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Peterborough CC Road Race, Sun 2 July 2017
We have yet to score points this season in the Eastern Road Racing League that CCA are part of and includes our Primavera race. Doing our bit to change that, me, Dave W and Steve J went for the Peterborough CC ERRL Cat 3&4 Regional B race on Sunday.
It’s a new course and really easy to get to up the A1 at Sawtry. The loop is 15 miles long. Rolling, with a bit of everything, including a steep, long, hill finish. The roads are very good quality. We liked it. The one significant thing to be aware of, as I sussed on a recce of it last week, is the northern part of the circuit is on a narrow road, like the old TT course on Northfields. Meaning, it would be hard for a bunch to chaingang effectively to chase a break, but more importantly, if there was a crash – there’d be a likely severe bottleneck for the riders behind it. Of course, both these things happened on the day.
I got there early and met up with the lads. A light warm up on the rollers as it was already 20+ degrees and we were soon into the hall for the briefing. At this point, Cam, now with Team Spirit, literally rolls into the room, sunglasses upside down, ‘I’ve just got off the plane at 4am. I’ve been in New York.’. He was there for the National B race that preceded ours. Twice the distance of our 2.5 loops, 39 miles race. Jetlag obviously not too much of a problem as I see he finished well in the top-third.
Off we went after a few neutralised miles to the start. Neutral, as in getting a Strava Top 10, neutral. Being a short distance race, we figured it would go off like a rocket, so we were champing at the bit behind the race car. I wasn’t going to dawdle like in the Spring Chicken RR that put me and Dave in the red from the off by being at the back. Also, we wanted to stay at the front for the narrow lanes bit. However, the stiff headwind on the opening miles made for a gentle opening pace. I was encouraged by the general maturity of the riders, mostly Cat 3s. With the obligatory Marco Pantani and frightened and/or cocky kids who had their mums waiting for them back at HQ, who were doing Steve’s head in a bit. The kids, not the mums.
Then, after maybe 3-4 miles, we are stopped. The National race had gone the wrong way and had to double back. I had visions of 100 riders zooming into Alconbury Aldi car park or some such and turning around at 30mph to head out again to give the trolley collectors something to remember. Anyway, we had to wait to put the space back between the races.
Not realising it at the time, but this stop probably caused issues soon after. Dave pointed out that the start had a decent hill and a good few twists to help spread the riders out a bit. The stop brought it all back together again and effectively restarted us all on flatter terrain as a fat bunch. The inevitable happened and a few miles after the restart, too tightly packed, I hear an ‘Oof!’ and thud and metal bits on road sound. You don’t look back, just concentrate even more, but found out after that Dave was caught up in amongst it all, but kept upright and safe. Me and Steve were ahead of it, but for everyone behind it: maybe half the field, 30 riders or so, their race was blocked and effectively over. Dave admirably got going again to try and latch back on to the front, got a group going and started to pick off a few riders. But couldn’t bridge it and was eventually pulled out with a lap to go. A real shame: but that’s how it goes.
The race dynamic changes instantly for me and Steve. We are only 30 strong now, meaning the dreaded back of the pack is just a few bike lengths away. We have to stay on our toes and not become detached. Just a couple of bike lengths off the back and its curtains, especially on the tailwind section that is a bit like the Slip End run-in. We were averaging 31mph here, strung out, with frequent intervals that would push that far higher. I found this very hard, while Steve looked way more comfortable in TT mode. I took his wheel at every opportunity and it was great to have a teammate in the mix.
Up the finish hill for the first time around and it was tough but not too bad. However, I saw some suffered and we must have lost half a dozen riders here by cruelly speeding up on the crest and detaching them. The following lap was relatively stress free, and in the headwind the group even rests up for a couple of miles and we are tootling at 16-17mph with no one wanting to burn themselves pointlessly on the front. We eventually hit the hill for the second time and lose a few more riders. From the 60+ that started, we are now just 23 strong.
With several miles to go, two riders plot to burst off the front in the narrow lanes. They are clearly super strong and although some try and hustle to pull them in, they pop off and stay 200 metres away for the rest of the race. Incredible effort, really. Meanwhile, the rest of us fight for the other places. With a couple of miles to go, me and Steve are lolling at the back, when Steve tells me he’s going to put the hammer down and go for it and I should take his wheel. Of course, it was nutty, and it didn’t come off as it needed a few more to join to make it stick. But we really shocked the peloton by having two teamsters burst around the bunch. They all started shouting and getting flustered thinking we had some ace plan.
Into the final bend before the hill climb finish. I turn rubbishly and lose a few places. Steve, still near the front is in a much better place and hits the climb in a good position as we start the last few hundred metres. The hill is like a longer version of the first bit of the hill to Therfield from McDonalds. Our escort biker pulls over to the side of the now closed road and wishes us luck. Very nice. I decide to go wide and clear of the bunch, but without a draft to help seem to suffer, so rejoin the pack. I look around and claw into a decent position, with everything going a bit slow motion, some fading riders, some looking fresh. I give it as much welly as possible, but I’m clearly among some great riders, and now overheating and legs are beginning to buckle. The angle eventually eases with 30 metres to go and I’ve lost my best chance to get inside the top 10. There’s a good crowd at the finish line and I can see Dave cheer us on by the side, crossing the line 15th with glory just a few bike lengths away. 25.1mph average. Never mind. Another day, maybe a different gear, maybe a few more chaingangs, things might have been different.
Steve is just behind, 19th. And we three gather by the side, swap stories and roll the miles back to the HQ together. Get our race licences back, and enjoy free tea, a cheese butty and slice of Swiss roll. A recommended race – you just need a bit of luck to avoid getting caught out if there’s a break in the peloton.
There aren’t many Reg B races left in the ERRL season, but I have applied for the Mid Suffolk and Orwell Velo one near Ipswich. I think Dave done similar. I may apply for the King’s Lynn one mid October – as Dave raved about it.
Have a look;
http://www.errl.org.uk/calendar.php
It’s a new course and really easy to get to up the A1 at Sawtry. The loop is 15 miles long. Rolling, with a bit of everything, including a steep, long, hill finish. The roads are very good quality. We liked it. The one significant thing to be aware of, as I sussed on a recce of it last week, is the northern part of the circuit is on a narrow road, like the old TT course on Northfields. Meaning, it would be hard for a bunch to chaingang effectively to chase a break, but more importantly, if there was a crash – there’d be a likely severe bottleneck for the riders behind it. Of course, both these things happened on the day.
I got there early and met up with the lads. A light warm up on the rollers as it was already 20+ degrees and we were soon into the hall for the briefing. At this point, Cam, now with Team Spirit, literally rolls into the room, sunglasses upside down, ‘I’ve just got off the plane at 4am. I’ve been in New York.’. He was there for the National B race that preceded ours. Twice the distance of our 2.5 loops, 39 miles race. Jetlag obviously not too much of a problem as I see he finished well in the top-third.
Off we went after a few neutralised miles to the start. Neutral, as in getting a Strava Top 10, neutral. Being a short distance race, we figured it would go off like a rocket, so we were champing at the bit behind the race car. I wasn’t going to dawdle like in the Spring Chicken RR that put me and Dave in the red from the off by being at the back. Also, we wanted to stay at the front for the narrow lanes bit. However, the stiff headwind on the opening miles made for a gentle opening pace. I was encouraged by the general maturity of the riders, mostly Cat 3s. With the obligatory Marco Pantani and frightened and/or cocky kids who had their mums waiting for them back at HQ, who were doing Steve’s head in a bit. The kids, not the mums.
Then, after maybe 3-4 miles, we are stopped. The National race had gone the wrong way and had to double back. I had visions of 100 riders zooming into Alconbury Aldi car park or some such and turning around at 30mph to head out again to give the trolley collectors something to remember. Anyway, we had to wait to put the space back between the races.
Not realising it at the time, but this stop probably caused issues soon after. Dave pointed out that the start had a decent hill and a good few twists to help spread the riders out a bit. The stop brought it all back together again and effectively restarted us all on flatter terrain as a fat bunch. The inevitable happened and a few miles after the restart, too tightly packed, I hear an ‘Oof!’ and thud and metal bits on road sound. You don’t look back, just concentrate even more, but found out after that Dave was caught up in amongst it all, but kept upright and safe. Me and Steve were ahead of it, but for everyone behind it: maybe half the field, 30 riders or so, their race was blocked and effectively over. Dave admirably got going again to try and latch back on to the front, got a group going and started to pick off a few riders. But couldn’t bridge it and was eventually pulled out with a lap to go. A real shame: but that’s how it goes.
The race dynamic changes instantly for me and Steve. We are only 30 strong now, meaning the dreaded back of the pack is just a few bike lengths away. We have to stay on our toes and not become detached. Just a couple of bike lengths off the back and its curtains, especially on the tailwind section that is a bit like the Slip End run-in. We were averaging 31mph here, strung out, with frequent intervals that would push that far higher. I found this very hard, while Steve looked way more comfortable in TT mode. I took his wheel at every opportunity and it was great to have a teammate in the mix.
Up the finish hill for the first time around and it was tough but not too bad. However, I saw some suffered and we must have lost half a dozen riders here by cruelly speeding up on the crest and detaching them. The following lap was relatively stress free, and in the headwind the group even rests up for a couple of miles and we are tootling at 16-17mph with no one wanting to burn themselves pointlessly on the front. We eventually hit the hill for the second time and lose a few more riders. From the 60+ that started, we are now just 23 strong.
With several miles to go, two riders plot to burst off the front in the narrow lanes. They are clearly super strong and although some try and hustle to pull them in, they pop off and stay 200 metres away for the rest of the race. Incredible effort, really. Meanwhile, the rest of us fight for the other places. With a couple of miles to go, me and Steve are lolling at the back, when Steve tells me he’s going to put the hammer down and go for it and I should take his wheel. Of course, it was nutty, and it didn’t come off as it needed a few more to join to make it stick. But we really shocked the peloton by having two teamsters burst around the bunch. They all started shouting and getting flustered thinking we had some ace plan.
Into the final bend before the hill climb finish. I turn rubbishly and lose a few places. Steve, still near the front is in a much better place and hits the climb in a good position as we start the last few hundred metres. The hill is like a longer version of the first bit of the hill to Therfield from McDonalds. Our escort biker pulls over to the side of the now closed road and wishes us luck. Very nice. I decide to go wide and clear of the bunch, but without a draft to help seem to suffer, so rejoin the pack. I look around and claw into a decent position, with everything going a bit slow motion, some fading riders, some looking fresh. I give it as much welly as possible, but I’m clearly among some great riders, and now overheating and legs are beginning to buckle. The angle eventually eases with 30 metres to go and I’ve lost my best chance to get inside the top 10. There’s a good crowd at the finish line and I can see Dave cheer us on by the side, crossing the line 15th with glory just a few bike lengths away. 25.1mph average. Never mind. Another day, maybe a different gear, maybe a few more chaingangs, things might have been different.
Steve is just behind, 19th. And we three gather by the side, swap stories and roll the miles back to the HQ together. Get our race licences back, and enjoy free tea, a cheese butty and slice of Swiss roll. A recommended race – you just need a bit of luck to avoid getting caught out if there’s a break in the peloton.
There aren’t many Reg B races left in the ERRL season, but I have applied for the Mid Suffolk and Orwell Velo one near Ipswich. I think Dave done similar. I may apply for the King’s Lynn one mid October – as Dave raved about it.
Have a look;
http://www.errl.org.uk/calendar.php
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