Santini Lincoln Grand Prix - Saturday 11th May

Gilgamesh

Thought that since my riding was coming along well-ish, I'd give myself a treat and enter my first spotive this coming Saturday.
Anyone else making the journey norf' to Lincoln?

Seems like there's a weekend cycling festival.
http://www.visitlincoln.com/whats-on/2013-grand-prix
http://www.lincolngrandprix.org.uk/site/index.php

I smell beer.

pauls

I must admit i looked at Lincoln but opted for one in Snetterton (Boudicca ) the following week, as i've only been back
on the bike for 4 weeks and thought 100 miles might be a struggle so soon.

Just had a look at the Lincoln website, 1267 Participants so far so your ok for a wheel to sit on if the legs go near the end.
Are you doing the 100 mile ?

Gilgamesh

Only being back on the bike and 4 weeks of cycling, and looking at the 100 miler.
That seems extreme, but then I don't know your abilities.

For me, the decision to ride the 75 is now partly justified (just listen to me!) by the poor weather forecast, the wind and rain especially are not looking good for Saturday's 75 mile sportive. The route is a there-and-back-again, on an almost E-W axis.

Start time of 9:30. Rain forecast from 1pm. gusts of 25+ predicted. Fun!

Meaning that we have the wind at our backs going east, then we turn around and head back, directly into a head wind all the way back (as you'll know, the prevailing wind in the UK is from the west, off the Atlantic, that's why it's quite a wet country ).

I do feel a bit of a fraud only riding the 75 and not the 100 though - doesn't fit quite, but I want to finish in a time less than 6hrs as this ride is then 2hrs beyond my longest ride in 3yrs and last weekend's solo 67 miler left my butt very uncomfortable and my legs very tight with lactic acid. Ergo: I thought my first sportive would therefore be a 75er.

Lastly, when my left leg goes, as some will testify to from 2012, it goes and I have to dismount and have a long walk back. Once the muscle spasms, it's a complete EndEx.

I'll gladly write it up as "My 1st sportive - lessons learned" should anyone wish.

Gilgamesh

4:55:03
AOK ride.
Should have entered the 94 and not 76.4 miles, 3675ft of climbing = pretty flat.
Top 1/3rd of the 75mile riders though that is meaningless really.
Avoided the heavy rain & rode mostly on my own. First 24.5 miles ridden too quickly at 70 mins.
Two ambulances attending to riders, one of which I saw.
The last hill climb took us up Micklegate (?) over the cobbles all the way up a steep incline to the cathedral. Tough climb and the same climb the pro's ride in tomorrow's Grand Prix.
Enjoyable scenery, almost no cars and the roads are in far, far better condition than locally.

Nathaniel Rosa

Sounds good, cobble climb sounds interesting!

Gilgamesh

We were briefed that if it was wet they might re-route away from the cobbles.
Plus, "Get into the low gear and do not stall".

I'd been having no end of problems, chain came off twice on previous climbs just when it was under the most pressure and what I thought sounded like a snapped chain twice more but I think it played into my hands on the first 10ft of the climb. Off the chain came, straight into the granny ring, only the second time I've ever used it, making life a little less torturous up the cobbles. Someone ahead of me at the top of the climb hoiked up, not that I blame him / her.

Fastest 94 mile and the fastest 76 mile were both 4hrs.
Fastest guy to the first check point at 33.55 miles was 0.52 minutes. Is that possible even? I doubt it as the 2nd and 3rd fastest riders were in the 1:35 region. Mine was 1:52

pauls

Glad it went well for you,i did think of you when it was chucking it down in Letchworth on Saturday.
33.55 miles in 52 mins , was that the guy in the ambulance ? I went out on the club run yesterday
then sat behind Vince,Pete,Steve and a few other guys until getting dropped at Tingrith heading up
the Hill. I'd gone out with the intention of doing miles more than speed so rolled home with 91 miles
at 16.5mph avg. It was fairly tough going, with the last 60 mile with no wheel to sit on, on a fairly windy day.
I guess it's all good training for next weeks sportive, Which has now gone from 100m to 104m which has finished
my chances of a sub 6hr ride.

Gilgamesh

Clearly the timing business is a complete crock o' ........
I went out on the steady Sunday ride the next day and did okay, hills were aok too.
Day off today (if you are watching this onDave).
Trying to keep my weekly ride time in double figures, so a soaking tomorrow!
Fancy I can summon a 4:29:59 for a 75 yet!
And a sub 30 min 10 mile TT in June.

Gilgamesh

All sorted, my questions having been answered.

"Duncan Carrier's result is being amended from 0:52, He got in touch on Saturday evening to explain. Basically he mis-scanned at the start so when they gave him his printout at the end it didn't say anything so they asked him what time he started. Having just climbed Michaelgate at the end of 100 miles he mistakenly said 8.40 when he meant 7.40, so all is now sorted.

Adam Tansey certainly did the ride according to the results. I know him personally and he used to be a 1st cat road racer, he might even have been higher at one time. He was riding with a group of about 6 or 7 team mates who he dropped one by one and when I saw him on the climb at the end he was making it look flat. The group riding, combined with the tailwind to Tetford, would make 21mph achievable for him. People have approached 20mph average in this event before and in the Rutland event, which is a tougher course. "