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Mid Suffolk Road Race, Sun 13 Aug 2017
Three CCA riders raced today in the Mid Suffolk Road Race, part of the ERRL and one of the last few remaining Cat 3/4 races of the season.
Me, Dave W and Mat Porter were representing the Club and trying to score the Club some points in the League and for ourselves. It was a bit of a schlep to get just west of Ipswich for a 9am start, but a perfect, warm morning. The race was 8 laps of a 7 mile triangular circuit; one side a hill [and the finish], the other a rolling road west into the light headwind, and then a fiendishly fast side; slightly dipping, twisting. All good, except they’d just chipped the road and you’d get ping-ed by bits of tarmac all that side. Or the locals were firing air guns at us. One of the two.
From the neutralized start, it was straight up the hill. Pretty tasty, not unlike the hill from Ashwell by the old Post Office. The three of us crested fine and settled in, always trying to stay near the front. On the fast east return side, it was clear there were some very good riders in the pack – to be expected. But, they seemed to be fairly content playing around near the front.
That was until the start of lap 4. The front seemed to sense a weakness in the bunch as the got to the top of the hill and put the hammer down. It got tough and everything strung out into single file. They kept at it into the headwind and eventually 8-9 riders managed to make a break. 2 of which just shot off never to be seen again. I thought – that’s what Chris P would do. By the turn, they had 10 seconds on us, and it began to open further.
At first, I thought the break had deflated the bunch morale as we began to splutter a bit. Others tried to hustle a chaingang to peg them back. But it wasn’t working. It was a whole lap later that I realized; everything was planned; the break - and the break’s teammates were cannily sandbagging and destroying any attempts to get busy. It was an interesting dynamic I haven’t experienced before. It was impossible to make an efficient attack.
But, at least, without the stronger riders, it was easier to stay near the front and in control of things. So I figured, I’d just see how I got on in the run in for the lower placings. I settled in again. I laughed to myself as the Commissaire kept using his useless megaphone and all you’d hear were scraps, ‘Large tractor…. Number 22… hay… shot in the paddock’. I think the tannoy was more for him than us.
It was when completing Lap 6 that I saw Dave and Mat by the side of the road at the finish line. They’d got caught out at the back and became detached and inevitably got cut off the back, ending their race. Hard luck, as they’d both been riding really well: all it takes is a slight distraction and a bit of bad luck and you’re out.
It was nice to get shouts of encouragement. There were shouts of a different kind, when I took the next corner badly and got a right rollicking from a couple of riders for not holding my line… ‘Sort it out Ashwell, you effin’ this and that’. Into the bell lap and there’s a mini break from a few riders. It seems the technique when the sandbags are out, are to embrace the clipped speed, rest a while, and then go off like a rocket with a few others in the hope they can’t haul you back. I hesitated: Do I join and risk burning up? – or stick with the peloton, get them back and then ‘av it on the hill where I know I’ll do OK? I hesitated too long and the decision was made for me, and a few riders broke off successfully to leave me in the bunch now chasing a slightly lower position.
As we up the speed a bit in the last lap, I see a riderless bike tumbling over and over on the grassy verge. In oxygen debt, I wonder to myself, ‘You don’t see that every day’. Then, I come to think, ‘Someone’s crashed up ahead… but no rider: maybe they’re doing a Froome and running while waiting for the support car’. Then I finally realize there’s a rider buried in the six-foot tall nettles in a ditch nearby. Luckily, he was fine. The only ‘off’ of the day.
Final turn for the hill, and I’m feeling fine in the bunch, if not annoyed I’d not made the selections up front and wishing I had more teammates to work with. I lob my bidon at the foot of the climb – saving about 150 grams! – but psychologically thinking my bike was now made of nano particles.
I was pleased with my attack on the hill and turning the screw on the chaps around me - to come around third in the bunch and 16th overall. 56 miles @ 24.4mph. Out of the points, but I was happy with my form and nous. With a bit of luck, I hope I can crack the top 10, from the two remaining road races I’ve got in the calendar.
Stowmarket & District organized a great day. The cakes in the Hall were impressive and the Club seems very buoyant. A recommended race.
A final thought to the accredited marshals. I hadn’t realized how many are now needed in Cambs for races, and the shortage of them. I’ll endeavor to go on the course to fill some gaps next season. I do like a big flag and tabard. But more importantly, there’s simply not enough of these marshals around the area and these races are hanging by a thread to be held. Maybe others like the idea of getting about the counties and seeing some good racing. Today would have made great watching.
Me, Dave W and Mat Porter were representing the Club and trying to score the Club some points in the League and for ourselves. It was a bit of a schlep to get just west of Ipswich for a 9am start, but a perfect, warm morning. The race was 8 laps of a 7 mile triangular circuit; one side a hill [and the finish], the other a rolling road west into the light headwind, and then a fiendishly fast side; slightly dipping, twisting. All good, except they’d just chipped the road and you’d get ping-ed by bits of tarmac all that side. Or the locals were firing air guns at us. One of the two.
From the neutralized start, it was straight up the hill. Pretty tasty, not unlike the hill from Ashwell by the old Post Office. The three of us crested fine and settled in, always trying to stay near the front. On the fast east return side, it was clear there were some very good riders in the pack – to be expected. But, they seemed to be fairly content playing around near the front.
That was until the start of lap 4. The front seemed to sense a weakness in the bunch as the got to the top of the hill and put the hammer down. It got tough and everything strung out into single file. They kept at it into the headwind and eventually 8-9 riders managed to make a break. 2 of which just shot off never to be seen again. I thought – that’s what Chris P would do. By the turn, they had 10 seconds on us, and it began to open further.
At first, I thought the break had deflated the bunch morale as we began to splutter a bit. Others tried to hustle a chaingang to peg them back. But it wasn’t working. It was a whole lap later that I realized; everything was planned; the break - and the break’s teammates were cannily sandbagging and destroying any attempts to get busy. It was an interesting dynamic I haven’t experienced before. It was impossible to make an efficient attack.
But, at least, without the stronger riders, it was easier to stay near the front and in control of things. So I figured, I’d just see how I got on in the run in for the lower placings. I settled in again. I laughed to myself as the Commissaire kept using his useless megaphone and all you’d hear were scraps, ‘Large tractor…. Number 22… hay… shot in the paddock’. I think the tannoy was more for him than us.
It was when completing Lap 6 that I saw Dave and Mat by the side of the road at the finish line. They’d got caught out at the back and became detached and inevitably got cut off the back, ending their race. Hard luck, as they’d both been riding really well: all it takes is a slight distraction and a bit of bad luck and you’re out.
It was nice to get shouts of encouragement. There were shouts of a different kind, when I took the next corner badly and got a right rollicking from a couple of riders for not holding my line… ‘Sort it out Ashwell, you effin’ this and that’. Into the bell lap and there’s a mini break from a few riders. It seems the technique when the sandbags are out, are to embrace the clipped speed, rest a while, and then go off like a rocket with a few others in the hope they can’t haul you back. I hesitated: Do I join and risk burning up? – or stick with the peloton, get them back and then ‘av it on the hill where I know I’ll do OK? I hesitated too long and the decision was made for me, and a few riders broke off successfully to leave me in the bunch now chasing a slightly lower position.
As we up the speed a bit in the last lap, I see a riderless bike tumbling over and over on the grassy verge. In oxygen debt, I wonder to myself, ‘You don’t see that every day’. Then, I come to think, ‘Someone’s crashed up ahead… but no rider: maybe they’re doing a Froome and running while waiting for the support car’. Then I finally realize there’s a rider buried in the six-foot tall nettles in a ditch nearby. Luckily, he was fine. The only ‘off’ of the day.
Final turn for the hill, and I’m feeling fine in the bunch, if not annoyed I’d not made the selections up front and wishing I had more teammates to work with. I lob my bidon at the foot of the climb – saving about 150 grams! – but psychologically thinking my bike was now made of nano particles.
I was pleased with my attack on the hill and turning the screw on the chaps around me - to come around third in the bunch and 16th overall. 56 miles @ 24.4mph. Out of the points, but I was happy with my form and nous. With a bit of luck, I hope I can crack the top 10, from the two remaining road races I’ve got in the calendar.
Stowmarket & District organized a great day. The cakes in the Hall were impressive and the Club seems very buoyant. A recommended race.
A final thought to the accredited marshals. I hadn’t realized how many are now needed in Cambs for races, and the shortage of them. I’ll endeavor to go on the course to fill some gaps next season. I do like a big flag and tabard. But more importantly, there’s simply not enough of these marshals around the area and these races are hanging by a thread to be held. Maybe others like the idea of getting about the counties and seeing some good racing. Today would have made great watching.
Comments
As for AMs, it would be great to have more! The people that do it currently tend to be former racers or people that are usually heavily involved in the local clubs. It's hard to do it and race at the same time as you need to marshal a certain amount of races per season to keep your accreditation.
This was my third attempt at one of these road races... I am happy to be improving, though there is still a long way to go I think!
Having some team mates in the bunch really helped. It is all very easy to say "stay near the front", "don't get caught out at the back", etc. But having a CCA blue shirt or 2 to hang on to helped a lot.
For the first few laps, I felt pretty good. The bunched seems to take it relatively easy through the first half of the lap, until the very sharp (120 degree) corner. Then hammer it through the twisty/gravelly downhill.
So, all seemed to be going OK, I thought!
Then, everything got just that little bit harder and I slipped to the back on the fast downhill. The climb that followed was not fun... by the top, I was just off the back of the bunch. Then it happens so fast - a little bit of headwind, I dropped my head then I'm well off the back.
At that point, Dave W was in the same situation & we tried to get ourselves back in it. But frankly, my legs were not in a good place... I was not much use. After a little while, we sat up & cruised the rest of the lap. And sat on the finish line to watch the remaining few laps.
Great day though. And very well done Martin.
Tom and I were down to do this one but had to pull out late on but we are hoping to pick up a couple more road races before he heads off to Uni at the end of Sept.
Catch up soon hopefully