Canberra Tour 2010 - Race Report

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T-Bone
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Postby T-Bone » 02 May 2010, 21:37

Me, Alex, Mark and Amy made the trip down to Canberra for the nice and hilly Canberra 2-day tour (3 if you ride a-grade).

I entered D-grade bunch 2 (2 d-grades due to numbers), and overall had a very successful race.
Stage 1 saw me conserve some energy especially after being held up by a rider crashing in front of me while going for the 2nd KOM. It was a 79km stage which ended up being 89km, and i finished in the front bunch with 3sec deficit before time bonuses were applied due to a small gap in the bunch to 1st and 2nd bunch.

Stage 2 was a nice short time trial of 3.5km, the only catch was that it was entirely uphill. This turned out to be to my benefit, as i pulled out a time of 8min51sec, 16sec in front of second place. According to the GC standings the next morning i was in second place 7sec behind, and 2sec in front of 3rd place (which is how things became confused later)

Stage 3 on the sunday morning was an 87km stage which began with a bit of fog lurking around. The pace was fairly relaxed with me, 1st and 3rd all watching each other, though 3rd did manage to pull 1sec back on a KOM, but i was sure to limit it to that single second and maintain my gap, 1st place also extended his lead with more KOM points (the competition he was also leading). Coming towards the finish an attack went and my legs began to suffer but i clawed my way back onto the bunch with 1km to go, however on the finishing circuit the rider in front let a gap open and i was unable to close it before the line so finished with a 6sec deficit to bunch time.

The confusion then began when the results came out with me in second place 5sec behind the winner and 15sec in front of third. After reading the race program again regarding time bonuses it stated for each stage they would be 1st-20sec, 2nd-10sec, 3rd-5sec, 4th-2sec. Nothing was said about no time bonuses for the time trial, so technically i should have been race leader after the second stage and the time gaps would have been different to the results we read. This also means that 6sec i lost at the finish lost me the race (probably wouldn't have happened if i knew i was leading).

Overall, i'm very happy with my result, as i wasn't expecting too much.

I'll let the others give their reports, as Mark worked hard in D-grade bunch 1, Alex suffered in B-grade, and Amy cleaned up in C-grade.

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Michael Chidgey
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Postby Michael Chidgey » 03 May 2010, 09:25

Great work James. i look forward to reading the other reports as they come in. Will there be any photos of the event?

shrubb face
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Postby shrubb face » 03 May 2010, 17:00

I'll get around to writing my report soon. Basic summary, i finished 30th overall out of 55 riders. It was the single most painful experiance ive ever had, but brilliant training if nothing else.

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Trouty
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Postby Trouty » 03 May 2010, 19:15

I'll get around to writing my report soon. Basic summary, i finished 30th overall out of 55 riders. It was the single most painful experiance ive ever had, but brilliant training if nothing else.
SOunds like the competition was insane. I don't think I have ever heard Alex experience so much pain in any event before? Well done for finishing.

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T-Bone
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Postby T-Bone » 03 May 2010, 21:33

Results are available here. My calculations put me at 25sec behind the leader (3rd place), though somewhere i've been given 20sec bonus by mistake..... :?

Since Amy hasn't posted yet. She finished 1st on GC and QOM in Womens C.

There's a few photo's here

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geoff m
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Postby geoff m » 03 May 2010, 22:14

Well done Alex, Mark and James. Especially some of those tussles James and the Stage win....no cramping this year.... great result and nice reporting.

Its very exciting to see Amy unleashing on the road this year. I mentioned Amy as one to watch at the Club Report at the AGM, and in her first official NSW road race she did not disappoint. How good was that. Clear leader by about 13 mins or something. GREAT STUFF AMY.

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geoff m
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Postby geoff m » 03 May 2010, 22:18

Amy......where's the traditional race report???????

And here's a nice shot.

http://www.photostockplus.com/home.php? ... &pcount=45

Please wear this jersey next Sunday with the Middies (I think maybe we are has beens now!) and we will all ride in front of you as domestiques all the way to Waterfall and back. At your service.

http://www.photostockplus.com/home.php? ... &pcount=45

And next RNP ride can we support you up the Waterfall Hill. I'll even do a Jens Voigt for about 400 metres (then count me out)

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mikesbytes
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Postby mikesbytes » 03 May 2010, 22:40

Well done everyone. Does this put Amy in Woman's B next time. What about you James? Up to C? What is the difference between D1 and D2?

Was there a crash? I covered a spin class for James Swadling who broke his wrist in a cycling accident in Canberra on the weeked.

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T-Bone
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Postby T-Bone » 04 May 2010, 00:02

D1 and D2 are the same, just split to reduce the bunch sizes. Though less people seem to enter D2 making the bunch a little smaller and the speed a bit slower.
Amy would have been fine in womens B grade, especially considering womens B + C raced the road stages together due to the small numbers.

There were a few crashes, though only one in my bunch (going uphill). There was a serious one in Womens C with the race leader crashing out in stage 3, and Alex mentioned they had the spinal board in use when he rode past during his race. Also a few others i think in the various grades.

MarkL
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Postby MarkL » 04 May 2010, 02:00

Report will come later this morning, still at work, must go home and sleep :wink:

kiwiames
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Postby kiwiames » 04 May 2010, 14:02

Well this was my first road race, and well the result good not have been better.

I entered Womens C, I had no idea of grading and some of the previous years results indicated this would be a good grade to start in. The numbers were down in B and C this year, so we were combined for both stage 1 and 3 - the road races. For Stage 2, C had a crit and B had a time trial.

Stage 1 we rolled out for a 44km race. I thought 44km sounded nothing, but the hills made up for the lack of distance. Canberra riders made up most of the grade and im sure they knew the roads and hills we would be racing over. it started of pretty easy going, like a casual training ride. One of the B grade girls decided to sit on the front and up the pace, i was sitting in quite comfortably. By midway and after a few hills half the pack was gone. the first KOM came around - now this being my first road race i didnt even know what a 'KOM' was. I wondered why everyone started sprinting up the hill. So i just thought i might as well join them, and off i went. I was 4th up that hill, i wish i had of known about the time bonuses you get for the KOM's, i found out after the race. On the return journey we had a very civilaised paceline of 8 riders.The last 2km the pace picks up, i was 4th in the last 1km, and thats how i finished. (2nd in C).

Stage 2 was a crit with just C grade. This was the stage i dis-liked the most. C grade had 6 riders from one club, including the leader, i was elbowed constantly, she kept barking out orders to her club mates to get in front of her, and they kept on yelling out, 'dont let 172 in'. 172 was me, i got 3rd in the final placings, not bad when it was a race dominated so much by 1 group. Not an enjoyable race for sure.

Stage 3 was the race where i needed to win both KOMs and somehow finish about 10secs in front of the leader. (well i think thats what i needed to do - my only plan was to win the first KOM, then go from there) i won the first KOM quite easily, and then thought it was possible to win the second, and since i was feeling better than day1, i started to believe i could take it outright - espically since the leader was starting to struggle, and kept yelling for her team to slow a bit. Luckliy half of her team were off the back by now so she didnt have as many to help her.

After that luck was on my side.

On the start of a big descent one of the girls completely lost control and she was off, the bike flew up about 3 metres in the air and she was over - taking out the leader.
I was just behind the first girl to lose control, i swerved right, her flying bike hitting my ankle, but so so luckily i managed to stay upright. That sickening sight of her bike flying in the air and her being thrown of the bike like a rag doll is still very much in my mind, it was a sickening sight. it is just a bike race afterall.
I spoke with her husband after the race and she was in hospital getting scans. her 2 young sons were very distrught as well. I kept on going with the riders that managed to escape, the officials said the race is still on. Its not the way i would have liked to win, but unfortunely there are crashes in bike races.

So i came away with 2 jerseys (overall and QOM) 2 gold medals and a stack of cash that works out to be a free weekend. Not bad for my first real road race - and i learnt what 'KOM' is.

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mikesbytes
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Postby mikesbytes » 04 May 2010, 14:19

Amy you were hot, that's H.O.T. hot. Well done :)

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weiyun
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Postby weiyun » 04 May 2010, 14:47

Fantastic achievement Amy! Look forward to seeing more out of you.

orphic
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Postby orphic » 04 May 2010, 16:52

Awesome stuff Amy! Stage 2 sounds pretty nasty... Kind of like being in a track race with those road runner girls.

Must have been a bit scary with a bike flying at you in the 3rd stage. Good work for staying on the bike and being composed enough to complete the race! That in itself deserves a jersey.

What was the women's A grade field like with B and C being so small?

MarkL
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Postby MarkL » 04 May 2010, 18:31

l throughly enjoyed the weekend and didn't know how l would cope with racing hills in my present condition - l'm still carrying some injuries from the crash at Beaumont Road. My aim was to just finish the first stage and still be in the Tour and go from there.

l rode in D1 which was a bigger group than D2 l thought that might be good as there could be more wheels to tag onto.
Stage 1 started off at a medium pace then gradually picked up and l managed to stay on for the risers but dropped back with several others on the first real climb. It was then a matter of survival for me and soon teamed up with a Northern Sydney CC rider called Silis. We worked hard but had to ease up a bit and we gradually caught three Canberra riders before the first turnaround. We were able to up the pace a bit, no speedo so no idea how much faster we were going, doing turns on the front and then changed to a rolling pace line. l cramped 12k from the finish and had to stop, get off the bike and stretch, l then was able to make it to the finish without further cramping. l was very glad to finish.

Stage 2 @ 3 to come :)

MarkL
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Postby MarkL » 05 May 2010, 00:26

Stage 2: 3.5k TT with riders starting at 30 second intervals. TTs hurt by nature and an uphill TT certainly did hurt. l started out too hot and soon settled into a rythum and the rider behind me zoomed pass, he then passed the rider before me. l kept turning the pedals and thought l was slowly gaining on the rider before me, ended up l gained 11 seconds on him. l was pleased to stop pedalling and riders were rewarded with a lovely view over Canberra and a nice downhill run.

Stage 3 started off at a steady pace until the first climb where the bunch rode off dropping a few riders including me. l teamed up again with Silis (NSCC) and a Canberra rider, however, after a few climbs the Canberra rider dropped off and then a stronger Canberra rider caught us. l was dropped on a climb and thought that if Silis stayed with the strong Canberra rider l would continue on my own as the slower Canberra rider was some distance behind. Silis was dropped and sat up for me to catch then we rode some distance working together. Eventually we spied some riders in the distance and caught them only to find that they were dropped C grade riders, so we kept riding and caught three Canberra riders and formed a mini bunch. Again, we worked well together intially doing turns on the front then doing a rolling paceline for a considerable distance. Within about 5k off the finish Silis cramped, l was slowing more on the hills and the 3 Canberra riders were rolling nicely. l was working hard downhill and on the flats to catch the Canberra guys only to drop back on the risers and didn't make contact before the last climb. l chased the Canberra guys onto the criterium circuit but couldn't catch them.

l had made it through the three stages and am really happy to have been able to ride it.

Really looking forward to next year and being a bit stronger, nice hills :wink:

The weather was perfect too and the pizza was good :D

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micklan
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Postby micklan » 05 May 2010, 09:57

Congratulations Amy, TBone, Mark and Alex...really amazing reports and top reading

Amy's Yellow jersey will be a sight on Sunday - although I think it'll be upfront in the fasties :shock:

Mark - mate hard going with the Beaumont Rd stack still with you...well done :arrow:

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Stuart
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Postby Stuart » 05 May 2010, 13:28

Well this was my first road race, and well the result good not have been better.
On the start of a big descent one of the girls completely lost control and she was off, the bike flew up about 3 metres in the air and she was over - taking out the leader.
So she just crashed without actually hitting anyone or anything else initially or did she run off the road or ?? I need more info on how a crash like that could occur.

Oh and congrats Amy, sounds like you need more support next year so we need some more fast elite fem's in the club.

kiwiames
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Postby kiwiames » 05 May 2010, 13:48

She lost control down a descent - speed wobbles maybe. It happened in a split second, she took out the rider on her left, i swerved right and stayed upright. 2 years ago they had a similar crash in one of the womens grades - the rider is now permantly injured/wheelchair bound, when she swerved to avoid the crash she went straight into an oncoming car.

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T-Bone
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Postby T-Bone » 05 May 2010, 15:10

Amy's Yellow jersey will be a sight on Sunday - although I think it'll be upfront in the fasties :shock:
Cootamundra this weekend, so you'll have to wait.

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micklan
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Postby micklan » 05 May 2010, 17:31

Cootamundra this weekend, so you'll have to wait.
Cool - yeah when u guys r winning may as well keep it going :mrgreen:

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mikesbytes
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Postby mikesbytes » 03 Apr 2011, 19:31

On the web site, I'm assuming this photo of Alex is from 2010

Image

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Karzie
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Postby Karzie » 04 Apr 2011, 09:12

Wow! Congratulations to all racers. What a result for Amy, esp with no team support.

Lizanne
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Postby Lizanne » 04 Apr 2011, 10:05

i need to get in on this type of racing!

Hey Amy i'll train really hard and maybe next year we can be a 'team'. you can totally be the leader.

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Trouty
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Postby Trouty » 04 Apr 2011, 18:08

Well this was my first road race, and well the result good not have been better.

Awesome result Amy, the new bike obviously has made a difference and you will only get stronger. Amy's shout on Saturday every one - wooohoo!!

I just realized this post is a year old...I thought it was similar to the story AMy said last year of the race. Oh well - I'm sure AMy will do just as well this year.
Last edited by Trouty on 04 Apr 2011, 21:48, edited 1 time in total.

shrubb face
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Postby shrubb face » 04 Apr 2011, 18:10

Um everyone does realise that this is the results thread from last year that Mike has bumped...

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mikesbytes
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Postby mikesbytes » 04 Apr 2011, 20:28

Um everyone does realise that this is the results thread from last year that Mike has bumped...
Yeh, I noticed that too, I was just posting the picture of Alex period correct


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