 faces who regularly place in 'D' arent shoved up t
'C'. Still, maybe i'll be the same when/if i finally snag one


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