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.
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