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JuhaL
Guru
How did you find it, did you go to nearest grocery and ask do you have korona, we would like to have it?.
RACE REPORT - BMCR Percy Stallard Series race #1 - La Fleche Waltonne 15 March 2020
Well, that was a bit of a shock to the system! Despite lovely weather on Saturday and a good forecast for next week, today was very wet, chilly and squally.
This was my first real race for quite a few years and although I’ve trained quite well I was unsure how I would do.
We signed on at Husband’s Bosworth Sports Hall and then braved the elements to “warm up”. The A/B race went off at 10am (40-44 and 45-49) followed by our C/D race (50-54 and 55-59) 5 minutes later.
The first mile or two were behind a pace car and neutralised. The pace picked up and up and then at the off it went really quick. It was roughly a 10 mile road loop and we had race marshalls on motor bikes and a lead race car (or two). The pace was hot and I was staying with the group but not really getting very close to the front. This made each incline and corner harder due to the accelerations needed. Then after 1o miles we hit the “selection” hill which is a bit like the legsnapper on the Innsbruck Zwift course but about half as long again. I averaged 390W up this (steep bit took me 1:29) but just dropped off the main bunch at this point and was unable to catch them up.
With nearly 50 miles to go, this was a bit demoralising. I had no idea how many were behind me but knew the main bunch was still pretty big. I saw a few other riders had been dropped and set off after them. It helped that I recognised one of them as I guy I raced with in Poznan and who I keep in touch with. It took me half the next lap to catch that group but I finally managed it and it turned into a group of 6.
The rest of the race really consisted of our group chainganging at a decent pace largely on our own. This group whittled itself down slowly. 5 then 4 then 3 then for the last lap it was just me and number 60. He had calves like tree trunks!
I’m pretty sure he tried to drop me up one incline as the power was definitely up, but I sat in his wheel and we stayed together. He had been slightly quicker than me up the legsnapper each previous time, so I upped the pace as we approached to try and wear him down a bit. We hit the hill and I gave it what I had, expecting to see his wheel start to appear in my rear periphery – but it never did and I beat him on that final climb.
The results are now out and they are bad and good, if that makes sense. I was 27th of 30 finishers but there were 63 on the start list. I’m not sure yet how many actually started. It looks like I was 10th in my category “D” which I think means I get 2 points in the series.
Well, now I know how tough this competition is going to be. I’d better man up a bit more 😊
PS – I set personal power records all over the place, so it shows I was trying.
PPS – there was a photographer so I’ll post up a few pics when they arrive.
Well, that was a bit of a shock to the system! Despite lovely weather on Saturday and a good forecast for next week, today was very wet, chilly and squally.
This was my first real race for quite a few years and although I’ve trained quite well I was unsure how I would do.
We signed on at Husband’s Bosworth Sports Hall and then braved the elements to “warm up”. The A/B race went off at 10am (40-44 and 45-49) followed by our C/D race (50-54 and 55-59) 5 minutes later.
The first mile or two were behind a pace car and neutralised. The pace picked up and up and then at the off it went really quick. It was roughly a 10 mile road loop and we had race marshalls on motor bikes and a lead race car (or two). The pace was hot and I was staying with the group but not really getting very close to the front. This made each incline and corner harder due to the accelerations needed. Then after 1o miles we hit the “selection” hill which is a bit like the legsnapper on the Innsbruck Zwift course but about half as long again. I averaged 390W up this (steep bit took me 1:29) but just dropped off the main bunch at this point and was unable to catch them up.
With nearly 50 miles to go, this was a bit demoralising. I had no idea how many were behind me but knew the main bunch was still pretty big. I saw a few other riders had been dropped and set off after them. It helped that I recognised one of them as I guy I raced with in Poznan and who I keep in touch with. It took me half the next lap to catch that group but I finally managed it and it turned into a group of 6.
The rest of the race really consisted of our group chainganging at a decent pace largely on our own. This group whittled itself down slowly. 5 then 4 then 3 then for the last lap it was just me and number 60. He had calves like tree trunks!
I’m pretty sure he tried to drop me up one incline as the power was definitely up, but I sat in his wheel and we stayed together. He had been slightly quicker than me up the legsnapper each previous time, so I upped the pace as we approached to try and wear him down a bit. We hit the hill and I gave it what I had, expecting to see his wheel start to appear in my rear periphery – but it never did and I beat him on that final climb.
The results are now out and they are bad and good, if that makes sense. I was 27th of 30 finishers but there were 63 on the start list. I’m not sure yet how many actually started. It looks like I was 10th in my category “D” which I think means I get 2 points in the series.
Well, now I know how tough this competition is going to be. I’d better man up a bit more 😊
PS – I set personal power records all over the place, so it shows I was trying.
PPS – there was a photographer so I’ll post up a few pics when they arrive.
Brusgaard
Über Guru
- Location
- Skive, Denmark
Yes, and I think they would like to keep it that way? Having people travel to and from the islands is a sure way to get it. With 7700 and counting infected, and close to 300 deaths, I don’t think they need bikers from all over Europe riding all over the islands possibly speading the disease from hotel to hotel or café to café, should some of them be infected...
@Spartak as Freelander, I got my NEO2 from Halfords and no issues. My first unit went faulty after about 6 weeks. I contacted TACX and they were not interested ... I went back to halfords with the unit and they changed it no questions asked. Great service.
If you join British Cycling you get a discount from Halfords - this saved me some dosh on my trainer
Sorry, don't know much about the Elite trainers.
Randyberlin
Guru
- Location
- Sitka, Alaska
Great write up and impressive race. The watts are amazing.
Who did you fly out there with, and more importantly, are they still running flights back? TBF, there are worse places to be stranded for a few weeks
I think I will file a complaint at Today's Plan for harassing elderly citizens,
They had my doing 4 x 2 min at 600 watts + 6 x 1 min at 600 watts
My best ever 1 min is 570 watts, so I don't know where they got that from.
Don't you think they may have got something wrong with that workout, or maybe I'm just rubbish at those short burst?
They had my doing 4 x 2 min at 600 watts + 6 x 1 min at 600 watts
My best ever 1 min is 570 watts, so I don't know where they got that from.
Don't you think they may have got something wrong with that workout, or maybe I'm just rubbish at those short burst?
Easyjet, repatriation is starting, but everything is fully booked for a least a week. Weather good, lots of cycling buddies to chat with, so its not the end. just loss of cycling a bitWho did you fly out there with, and more importantly, are they still running flights back? TBF, there are worse places to be stranded for a few weeks
I think I will file a complaint at Today's Plan for harassing elderly citizens,
They had my doing 4 x 2 min at 600 watts + 6 x 1 min at 600 watts
My best ever 1 min is 570 watts, so I don't know where they got that from.
Don't you think they may have got something wrong with that workout, or maybe I'm just rubbish at those short burst?
600W for 2 mins is monster power. Sprint track cyclist would find it hard to hold that, even 1 min is bloody tough
I thought so. No way I'm ever going to be able to hold 600 watts for 2 minutes (not to mention doing it 4 times
)Im stranded, my flight is booked, airlines are repatriating in booking order.
Its like wartime curfew with sun here. Limited movement for specific places eg chemist, hospital, supermarket.
Off to supermarket which happens to be on the promenade. There are no shops open at all
Its like wartime curfew with sun here. Limited movement for specific places eg chemist, hospital, supermarket.
Off to supermarket which happens to be on the promenade. There are no shops open at all
bobinski
Legendary Member
- Location
- Tulse Hill
Very strong riding Martin. Coaching clearly working for you👍👏
