The Plan
Not let anything go. On the climb, if gapped, manage the break so do not spend too much energy closing it.
The Race – 41.8kms / 36.1kph
Lap 1. 3.55km 0:06:28
I was on the front until the climb. GM took off on the climb. I paced him. We gapped the field. They caught up by corner two. I lead from the bump until the climb again. I rolled away from the bunch a tad through corner four.
Lap 2. 2.83km 0:04:46
PMc went on the climb followed by Pratties. They got about 10m up the road before LS and GM gave chase. They got a minimal gap then stat up on the downhill. Rolling was enough to catch LS and GM. PMc and Pratties had a little gap by corner two. They sat up on the bump past the church. I attacked a little on the downhill and everyone was immediately on my wheel so I eased up. I then stayed on the front until the climb with LS on my wheel followed by GM. I continued to roll through the corners faster than the followers so no idea no i what GM was on about post race when he said I was painful to watch through the corners as I was slow.
Lap 3. 2.85km 0:04:36
Heading into the climb I attacked and was then pounced on by GM who took LS and PMc with him. My Garmin Vector 3s decided to stop transmitting data at this point. Pratties, JP and GP then made a bridging move, by which point, we had crested the hill and the attackers sat up. The bunch stayed together until I attacked past the church and got a decent gap. LS chased and had caught me by the corner. definitely no more attacking from me. At the catch, BK made a counter move and got a little gap. When he had a 20-30m gap, I TTed back to him and made the catch before the start of lap 4. Everyone else enjoyed the ride I guess. LS then made a counter move dragging PMc and Praties along with him.
Lap 4. 2.89km 0:04:33
The 3 aforementioned riders tried to get away on the climb. GM took off past them and got probably the biggest and longest lived gap of the day. The other three had sat up after the crest and rolling was enough to make the catch. Meanwhile, GM was climbing past the church as we were entering the second corner, so he had about 100m on us. LS went hard up the climb and on the downhill I took the chase lead. I stayed on the front until the start of the next climb on Lap 5.
Lap 5. 2.87km 0:04:47
Heading into the climb, Pratties took off followed by LS. PMc chased them while I was next. The increase in pace was enough to catch GM halfway up the climb who then tacked onto the faster risers and they got another gap. MM came over me as we crested and soon we were all back together by the hill past the church, though a little stretched out. GM then tried his luck with an attach heading into corner three. Everyone was on him immediately. LS then got on the front followed by PMc, SM, Praties and MM. These five riders lead the bunch into lap 6.
Lap 6. 2.85km 0:04:52
Pratties attacked right on the line and was jumped on my LS and then me. Pratties eased up on the first corner and then applied the power again before easing up. I stuck to his wheel closely followed by PMc. The rest caught up on the downhill and at the same time, I hit the front. This meant that with 11 of us racing, I’d stayed on the front for my share of the race and would not feel like a bastard if I contested the sprint in about 8 laps.
Lap 7. 2.85km 0:04:51
Entering lap 7, I was still on the front. LS attacked into the climb and I was immediately on his wheel. He put in a decent effort until about 3/4 of the way up. When he eased up, GM flew past us. LS increased his effort, but I was soon in front of him with a little gap as I worked on bridging as we descended. LS passed me as we climbed past the church and shortly after that GM was absorbed. LS mostly lead from here and into lap 8. As we headed into the hill, he attacked and was closely followed by LS and Pratties. Everyone else but me hooned on up the hill and I decided to sit on. By corner two, the bunch was strung out, though together. Up the hill past the church we bunched up. There was what felt like a lull in proceedings from here until we hit the hill again.
Lap 8. 2.86km 0:04:52
LS and Pratties hit the gas up the climb again. As I was forth last, all I needed to do was sit on and enjoy the draft. Again, an easy roll down towards corner two.
Pratties attacked into corner two. This did little more than string the bunch out. GM attacked into the third corner and was chased by LS and shortly after Pratties. GM’s matches were again used to little effect and we were all together by the entrance to the rec centre. While leading us along the home straight, LS decided to attack about 150 out from the start/finish line. Pratties jumped on his wheel and I jumped on his. everyone else had no trouble sticking on me.
Lap 9. 2.86km 0:04:44
Pratties was soon leading up the climb and shortly after that, GM. JP was on my wheel for this climb. After the crest, the pace was off and I hit the lead by rolling past everyone. Before corner three, GM launched another attack. LS chased and by the time we rode past the rec centre, we has caught him. From here I lead into the next lap.
Lap 10. 2.88km 0:04:47
Pratties jumped into the climb and was followed closely by LS and GM. Along with me, we got a teeny tiny gap on everyone one else, which (surprise, surprise), closed once we crested. My rear camera at this point gave out. GM attacked past the church for about 10m. I then hit the font after increasing pace to ensure he did not get away. I remained there until the next climb.
Lap 11. 2.85km 0:04:45
LS and Pratties attacked into the climb. GM and GP followed and established a little gp. JP bridged followed by GT and PMac. MM followed shortly. This might have been the hardest climb of the day. By corner two, we were back together. On the downhill section after the church, LS and Pratties eased off the front. The rest of the bunch caught them entering the finish straight. Praties then looked to take off again, but then had second thoughts. I let him sit on the front until the climb.
Lap 12. 2.88km 0:04:38
LS and Pratties pushed the pace up the climb again. GM again gave chase and came over the top of them. At this point we’d reached the crest and they sat up. I rolled past them. GM then attacked up and over the hill past the church then sat up. His gap then increased as we headed towards the home straight so Pratties bridged and the bunch was together again. Pratties and GM then lead is into the bell lap. For the final climb, Pratties lead from LS and GM where they established a lead of about 15-20 m before the crest. The bunch then caught them by rolling. Pratties attacked up the climb post the church and sat up at the apex. LS then hit the front as GT flashed by. MM countered the move after a few seconds and was marked by LS. I was the third chase wheel. Heading into the final straight, GT had about 50m on us and past the rec center, Pratties attempted a bridge. LS attempted to chase, but it was GP who dragged JP behind him who made the move. They passed GT within 200m of the line and gained a sizable gap on the field. As JP came over the top of GP, I wound it up, but did not have enough road to come over the top of JP so he won by half a wheel.
Hmm, I think I missed 2 laps somewhere. You get the gist of things. There were attacks that got nowhere as they were not sustained. I kept things together which suited me for the sprint. JP won.
Summary
All of the attacks were pretty piss poor. They lasted at most 200m, which is not enough to shed anyone. All the attacks on the hill, I managed to bridge by rolling. Looking at the video of the sprint, if I had not been gapped, I would have won by a mile.
Thanks to my sponsor, Drouin Cycles, Performance Division.
Stats for the Day
Power Stats
Another Garmin Vector 3 fuck up so no data.
Intensity Factor: 1.33
TSS: 305.4
TRIMP: 156.9