Tagged: circuit races

Bath Cycle Races Round 3 / Team Tor Circuit Series Round 2

I entered 2 races this week.  Given the intensity of the Bath races i figured it would be a good test to ride the Team Tor 2000 Circuit Series Round 2 afterwards.  I had done no racing the previous weekend so topped up base miles with some climbing in the Mendips and the BSCC club run.

Lovely weather on the club run.

Bath Cycle Races Round 3;

The race followed a very similar pattern to previous weeks.  I moved up after a couple of laps on the climb to sit around the top ten.  PJ who was in his first bunch start race was looking comfortable near the front, his report is here and is well worth a read (along with every other post on there), you will get an idea why from the picture below, he was on the attack with Mike Kiss when this happened;

PJ Mid Flight.

During the commisaires briefing we where told to keep an eye out for an old lady who had gone missing from a nursing home and enjoyed visiting the park.  I reckon PJ spotted her, took his eye off the corner and decked it….

I found it much more comfortable to sit in the bunch again this week, it really does get whittled down quickly as the elastic snaps so if you are towards the back you will be made to pay for your positioning.

I was in a good position on the bell lap and as per it always goes bonkers.  Kudos to Bristol RC ride Matt Franklin, he took a flier out of the hairpin but was passed by a few people on the climb, a brave tactic to try.  Also kudos to him for riding the 3/4 and the E/1/2/3 races every week, thats a serious work out.

As the sprint started to unfold I held off abit, the previous weeks some people had gone far to early and got reeled in.  I sat by Kieran from VC Bristol as I know he has a strong and fairly long sprint.  When he went he punched through such a small gap that closed so quickly I could not get his wheel.  Once he had gone everyone started to go for it.  He had 4 bike lengths and looked behind somehow got himself in a tangle and hit the deck hard.

Kieran left skin on the tarmac.

This split the remaining riders two ways round him and I held on for 7th, more points!

You can see the crash happen in the video;

Kieran broke his hand (possibly from his rage hit of the floor?) so I wish him a speedy recovery.

Team Tor 2000 Circuit Races;

First off apologies for the lack of pictures here, I only read books what gots lots of pictures so I sympathise with the lack of in the following essay.

I had tried to convince myself during that day that I would sit in the bunch and pick my moment to attack. As a team we had a goal of Mark gaining intermediate sprint points as he came first in round one, Tom was also riding. Due to the wind direction we went anti clockwise as opposed to clockwise round the circuit like the previous race (this is to stop ridiculously fast twitchy 4th cat sprinting, like below).

Turns out I didnt convince myself very well, got pretty bored of sitting in after 1.5 laps so I bridged to a two man break in the cross wind and Mark joined me, we drove out a decent gap but the bunch is so keen in the tailwinds there that we got reeled in as more tried to join.

As soon as we got sucked in I went again.  Joined again by Mark and a chap from Team Tor who appeared to have a similar attacking attitude to me.  This was a much shorter break and was easily shut down by the peleton.

On the intermediate sprint lap I bridged to a solo RU Training Today rider who had been out for about half a lap, Mark came with me again as did the Team Tor rider. We had about 3/4′s of a lap to go to the intermediate sprint and Mark got 2nd, goal acheived. As people began to sit up after the sprint I looked behind and the gap was massive, half of the breakway was cooked but we pushed on anyway and where away for quite a while.

As we got caught on a tail wind section again Tom rode to the front of the bunch and said ‘dont worry not chasing you down this time’ (as he has done previously).  I told him now was his chance to make a break as other people had been working pretty heavily to get us back. He went with one other rider as me and Mark sat up into the bunch.  Big respect to Tom as he really drove the break for 1.5 laps, working harder out of the two, but in the end but got pipped on line.  He gained enough points to make it to 3rd Cat, a great effort.

As the sprint started on the final corner I satup and drifted back through the bunch, domestique work done in a 4th cat circuit race?!?! I definitely got a good work out from it.

It was essentially a perfect team race, not entirely pre meditated but formed on the fly as the race unfolded. Probably my most enjoyable race to date.

Next week is Bath Races Round 4 and the club road race, 9 BSCC take to the start line, I guess we had best try and light it up….

ROOKIE ROAD RACING

So far this year I have managed to attend (and more importantly finish) 4 races.  Starting at the lowest possible British Cycling ranking of Category 4.  I race for my local club Bristol South CC which is one of the oldest clubs in the UK (formed 1893!)

This was complete step up in terms of riding me having only recently acquired a geared bike at the turn of the year, not only that it was my first geared road bike.  All previous ones have been mountain bikes (a long long time ago).  Luckily I am not the only one with my good friends Kieran and Mark also venturing into the unkown.

Rookies.

The virgin race was a First Chard Wheelers organised cirucit race (Cat 4 only) at Ilton (an old airfield). I totally wasted all my energy willy waving at the front of the race as the picture below shows;

Red & Gold Train. Photo Credit; Charles Whitton Photography

I was pretty happy to get round in one piece (Cat 4 cirucit races are notoriously crashy) but a little bit irritated not to be there or there abouts at the end as the wheel I picked for my lead out punctured on the sweep down to the finish.  In hindsight this was by far the easiest race completed.

Next up was my first true road race at Blackawton (Cat 3/4), making a serious rookie mistake by starting at the back of the bunch I spent the first 10 minutes chasing back on!  I guess at least I know I can do it now….

The race was and out back, out back and out a bit again of sorts in the rolling hills of Devon and again I pleased myself with my ability to finish with the main group at the front of the race, especially as  the acceleration at the final turn really strung the bunch out.  Descending in a bunch at 40 + mph is quite an experience also.

Steve Green strings out said bunch. Photo Credit; British Cycling Photos

Someone made this rad video on facebook;  Blackawton Road Race you can just about pick the Red and Gold up in it. Arty.

Next it was back to circuits again and the Castle Combe good friday meet.  With my family visiting my old man did the good deed of taking me over and snapping some shots.

A huge field of around 120 took to the tarmac for the 4 only race and boy was it twitchy.  The bunch was incredibly nervous in the two chicanes with the apparent inability of a lot of riders to hold lines through them. Fellow BSCC racer Mark rode over a dropped bottle on the first lap, a great feat staying upright.

A windy day meant no breaks went and a bunch spirint was on the cards, as we rounded the final corner I grabbed a wheel for a tow round to the right of the bunch only for some idiot to open up a sprint right from the middle of the group, skittling some riders including the one in front of me! A deft skid saw me avoid the tumble ahead but sapped all my speed to the finish, trickling over the line in the top 25.  Plenty of people on the tarmac meant the paramedic had a good days practice and the ambulance saw some use as it had to take 3 people to the hospital.

Pinning on the number to the unmistakeable BSCC jersey.
The bunch under a big sky.

The following Sunday saw my first Cat 2/3/4 race at the Brentor 2 Stage Race which I was pretty nervous about after reading the start sheet (read Alex Baskaya / Scott Easter).

Quote fellow BSCC racer Kieran ‘its going to be hurty’.  It was a two stage race. Stage 1 was a TT which was one lap of the race circuit.

Supplied race map (turnings at circles)

A simple (yet brutal) triangle it contained an unsurfaced road heading down, a undulating back section and a draggy climb back to the top.  I posted a below par time.  Time trialling is definitely an area I need to improve on so my attendance to the BSCC classic league series will hopefully ensure this happens.

Stage 2 was a further 10 laps of aformentioned circuit, the addition of Cat 2 riders ensured the pace was high.  I was totally clinging on with 4 laps to go but managed to stay in touch until the very last corner, which saw me lose about 20 seconds as I could not stick with the burst to the end.  I was incredibly chuffed to roll in where I did and chapeau to Steve, Tom and Mark who all finished in the top 15.  With Steve and Sam taking points.  Hopefully I can continue to learn off these guys.

Steve leads the bunch down the unsurfaced road. Photo credit; Samantha Febrey
Helicopter Shot. Photo credit; Samantha Febrey
Tom loads the car up for the journey home

Apologies for the essay but we are up to speed now.  All the race data for the above can be found via the Strava link on the right if anyone is interested.  I have a weekend off before returning to action in the Betty Pharoah Memorial in Wales next weekend.

Racing is hard, even at this level it seems extremely competitive and has a steep learning curve.  I seem to be coping ok, having a great time meeting a lot of sound people (particularly members of The South).  I will continue to document my season, its highs, lows and hopefully some more behind the scenes stuff.