Heffron Racing 30/01/10
I have been meaning to race there, but having been dropped in the first few laps the last previous visits have put me off. I guess persistence will eventually make me finish with the bunch, so I may possibly try again the week after DHBC open - if other DHBC D graders are there.Yeah, i'll have a crack at C grade tomorrow. Hopefully it doesn't rain.
its probably a good thing you didnt ride today jo, as D grade was brutal. It was more like an all in brawl than a bike race. Me and Geoff were in both in D, and we were both going really well, Geoff was doing turns on the front, I was never further back than 5th or 6th. There were a few guys in there that probably should've been in C grade, though, and they attacked throughout. I felt brilliant, closing the gaps and countering everything. The pace was faster than last week where I only made 6 laps, but I was really comfortable up the front.
With two laps to go, one of the randwick guys launched the decisive attack. He got a big gap before two other guys, an older guy from some club I'd never heard before, and a kid that was probably a year older than me from north shore. I was boxed in momentarily, but when another kid from easts went, I found a gap and went for it. I timed it perfectly, because about a second later the whole bunch hit the deck.
Oblivious to what was going on behind, i caught and passed the kid from easts, and when i reached the older guy I sat on his wheel. The kid from north shore was further up the road. The easts kid caught us, and the older guy seemed more than happy to try and tow us up to the north shore kid.
As we came out of the swerple and onto the front straight to get the bell, disaster struck. I touched the easts kid's wheel at 40+kph, and unsurprisingly I hit the deck. I went from thinking about a podium to peeling myself off the pavement in less than a second.
Fortunately though, it happened so quickly that I still had my hands on my handlebars when I hit the deck, so nothing is broken. I do have a few big scratches up my arm, and a lovely bit of roadrash on my hip
.
I don't know much about the other grades, as everyone was more worried about the crashes in D grade than the results. I was talking to the north sydney kid afterwards, and he said when he crossed the line in second, noone seemed to notice, so I can only imagine it was like that for everyone else.
With two laps to go, one of the randwick guys launched the decisive attack. He got a big gap before two other guys, an older guy from some club I'd never heard before, and a kid that was probably a year older than me from north shore. I was boxed in momentarily, but when another kid from easts went, I found a gap and went for it. I timed it perfectly, because about a second later the whole bunch hit the deck.
Oblivious to what was going on behind, i caught and passed the kid from easts, and when i reached the older guy I sat on his wheel. The kid from north shore was further up the road. The easts kid caught us, and the older guy seemed more than happy to try and tow us up to the north shore kid.
As we came out of the swerple and onto the front straight to get the bell, disaster struck. I touched the easts kid's wheel at 40+kph, and unsurprisingly I hit the deck. I went from thinking about a podium to peeling myself off the pavement in less than a second.
Fortunately though, it happened so quickly that I still had my hands on my handlebars when I hit the deck, so nothing is broken. I do have a few big scratches up my arm, and a lovely bit of roadrash on my hip
.I don't know much about the other grades, as everyone was more worried about the crashes in D grade than the results. I was talking to the north sydney kid afterwards, and he said when he crossed the line in second, noone seemed to notice, so I can only imagine it was like that for everyone else.
Wow Hugo.....so close to a podium finish, what a shame you crashed, but lucky you are ok!! Great race report though.its probably a good thing you didnt ride today jo, as D grade was brutal.
Hmm...after hearing about this carnage....I must make sure to insure the Pinerallo before I race again. Be a shame to have a crash and see it injured at this early stage of it's life - especially if I have to pay for a replacement. I think Stuart would divorce me.
Happy to give a supplementary report to the above brilliant description from Hugo. First some stats:
13 D Grade racers
6 clashes of machines
4 down
2 hospitalised
1 with broken collarbone, broken ribs and one collapsed lung
These are not good stats..........
On lap 10 one guy went off, followed by another. Being in third wheel I chased with the bunch sitting on the back of me for 1.5kms. I swore at the whole lot of them (except Hugo who I told to take it easy and sit tight) because as I was absolutely stuffed around the corner after the finish line with 2 laps to go, two of them decided that I wasn't going to catch the two in front (obviously by myself) and launched an attack from the back to then bridge the gap (great tactics guys). It was then when Hugo decided to jump onto them.
I then felt a wheel surging from behind onto my back wheel which seemed to get entagled and I started sliding, but managed to unlock before hearing the sickening clash of metal to concrete to turn around and see two more go over head over heel. I procrastinated whilst wondering whether to stop and assist, but the officials at the finish line where within 100 metres and I continued on.
I never regained the 50 metres Hugo and Co now had on me as they chased the two separate riders in front of them. I did witness Hugo go down and he looked OK, so informed his dad as I rode by on the bell lap.
Upon finishing I stopped to provide some additional first aid whilst we waited for two ambos. Poor Peter from another club was badly off in alot of pain, and breathing difficultly but managed to bravely stay waiting to be treated further. When the ambos came it still took some time for us to get him off and away.
One other guy was sitting quitely and nothing seemed broken, but I reckon he was concussed, and they took him too. The remaining guy lost a bit of bark, and then shook my hands. Happens he was a friend from my wife's side and we hadn't seen him since his dad's funeral two years ago. Good to see him riding and racing. I believe it was his son who rode with Hugo in the final stages.
Let's hope Peter makes a good recovery and is back on his bike.
13 D Grade racers
6 clashes of machines
4 down
2 hospitalised
1 with broken collarbone, broken ribs and one collapsed lung
These are not good stats..........
On lap 10 one guy went off, followed by another. Being in third wheel I chased with the bunch sitting on the back of me for 1.5kms. I swore at the whole lot of them (except Hugo who I told to take it easy and sit tight) because as I was absolutely stuffed around the corner after the finish line with 2 laps to go, two of them decided that I wasn't going to catch the two in front (obviously by myself) and launched an attack from the back to then bridge the gap (great tactics guys). It was then when Hugo decided to jump onto them.
I then felt a wheel surging from behind onto my back wheel which seemed to get entagled and I started sliding, but managed to unlock before hearing the sickening clash of metal to concrete to turn around and see two more go over head over heel. I procrastinated whilst wondering whether to stop and assist, but the officials at the finish line where within 100 metres and I continued on.
I never regained the 50 metres Hugo and Co now had on me as they chased the two separate riders in front of them. I did witness Hugo go down and he looked OK, so informed his dad as I rode by on the bell lap.
Upon finishing I stopped to provide some additional first aid whilst we waited for two ambos. Poor Peter from another club was badly off in alot of pain, and breathing difficultly but managed to bravely stay waiting to be treated further. When the ambos came it still took some time for us to get him off and away.
One other guy was sitting quitely and nothing seemed broken, but I reckon he was concussed, and they took him too. The remaining guy lost a bit of bark, and then shook my hands. Happens he was a friend from my wife's side and we hadn't seen him since his dad's funeral two years ago. Good to see him riding and racing. I believe it was his son who rode with Hugo in the final stages.
Let's hope Peter makes a good recovery and is back on his bike.
man grammer isnt every thingHugo that is the best Heffron report - the grammar is tops
Sad to hear about the crashes.
Heffron is a great crit race
i think that having a good vibe to your writing can be good also (lol your vibe was cool too, hugo, im just standing up for any spelling and gramatical errors by any one else that ever posts reports on things..
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