By Barny.

Hove Park Crits #3.

The third and final instalment of the much loved Friday evening series turned out to be the hardest fought yet with an average speed 1mph higher than previous weeks races.

As the race started I led out hard but steady with the view of controlling the pace in the first few laps. My team-mate Alex mixing it well up the front. This was looking good and was going to plan until the first prime then: Boom! Time to shift it. I grabbed a point or two but at 25 minutes in found myself deep in the red zone and, for a moment, saw an early pizza on the cards.

The tremendous spectator support from team-mates and friends was enough to remind me of rule 5 and made me close the 50 yard gap (how could I possibly disappoint the crowd? Lol)

A prime or two later and Alex had slipped back to the chasers due to the pace deployed by the fresher legs of the sharp end; he deserved my shout of support as the race picked off lapped riders one by one (the short laps of Hove Park taking no prisoners as usual).

Further into the race and my tactic of marking series leader James Lowden (Neon Velo) was going to plan despite his team’s persistent ‘1-2ing’ gradually tying up the legs.

With 5 laps to go I held my place towards the front as missiles launched from all sides.

The final corner arrived not a moment too soon and I found myself losing a place to a ‘dive-bomber’. The uphill sprint was on yet 9th place was all I could muster as I crossed the line.

Although there was no podium for me, with a 5th, 6th, 9th and some prime points, I await the final series results to prove how hard this old fella can still ‘party’ on a Friday night!

Hove Park: Hard, Fast, Grippy, Love it.

Chris rode a strong race Friday night in dry conditions on the tight Hove Park circuit, the speed and severity of the corners/climbs whittling down the field. Doing so well to still be in contention, he didn’t quite have the legs as the leaders approached the bell but, like a true Pro, was prepared nonetheless to pose for this photo 🙂

By Paul.

Last Weds night I was due to drive to Dunsfold with Steve (the Top Gear test track) to race in a 30 mile Masters’ race.

Steve wasn’t well and understandably he couldn’t go. Belgium had made my cold worse so I was suddenly handed a way out. However it was a warm evening and I figured riding my bike was always going to beat moping around indoors wishing I was riding my bike!

Setting off in plenty of time I managed to get lost. The stinking cold, no travelling companion, forgetting the way; something or someone was telling me not to go. I checked it wasn’t Friday 13th (on a Wednesday?!), stepped around a ladder, found a horseshoe and a four leaf clover, reminded myself I wasn’t superstitious and headed to the race.

So, Ill and late, I began my belated warm up but I was thinking about a conversation that Steve and I have regularly; If you’re fit enough to do well in a race you will and if you’re not, you won’t, no matter what your warm up.

Now, please don’t interpret this is me being against a warm up; I’m just saying that if you don’t get to a race with enough time to warm up then there’s no reason to panic. It is however important to have a strategy, so I sat in the pack for 2 laps and, due to it being a warm evening, felt ready to go by lap 3.

So, with 8 laps (of 10) and 24 miles to go I was ready to follow the attacks.

Over the last 12 months or so I have noticed that the top guys in races seem to go with attacks immediately after a hard period in a race. To state the obvious, if everyone is “on their knees” and an attack goes, most people won’t have the energy to go with it or chase it.

Or is that just in our heads?

I have always thought how good it would be to be fit enough to go with the aforementioned attack as it often seems to stick so, feeling so poorly that I didn’t expect to get to the finish I thought I’d experiment. I group of usual suspects were attacking the hell out of the front of the race and we were all on our limits just trying to keep up when they all sat up as everyone was spent and needed a rest. I certainly need a rest too but instead I just kept riding; calmly and in the saddle, nobody came with me, they were exhausted, looking at one another as if to say ‘no you chase him’.

This was properly hard work and I was running the risk of ‘blowing’ but then a rider jumped across to me and then another and then another but by now we’d established a handy gap and when 2 more joined us we were in a working break and quite a way up the road.

I didn’t get too excited at this stage as:

a) We weren’t even half way into the race
and
b) I was feeling bloody sick as a result of this effort

Inevitably, some people didn’t do their turn and we were soon roped back in.

At halfway, with 5 to go, I was so ill I decided to pull out, not a decision I take likely so I sat up and freewheeled to let everyone pass me just before the start/finish line. As the peloton passed me I realised not only how big it was but also how easy it was back there with all that shelter. I decided to ‘roll round’ for a while and see if I felt better and, gradually, I did.

Some people ask me, “if it’s that easy to sit in the middle of the peloton then why not just sit there until the end and then use all that saved energy for the finish”

Simple answers:

i) The further back you are at any one time the more chance you will be behind a crash if it happens than in front of it. Just ask eerrm, me!
ii) The closer you are to the front the less braking and accelerating you have to do on corners or if the bunch slows. Accelerating a car uses the most petrol and it’s just the same for a rider’s energy.
iii) If the peloton splits into 2 or more groups you want to be in the front group
iv) You can see potholes and hazards easier, as well as any breakaways that go up the road. Especially important to know if you are the first across the line in the peloton so you don’t put both hands in the air (very uncool)!
v) It’s just more bloody fun to be involved in the action 🙂

Feeling better I started moving up and before we knew it the bell had been rung and we were 1 lap or 3 miles from the finish. I had no plans on contesting a bunch sprint with this many riders, especially that lot with fresh legs at the back! Therefore, with 2 miles to go I attacked and got a considerable jump on everyone.

It was do or die time

A rider came across to me and I could tell by the size of this calves that this was going to be good news!

And it was; not only was he doing the lion’s share of the hard work but also we were still pulling away from the others.

1.5 miles to go.

The next thought I had (followed closely by ‘I’m too young to die’) was that, because he was in an older age category (yes this ‘tank’ that was ripping my legs to pieces in his slipsteam was at least 50 years old!), I could win my first race here.

1 mile to go.

My companion, soon to become Mentor, flicks his elbow to say “come through and do your turn”. I can’t. It’s embarrassing and disappointing and very very painful all at once. I tell him by way of a nonsensical gasp and reassure him that I am of no threat to him if we do indeed make it the finish!

The very good bloke that he has now become continues to drag us to the line and I am getting light headed and disorientated.

Half a mile to go.

It’s a long finishing straight at Dunsfold and a few moments later we can see the finish line. Could this be it? Am I going to win my first race? I felt like I was pedalling through treacle so I found it hard to believe. I took a look over my shoulder and still the peloton were quite a way back, it’s going to be touch and go. My partner was just too strong and I shouted my last few words of encouragement for him as he rode away from me.

The peloton were on me and shortly after they caught my companion and opened up their own sprint for first place. I had a ring side seat, at the middle and to the left of the bunch as they passed me when suddenly there was a huge crash of metal following by cries of pain as a dozen riders hit the deck.

With my race finished I pulled over and helped some of the lads get up off the floor. 2 weren’t so lucky and were taken to hospital with suspected broken collarbones.

I learnt a lot today.

I learnt (or was reminded that) being in the break can help you avoid a crash

I learnt (or was reminded that) a lot of going with a break, despite being exhausted or ill, is in your head

And I learnt a lot from my breakaway companion when I sought him out after the race to apologise for not pulling my weight. He told me:

“To be in a successful breakaway you need 4 things:

1. Tactics
2. Fitness
3. A bit of luck
4. Some balls.”

“Tactically”, he said, “you chose a great moment to attack as riders were thinking about the bunch sprint. You’ve clearly got balls” (I liked that) “and fitness you’re almost there but not quite”.

“I’m going to keep attacking every time”, I said, not letting on that I was ill.

“Good for you” he replied as we shook hands and headed home.

Oh one last thing; I didn’t miss the winning break either!

Barny flew the flag with some stupendous riding this weekend, finishing 5th at Hove park with Andy 10th and Alex just a couple of places further back.

Then, on Sunday, he rode against people young enough to be his children and placed 19th at the SE Regional Champsionships

What a team!!

Southborough Wheelers’ 10 mile TT

By Stu.

Results

1. Stuart Hodd PB Cycle Coaching RT 17.34
2. Lee Smith PB Cycle Coaching RT 17.35
3. Lance Armstrong 20.15

The first 3 have all promised to post the organiser their urine samples so they have taken their word for it.

Hang on I got that wrong, here are the results!:

Masters’ Kermesse, Eksaarde, Flanders. 17th May 2015

By Paul.

Yesterday was my birthday and today I feel like I have been run over by a bus.

It is not because of the beer.

I was hoping that my cold that appeared after my crash was going to subside as I was off to Belgium with Steve and Rich B to race a 60km Masters’ (40-49 age group) kermesse near Ghent.

Instead I woke up (at 5 bloody 15) with a sore throat, a runny nose and knackered!

In fact in felt like sh*t!

Upon discussion with my team mates in Steve’s awesome new team van I was offered the following advice:

Richard B: “This is what you live for mate.  If you were in the Tour de France you would kill yourself just to finish the race.”

Steve: “Man the f up!”

Throw in a quote I love: “If you only think you’ll do well when you’re feeling good then you’ll never do well” and there you have it, off we went to Flanders.

50 starters, beautiful sunshine, massive crowds, beer flowing (not us – yet!), 10 laps of 6km with some pretty dodgy cracks in the roads and on the corners.

After a coffee, signing on and our warm-up I was chilling with Rich B in the sunshine at the start when he turned at me and said “We are going to the hurt locker aren’t we?” Yep that about summed it up.

An attack went after about 3 seconds and Richard B only bloody got it in it?  Four of them stayed away for half a lap but I was worried this may come back to bite him later.  I was happily riding in the top 10 and even saw Steve once; he’s in a flippin kermesse in Belgium in his first year of racing and holding his own!  He must have one hell of a Coach!

18 minutes into the race and that was Steve done (I assure you that’s a lifetime over there).  Afterwards he described the sensation of riding in the right hand gutter, just behind me, as I formed part of the front echelon.  We were in the gutter, in an echelon, in Belgium, the hardest racing on earth, on fully-closed roads, marshalled by police, in front of massive adorning crowds and we paid 11 Euros to enter on the day!!!

Rich and me were still at the business end, at one point we were going with the attacks, alternating one after the other, a beautiful moment of teamwork.

With 5 laps to go I had just come back from bridging across to a break and it turned out the Belgians hadn’t started racing yet – it went ballistic – I genuinely thought my heart was going to explode.  Maybe it was because I had just made a big effort but whatever it was it was the most painful 30 seconds I’d ever spent on my bike, or off it come to that.

Glad that was over I began to realise that it wasn’t just me who was hurting now and two small groups nipped off the front, meaning about 10 riders were up the road.  We must have dropped 10 more off the back as the peloton was definitely shrinking, as riders were looking laboured an hour into the race with 3 laps to go.  I didn’t mind missing the break as I was just happy to be here considering how rough I felt earlier.

I was on the wheel of a tall lean chap when I noticed the blue bands around his sleeves and shorts with yellow stars on them.  I was following the European Champion!  What’s more I was comfortable doing it!  I was loving this…….with a boost of confidence I saw a few riders attempt to jump clear and I went with them.  We were away, working well together then I did my turn, flicked my elbow and nobody came through, I looked over my shoulder and the guy was shaking his head, he looked like he was in pieces.  I’d cracked them!  I decided this was a good time to jump clear again and I bridged to 2 riders who were coming back from an earlier break, rode around them and carried on.  I am on my knees and not sure what my next move is so I make the decision to wait but as the peloton rejoins me, nobody (for the first time in the race) attacks.

We had kicked the sh*t out of each other.  This was fun.  This was proper racing.

Attack after attack then followed, with me being one of the main instigators.  I was loving it.

2 laps to go.  Just coming into the finishing straight, poor Rich lost contact, such a shame after a sterling ride, so close to his first finish over there.

At one lap to go, along with the bell, over the PA system I heard the now familiar announcement of “Laste Ronde” or last lap, except the commentator proceeded to say it English too.  That was just for me!!

We passed the finish line with a tailwind at speeds that could only be rivalled by the Tour de France and I was hurting, really hurting but something happens to you when you hear the bell.  Something shoots through your veins (no, not that!) that gives you strength that you could never muster in a training session.  God I love racing.

Through a sketchy right hander into a cross wind and a gear change up then down but nothing happened.  I was stuck in one gear.  It happened to be 53×11 too, my biggest gear. Under any normal circumstances this would be disastrous but we were going so fast that this wasn’t far off the gear I’d have chosen anyway!!  In a cross wind!!

A bit of fiddling later and the gears were working again.  Phew.  Time to concentrate on the finish.

I knew that these Belgians didn’t like taking too many people with them to the finish so the last lap was 6km of sprints.  3 riders attacked into the final right hander and onto the long finishing straight and I jumped across to the first 2, rode past them and across to the one rider left.  That was so hard but it was commitment time, all or nothing now.  I look behind me to see we’d opened a massive gap as everyone was finally waiting for the bunch sprint to open.

Had we gone too soon?  It didn’t matter, I was kind of loving it anyway.  One thing was for sure we were going to be caught so I jumped off the wheel of my companion and now there was nobody between me and the finish.  Ok the breakaway stayed away but I’m off the front of the peloton, in Belgium, with the finish in sight.  It is too surreal, I’m asphyxiating, I feel very very sick and I don’t know much more than that.

I was caught with 200m to go.  The peloton were on me as they opened up their sprint and I had nothing left, just fending off a few of them as they nearly all passed me.

27^th place.

After the race, riders were congratulating me my aggressive riding.

I got accolade and respect from Belgium racers.  I still cannot believe that. The sun is shining, I enjoy a beer with my awesome team mates and we share our stories.

2 weeks after receiving 7 stitches in my face and I have the best day on a bike ever.  This sport never ceases to amaze me and I feel very privileged to be part of it.

Sun 10th May

By Alex.

The SERRL Biddenden cat 3/4 race was pretty good Stu and myself held good position in the group all race. The pace was mega! Average was 25mph, the circuit was great too, pretty flat with some really nice tarmac too.

After the Crit at Hove Park on Friday night I realised that positioning is key, especially if everyone is better than me. So my main aim of this race was conserve as much energy as possible and make the most of any that I used. Any breaks that looked good I was bridging too, but the bunch was chasing everything pretty hard.

The race came to a bunch sprint that I finished sixth in, I could have been in a better position for the sprint and definitely could have made my move earlier. So next time, I’m going to familiarise myself with the finish line a bit better, keep thinking and don’t let the red mist ruin my position.

Saturday 9th May 2015

3rds/4ths

By Chris.

E12 By Andy.

Signing on for an e12, national B comes with an expectation. The guys here know how to ride fast, race hardened winning tactics are second nature to them. On the line there were predictions of who was going to win, foregone conclusions “oh no here comes another even faster guy he’ll probably win”. So the expectation is to get beaten pretty badly (and at best learn something in the process). Maybe only a handful will enter and we’ll get some points by default.

There was a nice atmosphere on the start line most riders knew each other. Barny and I lead most of the first lap side by side resplendent at a comfortable pace for photo opportunities. A little bizarre, it would probably be about another hour and a half before we could talk without gasping for air in between syllables.

Boom! Barny attacks. Some were astounded, someone said ” don’t worry he always does that. Brilliant. The pace picked up a bit. Attacks came, a few got away, then a few more, soon there were 8 to 10 up the road. The gap grew steadily lap after lap with helpful time checks coming from the impartial commissaire 😉

There came a point when the feeling in our chasing group changed. Perhaps intuitively riders knew if we didn’t work together soon all of the points would be up the road. A pace line formed and the reel back started.

After a particularly brutal effort on the home straight by one of the main contenders the gap was reduced to about 15s. Strung out and gassed with 2 laps to go. A short rest and he attacked again, now two riders were bridging. No one was coming through. Without thinking I began to bridge to the Bridger’s into the wind. I thought “if I’m in no mans land here for too long at this late stage my sprint won’t be up to much, but what the hell”.

A group of three might be more likely to bridge the remaining gap. They may have kindly eased off a touch to let me on, maybe not. A few turns each and we’d made it to the lead group, 1/4 lap to go. A short respite before the sprint.

The sprint started early, with the tailwind we were flying. The lead group was blown apart, fast guys to the front. Head down, mash for the line. Just hold on, a quick look around, surprisingly no one was gaining at a position risking pace, head down, keep going. Crossed the line 6th.

Thanks to Barney, Richard, Stephen, Matt, Chris and Susan for the well done’s on the finish line. Not a bad team turnout.

Cat 2/3 By Paul

Friday night saw the return of the Hove Park Crit series with Barny and Alex going in the 2/3 race.  With wet corners and a sweeping leave-covered bend through the trees, caution was required in the first few laps.

Yeah right!

This is a bike race and a bike race is never slow so, with half the field dropped, Barny and his compatriots were left to contest the points, earning him a well deserved 6th place.  That boy is on fire (bit too camp?!).

By Paul then Andy.

2nd – 4th May 2015

“50 miles a day at Velopark, then Hillingdon then Cyclopark.

Or so I thought……

Each stage would consist of 3 sprints: 1 for the stage and 2 primes; top 4 in each would be awarded time bonuses.

It was hard. It was bloody hard.

57 (seemingly) teenagers, Andy and me. A lean looking bunch if I’ve ever seen one. I had one thing over them however: I’d been married and divorced so I knew how to suffer!

Despite feeling like I was going to be dropped for most of the first hour I started playing to my strengths, dropping back on the uphill into the wind and then moving back up on the downhill tailwind section.

Prime 1: I came 3rd in the sprint but 3 were away so I bagged 6th. Why blow the whistle for a prime when 3 are away?!

Prime 2: I came 6th again but I was happy with that, it now meant I was consistently getting the better of enough of them to believe I had a top 10 in me.

Until the sprint opened.

Charging for the line somebody was clearly very relaxed as he decided to have a lie down causing a 12-man pile up including me and Andy!

Fortunately Andy wasn’t badly hurt but my face was stinging as I’d gone over the handlebars and broken my helmet. Good old crash hat. The First Aider’s initial line was a reassuring “that don’t look too good mate” and then I got to have a ride in ambulance!

2 hospitals and 7 stitches (in my lip) later (“it was a complicated laceration” the first hospital said) and I was fine. with relatively little other damage and only minor repairs needed to my bike (and a chance now to buy a helmet in team blue) I reckon I ‘got away with it’!

If only they made accreditations compulsory then not only might I had finished but also I’d be bloody minted ;-)”

Gutsy Andy got up and did it all again in stages 2 and 3, including a galliant 15th place on stage 2 at Hillingdon, here’s his version:

By Andy.

“I finished the three stages, the last of which at the Cyclopark made me want to feign an accident to avoid the shame of being dropped. I hung on for grim death and managed to stay with the bunch to the end. it was won by a 16 year old.

It felt like an achievement to finish. we gave it all at the cyclopark, rode it like a 1hr crit, looked up at the board with 17 laps to go and thought “oh no, still a whole race to ride”

the standard of riding really improved, much tidier towards the end. A crash course / intensive lesson in bike handling skills. I’d recommend it to anyone. probably great training to boot. got a lot of respect for the guys that got off the front and made it stick.

For the record: On stage 1 Paul thought we had to finish to place after the crash, so we got back on our mangled bikes and rode the last 50m to the line. ”