Race INVITE for next week below.
Our race today took us to the cliff tops and coastal roads of North Devon around Croyde Bay.
This course always promised to offer something very different from previous weeks races, missing the requirement to use ropes and crampons from the start. Consequently, it was quite a civilised start. By civilised I do of course mean in relation to a Barbarian hoard eyeing up a defenceless village. The red mist though was at least absent after the initial energy release comparable to that of the Large Hadron Collider.
Today was all about saving watts for the ‘features’ that would inevitably dictate the race. There were three of note. Firstly, a long, soul-sapping drag where the whimpering began followed by two extended ramps at between 8-10%. These were best described as unwelcome. With the steadier approaches to these ramps the effort load that went down climbing them was significant. My HR was in the mid-190s on lap 1. Not unusual territory for me but well, as I said, unwelcome prior to halfway. The features though did the job of breaking the front group up from around 20 riders to 10 riders by the end of lap 1.
As ever with the lapped courses the mental challenge of realising you have to endure the same again was almost overwhelming. It was at this point that riders were silently making deals with their legs to the effect that actually just staying with the group they had been with to now was enough for one night. The chimp on our shoulders looking at the numbers as affirmation that it was ok to sit up. The chimps were though, with some regret, flicked to the curb of hope and we got ready to bend our cranks once more.
Throughout the field bunches or riders steeled themselves. Once steady alliances thrown to the pyre of destiny. Riders looked around their respective bunches. No longer a case of if a break would go but when…. The finish a jumbled blur of watts, carbon, wails of those entering Valhalla and pin pricks of light…
Very well done to all that took part tonight. Excellent attendance and effort from everyone.
The podium:
- C. Noone 3.3wkg
- W. Usher 3.0wkg
- D. Kent 3.1wkg
However, as ever the most important result. The Combativity Award voted for by the riders that raced.
Nominations:
R. Harvey
M. Cayton
B. Hunter
W. Deegan
G. Hepner
J. Kristensen
B. Wilson
K. Ouellette-Cretsinger
The winner though was B. Hunter who put in a number of credible attacks in an attempt to break up the first bunch which ultimately meant he paid the price. Very well done!
INVITE FOR NEXT WEEK
Brockenhurst Beast HC PRT
Distance: 29.0km
Climb: 218m
EVENT LINK: http://app.rgtcycling.com/event?code=g4WX2Y5TJu
This is really quite different from past races. I’ve included a section in the New Forest which is very like the 8 Bar circuit/Templehof Airport but a more aggressive version with 20+ hairpins in close proximity. This will be where the race will be won and lost or at least a really significant break will occur. Riders will have to focus on putting the power down in the right places but not burning up matches unnecessarily…. A couple of sneaky little climbs and a difficult finish will provide us with much to chat about post-race!
The purpose of the handicap is to allow all athletes to race together and enjoy the racing experience without getting isolated. Details on how this works below:
For those that are new to the platform these races are run every Thursday night at 1900hrs. The calculation is simple:
Take your FTP/3.2 = Weight in kg that you need to change your profile to for the race PRIOR to entering the pen.
This is not perfect but it works particularly well on hills which I always include. 🙂
Be ready at any given moment for an attack.
STRAVA LINK: https://www.strava.com/routes/2827551222737080366
We’ll be on the Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/7UBRBxV
Feel free to join in, create and break alliances!
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