West Head road race 12 Jan

Road cycling & upcoming rides
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paul
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Postby paul » 04 Dec 2013, 10:35

I'm riding this on Sunday. Some DHBC company in C Hubbard grade would be nice. Entry online via the mwcc website.
Paul
Last edited by paul on 09 Jan 2014, 20:09, edited 1 time in total.

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humanbeing
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Postby humanbeing » 04 Dec 2013, 11:00

Doing the "In Search Of Hills" Audax on Sunday and I believe we'll be riding Akuna Bay and West Head so maybe we'll see you?
Have a great ride,
Peter

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paul
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Postby paul » 09 Dec 2013, 20:08

Report: West Head Road Race C Hubbard Grade

The race starts at Akuna Bay marina, climbs up to the turnoff to West Head, then two laps out to West Head and back to the turnoff, before an up-hill sprint to finish at the Elvina track car park. I rode C Hubbard Grade, the ‘Hubbard’ means the climb from Akuna Bay to the West Head turnoff is neutral, which takes care of the warm-up.

The climb and first lap out to West Head were uneventful, apart from lots of sightings. First Cadel Evans, who was leading what seemed to be a group of social riders, then the DHBC contingent doing the In Search of Hills Audax ride. At the turn-around, I rode into a low-hanging branch, just seeing it in time to duck my head.

Second lap was faster, cresting the climb at the West Head wall, my chain dropped when changing onto the big ring. I recovered it without stopping, but lost a lot of places and was back with riders who had been dropped on the climb. With a hard effort up the next little hill I was back on the tail of the bunch, phew, and then rode straight into that same branch! There were half-hearted attacks on every one of the undulations coming back to the turnaround, but the bunch was pretty much intact racing up the last pinch before the tee-junction. I was caught napping here and was about fifteen riders back going around the hairpin, and just didn't have the legs to get back up to the contenders. Sitting up with about 500 m to go, the only female in the my grade sprinted past me, I put my head down again and might have just got past her on the line. At the finish someone pointed out leaves and twigs stuck in my helmet, from that branch.

These are great races. Well run, spectacular course, and the only regular road racing near Sydney.
I plan to be there for the next one in January.

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humanbeing
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Postby humanbeing » 10 Dec 2013, 07:27

Great report Paul. I saw you and Cadel on the day as we passed through.
Have a great ride,
Peter

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anna_g
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Postby anna_g » 10 Dec 2013, 09:45

Great report Paul. I saw you and Cadel on the day as we passed through.
Have a great ride,
Peter
Did Cadel race in the same grade as you paul?

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paul
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Postby paul » 09 Jan 2014, 11:24

I'm racing this again on Sunday.
Any others going?

Paul

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paul
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Postby paul » 12 Jan 2014, 21:20

Race Report: West Head Road Race C Hubbard, 12 Jan.

Back for another crack at this race after going ok but not great last month. To accommodate Margo’s ride plans, I parked at Terry Hills and rode to the start, which was a good warm-up. Racing,once again I was the only red jersey in a bunch of about 30. The climb out of Akuna bay was neutral, and the first lap out to West Head and back was pretty steady. This month I missed the low hanging branch at the turn-around, but did see another rider hit it.

On the second lap there were attacks on the undulations out to West Head. I tried a couple of times to get into a break, one time chasing across to two Manly riders who had a bit of a gap, but as soon as I caught them they sat up. Going over the West Head wall, I was in the first few and feeling ok. At the turn, a spectator in DHBC jersey shouted some encouragement. I couldn’t catch who it was, but thanks!

The pace was pushed on the hills on the last leg back, but I was still feeling comfortable near the front. At one point two riders in front of me started elbowing each other, but cooler heads in the bunch told them to cut it out. Learning from last month, I paid attention on the last hill before the tee-junction, and went around the final corner in about eighth place. Accelerating up the pinch after the turn, there were a lot of riders strung out behind, and it was clear that the winner was going to come from the little group around me. Hanging on up the climb, I was still in it going down the other side and onto the final hill to the sprint. At the end I mistimed my sprint and came in sixth, but within striking distance of the winner.

Today was the first time I’ve been in the sprint at West Head, so I was pretty happy with the ride. Riding back to Terry Hills I saw Eugene, don’t know if he raced.

Again I'd recommend these races to anyone wanting to try road racing.

Eleri
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Postby Eleri » 12 Jan 2014, 21:52

Nice work Paul! Persistence is paying off and getting the hang of the course too.

Someone was mentioning to me they wanted to race at West Head. Who was it?

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Stuart
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Postby Stuart » 13 Jan 2014, 17:07

Great work Paul, I'm sure next time will see you on the podium. However, the idea of racing West Head is laughable for this Vets D grader - there's lots of hills


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