Critt'in away
Another week gone by in the crit series, and another fun race, this time with the organizers throwing in a surprise handicap, and a teams handicap whats more! That means that the fastest rider is paired with the slowest and so on, and a number plate change has to happen mid race as well. Unfortunately for me, i didn't bring his custom rip on, rip off carbon plate which would have been the go, but I think that may have been why they didn't tell anyone it was happening...!
From the go, the pace was on, with riders like Collett (freshly signed to Kona) AJ (scott/flight centre) Jack (Felt Racing) Dan Braunsteins (VIS, Richmond Cyc)and a cast of many others. All of whom were shown up by a guy on an STP with a middle ring who held most at bay for about a quater of the first lap! He was flying, but was soon dispensed with when the track opened up. Due to the format of teams racing, we elected to do 3 laps, and then change for the second 2, hopefully giving our partners open track to do their best!
The carnage at crits also continued, with a broken seat post, slipping chain, a wheel that jumped out of its drop outs, slow leaks from thorns and assorted crashes in the sandy conditions coming from this one race! For a track thats thought of as being metro, flat and easy (by some...) its always fraught with challenge no matter what pace you ride it at. A great little challenge mid week, like the FTF Ride of a wednesday night, of which Jack was cursing last night for some heavy legs. Heat + lots of riding + late nights (plus work) make a full on life for us at some points.
I know for one I was very happy to be astride my new Virtue bike, as there are some very rough sections that have been baked solid in the sun, and it seems to get faster as you go over these bits. I'm always amazed at the ease at which I can keep up with light weight hard tails, catching them in the rough bits, and not really conceding anything in the open sprints. Awesome stuff!
Anyway, I don't know the results, but at around 30deg, I know if hurt a lot even if it was just 3 laps! I think that we managed 4th, with Jack down the order a little due to a mechanical incident, and a hilarious run in (almost literally) with the race director :)
Till next time,
From the go, the pace was on, with riders like Collett (freshly signed to Kona) AJ (scott/flight centre) Jack (Felt Racing) Dan Braunsteins (VIS, Richmond Cyc)and a cast of many others. All of whom were shown up by a guy on an STP with a middle ring who held most at bay for about a quater of the first lap! He was flying, but was soon dispensed with when the track opened up. Due to the format of teams racing, we elected to do 3 laps, and then change for the second 2, hopefully giving our partners open track to do their best!
The carnage at crits also continued, with a broken seat post, slipping chain, a wheel that jumped out of its drop outs, slow leaks from thorns and assorted crashes in the sandy conditions coming from this one race! For a track thats thought of as being metro, flat and easy (by some...) its always fraught with challenge no matter what pace you ride it at. A great little challenge mid week, like the FTF Ride of a wednesday night, of which Jack was cursing last night for some heavy legs. Heat + lots of riding + late nights (plus work) make a full on life for us at some points.
I know for one I was very happy to be astride my new Virtue bike, as there are some very rough sections that have been baked solid in the sun, and it seems to get faster as you go over these bits. I'm always amazed at the ease at which I can keep up with light weight hard tails, catching them in the rough bits, and not really conceding anything in the open sprints. Awesome stuff!
Anyway, I don't know the results, but at around 30deg, I know if hurt a lot even if it was just 3 laps! I think that we managed 4th, with Jack down the order a little due to a mechanical incident, and a hilarious run in (almost literally) with the race director :)
Till next time,
posted by Ash Thomas at 8:02 am
2 Comments:
The silly little hobbit was in the way! It was not where I was expecting him to stand.
hehe, hobbit - no that's not nice.
PS. Ash, on closer inspection I think I was 4th, for once I see a few names below me. We should do this handicap thing more often.
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