They say you learn something new every day and racing certainly marries into that. There always seems to be something new to learn in every race I compete in and today was one of those "learn from your mistakes" races. I love racing at Neerabup and I've enjoyed success on this course more than once but today would mark my first time up there among A grade ranks. I'd also had two weeks solid off the bike after which I spent the best part of this week trying to build a little form and conditioning to even be able to consider racing let alone prevent suffering an explosive early exit.
I know that taking two weeks off the bike (voluntarily for a change) would result in a loss of any form I had prior to commencing my break but I think it was way overdue both from a training and racing perspective but also in consideration of life outside of cycling. It'd been over 6 years since the last time I had taken more than a long weekend and I returned feeling fully refreshed and harboured a renewed vigour that allowed me to put in a very solid and hard week's training to begin the rebuild process and I felt far better at the end of yesterday morning's ride than I did after 90 mins of E3 on Monday.
With the Cycling WA State ITT Championships on down at Busselton today, I wasn't sure who else from Unicorn would be joining me and I knew that one or two of us had been suffering a touch of man flu during the week. I had heard that Mike Pardon was planning on attending and racing A grade so I knew I would have some company for the race but was pleased to see Pat Hayburn and Paul Foxwell appear, even through both of them had been suffering the flu during the week.
Little time for a warm up before the starter's whistle marshalled all grades to the start line. A grade were off last with B grade being let go first. However, something seemed to happen at the start line once B grade were let loose and there was enough of a delay to see B grade complete a full lap of the course before we were allowed to commence our 11 revolutions.
Our first lap was quite tame with no-one interested in creating an early break and we pretty much completed the first lap (my slowest of the 7 I completed) as a single group. It would not be long after our initial lap that the attacks would come and would ultimately see a group of 9 or 10 riders in a break away group holding a gap of about 10 seconds before we crossed the start/finish line for the second time. Thankfully both Pat and Paul were able to get amongst this break away group which the main bunch would not see again for another 5 laps.
According to Pat, "Paul and I went in the early break, it was more opportunistic than something pursued with any real intent, nonetheless it presented a good chance to go up the road. It quickly became obvious within the break that only a few of the riders would or where capable of contributing and it was unlikely that this break would succeed, it never got into any sort of rhythm. However, as Paul and I were present it was worth a reasonable effort to stay clear as long as possible. As always, if I am in a break with Paul my role is to contribute as much as possible in order to provide Paul with the easiest ride available (although Paul was working hard himself within the break)."
With things being sorted out at the head of the course, Sam Smith and Doug Stewart (among some other strong riders) remained in the main bunch and I was keen to keep tabs on their moves in case they sparked an effort to bridge the gap to the lead group. It would not eventuate but Sam was putting in some solid work up front with a few others who seemed to be equally as keen to bring the leaders back. I did my best to stay within a wheel or two of Sam and was able to match all of his moves.
Before long, the urgency among the chase group seemed to lift as Doug joined Sam at the front of the chase and began firing bullets up the small inclines around the course in an effort to start reeling the leaders back. Not being a superb climber myself, I was feeling the pain in the legs and I'm sure the HR would've been racing had my HRM been reporting to my Garmin. Probably just as well it wasn't as I remember being continuously pushed well over my threshold power level but I was still keeping up with the pace. I even managed to get myself back into the group after feeling a little uncomfortable in the saddle after turning onto Flynn Drive for the 5th time and momentarily losing touch with the group.
Sam fired a bomb as we climbed the rise up Old Yanchep Rd on the same 5th lap and after getting back to the front of the group, I was surprised to find that I was able to go with him right on his wheel. We opened a small but very temporary gap on the main bunch as we rounded the turn into Pederick Rd where we allowed the group to bring us back into the fold. I'm guessing Sam was testing the legs of other riders to see what the mood among the group was but was happy to sit up in the end.
The pace of the chase group over the first 6 laps was averaging a little over 41 km/h which was certainly enough to slowly but surely bring the leaders back to within only a few seconds as we crossed the line to enter our 7th lap. It was at this stage that I made my fatal mistake by assuming the group would continue to slowly reel in the main group. I took a gel from my jersey pocket and began to manipulate the top open to take in the additional energy when all of a sudden the group pounced and the pace shot up to 45 km/h+ and had me completely off guard.
I know now that I should have waited to see what the group would do in terms of finishing the chase before attempting to consume the gel pack and I paid the price for such a mistake. I was now on my own with a 30m gap between me and the main chase group and despite all my best efforts, I was not closing the gap even though I was hammering out 50 km/h+. With 40m on me as I hit the first of the small climbs on Flynn Drive, it was going to be a very hard ask to real in the group who would not catch the leaders until the top of the last climb and into the descent to Old Yanchep Rd and therefore hold their pace all the way to that point. The sting in my legs resulting from my effort to get back on was too much and the elastic snapped.
By the time I had reached the turn into Pederick Rd, the group had more than 30 seconds on me and I was in no-man's land. I considered finishing the race but with 4 laps still to go, it was a pointless exercise and I'd certainly had my fair share of training during the week. I was furious with myself for allowing this rookie error to force me out of the race, especially considering I had been holding the pace so well and felt quite comfortable throughout the chase to bring the leaders back. I have certainly learnt from this and will not let it happen again.
If there was one advantage coming from my fault in concentration, it was that I would be afforded a box seat view of one of the most spectacular race finishes I have seen for a while. By the time I had settled onto the bar-work on the front of Wayne Lally's ute, the A grade race came by again with a couple of riders getting away with a peppering of additional riders giving chase, including Pat with Doug and Paul with Sam(?), before the main group came by in chase.
It was obviously impossible for me to know what unfolded during each of the remaining laps so I will report on how I saw things from my spectator's position and then follow up with Pat's view of how things unfolded during the remaining laps of the race.
As the A graders came by for the beginning of the second last lap, the leaders were still away and seemed to have put some unbeatable distance on the main group once again. Thankfully both Pat and Paul were amongst them and appeared to be riding comfortably as they passed. After talking to Mike after his race, I found out he had taken note of the road marshall at the turn onto Flynn Drive saying that they were on their last lap and resulting in Mike hammering out a sprint finish a lap early and consequently cooked himself and had to withdraw and join me to watch one heck of a finish.
With all the other grades off the course, it was down to the A grade to sort out the finishing order of the final race which would be determined by the breakaway riders. I noticed three riders cresting the hill further back down the rode and as they came into view to approach the finish, I was very pleased to see the red, black and white kit of Unicorn-Hall racing and the notable yellow rimmed sunglasses of one Paul Foxwell going pedal stroke for pedal stroke with Doug Stewart. It was going to be a very close finish as each stroke of power would put one of the two of them slightly ahead of the other and alternate back again. But it would be Paul who would have the last little bit of a kick that would see him cross the line just ahead of Doug.
Pat's account of how things eventuated are as follows:
"When the initial break was finally caught at around the 65km mark, it was time to reassess and see who was feeling well and how they would react to further efforts (I noticed Doug was vigilant and strong in responding to an effort). A couple of riders soon rode off the front, I noticed one of them drop off but the other two continue (a good sign that it was worth riding across to them), I waited for the opportunity and rode across to them with Doug and I sharing turns.
"Once at the front I looked behind to see whom I thought was Paul and one other trying to come across, so I backed my efforts off a tad to let them get a little closer to see if it was Paul. When I made Paul out I stopped contributing until he joined us and as he did he launched a hard attack. It was then a matter of getting to the line without getting caught and positioning Paul for the win (it is confidence inspiring to know you have the best sprinter in the field).
"Doug and others played it smart and left the effort to us as we had two in the break. I backed-off on several occasions to see what we could get out of the others and found anyone with a Total Travel jersey on will always contribute (Ian [Lyne] was one of the harder workers in the earlier break). Leading into the finish our break had backed off quite a bit and I was keeping an eye on those approaching from behind and just as I decided to give it a final kick to the line, orders were issued by Paul. Result: Paul won a hard contested sprint finish from Doug, I rolled across the line lucky to have taken fourth. Well done to all in the break and a smart last lap and half from Doug."
Congratulations are also afforded to the following riders at the Cycling WA ITT Championships in Busselton:
2nd - Andrew Patterson - Masters Mens (25kms in 0:35:14.8)
2nd - Chris Singleton - Masters 50+ Mens (25kms in 0:34:57.1)
3rd - Brad Hall - Open Mens (42kms in 0:57:39.7)
3rd - Natalie Roberts - Masters Womens (25kms in 0:40:14.0)
5th - Melissa Robinson - Masters Womens (25kms in 0:41:35.5)
7th - Craig Pennell - Open Mens (42kms in 0:58:56.5)
8th - Chris Roberts - Open Mens (42kms in 0:59:01.2)
No comments:
Post a Comment