How NOT to race a Win-and-Out............

General Fixed Street
1

A win and out for those that haven’t raced one, is a 7 lap race where the first three laps don’t score. On the fourth lap whoever wins the sprint wins the race and can withdraw, then who ever wins the second sprint wins second and can withdraw. I think you can figure out how 3rd and 4th are determined.

This was the sprint event for the last night of FNWTR and I needed to win it to have a chance of moving from 3rd to first on the last night. Here is what unfolded…

Here we are all rolling out in the first lap, me in the red, second wheel.

Here I am on the front for the second lap, I swing up at the next bank and drop back a couple to get out of the wind.

To catch everyone by suprise my tactic from the begining of the race was to go early before anyone else had the chance. And riding a 98" gear, I still had plenty of jump hitting the gas at 45-50 and can usually hold it at full tilt for about two to twoand a half laps.
So I decide to go as we’re crossing the line for lap the begining of lap 3. (The blue helmet to my right is the series leader)

I was told after the race I put about 30m in them before anyone started to close the gap, but remember I still have to hold it for another 400m…

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Here is the finish line photo for the first sprint:

FUCK!

Just Look at the smug bastard even poking his tounge out at me…

Just kidding, he’s actually a really nice guy and seriously out raced me (hence he went on to win the series). He told me after the race that he new I was going to go for the first sprint and was just waiting to grab my wheel, but didn’t expect me to go anywhere near as early as I did. ie my tactics were sound, but he’s in training for the World Track Masters (which are next week) and had enough fitness to chase me down, hold my wheel and come round me.

OK, I lost the first sprint, I’ve still got 4 lengths on the feild and a bit of fuel in the tank. Fuck it, I’m going for Second…
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It’s just not my night:

DOUBLE FUCK!

At this point my legs are so close to exploding it’s not funny.
Ahhhhhh bugger it, you only live once and I’ve got about 10 lengths on the field after the last guts out lap. LET’S GO AGAIN!!
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What’s a guy gotta do?

As I’m crossing the line I think I was only doing about 35-40k’s I was that blown and it was pretty much momentum that carried me the last half of the lap.
After this I blew up completely and rolled back to the infield and had trouble talking/seeing straight for about 5mins afterwards. I ended up holding on for 4th in the Div 3 pointscore which I was pretty happy with for my first season at the track and started in Div 5. I’ll be back next year to have another crack for sure.

So Boys and Girls, that’s how you [b]don’t race a Win and Out!

2

Hey mate, Great effort! That sounds like a really good result for your first season. It really takes big heart to keep attacking in situations like that, best of luck for the next season.

3

Hey Garth, I really enjoyed the ‘narrative’ of the event! Hey you can’t win them all- but it’s just great that you’re on the boards actually riding around. A lot of people talk about it, but not many actually end up doing it. Keep us posted!

4

Sweet effort Garth, I can only hope I can do as well as that in my first season!
BTW, do you think you would’ve achieved a different result on a slightly smaller gear?

Oh and put some meat on ya skinny bastard :wink:

5

I guess I’ll never know, but I don’t think I would have done better with a smaller gear. I’ve always been able to stomp a bigger gear quicker than spinning the hell out of a small one (but that is something I need to work on)

As for more meat? I’m a bit more of a greyhound than a staffy :wink:

6

I love the transition of your grimace from calm to shattered :slight_smile: And what’s with the muppet who punched the air for his 3rd place?

7

I’m sure you know the feeling ndf, but I seriously didn’t think I was going to make it back to the infield safely after that little effort. My lungs were panting so hard it felt like they were trying to draw breath straight through the skin on my chest.

Unfortunately the muppet (Graeme Heap, who also is a really nice goy and on the far right in the photo below) is punching the air because by beating me and getting those measely 2 points it brought him up to equal in the points tally to me in third and because he scored more points on the night he got 3rd overall for the series.

The young muppet on the right is Michael Docker. He came second overall, and can ride very well considering he’s only 13 or 14, but on the last night he had his older brother drop from Div 2 to lead him out in the races which really gave me the shits. Seriously un-sporting behaviour. He might have the legs to race, but he’s not going to have his brother around forever and he’ll of pissed everyone else off on his way that he’ll never get help from a fellow cyclist because of it. This wasn’t the state titles, this was Winter racing, the prize was a a plaque and a couple of powerbars…

[/rant]

Track riding is awesome, anyone who’s thought about it, stop sniffing the glue for your tubs and get down the track. You won’t regret it. (I hit the deck twice and am still itching to get back out there)

-Garth

8

great story Garth, Making me wana have a itch n try it out!

which Velo was this at?

9

This is out at Dunc Gray in Bankstown.

Where abouts do you live hueylui? There is also Tempe Velo on a Monday or Wednesday if it’s your first time.

-Garth

10

cool… do i need a full dedicated track bike? not just a “fixie”?

11

Noop, road conversion is fine provided it has drop bars, no brakes and you’ll need to be a member of a club so you’ve got insurance (incase you do what I seem to do a little too often…)

-Garth

12

Good race report, it was a good read.