Stage 1 does not look particularly inspiring...but it is wet and windy here in NI (again) today so I am going to jump into the 9am event. I’ll be taking it easy though as I raced quite intensly on Friday and Saturday and need an easy day before the IRL race tomorrow evening.
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<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
😄
Is that the hanging on for dear life club? You two can keep your membership mate. It’s nice to have made it to A Cat but I’m just passing through. Just wish I didn’t love those Crit races so much...
Passing through enroute to A*?!?!
I'm thinking of riding the 19.00 event this evening.
I'm probably going to ride easy like you. Rode a 12 lap crit race on the Duchy Estate course yesterday. I don't think I've ever worked so hard in a race........ for very little reward.
I've got the course for you to cure your Crit obsession.
The WTRL Crit yesterday was 12 laps of the Duchy Estate course in Yorkshire. It's a 3 km loop with virtually no flat roads. It's up or down with an 800m climb up to the line, starting at 8% and then easing down to between 2 and 3% near the end.
57 people had signed up although only 42 on the line. I was absolute dynamite for the first lap and a half, popped up in 4th place, recording the 4th fastest lap time on the first lap.
Then I was gapped on an early corner of the 2nd lap. Didn't keep enough power on the downhill into the corner and twang........ the elastic was gone!
Rode another 2 laps with another WTRL rider, and then he bailed out with tired legs, leaving me in no man's land with nobody to share the work with. Rode the last 9 laps mainly as a solo TT. Only one guy overtook me and that was because he bridged across by jumping on to the front group as they lapped me. He beat me to the line by 2 seconds! 😡
I don't think I've ever worked so hard in a race, especially one where I ended up at the back of the field. 20 minute power figure lower than normal, but Strava recorded it as a 'massive effort'. It's the toughest Crit course i've ever ridden and designed to cure your obsession!
Despite all that I finished a disappointing 27th out of 31 finishers and 21st out of 24 on ZP. But I was slightly cheered up by the 11 riders who climbed off and didn't finish the course.
Actually, you'd love it. It's a brutal course and I was wasted at the end, but I'd do it again!
I'm hoping to do a spin up the Passo Della Stelvio from Prato later - 24km at an average of 7.4% - may not be the best day to have before the Monday evening race night (how's that for an excuse
). Probably take me the best part of 2hrs 20 mins so should burn up a few calories 
I'm actually quite looking forward to trying out Sufferfest but I want to use the free FulGaz first so still a few weeks away.
Plan is to get some training in between now and 'Winter' (month to be determined!) and start racing again. Hopefully I'll have a bit more mojo by then
berty bassett
Legendary Member
- Location
- I'boro
i think we should all be doing the tdf stages specially the hilly ones - twice
specially the hilly ones - twiceSWSteve
Guru
- Location
- Bristol...ish
jumped on that this morning. All was going well for 30 seconds then my iPad crashed. Luckily got back in again after a couple of minutes.
happy with how it went, but can’t help but feel if I want to ‘race’ these things a little more rest might be needed...
Brendan Parker
Veteran
- Location
- essex, england
You’ve sold this route so well 😂I've got the course for you to cure your Crit obsession.
The WTRL Crit yesterday was 12 laps of the Duchy Estate course in Yorkshire. It's a 3 km loop with virtually no flat roads. It's up or down with an 800m climb up to the line, starting at 8% and then easing down to between 2 and 3% near the end.
57 people had signed up although only 42 on the line. I was absolute dynamite for the first lap and a half, popped up in 4th place, recording the 4th fastest lap time on the first lap.
Then I was gapped on an early corner of the 2nd lap. Didn't keep enough power on the downhill into the corner and twang........ the elastic was gone!
Rode another 2 laps with another WTRL rider, and then he bailed out with tired legs, leaving me in no man's land with nobody to share the work with. Rode the last 9 laps mainly as a solo TT. Only one guy overtook me and that was because he bridged across by jumping on to the front group as they lapped me. He beat me to the line by 2 seconds! 😡
I don't think I've ever worked so hard in a race, especially one where I ended up at the back of the field. 20 minute power figure lower than normal, but Strava recorded it as a 'massive effort'. It's the toughest Crit course i've ever ridden and designed to cure your obsession!
Despite all that I finished a disappointing 27th out of 31 finishers and 21st out of 24 on ZP. But I was slightly cheered up by the 11 riders who climbed off and didn't finish the course.
Actually, you'd love it. It's a brutal course and I was wasted at the end, but I'd do it again!
bobinski
Legendary Member
- Location
- Tulse Hill
lots of iPad users reporting crashes. Atv works really well for most especially big events with lots of riders- doesn’t have the draw issues mid to low spec PC’s etc have.
i had a bit of a ‘mare. Fired up the ATV with a couple of minute to spare but strangely Zwift hung up on the login screen. It eventually loaded up but the event had started. I joined anyway but got stuck in the pen for a minute pedalling but going nowhere. Then I got teleported into the tunnel and into 150th place but sadly at the turn for the mountain I kept going straight along with one or two others and the other thousands of riders went left.
I was a bit fed up and didn’t fancy trying it all again so manned up and went outdoors and did a couple of hours.
berty bassett
Legendary Member
- Location
- I'boro
Done stage 1 this morning at 9
Saw Al was in there for a bit and saw the message that he had gone for a wander
Tried the logging in and out so got a space near the front and clung on like a limpet to the wheels infront ! At no point did I stick my nose out into the wind and was proper blowing trying to keep up
48.18 and very wobbly legs
Saw Al was in there for a bit and saw the message that he had gone for a wander
Tried the logging in and out so got a space near the front and clung on like a limpet to the wheels infront ! At no point did I stick my nose out into the wind and was proper blowing trying to keep up
48.18 and very wobbly legs
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
😄
The team I ride with (zsunr) have a few genuine A cat contenders. In fact they have a couple of A+ guys too. And there’s a chasm of difference in power and w/kg between us! In fact I’m probably closer to C cat than I am the top of A cat.
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
So who’s leading the pack so far? Is there a battle forming between the vertically challenged Feather weights?! I can’t believe we don’t have a multi coloured spreadsheet yet to be honest!
