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Dulwich Paragon Winter Series #1, 31 Jan 2017
Just me representing CCA tonight in this first in the series. The forecast was shocking, so wasn't surprised when 15 of the 60 signed up to the 3/4 race didn't show up.
Sure enough, albeit quite warm, it quickly descended into atrocious conditions pretty much on the start. The race itself felt really punchy. I am doing these as part of a back-to-back big effort idea to help on the Tour of Malta. Having done the roller turbo disco at the Ashwell URC yesterday. Felt it when the bunch got busy. Which they seemed to do a lot. There were some strong riders out, and the quality was pretty high. They were unafraid to push it and took the corners beautifully. By comparison, I didn't have as much confidence and was turning like I was carrying eggs.
And any confidence was zapped by the conditions. In the middle of the 1hr race it got biblical and pools of water started to gather on the road. I thought they were going to abandon. But not on your nelly.
It was very difficult to get up to the front and stay there. So I opted to hang at the back for a change. It's tough back there though with too many surges in power required.
I could tell the field was thinning out. Probably in part the efforts were beginning to tell, and I had to jump across a couple of times or get cut off from the bunch. I also think people were freezing, and/or worried about the conditions. I'll think back to tonight in the summer and question my sanity.
I knew getting points was going to be really hard, and kind of lost my aggression. I was quite happy sitting on the back. All the same, with two laps to go, there was a gap as once again the bunch read the wind all wrong. But I was a little blocked by a junior rider doing really well, and I didn't want to be Mr Shouty on him, and so let the chance go. Besides, I'd have lost position on the corners afterwards. I've never done race pace in such conditions and unsure of the limits.
Came in not sprinting, with the thinned out bunch. 24.8mph average, but felt a lot harder. A two laps to go two-man breakaway stuck to take the top points. Along the way, 20 riders DNF'd. So pretty pleased I stuck it out. And showed that I can do a big effort 24hrs after a Sufferfest; giving it 10 out of 10, watching a Singapore crit ont telly, listening to Kenny Loggins.
No crashes. Good standard and great effort by Dulwich Paragon: loads of volunteers. They ride the course clockwise as they believe it safer. I'm doing next week's one if anyone fancies. And the last one 21st Feb. Logistics for London workers: drive to Stratford International car park in the morning with all your gear. £6 all day. Train to/from St Pancras is just 6 minutes!
Sure enough, albeit quite warm, it quickly descended into atrocious conditions pretty much on the start. The race itself felt really punchy. I am doing these as part of a back-to-back big effort idea to help on the Tour of Malta. Having done the roller turbo disco at the Ashwell URC yesterday. Felt it when the bunch got busy. Which they seemed to do a lot. There were some strong riders out, and the quality was pretty high. They were unafraid to push it and took the corners beautifully. By comparison, I didn't have as much confidence and was turning like I was carrying eggs.
And any confidence was zapped by the conditions. In the middle of the 1hr race it got biblical and pools of water started to gather on the road. I thought they were going to abandon. But not on your nelly.
It was very difficult to get up to the front and stay there. So I opted to hang at the back for a change. It's tough back there though with too many surges in power required.
I could tell the field was thinning out. Probably in part the efforts were beginning to tell, and I had to jump across a couple of times or get cut off from the bunch. I also think people were freezing, and/or worried about the conditions. I'll think back to tonight in the summer and question my sanity.
I knew getting points was going to be really hard, and kind of lost my aggression. I was quite happy sitting on the back. All the same, with two laps to go, there was a gap as once again the bunch read the wind all wrong. But I was a little blocked by a junior rider doing really well, and I didn't want to be Mr Shouty on him, and so let the chance go. Besides, I'd have lost position on the corners afterwards. I've never done race pace in such conditions and unsure of the limits.
Came in not sprinting, with the thinned out bunch. 24.8mph average, but felt a lot harder. A two laps to go two-man breakaway stuck to take the top points. Along the way, 20 riders DNF'd. So pretty pleased I stuck it out. And showed that I can do a big effort 24hrs after a Sufferfest; giving it 10 out of 10, watching a Singapore crit ont telly, listening to Kenny Loggins.
No crashes. Good standard and great effort by Dulwich Paragon: loads of volunteers. They ride the course clockwise as they believe it safer. I'm doing next week's one if anyone fancies. And the last one 21st Feb. Logistics for London workers: drive to Stratford International car park in the morning with all your gear. £6 all day. Train to/from St Pancras is just 6 minutes!
Comments
With such a large field it was both an easy effort to stay comfortably mid pack and get drafted along, but very hard to move through the pack if you wanted to.
I got lucky twice to find a way to the front, and enjoyed a stress free time in the top five or so for a while. But eventually, the group would swamp us and it was back to square one.
The heat got turned up in the last few laps. I started feeling wobbly through the effort and lack of dinner and not having a moment to reach for a gel. But, I did manage to claw to the middle of the bunch; just couldn't hope to get nearer to the points. 1hr @ 25.0mph av. It will be difficult for me to score in this Series, but that's fine and things might have been better with a lucky gap.
Skipping the third race next week, but entered the last one in the fortnight. It might not have sold out. And I've seen ever rider turn up to EOL get in.
A full field again. 60 riders. Tonnes in the women's race too going on at the same time.
I decided to enjoy this one in relatively good conditions and burned up to the front a few times, pretending I was a threat to the really quite strong group of riders. It's flattering to get a few comments from the pack that I was going to make a break, when in fact I was in bits.
Mid-race I thought I'd have a dabble on the very front and led a lap. Actually, it was a good time to do so, as we had to negotiate the women's race and it pays to squeeze through the bottleneck early. It's very noisy in the peleton, but in a headwind, utterly silent when on the front. Except for the wheezing lungs sound. Anyway, after a lap, I shooed the drafters to go in front and took a much needed rest in the pack.
I overdid it, of course, and cramp crept in which wasn't fun. But I banged my legs for a bit and they seemed to eventually come back better for feeling bit numb. Odd.
I continued to do OK. I noticed there was a wind dead-spot just as we approached the Pringle. And not sure many others did. I could jump to near the front most laps in the vacuum and space. But I think my cornering is terrible and would lose my advantage on the tight 'oxbow' bends at the far side, every time.
No crashes. And the standard pretty high, generally. I overshot one corner and rode on the grass for a bit, right past the eye-rolling commissaire. 'Evening.'. But the ground was dry and I didn't lose position getting back on.
I've made a few friends by turning up at the LVVP so much and my new mate Russian Mikhail was cannily sitting at the back, waiting to pounce at the end. I thought I'd copy him. But his youth, legs, guile and position, beat my age, witlessness, over-politeness and bad line, so while he crept into the leading top 10 on the last lap, I remained boxed in mid-bunch. Crits with so many riders are hard to do well in. Fact. But that's fine: they're thrilling to ride anyway. 27.5 miles @ 24.8mph average. Mid-bunch tonight and mid-bunch in the Series. The Series prizes: 3rd place, a spanner. 2nd place, chain cleaner. First place, a rear-light. Keeping it real.
Hog Hill soon in a 2/3 race - as the original 3rd Cat-only race got merged, which will be a test, for sure. Scream if you want to go faster. Then, me n' Wellsy are hopefully accepted in the Spring Chicken Road Race over in Buckinghamshire mid March. No confirmation yet.
Interesting power stat... Mikhail sat at the back of the bunch for half of last week's Full Gas Winter Series race. His data for this said he was averaging 145 watts. About the same as a sprightly CCA club run. Obvs, he then exploded in the last few laps and won it with a billion watts that dimmed Stratford's street lighting. But the point is; racing is within reach of most CCA riders. It's just the psychological bit that is hard to get over, really.
Will's already told me off for going to the front.