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Recent racing news
CCA have had some good results on the road recently, with Neil managing to bridge over to the break at the abberton RR on Sunday and come in 5th, Cameron (I know he's not CCA anymore) came in 3rd. It's good to see these two getting up there. I can foresee plenty more to come from both of them! As mentioned on other threads, Ant came in 3rd at the national masters the weekend before last and earned himself a BC bronze medal. Well deserved. Ash Cox won this race and also placed 2nd in the tour of Cambridge TT this weekend, another ex CCA member who's flying right now!
Meanwhile in the crits Luke and Mitchy have been smashing it up (not literally, thankfully) and getting a whole bunch of top tens on various courses.
Guys, stick the details down under this post. People want to hear your news!
Ta
Meanwhile in the crits Luke and Mitchy have been smashing it up (not literally, thankfully) and getting a whole bunch of top tens on various courses.
Guys, stick the details down under this post. People want to hear your news!
Ta
Comments
2015 season so far 20 points and counting.
Thought Id do a round up of my racing season so far, and my lessons learnt!
So I already had a 3rd CAT licence from 2008 after a dabble with elite duathlon, CRIT racing was a great way to prepare me for the drafting races I was competing in back then.
The downside to having a 3rd CAT licence was that on retiring from running and starting cycling in Jan 2015 I knew that I wouldnt have the luxury of racing 4 CAT only races. To makes matter worse I chose to start racing in a 2,3 CAT!!
7 MARCH 2015 Milton Keynes Bowl 2,3 CAT race.
Unplaced lapped!! Nearly stopped after 10 minutes, very glad to get a break when the race was neutralised after a nasty crash at the front.
Lessons learnt (or remembered) CRIT RACING is hard!, dont start near the back of a field, be prepared to throw yourself around corners!
21 MARCH Hog Hill. 3,4 race.
13th found this a much more suitable starting place. A more user friendly purpose built circuit. I was far more competitive in this race, but didnt have the confidence to ride near the front.
Lessons learnt. 3,4 races are my level, a hill suits me, no training substitutes racing for race practice.
28 March Velo Park. 3,4 race
Just outside top 10 (not recorded) Great circuit, very fast, but huge field, hard to move up. Chase down load break, thought I had one lap less than I did making for a hard last couple of minutes.
Lesson learnt learn to count.
3 April Hog Hill 3,4 race
15th managed to ride myself from 3 or 4 with a lap to go, into about 40th at bottom of last hill.
Lesson learnt (reiterated) hold position in the last lap.
12 April - Fleche Welwyn Road road 3,4.
13th first ever road race, loved and hated it in equal measures. Was sooo hard. Managed to get in a break with Luke, but was on my limit for a lot of the race. So much for road races being less intense than CRITS, this was like a 2hr 45 minute CRIT!
Lessons learnt. Road races are long! And being in a break is hard work!
28 April Hillingdon E123
38th wow, E12S a difference calibre of riders, much faster sustained pace for whole race, and they can all still sprint at the end!! Glad just to make it around and not get dropped. Field stayed together for a huge bunch sprint. A real learning experience.
Lessons learnt I have a lot of improving to do to be competitive in this level of field.
2 MAY - Hog Hill 3,4
8th and 2 POINTS!! My first points on my 3rd CAT licence. Great to race with CC ASHWELL team make Luke, and he got points too! Actually won £10!! (Im going to ignore the fact it cost me £15 to enter and about £15 in petrol). Attacked early into the last hill and managed to hold on for some points.
Lessons learnt I can finish in the top 10 of races!!
7 May Hog hill 3,4
17th frustrated as missed a break, then after chasing down a second break I hesitated, allowing the group to catch me, and couldnt recover in time to sprint.
Lesson Learnt if youre going to commit with a short distance to ride there is no time to recover so commit fully and live with the result.
13 May Solihull 3,4
6th crazy day, drove to Solihull to race against an old GB running mate who has also turned to the dark side. Thought Id have loads of time after finishing work, but only made the race by 15mins. Think the un bike related car park occupants may have got a shock to see me strip naked and climb into skin suit, but didnt have time for the niceties of finding a changing room!!!
Lessons learnt who needs a warm up??
10th - Having visited another old running buddy turned cyclist in derby during the week and riding 85 miles with 8500 feet of climbing this race was always going to be a struggle, and so it proved, although happy to salvage a point for 10th.
Lessons learnt you cant do everything a big training ride with lots of climbing followed by a race is tough.
30 May Milton Keynes 3,4
4th Back to Milton Keynes, but feeling fitter and with improved cornering confidence and no 2nd CATS! Really enjoyed the race, feeling very controlled and for a small moment thought I was going to get second in the bunch sprint! Still happy to get 6 points.
Lessons learnt in a race with primes try and see who is sprinting well and get on their wheel for the final sprint! almost worked!
3 June Eelmore circuit 3,4.
4th Got in a 4 man break after 25 minutes or so and worked really well. Very exciting being in a break on a circuit where you can see the chasing group and realising you are pulling away, and going to stay away. Came 4th out of the 4 in a sprint for the line, but very please to get another 6 points.
Lesson learnt a successful break is a beautiful and satisfying thing!!
7 June Watford cyclefest 2,3
Just outside top 10 (results not out yet) my first 2,3 race since first race, and really pleased with how I got on. Probably my best race to date, although no points to show for it. Exciting and technical course, on which I watched loads of crashes in the preceding races. Happy to stay upright. Also really happy not to get lapped in a race where the circuit was taking about 1m40 secs with several of the Neon Velo team riding.
Lesson reiterated get on the front line of the race, giving a head start to better riders is never a good idea!
10 June Eelmore 3,4
9th Hard fought 9th, on a windy night, found myself chasing down a good 10 breaks, instigated by two teams with 5 riders each that kept sending 1 or 2 up the road, felt like I was forever giving chase. Consequently when I attacked on the last lap I found my legs failing me with 50 metres to go was happy to scrape a point in the end.
Lesson learnt Wind is difficult to ride in!! Try not to be the workhorse for everyone else.
My quest for points and 2nd CAT status continues. Im half way there now with 20 points. I hate to think what its cost me in race entries and petrol but Im loving the challenge!!
... and good luck
MK Bowl Thu 11 June:
A hard 3/4 race for me after 3 weeks away from BC racing with work and personal commitments. Mid way through I got caught on the wrong side of a split and spent until 4 laps to go chasing back on. Once back on, I was able to win the bunch kick. 4 were already away I think so 5th for me tonight. Happy after the short break.
Remember to keep a note of all top 10 finishes for the club RR cup.
75 started, in warm but overcast weather (thankfully dry). I went in a 3 man break from the gun, which lasted all of 25 minutes, and was probably doomed from the off, but I believed for a min or two...
The main group caught us soon enough and then whilst trying to recover, and sat in the 40's a group of 10 went in a very determined break, by the time I got nearer the front of the group the break was out of sight. I could keep a check on where Luke was in the group by simply listening out for him coughing, he'd bravely started despite a really dodgy chest, so knew he was still in the pack.
I then worked hard on the front of the group, with maybe 8 - 10 other riders, however with no time checks it was hard to keep up the momentum. Talking after the race to the car leading the main group the gap had gone out to nearly two mins, been closed to within 35 seconds (not quite in sight) and then went back out to nearly two minutes.
With just less than a lap to go (approx 15 miles) a lone rider attacked and I managed to go with him, we worked really hard, mainly with a view to getting away, as a shout of '2 minutes' from the side of the road made me think it impossible to catch the break. After encouraging each other with the view that we had fully committed so to an extent had nothing to lose we realized we'd actually got out of sight and were getting away.
To my amazement with about 5 miles to go I saw the lead car and group in the distance, this spurred us on, and although ultimately doomed, I actually thought we might do it. The final 1km of the race is a gradual climb, and as we took the sharp left into the climb I could actually see riders splintering off, presumably as attacks took place from within the break. My co-worker had stopped pulling at the front now, and was obviously waiting to beat me, but I still though we could catch some on the final incline. With 300 to go we picked up the back man from the group, and at the finish line came into view the lad I had worked with went past me, finished a bike length in front. The next 5 riders were less then 3 seconds further up the road.
I finished 11th - exhilarated and slightly gutted at the same time, to have closed such a big gap on the last lap, but fallen agonizingly short was pleasing and taunting at the same time! Luke made the sensible decision and called time at about 45 miles to allow himself to recover and continue our chase for points!!
Still 62 miles at 25mph average should bring me on.
2 July 2015 - finished 20th. Best I've felt in a race but spent way to long on the front, and attacked three laps out (thought it said 2...) leading into the Hoggenburg on last lap, and felt like every man and his dog went past.
9 July 2015 - finished 2nd. After last week I decided to do NO work. Sat at back of main bunch of 40 for first 38 mins... then dropped chain, which promptly stuck between frame and small ring. At start of race we were told chain coming off doesn't count as a mechanical (not sure how that works!!!), so knew I couldn't have a lap out. The next two laps were the hardest I have ridden to regain contact with the bunch once I'd got the chain back on. Once I got back on the group I had the luxury of a lap 'recovery' before the 5 laps to go marker went up. Over the next three laps I moved slowly to the front and with two laps to go was on the wheel of the leader (so I thought). The last lap bunched up, but this time I waited, and as the first rider attacked the last hill I got on his wheel, going past half way up the last hill, and then staying away around a section called 'the alpines' which I haven't ridden before. As I approached the line I really thought I'd won, only to see a rider in front, who I thought was being lapped, raise his arms!! Anyway, VERY happy with second and 8 points. 37 in total now means a good next race could see me follow Luke into second CAT - fingers crossed.
Michael Martin and Steven Jennings putting in good rides to help secure the win. Nice one guys!