B2B ride reports 2013

Road cycling & upcoming rides
Eleri
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Postby Eleri » 21 Apr 2013, 23:00

Sometimes big events like B2B can be challenging to ride because of the different abilities, speeds and consistency of other riders. Last time I did the 165km ride and did long stretches by myself and no real bunches forming for much of it. Or when they did I caught up with them, and they were slower than me. That said, last year I won my age group.

After last year, I hatched a plan to see if I could win or at least place in the Women’s category. 165km is a long way to ride for most women and numbers showed a strong preference for the 110km, including some super-fast young women. It’s a good distance for me however and a short ride compared to the ACE 250 or Audax to Goulburn (300km). My plan was to create a team that would ride for me and deliver me over the line. Over the year I discussed my plan with a few people and Adrian, Jeremy and Mark L thought it sounded like fun and we entered a team in the 165.

A few weeks later, it got cancelled. Hmm what to do? I couldn’t possibly win the 110, but maybe I could win my age category. We weren’t sure but I was feeling a bit cheated by having the race that I had been planning all year taken away from me.

But we entered the 110 anyway. We could stay at my brother’s place in Bathurst and he would manage logistics including getting us to the start, driving to strategic points along the course to take photos and cheer us on at the top of Rockley Mountain.

The team trained by riding with the fasties the week before the ride while I was off flogging myself at West Head. The night before the ride we discussed tactics but as none of us had actually ridden in a team like this before, we didn’t get much beyond “if one of us gets a flat we won’t stop for them … unless it’s Eleri”. Not that would have been much help as I had decided to ride singles and had no backup plan.

Got to Blayney and failed to warm up which turned out to be a bit of a mistake. I take a very long time to warm up. At about the 3km mark we hit a molehill and I came close to redlining and had to get the team to slow down massively. At that point I decided the rough road sensation was flat tyre sensation and would have happily chucked the towel in at that point.

But, I warmed up eventually and we got faster. The boys are all faster than me up hills and that’s where I struggled to keep the pace. Adrian gave me a push up parts of Rockley Mountain – a mammoth effort on his part and very welcome to me.

Our team were pace setters and would end up on the front with me clinging to a wheel and a bunch of hangers on behind us. We set a fierce pace on the flat and rode very consistently thanks to whoever was on the front at the time. Great wheels to sit on, all three.

I couldn’t have ridden any faster. I spent over half the time at threshold HR and it felt like it. Overall we did just over 31kph, which for me was a pretty good effort over that distance. I couldn’t have done it by myself that’s for sure.

Huge thanks to Adrian, Jeremy and Mark – I really appreciated their commitment to the team and willingness to help me get over the line. And to Pia for transfers, photos and sitting in the passenger seat with my rally-driver brother as they chased us round the course.

It challenged all of us in different ways – the boys because they didn’t get to ride at their own pace but had to modify it for me. It certainly pushed me to ride faster and harder.

And we all discovered that a steady wheel riding our own race attracts many hangers on who won’t do any work on the front or, like me, probably couldn’t. I found many people happy to knock me off my wheel and I had to assert myself back into place.

In the end, I didn’t win my age group but haven’t seen any other places or times yet.

One of the best parts of the weekend for me was seeing so many DHBC people out at Bathurst. Lots of Club kit everywhere making you all easy to spot. And I’m delighted the juniors turned up in numbers and then did really well in the hill climbs, crits and in the 70km race.

Congrats to all of you who placed and indeed to everyone who rode.

It was also perfect weather, a bit nippy to start but warmed up nicely and was sunny to boot.

P.S. I’m delighted that Strawburger found out he won his hill climb when Adrian posted it on facebook ☺

Peter T
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Postby Peter T » 22 Apr 2013, 12:04

A great ride report Eleri, very evocative and could feel the hills and pace as I read it!

Couldn't believe there were dorks trying to take your pace wheel off you.

Have they no respect?

Congrats to all of you who went out.

bnej
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Joined: 05 Jul 2010, 20:28

Postby bnej » 22 Apr 2013, 13:39

Best ever B2B for me, 2km/h faster than last year, finished 3:24 at 32.2 km/h, spent most of the ride in a big unruly bunch with Phillip. The big bunch blew apart on Rockly, Phillip disappeared into the distance, but after the climb I got into some great paceline work in the last ks with some green jersey riders from a local Bathurst club, with a group of 6 or so with everyone pulling through their turns.

Last time I climbed Rockley it was still dirt road at the top, and it was raining and muddy to boot, for some reason it was harder than I remembered now it's sealed all the way up!

B2B is such a fantastic event, the 70k edition was the first serious road ride I ever did - about a month after buying a road bike, back when it still finished on top of Mt Panorama instead of at the bottom. It's great to see how popular and well supported it's become over the years.

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Philip
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Postby Philip » 22 Apr 2013, 15:07

Like Ben I love this ride. Last year's event was my first crack at an imperial century, which is why I carried on up Rockley despite knowing I'd have to turn around at the top, I got my 160 though. Being a different distance this year it makes comparisons hard, I can only say the hills seemed much easier this time around and my average speed went from 32.1 to 33.6.

As Ben said we took off together and had a large and unruly bunch to ride with. I, at one point when they slowed right down on one of the bumps, decided foolishly to take off. I wasn't really thinking about breaking away as such, just getting out from behind some of those wheels. When I looked around I found I was all alone. I chased down some other small groups and solo riders only to realise the bleeding obvious, if I can chase them down then they are slower than me and won't be much help. My lack of experience in all things racing was beginning to dawn on me at this point. I soldiered on for some time only to be caught by the original bunch, which had by that time thinned down a little and was less annoying, I was also tired and had found a new sense of tolerance. I think I left them behind a few more times briefly on some of the other bumps only to be caught again. Then came Rockley, what a joy, I don't know how it happened but I have come to love hills. Finding a rhythm and living in that rhythm for as long as it takes is a strangely joyous thing, even despite the pain. After Rockley I teamed up with half a dozen riders and we managed to maintain a rough semblance of a pace line all the way to the outskirts of Bathurst. Then I tagged along with a large bunch of children riding like demons from the short course. A big guy in a Jindabyne jersey, from the original group, was still with me at the turn into Mt Panarama. I thought he was going to beat me to the line but the last little jagged bump after the tunnel did him in.

Had a great time, was a great weekend. The important lesson learnt was, breaking away early is a total waste of time and effort. I know, I know... racing 101, but you must realise this old dog is a slow learner when it comes to new tricks.

It is always a joy to see the red jerseys on the road, congratulations to all.

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Trouty
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Postby Trouty » 22 Apr 2013, 15:36

Great race reports, and congratulations every one. Great to see DHBC jerseys on show with a vengeance. It sounded very painful to me.....so you all deserve a sleep I. This week.

pia
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Joined: 03 Oct 2012, 07:58

Postby pia » 22 Apr 2013, 21:06

Great riding at the B2B! Thanks to Eleri's brother's local knowledge, I had some great vantage points for photos.

They are available here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92925593@N ... 303002342/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92925593@N ... 298937681/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92925593@N ... 303236080/

andrewm
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Postby andrewm » 22 Apr 2013, 22:44

I enjoyed that.

Was wondering where too seed myself. I originally put myself in the 30 to 35 group. But that was for the 160. James suggested I go in the 40+ group. I suspect I'd blow up at that pace. Started in the 35 to 40 group with Eleris team. After reading the horror stories of the crash fest I thought it would be comforting to be surrounded by red jerseys. It was. After a slightly shamboic start we rolled off and Eleri started warming up. After about 20 minutes Adrian suggested that if I wanted to test myself I should take off. I was only an interloper in the team after all. When the next bunch caught up, I took up the offer and jumped on.

A small group of 20 or so soon rode off the front, and I went with them. We all worked well for a while, sharing turns. We kept picking up people, and the bunch stopped working so well. After the third time of being left dangling at the front of the paceline, twitching my elbow as if having a fit, then slowing down until someone got impatient - I resolved to stay away from the front.

Eventually this became a mega bunch of 200 or so. We kept picking up people. I stayed in the first 40 or so and it was ok. A bit of surging, and I quickly learnt to be right near the front for any hills. This didn't result in any more turns as there was some crazy descending on the wrong side of the road as people sought to regain the position they lost on the climbs.

One notable bit of karma when someone I was passing on the right forced his way onto the wheel I was following. He immediately punctured.

Mega bunch shattered into hundreds of pieces at mt rockley. I crested with only a few people around me and descended on my own. Very happy about that after previous hijinks. Picked up a small group on the run into Bathurst. Three riders seemed quite happy to do most of the work.

Finished in around 3:10 with a 34.8 average. Spent 57 minutes at threshold, so couldn't have gone much faster. Probably would have blown up had I trued tge 40+ bunch. Not sure i want to tho after reading some of the horror stories on BNA. I seemed to have been quite lucky with the bunch I found myself in.

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utopia
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Location: Canterbury

Postby utopia » 22 Apr 2013, 23:22

B2B 70km with Francis who was having the sniffles but rode anyway.
No real bunch riding of any kind as we didn't choose the right group but a good experience nonetheless.
Descending The Drop (http://app.strava.com/segments/2655574) from the midway point I saw a preceding rider, whom I assume overcook the right hand bend, valiantly control her bike at 8% descent on the grass verge (I thought she was done for) before she managed to jump back on the road. I was prudently braking when the wind hit me from the right - Francis later said it moved him 20cm or so to the left which was probably what happened to that rider.
Strava says average of 25.1 kmh at the end of the ride
I brought back the Bathurst flu and considering how I'm feeling today, I think he did an awesome ride.

Scott_W
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Joined: 08 Jan 2013, 09:02
Location: Petersham

Postby Scott_W » 23 Apr 2013, 17:14

Entered in the 110km after they cancelled the 160km (why???)

I haven't done a stack of training since 3 Peaks and this was a great prompt to keep pedalling - with a wife 15 weeks pregnant and a 3 yr old boy as well I managed to get the green light for this weekend by making a family trip with my sister coming up from Canberra with her children as well. With both families shacked up in a house I was set for Sunday. Had a quick shakedown on Saturday which was great - did my first lap of Mt Panorama - however at 16:30 for a lap I don't think I'll be worrying too many people.

On Sunday I set off in the 25-30km group and settled in nicely with a group flying at 35+, caught up to Eleri and Co - however given I still don't own a DHBC Jersey (XL is a hard size to get your hands on). I'm not sure they recognised me when I said hi. Was cruising along nicely when unfortunately nature called and I had to make a pit stop at the 2nd water stop. Having got myself in order I set off again with 3 others and we made good time to Rockley with the bunch having grown to 15+. This was whittled down on the climb, just over the top and stopped briefly to help a fellow who managed to wrap his chain in places it shouldn't go. Unfortunately it was a lift back to the pits for him.

Cruised over the line at 3:40, less nature and mechanical stops it was 3:30 according to Strava - cracker ride and awesome weather. Will be back next year family permitting.

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Adrian E
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Postby Adrian E » 23 Apr 2013, 17:55

Good to see you Scott. Yes it is easier to spot other people with DHBC jerseys on. I rode along past old flatmate at one point but nether of us recognised each other until we got talking. Small world :oops:

I can't say much for the race other than it was very fun ride. Our little team of domestiques worked hard and it was quite satisfying to ride on the front for most of the way slowly pulling back bunches only to have them all sit on the 'DHBC train'. We definitely 'warmed up' in the second half of the race where we picked up a lot more riders than passed us. It was great to ride as a team. Much more satisfying than riding as individuals. I might have to get a race licence and sign up for the team time trial in a few months if anyone needs an MA1?

Strawburger
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Postby Strawburger » 23 Apr 2013, 20:55

Saturday: a flat 15mins before the TT got the heart racing! Lined up and the first 5 mins went to plan. On the steep bit I gave it everything and had just enough to get over the line. Waited around for an hour after for results but none came through. Was told by an official that hey had timing problems. Went back to the hotel at millthorpe and out for lunch with the wife when Facebook told me I won! Bummed I missed the presentation and am still shocked with the win. Fortunately all three riders is MAS2 missed the presentation so I don't feel as dumb!

Sunday: 110km 40+ : race over before it started. Large gaps formed in the neutral zone. I bridged about 6 and was closing in with the tail of the peloton before a crash in front halted the bunch enough to watch it disappear over the rolling hills. Settled into a bunch and we worked ok, ended up doing large amounts of work with many hangers on. Had enough and took off up the large climb and descended safely, sat up and waited for a small bunch. Worked well, caught a large group in front and spat them out. Rolled in just on 3hrs.

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Philip
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Postby Philip » 24 Apr 2013, 14:01

Preliminary results are up. Andrew, you beat me by 42 seconds! Doh, Doh, Doh!
Amazingly close considering we didn't ride together at any point.

http://www.westernadvocate.com.au/story ... teractive/

andrewm
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Postby andrewm » 24 Apr 2013, 14:24

Preliminary results are up. Andrew, you beat me by 42 seconds! Doh, Doh, Doh!
Amazingly close considering we didn't ride together at any point.
5 minutes slower than I thought (combination of odd garmin fail and user error). Still, pretty happy with that as a first attempt.

scarily close Phillip.

Eleri
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Location: Erskineville

Postby Eleri » 24 Apr 2013, 15:28

Here are the DHBC results for the 110km - minus people who didn't say they were DHBC. Congrats Tai - the only DHBC member to finish in under 3 hours. Simon you needed to be 26 secs faster to achieve that milestone!

All up we had 28 DHBC people named in the 70 and the 110. Great turn up all round.

Race Number Name Gender Team Division Clock Performance Division Place Gender Place Overall Place
1552 Tai HUYNH Male Dulwich Hill BC 23-34 2:53:50 41 130 131
1167 Simon BERRY Male Dulwich Hill BC 35-49 3:00:25 69 185 187
1649 William LEHMANN Male Dulwich Hill BC 23-34 3:04:19 66 237 246
1692 Andrew MATTES Male Dulwich Hill BC 35-49 3:15:33 165 350 368
1642 Philip LE MASURIER Male Dulwich Hill BC 50-64 3:16:15 59 362 381
1654 Ben LILBURNE Male Dulwich Hill BC 23-34 3:23:40 87 413 441
1100 Adrian EMILSEN Male Team Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club Mixed 3:30:50 6 42 43
1102 Eleri MORGAN-THOMAS Female Team Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club Mixed 3:30:51 2 2 44
2002 Jeremy THOMSON Male Dulwich Hill BC 35-49 3:30:51 213 453 493
1101 Mark LACEY Male Team Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club Mixed 3:31:18 7 45 47
1459 Allan GOLDSWORTHY Male Dulwich Hill BC 50-64 3:35:51 111 502 545
2070 Scott WILSON Male Dulwich Hill BC 35-49 3:41:32 256 534 584
1752 Robert MORTEN Male Dulwich Hill BC 50-64 3:46:54 134 564 618
1798 Ray PATTON Male Dulwich Hill BC 50-64 3:46:54 135 565 619
1627 Tim LAPORTE Male Dulwich Hill BC 35-49 3:49:49 278 580 634
1485 Mark HALES Male Dulwich Hill BC 35-49 4:02:34 321 656 719
1395 Adam FARRAR Male Dulwich Hill BC 50-64 4:04:46 169 663 727
592 Peter TOMAZOS Male Dulwich Hill BC 35-49 4:07:16 331 674 738
1327 Phil DANIEL Male Dulwich Hill BC 35-49 4:20:27 350 713 786

Edit: The 2nd placing for me is in the Mixed Teams division. I wasn't racing in my age group apparently. I didn't know that but it wouldn't have made any difference.

boltonfamily
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Postby boltonfamily » 30 Apr 2013, 22:12

First for the Bolton family - all riding the same event (the 70 km) - not quite together, but we met at the end. And we'll do it again - a great day out!


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