Racing in Canada

I arrived in Toronto five days ago and the focus since I landed has been on ensuring my body and equipment were in proper working order for my last road race of the season - The Queens Park GP.

In a previous incarnation the Queens Park GP was one of the classic races on the North American professional calender; it returned this year after a prolonged absence and may take some time to capture its former grandeur.

The setting for the race was idyllic. A two kilometer loop around the Canadian parliament, on closed roads, in the heart of Toronto. The loop was pan flat with three mild corners which required no more than a light feathering of the brakes.

Everything in Canada is bigger, shop floors span kilometers in diameter, the Blackrock tractors (SUV's) resemble hummers and donuts are sold by the dozen; cycling is no exception. The crowds of people who gathered to watch the race browsed stalls erected by major bike manufactures; hot-dog vendors tussled for prime position; exhibitors promoted the latest gadget that will invariably save you ten seconds in a race against the clock and participating teams sold club merchandise and paraphernalia. Cycling races, in this part of the world, are like any other event or exhibition - a chance for businesses to make profit and promote their product.

I was part of an eight man Jet Fuel team which had high hopes for the event despite the race attracting some of North Americas top professionals including: Michael Barry from team sky, Ryder Hesjedal from Garmin and a strong Planet Energy team directed by Steve Bauer.

The fear of the unknown in a race is uncertainty; uncertainty about your competition; uncertainty about the speed of the race to come and about how the body will preform in a warmer climate. I had a job to do within the team ensuring the team leader conserved energy and was not caught on the wrong side of a split. In addition I was given the freedom to initiate or follow any early attacks. In retrospect I was probably too conservative in the early stages.

The main break of the day formed about midway through the race and contained our team leader. The team was content with having their strongest rider in the break and patrolled the front of the bunch for the remainder of the race, closing gaps and ensuring a chase group was not established.

Unfortunately a mechanical problem within the closing meters meant our team leader dropped his chain in the sprint for the line but nevertheless placed a respectable 4th place. The rest of Team Jet Fuel rolled in as part of the main bunch.

The Crit experience was novel but I found I adapted fast and soon felt at home. Initially the intensity caught me off gaurd but once the body warmed up race pace was not a problem. I had a normalised power figure of 344 watts for the 80km race.

Lenister Track Championships

The Lenister Track Championships took place last Saturday at the outdoor track in Sundrive, Crumlin. The problem with having the racing surface exposed to the elements is, on occasion, weather necessitates that racing must be postponed or even cancelled.

The forecast for the day was for a scattering of showers but as the day unfolded it was clear racing could proceed - largely uninterrupted. I was planning on riding just the Scratch Race as the other event offered to the Senior men was a sprint event, to which I am not well suited. It turned out that the five hundred meter time trial was scheduled to take place before the Scratch race. I decided to race the time trial event as a warm-up for the scratch race.

I rode the five hundred meter time trial with no expectations. I went hard in the race but as soon as it finished I began my warm-up for the scratch race and did not concern myself with the results from the previous race.

The scratch race consisted of twenty two laps of the Sundrive circuit. The race was aggressive from the beginning with attacks going inside the first lap. I did not respond to any of the early attacks and relied on my competitors to close down the moves. On the third lap as one of the early breaks was caught I launched a speculative attack, not sure of the impact it would have -the purpose was to test legs around me. I opened a substantial gap immediately and was soon joined by John Lynch and Derek Cunningham - this was to develop into the race winning move.

Our group of three worked well together, sharing the pace setting and it soon became clear that this move would contest for the Lenister title. After some attacks and counter attacks the decisive move was made by John Lynch, attacking two laps from the finish for a fine solo win. I placed in the silver medal spot beating off Derek Cunningham in a sprint finish.

As I was standing around watching the five hundred meter presentation I heard my name being called. In my rush to get warmed up for the scratch race I had overlooked a bronze medal.

All things considered, it was not a bad day at the track. I would have liked to take a win in the scratch race but the unexpected bronze in the five hundred meter time trial lessened my disappointment.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Lenister Track Championships

The Lenister Track Championships took place last Saturday at the outdoor track in Sundrive, Crumlin. The problem with having the racing surface exposed to the elements is, on occasion, weather necessitates that racing must be postponed or even cancelled.

The forecast for the day was for a scattering of showers but as the day unfolded it was clear racing could proceed - largely uninterrupted. I was planning on riding just the Scratch Race as the other event offered to the Senior men was a sprint event, to which I am not well suited. It turned out that the five hundred meter time trial was scheduled to take

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Charleville 2 day

Is it possible to forget how to cycle? I was beginning to ponder this question as my mind drifted momentarily away from exam preparation. I am not entirely sure what cabin fever is but I am certain that isolation and excessive study are not good race preparation. I began the Charleville two day stage race twenty four hours after my last exam and absent from structured training for almost two weeks.

The shorter stages were a blessing and disguised, to a large extent, my lack of conditioning. Stage one was a 80km; the course was mostly flat but had about five hundred meters of road that made the surface on the pave sections in the Cicle Classic appear well paved. I conspired against myself to miss an early break that went clear containing most of the race favorites. On the last lap it was apparent that this break was not going to be caught with over a minute of an advantage. I kicked hard out of a corner and gave it gas on the 'off road section' and made the junction to the front group along with Steven Franzoni. I did not have much left in the legs for the sprint and crossed the line in 7th position.

The aptly named 'race of truth' folded my house of cards. Stage two was a flat 6.4 km time trial which should have suited me. However, as soon as I attempted to put the power down my legs started sending emergency signals to my brain - system overload! I placed a disappointing ninth in the test against the clock.

Heading into the afternoon stage I was lying in 7th place in the general classification; a mere twenty seconds adrift from the race lead. Stage three contained a challenging climb and my plan was simply - to make a heavy tempo up the climb in an attempt to burn off some of the six better placed riders. An early break went clear but I decided to stick to the pre-formulated action plan. The pace was hot and fast on the lower sloops of what must have been a fifteen to twenty minute climb. Only about seven riders managed to follow the pace and none of them were better placed than myself on the general classification. The group did not work well together and squandered a chance to make contact with the break after the climb. At one stage the gap was less than ten seconds but in the end this would grow to in excess of thirty seconds. The disjointed efforts of our chase group were punished in the closing kilometers as we were caught from behind by a group of ten riders, most of whom were ahead of me in the general classamend (in my best Sean Kelly accent). I placed 9th on the stage and remained in 7th position overall.

The old proverb tells of how the grass is always greener on the other side, from my experience the grass is greenest when your not buried in books and have ample training time.

I am looking forward to the rest of the racing this season. Next weekend I will race the Lenister Track Championships and the National B Championship Road Race before I travel to Canada on 14th September.