Might as well give a brief report as Crafty assures me that people like to read these (in the general sense, not mine in particular).
A little introduction first. I ride Div 3 for DHBC, took up cycling 18 months ago to lose weight after sitting in an office job doing no excercise for the last 5 years. Quickly got sucked into track racing through the club (I'm not the first). This is my second season of RAW track and it just gets better each time.
Warm up Scratch RaceGreat to see Alex Simmons riding with us in Div 3. Not so great to see him pushing the pace when he got on the front..twice. I was attempting the tried and true place getting tactic of sitting on George Lowes wheel and waiting for him to go. This was going well until he moved in front of a rider rolling off the front and I was left pushing wind. I accelerate to the lead and up the pace with 3 laps to go. Die with 2 laps to go and slip through to the back. Finish someone off the back, but now feeling warmed up.
KierinI don't mind these - I do a lot of motorpace training, though I don't have much of a sprint. I've been trying not to think too much tactically in races as this never seems to work. So, noting who was in my keirin, I roll out and get myself into third wheel behind Sasha - a simple tactic of sucking a strong wheel to a place. Derny doesn't go all that fast and I'm very comfortable for the race. Sasha decides to ride the race above the blue line for some reason and I follow. I wait and wait for him to accelerate for the win but it never happens. Finally decide that I need to overtake and its too far over the top, and I might go under, only to find Mike has thought the same thing and taken the spot I wanted. No time left, I push up, don't get anywhere, push down, Mikes not going anywhere, and I have to settle for 4th place.
MotorpaceHaving watched the previous races I figured that position at the final derny acceleration was everything in this race. If the field splits you'll be gone. So with 23 riders in our group and 15 laps, with half lap turns I place myself a few off the front for the start of race, hoping that if all goes well I'll be in the top 5 come the final laps. I do my first turn behind the derny and roll to the rear. d I don't try riding in the wind as there is still plenty of time left in the race. I start waiting as my turn comes around again and count the laps and riders in front. The rear of the paceline is very squiggly.
More laps, more calculating, more thinking. I'm getting closer and everything is looking very good. I realise that I'm going to hit the front for the final acceleration, which is great for me as I know I can hold the derny very well all the way to max speed. The derny takes off and I follow. And I keep following sitting millimeters from it enjoying the ride. I'm so focused on the derny that I follow it all the way off the track onto the flat. Oops. Quickly move back up into the sprint lane and take off. I don't feel anyone behind so I keep going. Its not until I've done a full lap on the front that I check only to realise that two riders have made it with me. I pull off and mess up my rotate, taking half a lap to get back on. At which point the lead rider pulls up and its my turn again - I haven't even rested! They shout at me to pull up as I'm not pulling very well and I slide back watching them go. The bunch finally catches me and they all pass. Finish at the back again. Big mistake that I kick myself for was the full lap at max pace. I really should have checked behind and done a half lap and worked with the other two in the break. I probably dragged the other two to victory by letting them rest for so long.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pva1lRyTeQ8edited by paul craft Tim is red jersey blue frame
Italian PersuitI was in Yellow team so we got to battle it out for ..... 5th place! Or the honour of not being last. I've done a few italian persuits before including just the last Saturday at our club racing. We divide our team into divisions and then split the divisions into strengths. There are many familiar faces including several club members so we work out spots quite well. I'm riding in almost identical order to our club race last week. Mike in front, Sean behind. The front riders are told how important it is that they take off smoothly and make sure you listen to any talk coming up the line.
We roll off nicely and everyone is together. 2 laps in and the pace picks up dramatically. Our Div 4 riders are pulling a fantastic race. We can see the other team just around the bend. It eases up slightly for one turn (no names) and the other team is starting to accerelate. There is much talking (read: shouting) about pushing the pace. Mikes turn comes and he smoothly ups the speed another knotch. I hold his wheel and check that everyone is still on. My turn comes around and I can see the rear of the other team, not close enough to catch but enough for an extra bit of motivation. I accelerate smoothly and try to hold the pace for the full lap. Roll off and watch our guys still going strong with no splits. I think they are going to catch but the tail end of the other team has some great pace. We win in the end but didn't manage to catch them, still we almost made it and a great ride by our final riders.
ConclusionThanks Crafty for another great night of racing. Possibly one of my favourites for this season so far and despite not placing, the racing was fun.
