nek minit Ineos contract.
FOA racers - Melbourne V2.
I plan to start racing again in September.
2 kids put a dent in the ol’ FTP!
I’d have lost almost 100 watts. But I’m going to train over winter, get sick and then start racing probably less fit then I am now…
Sounds like a plan!
I always find May a good time to get on the trainer in the mornings - when you can watch the last hour of the previous night’s Giro stage.
Final Wednesday night race for the summer last night. Nice little crit course through an industrial area in Bendigo East, with a short climb about 500m from the end. Only downside is the presence of a gym on the backside of the course. Normally races start after the gym is closed, but with daylight fading the race started a little earlier than usual.
A lack of numbers also meant there was no corner marshal stationed at the turn just before the gym. Half way through the 35 minute race, after a couple of attacks got my heart rate going, I was at the back of the bunch as we came to the left hander near the gym. Turned the corner to find some young muppet halfway though a u-turn right in front of us. Shouting ensued, brakes were jammed, wheels were locked, and then my front wheel hit the rear wheel of the guy in front and down I went.
Took the fall on my hip, elbow and shoulder. Thankfully no serious damage other than a few scrapes and some mangled Saint Cloud knicks. Sat out the rest of the race though, as I knocked my head and it’s not really worth it is it.
The bike seems ok - dropped it into the shop this morning for a once over, and bought one of Trek’s new Wavecell helmets.
Next race in a week-and-a-half, should be good to go by then.
that sucks. hope the next coupla days aren’t too painful! lucky you’ve got a nurse in the house eh. haha
Spent last night sitting on the floor watching the footy with no shirt on so I could air the scrape on my shoulder, and no pants on so I could air the scrape on my hip.
Classy as.
The scars from my crash healed up pretty well, knocked out a quick 30 minute blat on the trainer on Thursday night to wake the legs up, before a 50km handicap on Saturday. Nice hilly course, not quite as tough as originally planned due to some roadworks, so the planned loop became an out-and-back, but still enough little hills to hurt the big guys.
I went off in second scratch in a group of four, and had one of my mates in the group with me. We had another mate in the scratch bunch 4 minutes back. There was a fourth member of our crew who couldn’t make it, so we joked before the race that whatever happened we’d tell him we ran 1-2-3 and see how long we could string him along.
Felt pretty good all day, the four of us worked really well together for the first half, and had just about reeled in the group in front and still had a good break over the 5-man scratch bunch at the turn-around. But our momentum started to stall as we caught the groups in front, with plenty of hangers-on.
Scratch came screaming past us with 4km to go, but we somehow managed to get on. I got the wheel of my mate from the scratch bunch who’s a decent sprinter. It was a slight downhill run in the last km, then kicked up to 2-3% in the last 200m. One of the other scratchies led my mate out and dropped him off about 300m to go, and when he kicked I had no chance of holding his wheel. I got up to sprint and my legs went ‘naaaaaar mate’. He stormed away for the win, leaving me and my other mate to scramble for the line. We somehow managed to hold off the rest and got 2nd and 3rd. Clean sweep of the podium. What a banger.
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classic “now iz ze moment” moment
Feels a bit unworthy of a ‘racers’ thread, but wheeled out the MTB on Saturday for the local club’s fitness ride*. Gets the heart and lungs going, and it’s a whole lot of fun. Half the track is an open field with some flat turns, flowy berms, and small tabletops. Then a short twisty section through some trees, and then returns to the start along a slight uphill on the open field again. Think XC short track (2km or so lap), with some jumps thrown in for funsies.
Handicapped start, to spread everyone out. I tend to go somewhere towards the back, but not off scratch. Rode second fastest PR for the 5 laps, and PR’d on top flowy jumps section. Fitness is slowly coming back a bit now I’m commuting on the bike again.
*I assume the club can’t run (or doesn’t want to run) races. But the fitness ride clears the track so you can nudge along at a decent pace without worrying about some kid being around the next blind corner.
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Raced another lumpy 50km handicap on Saturday. In the two weeks since my last race I’d only ridden twice. I was sick during the week with a head cold, and on Friday night went out to see Kurt Vile in Castlemaine and had a whole lot of beers.
Not the best race prep. Then the handicapper put me in scratch. Fark.
There were some heavy hitters in our group of six, and I knew I was done for when I was doing 400 watts just trying to hold a bloke’s wheel on a slight downhill. 12 minutes and 7km in to the 50km race I popped. The race was two laps of a 25km loop, so I rode a lap of shame with the sag wagon following me then pulled out at 25km.
How shit is racing bikes eh.
Top marks for effort though.
I might just be able to hang with those quick guys if I was at my very best. Saturday was not that!
dubious sensations sounds like to me
Speaking of dubious sensations, first race back last night after 6 months. 30km out-and-back handicap. It was blowing a mad Westerly, which meant cross-winds for most of the race. I ain’t built for no cross winds. Was in second scratch with three others - all way stronger than me, and we only had 1.5mins on the scratch bunch. After 15 minutes of track turns above threshold (41km/hr, ugh), I popped, then had to roll the last 20km solo being blown all over the road. Tried to jump on the scratch bunch when they came past, lasted 1 minute at 400W then gave that up.
Welcome back eh.
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is your name James Kent circa 2011
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Re-living the glory days.
never forget! maddest days.
THERE IT IS!
What a time etc.
fuck my fucking life, god damn it.
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