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OK, coolio. When you say 'grab a spare wheel' i assume you mean one of my own ? Not that they have random spare wheels sitting there ready just in case ?
I have a spare rear, but i don't have a tyre for it 🙂 So wouldn't really help me.
I'm also having an internal debate on what to do when i get spat out the back. Do i try and hang on until lapped but still at my own version of 'race pace' or do i do what you've recently started with and ease until caught again and then have another try at holding on... Or indeed, do i just call it a day at the time of being dropped... I guess a lot will depend on how i feel, who if anyone gets spat out when i do etc etc... I'm not really sure i'll know what i may or may not do until it happens.
I'm also having an internal debate on what to do when i get spat out the back.
Obviously 1 crucial element in that decision.
Has CH been dropped yet? If no, leap in car and go home asap claiming some mystery ailment. If yes, keep at it as a finish is worth bragging rights 😛
Obviously 1 crucial element in that decision.
Has CH been dropped yet? If no, [s]leap in car and go home asap claiming some mystery ailment.[/s] get back to the car, let the air out of one of the tyres, and claim you were going well, finding it easy, and probably on for some points until you got a bloody puncture!
🙂
All this talk is making me wish that I was joining in... next year I promise! Best of luck to all of you - hope you have a great time.
I'm sadly lacking in excuses this week!!
I haven't trained through...
I'm not ill.....
I don't have a meeting to go to afterwards.....
My bike is in full working order....
Must try harder 🙁
@Weeksy- there are normally some neutral wheels kicking around.....
I haven't trained through...
I'm not ill.....
I don't have a meeting to go to afterwards.....
My bike is in full working order....
Hmm...
Been quite a hard week of training... tick
I have a cold and sore throat... tick
I have kids activities I need to get back for... tick
My bike is still half built... tick
I'm sorted for excuses 🙂
See, you're a better Crit racer than you thought 😆
Come on guys, shouldn't mention that P word!!
@weeksy - peaks aren't allowed anyway I don't think.
@all - I've got a good list of excuses at the ready 😆
I'll be in my standard red jersey with white stripes tomorrow so easily identifiable - say hello 🙂
Tactics wise - hopefully the lack of 16 mph winds means that normal tactics apply. Sit and do nothing for 38 mins then engage...
LOL if i'm going to puncture or not, it won't be because i wrote something on the internet.
I'm booked in for my first race in about 5 years at the cyclopark on Saturday. 4:00pm start means a leisurely drive over and a nice warm up before getting dropped on lap one. To be honest, i'd be chuffed to finish...Cat 4 has got a lot harder since I last raced...
Which reminds me, I need to wash the bike and fit the new Turbo cottons tonight. Without a beer....gah!
Good luck Flange ! what sort of layout is it ? climbs ? flat? tight and twisty ?
I'll be in my standard red jersey with white stripes tomorrow so easily identifiable - say hello
Will do. I'll likely be racing in a Newbury RC jersey, a rather lurid green, blue and gold number. I'll hopefully be riding a black and white Giant TCR with the black and white camo bar tape.
Which reminds me, I need to wash the bike and fit the new Turbo cottons tonight.
Good point, I need to check that my tubs are holding air!
Good luck flange! Full report required please 🙂
I'll be in one of my usual gopping Btwin/TFC combo's trying to look mean and moody and failing 😆
Aiming for 8am arrival, pin on my number, recce the course, tweak outfit, red bull, loo, warm up, pop gel and then gogogo! If they are on time again, I'll aim to be ready for 08:45.....
Good luck flange!
Looks like we are on the same circuit as last week, according to the info pack they sent out?
https://www.strava.com/segments/7469371
Last weeks results are still pending 😆 https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/157125/OTRT-Winter-Crit-Series---Round-3
Ah cool, they may send us the other way again though.
Cyclopark looks fun! Not so keen on the noisy freewheeel though 😆 Sends a shiver down my spine 😀
Noisy freewheel!? 😆
Someone who knows reckons it'll be the same as last week but in reverse.
Hmm just discovered that the wheels I was going to use don't take an 11sp cassette 😕
Yes Nath! I know bad things are about to happen when I hear that in my ears!!! If you're freewheeling then you are saving energy to be used imminently elsewhere 😆
Nah, not doing any silliness this weekend - it's all business 🙂
Likely outcomes tomorrow:
P*&<^?e
9th-11th 😆
Taken out 🙄
Confident I won't be getting my 3rd 🙂
Taken out
I'll try and make sure it's not you i skittle on turn 1. !
Being part of the Zwift generation of riders i don't exactly go round corners, plus i've never ridden in the wet.... like EVER !
The corners at Abingdon are easy compared to Hillingdon.
Grips not an issue - just try not to brake on the corners, if you have to then feather them.
Watch for the potholes, people were pretty good at calling them out, and also for the metal grids.
Excited? 🙂
Good job you came and did some cornering practice with us on Tuesday then Weeksy 🙄 😆
At least you've got nice wide tyres which you can run at low pressure to give you plenty of confidence anyway 😉
First time I tried Zwift, I leaned quite hard into a tight corner.
Is this going to be like that, but backwards?
@CH after Tuesday my commuter has started squeaking. 😀
I prefer Hillingdon corners- at least you are generally only two abreast or so. Whereas Abingdon there's three coming up the inside of you and four more cutting in on you from the outside 😆
It's still crying about losing that sprint Nath 😉
@weeksy - I have no idea mate. First time going there but from what I've heard it's no hog hill. Looking at the start list so far, there's a fair few decent riders I know from riding locally so I think a head-kicking will be on the cards. If I get round I'll be happy.
You racing Hillingdon?
Excited?
Currently having a few car issues, my car has been in the garage in Newbury for 2 days now. Eventually we've found it has a cracked A/C condenser. But i'm planning on picking it up as they've really been a bloody useless place and i'm not giving them any more money. So just waiting for a call-back to let me know when to collect it.
So at the moment, all my brain power is taken up by the sodding car.
I'll get nervous more than excited.
At the end of the day, it's only a pushbike race... back in the day racing motorbikes i raced a Ducati 916, now THAT was exciting... If tomorrow can even give me 10% of that... then it's a bonus.
Personally think you're going to enjoy it, I'd be very surprised if you don't get hooked 🙂
Try not to build it up in your head & you'll be fine.
Don't come in here all disparaging about it 'only' being pushbikes! There's a lot more pride at stake when YOU are the engine 😆
crosshair - MemberDon't come in here all disparaging about it 'only' being pushbikes! There's a lot more pride at stake when YOU are the engine
Not at all mate. Back in the day, racing motorbikes cost me countless hours, countless money, many many broken bones, lost dreams of racing the Manx GP and the TT. I think it took me a good 5 years to clear the CC debts from racing bikes. The pressure was incredible at the time, it was days and days pre season training, pre season testing, trying to go faster and faster, the crashing, the repairing etc.
This is me and the bike, with no expectations of result, no worries about performance or what will happen next.
My plan is to turn up, ride as hard as i can for as long as i can and enjoy the fun of being out there.
I'm not meaning to belittle the sport or the efforts in any way shape or form, but i don't think it means the same to me as to some others. This is a one-off day out of fun for me.
Likely outcomes tomorrow:
Sit in the bunch for the first 20 mins. Get bored. Try and get a break going. End up solo for 20 mins. Get caught by the bunch on the last lap. Roll in last having a natter with any other stragglers. Feel free to join me 🙂
Or p*******.
mrblobby
Likely outcomes tomorrow:
Sit in the bunch for the first 20 mins. Get bored. Try and get a break going. End up solo for 20 mins. Get caught by the bunch on the last lap. Roll in last having a natter with any other stragglers. Feel free to join meOr p*******.
That's what normally happens at Hillingdon. Due to the wind last week I didn't have the energy haha.
It's all business tomorrow though 😆
I'm fed up with thinking about it now! I know what I need to do so I just want to get on with it 😀
MrBlobby- the OTRT are quite a big club. I'd be surprised if they don't chase you down. So if you try a break, it's going to be a tough race for everyone 😆
I suppose what keeps it so engaging is that any plan depends on 79 other plans coming together too!
I suppose what keeps it so engaging is that any plan depends on 79 other plans coming together too!
Any plan depends on 79 other plans going wrong 😉
MrBlobby- the OTRT are quite a big club. I'd be surprised if they don't chase you down. So if you try a break, it's going to be a tough race for everyone
I'll soften them up for Nath or my mate Martin to clear up in the sprint 🙂
All of which pretty much dictates my plan too 🙂
For STW'ers and friends of we should have organised wearing the same colours or same coloured arm band or something so we worked together instead of against 😆
I'm fairly obvious 😆
I'm from Liverpool.. i doubt there'll be any other Scousers.
Do scousers pant differently?
"Huuuuuggghhhh- hey hey hey!"
"Huuuuuggghhhh- hey hey hey!"
😆
Rather alarmingly, my race weekend has come round a bit too quickly.
Eddie Soens tomorrow then a race at Pimbo on Sunday. Using both in an effort to fast-track my way to a bit of fitness.
First road race for about 2 years (although I've done both Soens and Pimbo in the past).
If I make it more than half way tomorrow I'll be amazed!
Good luck Crazy-legs!! This thread has come a way since Nath needed clearance for a new bike 😆
So how did it all go.... Well, about as expected really. 🙂
My preparation leading up to the event wasgreat i thought, from Tues onwards i didn't train and just rested. So i came into today about as good as i get !
Did a decent warm up of 5-6 laps with Crosshair and a couple on my own, then back out for a couple more gentle ones with Nath.
The warm up laps were fine, but it was after this it went downhill 😀
Due to the fact i was sitting near the back of the bunch i ended up having some of the guys around me braking into the turns, then they'd have to pick up speed again to get back into the bunch, this was OK for 4 laps or so but i think it was on lap 5 that it became an issue, i looked down and my HR was sitting at 174bpm which is getting outside of any sort of a zone i can maintain. The lap before Nath offered me a wheel as he was cruising along side me, but i didn't need it at the time, i was happy and comfortable... But once i lost the tow, i was done, it was all over. Next thing you know the bunch had about 3s on me and there was no way i was getting it back.
I made the decision there and then to Solo TT round for as long as i could as hard as i could until i got lapped. That happend to be about 30 mins into the race, the bunch caught me and pulled away, foolishly i tried to jump on their wheel 🙂 which was of could a vain attempt and quite fruitless.... but i did get on the bunch behind for a lap once they caught me.... So i'm now 1 lap down.
At this stage there had been a crash, a few mechanicals and a few people dropped out... I rekon out of the 80, there was 65 or so... I still plodded along in TT mode, head down.. also my arse was down as my notoriously droppy seatpost had once again gone down by about 4"... Which wasn't massively destroying me, but wasn't helping either.
I caught 2 solo riders who had obviously overtaken me earlier i think, but eithr way, i un-lapped myself from them 2, but that was about as glorious as i got.
Crosshair joined me for a few laps, but by that stage every time i was trying to hold his wheel, it wasn't happening, he just pulled away... He'd then look behind with a look of "oh, what happend, i thought you'd still be there"... but i'd lost the wheel.
Coming up to the cut-off time where they pull the lapped riders out me and CH called it a day and pulled over.
The rest, i'll leave to the guys who were still racing.
From a personal persepctive, i got exactly what i realistically expected from the day. I think if i could have positioned myself better in the bunch i'd have managed another 3 laps in there... maybe 4.... but that would have been it.. The simple fact is, i'm not fast enough to hold in there. Simple as that.
Will i do it again, nah, i honestly doubt it. There was nothing 'exciting' about it really. It was just a ride with a lot of riders. I'm guessing if you're in the battle at the pointy end and trying your heart out for a place, it's exciting, but for the also-rans, there's very little pleasure/excitement.
I'm glad i entered and watching the rain last night i'm shocked i turned up.... but that's about as great as it got for me.
Massive thanks to Nath and CH for the thread and the urge to get me out there racing.. i did enjoy it, i'm glad i did it 🙂
Wow! What an eventful day.
@Weeksy- well done on popping your cherry!
@MrBlobby- great to finally meet you!
@Tomvet- great to meet you too! Nice car 😉
@Nath- congrats on your points, I honestly thought you had the win!!