The Plan
Thanks to last week’s win, it was A grade today. The plan was to not get dropped.
The Race
There were fourteen riders in A Grade today. Three of us rode in B grade last week. I was expecting a break to go at some point, probably up the hill and most likely after I’d done a stint on the front as that seems to be what happens in A. Get to the front along the home straight. Do a 300m turn, get jumped heading into the hill.
There were some little attacks early on. These tended to be heading into the climb and they all ended by the crest. Some hard chasing meant any gaps that were opened, I closed by the mound heading past the church along the back straight.
Around four of five laps in, I was struggling to hold the wheel along the front. One of those one metre gaps that never get closed. I made a concerted effort to get closer on a few occasions and managed it.
I am not sure if it was before or after the gapping described above, when I did a turn up towards the climb. Here I saved my legs and applied 80% of my effort in case I was jumped. I did wind up off the back, but got back on. Having pursuited yesterday certainly helped with the 30 second pain fests up the hill today. I knew I could stick in long enough for the pace to ease and then let my legs rest. Rolling faster than everyone down the other side of the climb always helps.
With the bell for the sprint, Brett K took off and no body chased. I did not as he needed all the points in today’s race to take out first in the series and I was nowhere in the points. He took first by about half a straight. With 150 to go, I was still on the front, having arrived there soon after cornering. There was a half-hearted sprint that I gave up on pretty early as I did not want to cook myself. There was no counter move right after the sprint.
Two laps later, Rob M took off towards the line and everyone watched him go. He was caught on the climb.
A lap later. Chris J and Big Jim hit it at the bottom of the climb getting a gap. Rob M and Will L bridged. Next up, JP made a bridging move. Three quarters into the climb the pace slowed and I figured it was now or never. I put in a strong effort to bridge the gap and by the time I made the catch, we had a group of six with a 100m gap. I rode past everyone saying (or muttering) that this was big enough to stick.
We joined BK a few laps later. As we passed C grade, their sprint lap was announced. There was some discussion on letting them go or speeding up. The vote was speed up – slowing presented too much risk of being caught. Thus we smashed it on the hill. The rest of A waited for C and reportedly got caught behind a car.
With two to go, JP took off on his own much to the disgust of another rider. I though saying see you next Tuesday when we caught JP was a bit uncalled for. That sort of move I’d do to get a buffer on the climb if I was feeling a little tired. Also, with two to go and A grade nowhere in sight, attacking each other was probably safe.
On nearly every climb, CJ would attack only to sit up by the top.
Into the second last corner, I was fifth wheel. By the crossing, I was fourth wheel. Here I waited for someone to go and when they did, I did. It took a bit to get past the third rider, but I managed it to come across the line in third place in what turned out to be a slow sprint, admittedly into a headwind. Woo.
Summary
Admittedly race tactics (not mine) resulted in a third place. However, I chose the right time to bridge and once in a break of seven, we worked to stay away. Today the average speed of 38.8kph equalled my pb for this course, set on 13/03/2010.
Stats for the Day
CTL: 99
ATL: 116
TSB: -10
Power Stats
Average pwr: 295W
Normalised Power: 309W
Critical power (CP): 263W (82% FTP – 3.86w/kg).
Intensity Factor: 0.97
TSS: 98.5
TRiMP: 121.2
Quadrant Analysis 2016-02-15
Race Highlights
Distance: 40.9km
Av Speed: 38.8kph
Race Time: 01:03:20
Max HR: 181
14 laps
fastest av speed: 41.2kph (lap 13)
highest speed reached: 59.8kph (lap 13)
highest av power: 349W (lap 13)
highest power reached: 1080 (lap 3)
Thanks to my sponsor, Drouin Cycles.
