Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Ranked as the outsider.
Come the tennis season you always hear of "so and so" ranked 93rd upsetting the 3rd seed at this years French or Wimbledon Open. Not that I'm saying I could upset the number three seed on the VA35+ ranking, (Craig Harvey your safe for the moment), but it would make my day to say I've dropped into the top 100 ranking. But not today. . . this month I drop a miserable three place to 101st.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Cannons on the Hill
Sunday 21 Sept: OUTride PTA. "Cannon Fodder" is what I thought I heard someone call out when I joined the VA start group on the line for 7 vicious laps around the Union Buildings in PTA. Historically this cource has seen me, trampled under foot by the big guns on the first steep climb up to the Union Buildings. But this time I was confident the "cannon fodder" tag was aimed at the rider wearing takkie's and a set of draw string cycling shorts , who stood out like the short fat kid in class when it came to selecting the schools basketball team. If he wasn't wondering why he was lining up with some of the countries fastest licensed Vet's , then I surely was?? On the back straight when the first small attacks started to go, I did notice that he was still hanging in there and made a note that maybe your cycling ability was not directly linked to how high up your back your shorts sat.
The first ascent up the short Union Buildings climb onto the flat platoe atop was into a cold polar wind. Predictable the pace up the climb went off the scales as it became a free for all to get to the top first. I turned myself inside out to stay with the group as it crested the climb. If it where not for a few supporters shouting my name, I would never have known who I was , never mind where . . . I was gasping for air!! But managed to stay the group as it rejoined on the descent for a second lap.
Positioning myself for the second time up the climb I found myself elbow to elbow with Jaco Ferreira (TCS), pushing and shoving to go into the first switch back at the base of the climb. The attack was launched and I could hear the artillery firing by the second turn as I started to unhitch from the group. Behind the constant "beep beep" of a team car had started to become irritating as the driver tried to take the racing line up the climb and force his way through to the front. If I had not been in acute Oxygen starvation I would have shouted at him through the open passenger window, explaining why I thought his mother wore gum boots, but that would have been pointless because I suddenly became swamped by a chasing peleton of Elite/ VB / $ and # riders (I even think I saw a blind tandem pair in this group it was that big!!). This group was out for blood, and at it's heart was Andrew Maclain who was lapping the entire field and would go on to win the VB category. Thankfully I joined this cavalry charge over the top of the hill to be dragged back onto the tail of the VA category.
The next lap was complete pandemonium as the various racing categories became one large entangled ball of string traveling at 60km/h along the back straight. By the third climb , the insane pace, the cross winds and speed had seen me unhitched once again to join a small train lead by the Neotel team. They beat out a steady tempo up the climb on the fourth lap but by the fifth had any government official been in office (I think they had all been fired at this point, and the country was in a state of lawlessness) they would have seen a puff of white smoke from the artillery as I surrendered to the hill. For the final two laps I joined a five man train to steam towards the finish collecting 18th on the line.
Although the state presidents artillery was not out today. I had suffered at the hands of the big guns on the climb. They had taken pot shots on the first few laps and I had been unable to withstand the initial volleys. Cannon fodder . . . Ha!! . . I'll be back next year! (wearing takkies and draw string cycling shorts)
The first ascent up the short Union Buildings climb onto the flat platoe atop was into a cold polar wind. Predictable the pace up the climb went off the scales as it became a free for all to get to the top first. I turned myself inside out to stay with the group as it crested the climb. If it where not for a few supporters shouting my name, I would never have known who I was , never mind where . . . I was gasping for air!! But managed to stay the group as it rejoined on the descent for a second lap.
Positioning myself for the second time up the climb I found myself elbow to elbow with Jaco Ferreira (TCS), pushing and shoving to go into the first switch back at the base of the climb. The attack was launched and I could hear the artillery firing by the second turn as I started to unhitch from the group. Behind the constant "beep beep" of a team car had started to become irritating as the driver tried to take the racing line up the climb and force his way through to the front. If I had not been in acute Oxygen starvation I would have shouted at him through the open passenger window, explaining why I thought his mother wore gum boots, but that would have been pointless because I suddenly became swamped by a chasing peleton of Elite/ VB / $ and # riders (I even think I saw a blind tandem pair in this group it was that big!!). This group was out for blood, and at it's heart was Andrew Maclain who was lapping the entire field and would go on to win the VB category. Thankfully I joined this cavalry charge over the top of the hill to be dragged back onto the tail of the VA category.
The next lap was complete pandemonium as the various racing categories became one large entangled ball of string traveling at 60km/h along the back straight. By the third climb , the insane pace, the cross winds and speed had seen me unhitched once again to join a small train lead by the Neotel team. They beat out a steady tempo up the climb on the fourth lap but by the fifth had any government official been in office (I think they had all been fired at this point, and the country was in a state of lawlessness) they would have seen a puff of white smoke from the artillery as I surrendered to the hill. For the final two laps I joined a five man train to steam towards the finish collecting 18th on the line.
Although the state presidents artillery was not out today. I had suffered at the hands of the big guns on the climb. They had taken pot shots on the first few laps and I had been unable to withstand the initial volleys. Cannon fodder . . . Ha!! . . I'll be back next year! (wearing takkies and draw string cycling shorts)
Monday, September 1, 2008
MTN Zoo Lake Criteruim
Sunday 31 Aug: It was a good thing that I turned around and went back to fetch my arm and knee warmers before heading out to Zoo Lake for the MTN criteruim series. On the ride to the start an icy wind pushed me along at 30km/h. . . . uphill!! Dust, dirt and grass blasted across the road making the ride unpleasant. This should have been a warning of what was to come.
Four weeks off the bike due to a chest cold had seen me forfeit 3 races and about R500 in entrance fees. I had rolled out three times this week on training rides in the vain hope of salvaging some form. Last year I had watched the series from the side line, holding a box of tissue's, coughing. There was no chance I was going to miss it again!! even if dark polar winds where threatning to dump snow on the northern suburbs of Johannesburg .
The MTN series is well organised, big prize money and strongly supported. The Vets race had all the big names and I was determined to survive. I had 30minutes to hang in, plus one lap to get to the finish. The cource had a strong climb up past the start/ finish, a right onto Jan Smuts avenue before another right onto a fast downhill section (which should cancell out the headwind) before climbing back up to the start line again for the next lap. A piece of cake . . . . if I could only hold onto the wheels infront. Sixty seconds into the race I realised this was going to be the problem !!
At the first turn the pack was already stretched out into a 5o metre long eschelon with me hanging onto the back. The 6okm/h downhill into the wind, ripped my lungs out and the the climb back up the hill for the first lap was done at a heart stopping 186 beats per minute. A brief slowing up on the second lap was only that . . .brief. . .as the guys on the front sat up to look back and gauge what damage they had done. The hammer was put down again on the second climb past the start/finnish and it was about here that I blew my last gaskett and started to suck in air and sound like my grandmothers 60 year old washing machine on a spin cycle. The next 20 minutes where miserable.
There was no hiding in the 5 man group that had become the ambulance at the rear of the cource. Each lap past the start was broadcast onto a giant screen for friends and family to see and a loudspeaker gave time gaps on the freight train that was about to flatten us from the rear. On my second last lap, I was forced into the siding as the express came barrelling past, kicking up dust to be blown into my face ... aaargghh . . .the humilitation of being lapped so close to the end. But there was little time to appreciate that humilation after finnishing, because I would spend the next hour trying to suck oxygen in through a straw and coughing my lungs up . Who would have guessed that O2 could be in such short supply on a cold, dry and dusty day in Johannesburg? My chest had taken a beating along with the rest of me,and left to battle against the headwind on the long, cold ride home. To add insult to injury, I couldn't even complete the onsite sms entry for the cellphone prize draw!! What a miserable day.
Four weeks off the bike due to a chest cold had seen me forfeit 3 races and about R500 in entrance fees. I had rolled out three times this week on training rides in the vain hope of salvaging some form. Last year I had watched the series from the side line, holding a box of tissue's, coughing. There was no chance I was going to miss it again!! even if dark polar winds where threatning to dump snow on the northern suburbs of Johannesburg .
The MTN series is well organised, big prize money and strongly supported. The Vets race had all the big names and I was determined to survive. I had 30minutes to hang in, plus one lap to get to the finish. The cource had a strong climb up past the start/ finish, a right onto Jan Smuts avenue before another right onto a fast downhill section (which should cancell out the headwind) before climbing back up to the start line again for the next lap. A piece of cake . . . . if I could only hold onto the wheels infront. Sixty seconds into the race I realised this was going to be the problem !!
At the first turn the pack was already stretched out into a 5o metre long eschelon with me hanging onto the back. The 6okm/h downhill into the wind, ripped my lungs out and the the climb back up the hill for the first lap was done at a heart stopping 186 beats per minute. A brief slowing up on the second lap was only that . . .brief. . .as the guys on the front sat up to look back and gauge what damage they had done. The hammer was put down again on the second climb past the start/finnish and it was about here that I blew my last gaskett and started to suck in air and sound like my grandmothers 60 year old washing machine on a spin cycle. The next 20 minutes where miserable.
There was no hiding in the 5 man group that had become the ambulance at the rear of the cource. Each lap past the start was broadcast onto a giant screen for friends and family to see and a loudspeaker gave time gaps on the freight train that was about to flatten us from the rear. On my second last lap, I was forced into the siding as the express came barrelling past, kicking up dust to be blown into my face ... aaargghh . . .the humilitation of being lapped so close to the end. But there was little time to appreciate that humilation after finnishing, because I would spend the next hour trying to suck oxygen in through a straw and coughing my lungs up . Who would have guessed that O2 could be in such short supply on a cold, dry and dusty day in Johannesburg? My chest had taken a beating along with the rest of me,and left to battle against the headwind on the long, cold ride home. To add insult to injury, I couldn't even complete the onsite sms entry for the cellphone prize draw!! What a miserable day.
Monday, July 28, 2008
One last spin before home:
24 July: Had my ass well and truly kicked today. I had so enjoyed the Mallory Park circuit that I decided to give it one more go before heading back to SA. Flying out the next day I was in no mood to pack my bags and could not resist giving the bike one more spin. I felt good on the ride out to the circuit, so was surprised when a five man break went from the gun. By the second lap I was struggling to stay on the back and was wondering why I was running out of steam. By the third lap I resigned myself to slipping off the back and coasting to the finish. It was such a beautifull evening I was not worried about the humiliation of being lapped and opted to take a slow ride home. With the sun setting behind me this was the perfect end to a great UK trip . . . now to get this bike back to JHB is going to be fun!!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Riding country lanes
About 30km from here, to the west of Leicester is the Mallory Park racetrack used for motor sports.Every tuesday evening the track holds a circuit race and I felt it was close enough to ride to as a warm up before the race. I found it on the map and the British cycling federation website easily, and had done a short recce / training ride the day before in the area. With a photocopied map in my back pocket I did a 50km zig zag trip, through the back roads and country lanes. I got completely F#&* lost, all the lanes look the same and I recognised nothing from the day before. The following tuesday I did the same warm up and also got completely lost, my mental compass has gone for a ball... the lanes twist and turn, leading me past the same old boy sitting at a bus stop for the third time!!
Thank goodness I arrived at the circuit and was reassured that there was little chance of me getting lost during the race as long as I followed the same direction as all the other riders!! The racing at Mallory Park starts at seven in the evening , with a smallish fields of 30 to 40 starters. The late evenings make for cooler conditions with the heat being kept up by the one or two man breaks going off the front. The pace is high but not as aggressive as the racing in the US. I find it fairly easy to go across to the breaks and manage to stay away for a lap or two before being brought back by the group. Im surprised to see a SA national jersey in the peleton, and we get chatting in (poor) afrikaans as to who to watch in the breaks. Turns out the youngster picked the jersey up in Cape Town and has been in the UK for sometime.
The race conditions are perfect and even though I did not contest any of the final sprints, the racing left me feeling I had had a good work out , either that or the three weeks of holidaying, late nights, sight seeing and fast food has taken their toll.
Thank goodness I arrived at the circuit and was reassured that there was little chance of me getting lost during the race as long as I followed the same direction as all the other riders!! The racing at Mallory Park starts at seven in the evening , with a smallish fields of 30 to 40 starters. The late evenings make for cooler conditions with the heat being kept up by the one or two man breaks going off the front. The pace is high but not as aggressive as the racing in the US. I find it fairly easy to go across to the breaks and manage to stay away for a lap or two before being brought back by the group. Im surprised to see a SA national jersey in the peleton, and we get chatting in (poor) afrikaans as to who to watch in the breaks. Turns out the youngster picked the jersey up in Cape Town and has been in the UK for sometime.
The race conditions are perfect and even though I did not contest any of the final sprints, the racing left me feeling I had had a good work out , either that or the three weeks of holidaying, late nights, sight seeing and fast food has taken their toll.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Bikes , bags and planes
I arrived safely in London... my bike did not. It decided to catch the next flight from LA, which is surprising as all my other bags arrived on the same flight. I have a funny feeling that whilst checking in, my bike became mistaken as belonging to the guy next to me. . . the guy having a go at the check in staff .. the Ï want to see your manager"guy... you know the type? Thinks heś entitled to an upgrade on his economy ticket because he sat by the toilets for 14hours on the way out. The first rule of air travel: don't piss off the guy putting the luggage tags on your bag. I know this because, only my friend and I where left standing, staring at an empty luggage carousal at Heathrow.
The efficiency of the Virgin Atlantic lost luggage monster is astounding. A representative informed me that the bag had taken an unexpected trip via Stockholm (I gave my travel mate the evil eye at this point) and that they would have it delivered later that night. Alarm bells should have gone off at this point as he had not even asked me where I was staying, so powerful is the Virgin PR monster I left the airport smiling at the idea of being united with my bike later that evening, in time for the 13h30 race start the next day.
Got my bike Seven o clock , Sunday evening. The Virgin call centre in India (go figure??) promised to look into it . The bike is in an indestructibly hard shell travel case, but to make doubly sure I´m going to stencil my destination on it for my final leg back to JHB and avoid checking in with any idiots!!. Iĺl stick some fragile stickers on it just incase the baggage handlers at JHB or Stockholm airportś decide to drop it from the top step of the plane!!
The efficiency of the Virgin Atlantic lost luggage monster is astounding. A representative informed me that the bag had taken an unexpected trip via Stockholm (I gave my travel mate the evil eye at this point) and that they would have it delivered later that night. Alarm bells should have gone off at this point as he had not even asked me where I was staying, so powerful is the Virgin PR monster I left the airport smiling at the idea of being united with my bike later that evening, in time for the 13h30 race start the next day.
Got my bike Seven o clock , Sunday evening. The Virgin call centre in India (go figure??) promised to look into it . The bike is in an indestructibly hard shell travel case, but to make doubly sure I´m going to stencil my destination on it for my final leg back to JHB and avoid checking in with any idiots!!. Iĺl stick some fragile stickers on it just incase the baggage handlers at JHB or Stockholm airportś decide to drop it from the top step of the plane!!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Flat out in Domiguez Hills
Sunday 6th July: Dominguez Hills criteruim; finally I feel comfortable on the bike, like the pair of underpants that I have been wearing for two days in a row on this holiday (but thats a different story). I was taking no chances on this one and arrived well early to get my race number. On the warm up lap for the 35yrs plus group I felt good. A short cource, around the block, 4 righthand bends with 400metre straights in between and on roads that where so smooth, butter would glide across them. The roads and corners where as wide as the N1 between London and Marlboro and completely closed to traffic or the stray Soweto taxi!!
A large field of just under a 100 lined up for the 50minutes of racing. I initiated a conversation with the rider next to me, in an attempt to find out who where the hot shots to watch. He pointed out the IronFly team who had the Californian Champion on their side (a nice and easy jersey to spot) , the Amgen team and the Schroeder Iron guys. The racing was hot with a lot of breaks going off the front and being brought back. The teams where doing a classic one / two off the front and I was tempted to go with a few moves. My HR was up at 180bpm for most of the race with a lot of jocking for wheels. With about 8 laps to go I locked onto an Ironfly riders wheels I figured was looking pretty strong and it appeared he had a good lead out man. The last 5laps became frantic and I felt dizzy , diving into another righthand bend, focusing on nothing but the wheel infront. It must have been a popular wheel I was behind because I was continuely being jostled for it and loosing it with 2 laps to go. Turns out it was the winning wheel. But at least I had my race number on this time and recorded a 37th across the line, a result that does not truly reflect how much work I did do.
I had my arm twisted to enter a second race for the day. An additional $17 gave me a starting number in the pro line up alongside Jittery Joe / BMC and Rock Racing. I made it perfectly clear that I was only coming along for the ride and would exit stage left at the first sign of trouble. True enough the racing was more controlled than the 35+ group, but what my new arm twisting friends forgot to mention, it was twice as long. Surprisingly my HR remained lower than the first race, but I was sitting in the back, being sucked along. Occasionally I would have to dig deep to remain incontact with a wheel infront as the 123 strong field got stretched out by the chasing teams. I found myself at the back, going into corners as the front was exiting, the latin rouge on this train I was paranoid that I would be lapped by a 400metre long snake. The bell for the last lap was the most painful as I felt the whip lash at the back. But I gritted my teeth and crossed the line with all the other lead out men that had been shelled in the final two corners. Mission accomplished, I had survived. Rashan Bahati from Rock Racing had taken the win leaving me in a lowly 77th position.
It was a tough days racing and I paid dearly for turning myself inside out to stay with the group in the second race, but it was an experience well worth it. As I pack my bike back into it's box for the next leg of my journey I am left asking one question. Why don't we have a criteruim series in SA on the same scale? I can tell you now it would be an instant success.
Results on Socalcycling.com
A large field of just under a 100 lined up for the 50minutes of racing. I initiated a conversation with the rider next to me, in an attempt to find out who where the hot shots to watch. He pointed out the IronFly team who had the Californian Champion on their side (a nice and easy jersey to spot) , the Amgen team and the Schroeder Iron guys. The racing was hot with a lot of breaks going off the front and being brought back. The teams where doing a classic one / two off the front and I was tempted to go with a few moves. My HR was up at 180bpm for most of the race with a lot of jocking for wheels. With about 8 laps to go I locked onto an Ironfly riders wheels I figured was looking pretty strong and it appeared he had a good lead out man. The last 5laps became frantic and I felt dizzy , diving into another righthand bend, focusing on nothing but the wheel infront. It must have been a popular wheel I was behind because I was continuely being jostled for it and loosing it with 2 laps to go. Turns out it was the winning wheel. But at least I had my race number on this time and recorded a 37th across the line, a result that does not truly reflect how much work I did do.
I had my arm twisted to enter a second race for the day. An additional $17 gave me a starting number in the pro line up alongside Jittery Joe / BMC and Rock Racing. I made it perfectly clear that I was only coming along for the ride and would exit stage left at the first sign of trouble. True enough the racing was more controlled than the 35+ group, but what my new arm twisting friends forgot to mention, it was twice as long. Surprisingly my HR remained lower than the first race, but I was sitting in the back, being sucked along. Occasionally I would have to dig deep to remain incontact with a wheel infront as the 123 strong field got stretched out by the chasing teams. I found myself at the back, going into corners as the front was exiting, the latin rouge on this train I was paranoid that I would be lapped by a 400metre long snake. The bell for the last lap was the most painful as I felt the whip lash at the back. But I gritted my teeth and crossed the line with all the other lead out men that had been shelled in the final two corners. Mission accomplished, I had survived. Rashan Bahati from Rock Racing had taken the win leaving me in a lowly 77th position.
It was a tough days racing and I paid dearly for turning myself inside out to stay with the group in the second race, but it was an experience well worth it. As I pack my bike back into it's box for the next leg of my journey I am left asking one question. Why don't we have a criteruim series in SA on the same scale? I can tell you now it would be an instant success.
Results on Socalcycling.com
Training Californian style
I"ve managed to get some training in on the new bike this week. Besides the two days riding up along the Pacific coast highway, I have been doing a few of sprints of my own. Sprints to be at the front of the que at Disneyland's flying Dumbo ride, the single file echelon training whilst in the que and the solo breaks to grab the front seat on the roller coaster. For the hottest spot, points go to Las Vegas (43C) and the Lantern rouge being awarded to myself for always following up in the rear with all the shopping!!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Hung over on manhattan Beach
Sunday 27th June: 50 minutes around a 1,4 mile Criterium circuit in LA. Not that I was expecting to do well at this one at all, but I had got myself hyped up about it in the weeks leading up. A combination of limited sleep the night before, leaving the hotel late and having to double back to fetch the Tuxedo that needed to be returned, the uncertainty as to where the race started as well as LA traffic, all resulted in me arriving late. With a lot of begging and pleading I got my race number and literally joined the 35yrs plus group on the startline as the countdown began. I had no time to pin my number on and simple pushed it into my back pockets.
Two minutes into the first lap I realised that my bike set up was not the best. The saddle was to low and the stem to long. In the corners my bike handling was to nervous as I battled to find the leaning point, I was in constant fear that the wheels would kick out from under me. A note for future referance: get some time on a bike before you race it!!
My first introduction into criteruim racing in the US was incredible. Events where held through out the day for different catogeries. The mens 35yrs+ cat 1-4 was fully booked with 100 entrants squeezed onto the course. When chasing down a few early breaks this line stretched to over 200 metres. Four tight corners kept me on my toes as I felt uncomfortable taking an inside or outside line into them. The first quarter I battled at the back getting a feel for the large peleton. On the second quarter I moved to the front of the pack, deciding that I had come such a long way and spend a small fortune getting here, that I might as well get a front row seat. But after tangling my bars up with another riders I opted to slide back in the group rather than test the limits to my travel and medical insurance in the states.
The rest of the race I sat comfortable in the peleton as we completed lap after lap. Preems where constantly being called out, with everything from helmets to tyres being given away. I briefly fancied my chances of getting to the front on the last lap, but lost my nerve at the idea of going into that last corner (that same corner would claim Freddie Rodrigues of Rock Racing in the next race along with a few others).
I'll chalk this one up as experience gained. I had more fun wandering around the cycling carnival enjoying the atmosphere after the race, taking photo's of the Rock Racing team cars (no girls unfortunately) and collecting souvenirs. Hoefully i will know what I'm doing at next weeks race and be a bit more prepared!!
Two minutes into the first lap I realised that my bike set up was not the best. The saddle was to low and the stem to long. In the corners my bike handling was to nervous as I battled to find the leaning point, I was in constant fear that the wheels would kick out from under me. A note for future referance: get some time on a bike before you race it!!
My first introduction into criteruim racing in the US was incredible. Events where held through out the day for different catogeries. The mens 35yrs+ cat 1-4 was fully booked with 100 entrants squeezed onto the course. When chasing down a few early breaks this line stretched to over 200 metres. Four tight corners kept me on my toes as I felt uncomfortable taking an inside or outside line into them. The first quarter I battled at the back getting a feel for the large peleton. On the second quarter I moved to the front of the pack, deciding that I had come such a long way and spend a small fortune getting here, that I might as well get a front row seat. But after tangling my bars up with another riders I opted to slide back in the group rather than test the limits to my travel and medical insurance in the states.
The rest of the race I sat comfortable in the peleton as we completed lap after lap. Preems where constantly being called out, with everything from helmets to tyres being given away. I briefly fancied my chances of getting to the front on the last lap, but lost my nerve at the idea of going into that last corner (that same corner would claim Freddie Rodrigues of Rock Racing in the next race along with a few others).
I'll chalk this one up as experience gained. I had more fun wandering around the cycling carnival enjoying the atmosphere after the race, taking photo's of the Rock Racing team cars (no girls unfortunately) and collecting souvenirs. Hoefully i will know what I'm doing at next weeks race and be a bit more prepared!!
American Flyer
I arrived in California Thursday night for a two week break and family wedding, All the travel arrangements where made online including, ordering the new bike wich arrived Friday and was delivered directly to the hotel. Saturday was the wedding, but I dropped the bike off beforehand at a LBS with instruction to assembled it and have it ready for the MBGP race the next day.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Stage 4: Four laps anti-clockwise
Stage 4 : 2oKm Criterium: The main reason why I had been hanging onto the back of the peleton for three days had arrived. I needed to make it to day four and the criterium. Four laps around a 5km loop in an anti clockwise direction was why I had entered. This would be the tester for what to expect in two weeks time, at the Manhattan beach grand prix. It's been years since I've done a criterium and I was not fooling myself that it was going to be fast. I arrived early and did some warming up on the rollers before a practice lap!
The start/finish was ontop the highest point of the cource with a long 2km drag up to it. The first lap would be a Hotspot for points and KOM points on the second. From the the gun the pace was set , fast!!, I made it into the first corner at about mid pack and moved up to the front ten in the next two corners. Things where going great untill . . . the wheels fell off . . . half way up the drag, the pace kicked up another notch and my legs seized after three days of punishment. I slid off the back and by the time I finished the first lap the peleton was already gone !!. So once again I joined the "life raft" of riders who had missed the move and kept it at a respectable pace on the back sections for the next three laps. On the second time up the drag , there was a brief glimmer of hope that we could bring them back, but this was short lived and they moved further away after collecting the KOM points.
The remaining two laps where kept high and my heart rate did not drop out of the red zone of 170bpm. Unsure how far back I finished , but today has highlighted that I will have to work on my power kick if I wish to stay with the next criterium group up a slight drag!! This has been a wonderful experience and I'm sure I will come off the back of it stronger . . .if anything I should be peaking for my US trip.
At the time of posting I did not have the full results after today, but will keep you posted as to how I finaly did in th GC.
The start/finish was ontop the highest point of the cource with a long 2km drag up to it. The first lap would be a Hotspot for points and KOM points on the second. From the the gun the pace was set , fast!!, I made it into the first corner at about mid pack and moved up to the front ten in the next two corners. Things where going great untill . . . the wheels fell off . . . half way up the drag, the pace kicked up another notch and my legs seized after three days of punishment. I slid off the back and by the time I finished the first lap the peleton was already gone !!. So once again I joined the "life raft" of riders who had missed the move and kept it at a respectable pace on the back sections for the next three laps. On the second time up the drag , there was a brief glimmer of hope that we could bring them back, but this was short lived and they moved further away after collecting the KOM points.
The remaining two laps where kept high and my heart rate did not drop out of the red zone of 170bpm. Unsure how far back I finished , but today has highlighted that I will have to work on my power kick if I wish to stay with the next criterium group up a slight drag!! This has been a wonderful experience and I'm sure I will come off the back of it stronger . . .if anything I should be peaking for my US trip.
At the time of posting I did not have the full results after today, but will keep you posted as to how I finaly did in th GC.
Stage 3: Don't break the elastic band !!
Stage 3: 125Km: Yesterday sitting next to the Bulk Pack team table, I overheard Jock Green (the team captain) pound the table firmly with his fist, emphasising the statement " tomorrow boys we put the hammer down!!". And that's exactly what they did for the first hour of today’s stage. Breaks where continuously trying to go off the front, and at the 25km KOM the field was strung out up the short climb. I was in danger of being spat out the back at this point but managed to dig deep in order to get over the top and hang onto the nearest wheel. My heart rate recovered from it's max of 178bpm on the run into Heidelberg but was back up there again as soon as we turned south towards the Vaal. Kicks where going off the front continuously and at the 45km mark four riders got off the front (one MTN, Bulk Pack and Mr Price). The yellow jersey, missing out on the move must have been threatened by the presence of Craig Harvey (Bulk Pack) in the move, and put the whole Mr Price team on the front. At the back, this strung the peleton out into a thin line, and it became a case of gritting my teeth and following the wheel in front as it twitched all over the road. (thankfully the wind was mostly from L to R so I did not spend to much time in the gutter )
There are certain time's I'm glad I don't have to work for a team leader, and this was one of those. MTN domestiques where dropping back to the convoy for drinks bottles (one bottle being dropped infront of my wheel and narrowly missed). The Mr Price team worked like trojans keeping the pace high, this kind of intensity would kill me, as it was I was barely hanging in, there was no way I could do that kind of work!! Occasionally shattered and broken team riders would drop off the front to recover at the back.
Things started to heat up at the 90km mark, when the yellow jersey called all his men forward (even the broken an buggered guys) in an attempt to bring the break back. Vicious attacks now started to go off the front and 5km later my psychological elastic band that had been keeping me in contact, snapped!!
The remaining 30km where agonising, the rolling hills had shattered the group and I picked up the littered remains of those riders who had also been spat out the back (some highly placed riders on the GC). Our small life boat of 5 riders disintegrated on the last climb and I ended up time trialling to the line by myself. I forfeited 13 minutes to the lead group, which was not ideal, but in my book finishing 27th was respectful and I moved up the GC.
There are certain time's I'm glad I don't have to work for a team leader, and this was one of those. MTN domestiques where dropping back to the convoy for drinks bottles (one bottle being dropped infront of my wheel and narrowly missed). The Mr Price team worked like trojans keeping the pace high, this kind of intensity would kill me, as it was I was barely hanging in, there was no way I could do that kind of work!! Occasionally shattered and broken team riders would drop off the front to recover at the back.
Things started to heat up at the 90km mark, when the yellow jersey called all his men forward (even the broken an buggered guys) in an attempt to bring the break back. Vicious attacks now started to go off the front and 5km later my psychological elastic band that had been keeping me in contact, snapped!!
The remaining 30km where agonising, the rolling hills had shattered the group and I picked up the littered remains of those riders who had also been spat out the back (some highly placed riders on the GC). Our small life boat of 5 riders disintegrated on the last climb and I ended up time trialling to the line by myself. I forfeited 13 minutes to the lead group, which was not ideal, but in my book finishing 27th was respectful and I moved up the GC.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Stage 2: Staying Alive
Stage 2: 101km ; Mission accomplished, keep my head down , stay with the peleton and keep the gaps closed!! I had myself pysched up for this stage and was worried that I would be dropped on the first of the 3.5 laps! Surprisingly I found the first lap fairly comfortable and was able to move with the surges in the peleton. The wind was not that much of a factor as I sat comfortable in the peleton , recycling from the back to the front third every now and again. Occasionaly I would pop my head over the top of the bunch to see who was away every time the pace picked up. Thankfully the Mr Price team who had Werner Moolman in yellow where happy to control the front. Attacks would routinely go off the front but nothing got more than 500m up the road. Even then the peleton was happy to leave the break dangling, instead of cranking the pace to bring it back. The adavantage of being in the bunch is that you pick up on all the side action, the cyclelab rider crashing to the ground trying to take his leg warmers off whilst on the move, or the Bulkpack vs Cyclelab punching/pushing match when the one refused to work with the other in the break. My only concern was to stay in there and I was feeling surprisingly good in the last 5km. The race came down to a bunch sprint and I was able to follow a few wheels to the first 10 places in the sprint. My aim was not to let any gaps open up as I crossed the line behind the sprinters and I was chuffed that I acomplished this. So we will have to check tomorrow but I'm sure I've moved up the GC, not quiet to 15th but a bit closer.
Who the hell is "Matthew Harris"??
Well that was the question everyone was asking this morning when checking the prologue results , who is Matthew Harris? neatly sandwiched between the top contenders in (15th) place was my name at 09min 54". It took me a whole 2minutes to find my name that high up on the GC and as soon as I saw it I knew that it had to be a mistake. The yellow lightening bolt that took a minute out of me was James Louter in 9th at 9'43" , so there was no way that I managed to pull it back to 11" in the last Km. I have to be the first rider in history to lodge a complaint that I would like to be moved down the GC to 10'54 placing me 43rd!!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Prologue: Bolting from the Barn
Stage One: 8 km prologue, downhill, what could be more difficult? Maybe a head wind. My start time was 16H07 with one minute intervals between riders. I was bouyed by a comment made by the rider two infront, that this has a short, fast cource and there was no chance of being caught. Understand my horor when no more than a Km from the finish I have a yellow lightening bolt shoot by me in the form of my chasing rider, I was crushed!! I had left the start house and immediatly kept the speed up to over 50Km/h for the first km, I dropped down to about 45km/h as I straightened up into the head wind, but kept my head down for most of the way. Occassionaly the wind would buffer me about pushing me across the road , the speed would drop and I would scramble to find a lighter gear. As I rode I constantly berated myself when ever I felt my speed slacking off. Unofficialy 10min 50 sec. (The wining time was Just over 9min).
Conclusions; I'm not a specialist time trialer!! But the experience was well worth it. Did the TT bike help. Yes , in the head wind by keeping me low I am convinced I limited the damage. Will have to wait to see by how much.
Conclusions; I'm not a specialist time trialer!! But the experience was well worth it. Did the TT bike help. Yes , in the head wind by keeping me low I am convinced I limited the damage. Will have to wait to see by how much.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Set up, Set up, Set up
Picked up a TT bike yesterday that is on loan for the prologue of the Midvaal Vets Tour. The prologue is only 8km and I could probably do it on my standard bike . . but this GT bike with cosmic deep section rims just looks faster !! (it's all psychological and I'm convinced I can shave off a few more seconds than what I would probably post). Used as a TT bike in this years iron man , I have spend this evening adjusting the set up. It's previous owner (who very graciously offered it's use) is only 1,9m but must have a leg the length of a street poles. I had to drop the saddle a whole 3cm just to touch the pedals. . . and I still cant touch the floor. I'm sitting so far forward I feel like I'm going to flip over the bars!! I'd better do a few dry runs tommorrow to prevent any embarisment.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Mid Vaal Vets
This weekend is the Midvaal Vets Tour . Looking forward to it, but hoping the weather would have warmed up a tad by this friday!! If it keeps going like this I'm going to have to skip wearing a thin TT suite for a set of full winters !!
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