othy
Newbie
Posts: 2
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« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2009, 01:19:24 PM » |
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This weeks report below. Assuming that Michael Buckingham is a Junior then I believe I was second in Div 3, Heat 3. I can't recall exactly which heat I was in, and I don't know the names of any of the others - just that there were two juniors, the other of which came 3rd.
Good program for a night of racing. My legs are feeling a bit tired as it is the end of my first week having switched from a Compact to Standard crankset on my road bike.
Speaking of switching gearing, everyone else seemed to do it tonight for the screamers. I flipped my rear wheel to use the 15T cog that requires a better man then myself to remove, having not put too much thought into bringing any chainrings along. A whopping 88 inches.
Warm-up Scratch Race
Rode the small gear for this race, felt like I was floating on the pedals. Using my "choose a wheel" method of racing I followed Sasha around. Pace finally picked up with a few laps to go and while spinning, I was not uncomfortable. Followed Sasha from the rear of the bunch to the front, when BANG, he drove his pedal into the front wheel of the lead rider while cutting into the sprint lane. I freak out and pull up, completely expecting the shocked rider to go down and take me with him. To the riders credit and skill he held it well and was able to control himself to a stop. Most of the riders behind sat up also at this point. No idea who won.
1 lap screamers
The last time I did a standing start would have been the last 1 lap screamers (Round 2?). I used to do these all the time at training last year, not sure why the practise has stopped this year.
I find myself in with 2 juniors and another rider, with me starting at the top of the banking - I dislike this spot. My reaction time is terrible, I listen for the whistle and then forget that it is actually the cue to start.
The juniors take off amazingly fast and I'm already a few meters behind, despite my small gearing. They are beside each other, so I have to ride on the blue - try to get around but its just too far and I end up with second place. I don't think the time was even worth Crafty mentioning.
Mystery Lapper
Flip my wheel back around for the rest of the nights racing. Feels huge when I get out on the track but the pace soon picks up and I once again am comfortable in the pack. Just follow the race around watching what happens. The Road Runner girls (?) like to push in at the front and I oblige letting them do the early tempo setting.
The new format seems to prevent anyone from attacking early and trying their luck. With 2 laps warning, in this division that is a heap of time for the bunch to chase.
I'm at the back as the tension builds. A train of Bankstown riders arrive at the front as it gets closer. The whistle blows and everything speeds up. The bunch strings out and John (Annoying) whose wheel I'm on takes the long way around the top pushing for the front. From what I recall, there are 4 riders who are basically ahead and John pulls in behind them in the final straight placing 5th, with me on his wheel for 6th. The back is not the place to be when the mystery lap (minus one) is revealed.
Div 3-4 Combines
I was planning to race the 2-3 combines but Crafty called for more Div 3 riders to join the small group of 4s. Hard to resist such an offer. I spend some more time at the back of the race sitting in. Chidgey moves off the front and I sit on his wheel near the blue line. He can't decide whether he wants this position or not and eventually rolls further back.
With a few laps to go Matt Wallman figures that he's had enough at the back and attacks from high, dragging four riders off the front with him, splitting the bunch. Once again I find myself at the rear of a race.
The four riders + Matt stay out and no one is chasing. Matt dies with a lap to go and I decide to roll out and chase down the 4. Finish in 5th place in no mans land between the breakway and the field.
Conclusion
Another fun night of racing. Lots of little mishaps but no big spills. I counted two destroyed front wheels, 4 pulled feet at least, and Matt managed to break a rear spoke in the final race.
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