Brendan Parker
Veteran
- Location
- essex, england
Had to bail felt awful. Gutted. Second to last event. Tried to do a poodle round after couldn’t even mange that. 😔
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bobinski
Legendary Member
- Location
- Tulse Hill
i feel your pain. My HRM has gone walkies. I warmed up as a break from looking for it but couldn’t find it. No doubt it will appear mysteriously tomorrow.
The chat within WTRL suggests 7.15 is a likely start time.
Apparently its dependent on the broadcast time for Zwift Community Live and should be confirmed soon.
I think IrishAl has the key point here -- active managing of effort to ensure you don't bump up against the cat limits. That's clearly different than riding with the pack because you know that if you go off the front you're going to get reeled in and all you've done is burn matches with nothing really to show for it.
I did a lot of the latter my last few weeks in D -- though I was having a lot of fun trying to blow things up on the crit city cobble climb. These days I'm hanging in the C pack because I don't have the power to do anything else! It's everything I've got to latch onto the lead pack and stay there in a flat race. With climbs, I'm just trying to finish these days -- as anyone who may have watched and given a ride-on today probably noticed. FIrst time on pump-house 8 course and I can say I definitely dislike it for racing. None of hte climbs are long, but they are soul sucking, particularly the 15%+ section on the back half of the course.
steverob
Guru
- Location
- Buckinghamshire
No surprise to say that tonight's Sundown race really hurt and I am definitely going to feel that in the legs tomorrow (I'm already feeling it now!). However in terms of result, it went a heck of a lot better than expected and even more so compared to how I bad I thought it was going be halfway round the first lap!
Spent the whole of the Innsbruckring part of the race on the defensive, trying to stay with the guy who was about a minute behind me in the standings - his group dropped me about halfway round the 1st lap, but I managed to close the gap back up just as we were getting to the top of the Leg Snapper; we started the 2nd Leg Snapper together and he attacked and gapped me, but I was able to catch back up by the time we reached the sprint; then on the 3rd time round, I managed to break him for once and was able to get in with a group of four other riders on the descent, which helped me increase the gap to 25 seconds at the start of the KOM.
First half of the climb I added a few seconds to that lead here and there, but the further up we went, the bigger that difference got as he started to fade. Once I felt comfortable that he wasn't going to come back at me, I started looking at ZwiftPower to see where other riders were that were near me in the standings. The guy ahead of me overall by 32 seconds had raced off at the start and had over 2 minutes on me the last time I looked, but all of a sudden that had dropped to just 45 seconds, so maybe he'd gone out too fast. Used the one rider between me and him to draft off and caught up to him with about half a mile of the climb left. Obviously when I finally overtook him, he upped his pace to try and stay with me, so I had to pretty much sprint in order to shake him. I ended up setting a new 5 minute wattage record in those final stages and gained 30 seconds on him by the time I reached the line, so am now just 2 seconds behind going in to the final stage... GAME ON!
Spent the whole of the Innsbruckring part of the race on the defensive, trying to stay with the guy who was about a minute behind me in the standings - his group dropped me about halfway round the 1st lap, but I managed to close the gap back up just as we were getting to the top of the Leg Snapper; we started the 2nd Leg Snapper together and he attacked and gapped me, but I was able to catch back up by the time we reached the sprint; then on the 3rd time round, I managed to break him for once and was able to get in with a group of four other riders on the descent, which helped me increase the gap to 25 seconds at the start of the KOM.
First half of the climb I added a few seconds to that lead here and there, but the further up we went, the bigger that difference got as he started to fade. Once I felt comfortable that he wasn't going to come back at me, I started looking at ZwiftPower to see where other riders were that were near me in the standings. The guy ahead of me overall by 32 seconds had raced off at the start and had over 2 minutes on me the last time I looked, but all of a sudden that had dropped to just 45 seconds, so maybe he'd gone out too fast. Used the one rider between me and him to draft off and caught up to him with about half a mile of the climb left. Obviously when I finally overtook him, he upped his pace to try and stay with me, so I had to pretty much sprint in order to shake him. I ended up setting a new 5 minute wattage record in those final stages and gained 30 seconds on him by the time I reached the line, so am now just 2 seconds behind going in to the final stage... GAME ON!
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
I don’t remember the final hill being so long. I was in the prefect spot at the foot of the climb. In the front 5 or so. I think if you’re too far back at the start of a hill the effort it takes to reach the front has a heavy cost later on in a climb so that was good. And I think I got to around half way up the climb still in the front group. But I couldn’t stay at the power I needed to keep up and slowly slipped back.
In the end I was 12th which I think is a bit tough to take in a way because of the way they dropped me. Also a zsun rider went past me and I was trying my hardest to not let that happen. But then I think I could of collapsed more than I did the second half of the climb so I have to try and take something from that.
I have a feeling @IrishAl was battling some demons of his own going up that hill! And as much as @bridgy didn’t enjoy the course by the sounds of it, he must of seriously dug his heels in on the climb! How does that effect the overall standings for you guys?
Real bad luck @Brendan Parker And bob too. Very frustrating that...
And @peterob also suffered crappy luck on the night. But it’s great to see you on the start line again mate 👍👍.
Winter is coming!!
In the end I was 12th which I think is a bit tough to take in a way because of the way they dropped me. Also a zsun rider went past me and I was trying my hardest to not let that happen. But then I think I could of collapsed more than I did the second half of the climb so I have to try and take something from that.
I have a feeling @IrishAl was battling some demons of his own going up that hill! And as much as @bridgy didn’t enjoy the course by the sounds of it, he must of seriously dug his heels in on the climb! How does that effect the overall standings for you guys?
Real bad luck @Brendan Parker And bob too. Very frustrating that...
And @peterob also suffered crappy luck on the night. But it’s great to see you on the start line again mate 👍👍.
Winter is coming!!
Brendan Parker
Veteran
- Location
- essex, england
I’m still so pissed off mate. Legs just didn’t want to work. Struggled up the leg snapper on first lap. Just knew it wasn’t going to happen tried again for another lap but legs say no. All that work in the series gone. My own fault normally rest day Monday but done a crit race 🙄
I was pleased to be still in the lead group after the 2nd leg snapper and it was a real bonus to be there after the 3rd. Both times i had to fight hard going over the crest to not lose the group. I think those efforts did for my legs and I knew I would have to manage my effort on the KOM so I had to let the group go near the start as I was sitting close to 300watts and still going backwards. I checked the map for @bridgy and counted him 25s behind me at one point near the middle, and then boom he was 5sec behind and then away. I couldn’t hold the wheels and battled to the top on my own, I dunno what it is but I seem to lose a lot of time/places on the climbs these days - it feels like I’m sliding back and the group are easing past.
great result @<Tommy> and thanks for taking turns on the front of the group to distance Paul 🙌😹 shame it wasn’t enough. I think that result will put Paul almost a minute ahead on GC. Overall though I took some good time out of other competitors ahead of me On GC - but perhaps not enough and makes last weeks collapse more regrettable On what should have been a good stage for me.
In fairness that was a great test and it shows us all the level we need to be at for the Zwift league. Also clears up the pecking order for when the road goes up and shows who we need to work for...like if tonight’s race was a league stage I would have been better to wait for @bridgy and work to bring him to the bottom of the climb as it must have been tough in that chase group.
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Firstly, thanks for letting me know Tommy was working with you to distance me- noted
.Yeah it was tough in the chase group because no one wanted to chase! I was doing long turns on the front so eventually I resorted to typing "help"! on the messages and to be fair a couple of others did start to do some work then. I had no idea where you were or how far behind I was though.
When I hit the climb I basically just put my head down and dug in - I wasn't looking at the screen at all for most of it. Then towards the top I started to cramp up in both calves and that's when I saw you Al - which was a bit of a surprise to be honest! Looking at strava I think I took a minute out of you on the KOM. Tommy was 2 minutes quicker up there than me though- and Lee a minute quicker than that! Impressive
Brutal race- will have to wait and see how the GC looks when all updated. But I've already seen that a few in the top 10 in Cat B have either been DQ'D or upgraded to Cat A - or both- so we'll move up a few places by default!
Looking forward to racing together as a team
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
It’s a horrible feeling when your literally powerless isn’t it. Painful lesson....
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
Firstly, thanks for letting me know Tommy was working with you to distance me- noted
Yeah it was tough in the chase group because no one wanted to chase! I was doing long turns on the front so eventually I resorted to typing "help"! on the messages and to be fair a couple of others did start to do some work then. I had no idea where you were or how far behind I was though.
When I hit the climb I basically just put my head down and dug in - I wasn't looking at the screen at all for most of it. Then towards the top I started to cramp up in both calves and that's when I saw you Al - which was a bit of a surprise to be honest! Looking at strava I think I took a minute out of you on the KOM. Tommy was 2 minutes quicker up there than me though- and Lee a minute quicker than that! Impressive
Brutal race- will have to wait and see how the GC looks when all updated. But I've already seen that a few in the top 10 in Cat B have either been DQ'D or upgraded to Cat A - or both- so we'll move up a few places by default!
Looking forward to racing together as a team
😄
I found myself at the front a couple of times but I can assure you I want leading a charge! It’s probably more of a reflection of how little anyone wanted to be there. After the leg sapper it was a race to the back of the pack.
Isn’tit a shame you have to turn a lap top now on to compare stats on zwift with Strava.
berty bassett
Legendary Member
- Location
- I'boro
Can’t lie , I miss you lot ☹️ Racing at the minute isn’t the same without the pressures that come trying to grab one of your wheels
I was in the same race and hoped to be seeing someone I knew but no such luck
I know I ain’t in your teams but is there anyway I could be included in results somehow ( as an also rode ? ) it’s good to read and catch up also the banter
Sounds like you all had your own demons last night - and I can vouch for it being scary just how far Paul will dig in and recover
I am out my depth here but finished mid pack ish after clawing a few places back on the last hill and set a few pb so knew I was trying
Good luck all in the new league - I will be keeping an eye out - and keeping a seat warm for anyone who hops over to the dark side
I was in the same race and hoped to be seeing someone I knew but no such luck
I know I ain’t in your teams but is there anyway I could be included in results somehow ( as an also rode ? ) it’s good to read and catch up also the banter
Sounds like you all had your own demons last night - and I can vouch for it being scary just how far Paul will dig in and recover
I am out my depth here but finished mid pack ish after clawing a few places back on the last hill and set a few pb so knew I was trying
Good luck all in the new league - I will be keeping an eye out - and keeping a seat warm for anyone who hops over to the dark side
bobinski
Legendary Member
- Location
- Tulse Hill
Bloody fast times up that last long climb boys. Lots of PB’s Glad I wasn’t there now 😁
