SG Race 6 - Heslington - 25th July

There are 2 circuits that I don't really do that well on. The first is the Wollastons circuit and the 2nd is Heslington. It's not that its too hard or too far - it just doesn't seem to happen for me. After telling myself to wait until lap 5 (of 8) before trying to get away even I was suprised to find myself off the front on Laps 2 and 4. On lap 6 Caleb and Robin got away. I worked to chase them down and was just finishing a long turn with about 50m to go when Chris N bridged across with everyone else. Max and I were dropped. I almost got back on by Telanius bridge but they hit the gas and I finished behind by myself. Max had dropped out and gone home.

Oh well, - maybe next time. Still I felt ok on the bike and its all good training. A large number of the A grade are just sitting in so to put some of the efforts in that I have been and still hang in at the end is pretty good.

SG Winter Race 4 11th July

Race 4 ran from Richmond, Dominion and then 5 laps of the Wollastons Circuit so all up it was going to be pretty long for this time of year.  Given that I had calculated the length before the start you may question the thought process around breaking away in the first 2km and I would be the first to admit that as my breakaway companions dropped off as we reached the Coastals I was wondering about the rationale behind it myself.  I was eventually joined by Dave and we worked up a reasonable lead before being joined by Jono and Caleb on the road to Cemetry corner.

The A grade field was quite large and we were eventually caught as we came back around the Dominion road intersection. My focus at the moment is on increasing my strength and so the end results were not really at the forefront.  Consequently I continued to attack or bridge or chase as the race progressed and spent most of the time either off the front or on the front.  This was bound to have less than ideal consequences in terms of energy conservation and I eventually dropped off the group on the last lap after closing down a breakaway and ended up placing last (although there were others who pulled out).  

For the next race I might actually try and get a better placing.

Brass Nipple 5th July

The Brass Nipple was also the 3rd race for the Winter Series.  The course now starts at Eyebright and goes:  Appleby, River Road, Wai West, Hope, 3 Bros Corner, Appleby, Coastals, Pomona, Marriages, Tasman, Harleys, Moutere, Wai West, Brightwater, Ranzau, Eyebright - its important to know where you are going as some riders found out as we got to the River Road turn off (Including the race organiser who was leading the peloton on a tandem).  

Making the most of the confusion I increased the pace slightly and soon found myself off the front with Henry - not an obvious choice of breakaway partner. 

We worked together and established a reasonable lead and were eventually joined by Max and Jono at the Mapua corner.  Keeping a up a reasonable pace we were then joined by Caleb and Hodges.  This was obviously going to be the key break.  We worked together (apart from Henry who did the usual).  At Tasman Max punctured.  Going up Harleys I found the pace a bit too high and Caleb and Hodges were surging so I dropped off.  Henry was jettisoned before the top of the hill.  I caught him at the top and figured that we had a chance of catching them again on the flat.

Unfortunately Henry got a puncture on the way down so I left him on the Moutere Highway.  A little further along the road I caught Hodges who had been dropped and said that he was going to wait for the peloton who would then catch them.  I wasn't going to hang around and carried on - the peloton hadn't caught me yet and given that I couldnt see Jono and Caleb I didn't think they were going to be caught in a hurry.  I couldnt event see the peloton behind me.  Eventually just before the start of the Moutere hill a small group of about 5 or 6 caught up with me (Hodges wasn't there and had been dropped).  I stayed with them on the hill and then tried to keep the pace high along Waimea West.  They all seemed to be playing some sort of tactical game which at that stage I didn't have time for. 

In Brightwater Felix attacked.  I waited and then bridged across and was then joined by Robin.  The 3 of us worked to distance ourselves from the rest.   I took as many turns as I could although I was feeling a bit tired now.  I did a big turn along Ranzau road.  As we turned towards Eyebright Felix took off.  Robin said that I was more deserving and sat up - so in the end I came 4th.  

Pete also did the race and it was good to see him out on the bike and to catch up with him.

SG 25km TT 4th July

This was our first opportunity to race the Nationals TT course.  The weather was overcast and cool.  I drove to the start and had the wind trainer to warm up on.  I was also using Pauls old disc and had lowered the front of the bike an additional 2cm.  I was also going to try and sit further back to see if that would give me a slightly more aero position.

The rain started just before I began - it was coming down quite heavily.  I tried as hard as I could but just didn't feel quite right with the position.  On the way back I thought I had a flat tyre and actually stopped to check - I didn't which actually annoyed me more.  After that I moved forward on the seat more which I believe gives me more power.  The time wasn't great - 0:37:10 so just over 40kph well down on my time in April.  Still it was a good learning experience.