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Tour of Herts, Round 4, Welwyn Petit Tour crits 17 July 2016
A very hot day in WGC town square, with a great range of concessions, food, sports goods and local stalls. Big screen showing the TdF and all the surrounding shops and cafes happy to see everyone stroll around in lycra.
I arrived late on to catch Gethin Hill storm it in his junior race. The club was getting much respect from the compere. Then I got to the start pen for the Cat 4 and had a good chat with tanned post-hol teammate Dave Wells. We knew this was going to be tough: Dave fresh from the USA, and I'd just PB'd the Interclub 25TT two hours beforehand. The standard of rider was clearly strong. But - we were up for it!
Bagged a pretty good start point and clipped in OK to make top-8 or so from the whistle to the first corner. I hadn't had the time to recce the course but followed the line to work out the best way around. It was frantic. Compared to the other two in the series, this was pure power. I used just two gears all race: the one comfortable at 24mph and the other at 26mph for the downhill bit.
The top of the T shaped course forced you to angle sharply to the left and then flick to the right. An amazing sensation to sweep the corners like this, but I've never been lower to the ground competitively and it's quite scary. I clipped the road with a pedal on one lap and got an 'ooh!' From the crowd but recovered.
There is a lot of skill in negotiating at this speed and angles without touching the brakes and finding the perfect line. Again, the riding standards were high and I was one of the least able at this.
Fantastic support from fellow CCA riders and families all the way around. It's really motivating and tried to raise a nod of thanks along the way.
The first third of the race I could hold on to the front bunch OK. But my legs were unquestionably tired, and in what should be my best bit, the 'climb' back to the lap start, I was burning the few matches I'd saved from that windy col du tadlow and knew it. The top-top end really hurt when all-out for it. Our race managed the fastest bunch lap and third fastest lap on the day. Strava says we averaged the fifth lap at 1 min 1sec, 26.0mph.
Eventually the bunch got away from me and the race got complicated with lapped riders to deal with who were still going for it and trying to latch on.
The final laps were a bit of a TT - flippin' eck - and I rode clear and alone over the line, with the front bunch a good half-lap ahead. I am reckoning around 15th. Hopefully higher. Dave in the ensuing second bunch behind. Ride stats 30 minutes @ 24.4mph av.
All good fun and feels like such a good festival atmosphere. Sat outside cafe Nero after with a coffee watching the next race. WGC could have been Paris! Everyone should ride or watch these crits on our doorstep. I can't make the final one in the series, the Hitchin Cobbled Classic - I'll be in Belgium on cobbles too on the Kemmelberg! But go of it in September.
I didn't see Jenny. But see on Strava she made 9th in her race, and then did well in the Champions race. Great stuff!
I arrived late on to catch Gethin Hill storm it in his junior race. The club was getting much respect from the compere. Then I got to the start pen for the Cat 4 and had a good chat with tanned post-hol teammate Dave Wells. We knew this was going to be tough: Dave fresh from the USA, and I'd just PB'd the Interclub 25TT two hours beforehand. The standard of rider was clearly strong. But - we were up for it!
Bagged a pretty good start point and clipped in OK to make top-8 or so from the whistle to the first corner. I hadn't had the time to recce the course but followed the line to work out the best way around. It was frantic. Compared to the other two in the series, this was pure power. I used just two gears all race: the one comfortable at 24mph and the other at 26mph for the downhill bit.
The top of the T shaped course forced you to angle sharply to the left and then flick to the right. An amazing sensation to sweep the corners like this, but I've never been lower to the ground competitively and it's quite scary. I clipped the road with a pedal on one lap and got an 'ooh!' From the crowd but recovered.
There is a lot of skill in negotiating at this speed and angles without touching the brakes and finding the perfect line. Again, the riding standards were high and I was one of the least able at this.
Fantastic support from fellow CCA riders and families all the way around. It's really motivating and tried to raise a nod of thanks along the way.
The first third of the race I could hold on to the front bunch OK. But my legs were unquestionably tired, and in what should be my best bit, the 'climb' back to the lap start, I was burning the few matches I'd saved from that windy col du tadlow and knew it. The top-top end really hurt when all-out for it. Our race managed the fastest bunch lap and third fastest lap on the day. Strava says we averaged the fifth lap at 1 min 1sec, 26.0mph.
Eventually the bunch got away from me and the race got complicated with lapped riders to deal with who were still going for it and trying to latch on.
The final laps were a bit of a TT - flippin' eck - and I rode clear and alone over the line, with the front bunch a good half-lap ahead. I am reckoning around 15th. Hopefully higher. Dave in the ensuing second bunch behind. Ride stats 30 minutes @ 24.4mph av.
All good fun and feels like such a good festival atmosphere. Sat outside cafe Nero after with a coffee watching the next race. WGC could have been Paris! Everyone should ride or watch these crits on our doorstep. I can't make the final one in the series, the Hitchin Cobbled Classic - I'll be in Belgium on cobbles too on the Kemmelberg! But go of it in September.
I didn't see Jenny. But see on Strava she made 9th in her race, and then did well in the Champions race. Great stuff!
Comments
I watched your race, gave you a shout out on the third corner as often as poss. Your race was so fast, totally full on from the gun, well done. I was going to introduce myself after the race but couldn't find you. oh well hoping to make a club night soon.
I raced the Novice, we were first on at 11:00, so we were given a sighting lap, which was a tad off putting as I'd bagged a front row spot out of the pen for the start, so had to blast the sighting lap to ensure I got back to the line in prime spot.
I'd managed to warm up earlier on the course and had a good idea what the lines were going to be into the corners, a real benefit on such a fast course.
At the gun (well actually the Mayor's flag drop) I got a really good start, clipped in instantly, very unusual for me. Hit the first few corners in 2nd spot and hung onto it for about 6 aps. I managed to cover anyone coming past so felt quite comfortable and in control, until I got elbowed off the wheel I was following and found myself out of the line and had to drop to about 6th wheel to get back in. I worked myself up to 3rd wheel for the last 3 laps but then had issues with back markers in the corners and got dropped coming up the last hill, went into the last 3 corners in about 4th-5th and that's where I finished (I think). A bit disappointing having won the week before, but the standard at WGC was definitely better, and the course was more technical without a doubt. Strava says my fastest lap was 1:07, 23.7 MPH avg (Heart rate hit 178, my highest max ever recorded before was 173!!!)
It was a brilliant race, really well marshalled and a wonderful carnival atmosphere.
The back markers were an issue as there was only one line through a lot of the corners, however this was a novice race and it's brilliant to see so many people giving it a go, I think the race was full (50) so it's brilliant to see it giving people a chance to try racing.
Hitchin next, can't wait.
Unlike Martin, I knew my legs didn't have a 25 mile TT and a crit in them - not sure that they normally would anyway, but this week they're recovering from an all-american diet, so definitely not race-fit!
Started by trying to stay with Martin and the fast boys on the front, but it soon became apparent that that wasn't going to be sustainable - first couple of laps averaged 280watts (my FTP is less than 250), so I dialed it down a notch, letting them go and gradually taking on the stragglers falling off the back to finish some way down the order from Martin - no idea what position, it all got a bit complicated knowing who was ahead and who you'd lapped. Great support all the way round - sorry if I didn't acknowledge you - wasn't really aware who was cheering, but it was much appreciated!
Jenny had a great ride in the 2,3,4s women's race - good to see an unusually high turnout with some far more experienced riders racing, but worked well in the front group for the whole race, only fading slightly in the last lap when matters were complicated by the arrival of chasing group to take 9th place.
9th place was enough to qualify for the 'Champion of Champions' race, taking the top ten from each cat 4 and above race for a final 10 lap battle. However, due to either the long wait after the women's race, or the fact that no-one really wanted to be racing against the cream of the cat 2 men, Jenny was the only woman lining up. After brief discussion between the commissaires, it was decided the race should go ahead, 'hare and hounds' style - Jenny was given a one lap head start, and everyone else had to catch her in 10 laps.
The compere did a great job of whipping up the crowd to support Jenny - my enduring memory of the day will be the sight a small streak of Ashwell blue being desperately pursued by a bunch of burly cat 2 and Masters riders, with brilliant support from spectators desperately willing victory for the underdog.
The starter having let the bunch out a bit a bit late, Jenny actually had to slow and scrub off some speed for the first corner to avoid going into the back of the bunch - they didn't work together particularly well for the first 5 laps, but then started to get a bit more organised before eventually winding her in on lap 8, with only two laps to go, having shed at least a couple of riders in the first few laps.
A great day out, with the bonus of being able to watch the Tour on a big screen in the gaps between races!