Ras Mumhan

I was in the middle of writing a Ras Mumhan race report when I was gifted this comprehensive summary from a couple of team mates.

I am not responsible for the content that follows, that must be credited to a pair of intrepid, roving reporters, Messrs Dwyer(skip) and O'Conluain(gooch).

The Gooch's Take on it all.

This year the team had 3 riders (Anto, Gus and Fiachra) from last years exploits who were continuing their build up for the big one in May. Niall and Ciaran joined them but had different goals of building form and fitness for the rest of the season. As in every race there are two ways to look at it. From the front and from the back. IN this special report we are lucky to have Nialls “Tales from the Broom” which follows on from Gus’s legendary report from last year, looking at the race as it moves away from them.

However we must start at the front of the Race where UCD had more Great Success. The first day saw a crash on the first climb split the peloton and left Ciaran and Mike chasing to get back onto to the group which had Anto constantly attacking from. When we finally got back on with 30km to go it was a shame that Anto hadnt made it into a small group up the road that had over a minute gap on us. Myself and Mike did some work on the front but we were never going to get it back so Anto jumped away and this time it stuck leaving him in a chase group and me and Mike keeping the peloton together as best we could. With 8km to go we hit a brutal crosswind section then straight into a cat 3 climb which left Ciaran in the cars and he crossed the line behind Mike and the main bunch but Anto had gained some valuable seconds in that chasing group. The rest of the team came home in a group just behind and it was a trip to the local Italian restaurant for the “Pantani Pasta” that got the smiles on the faces again.

Day 2 was the epic finale on the Connor Pass. It started out on Dingle and was carnage with rivers and montains to be crossed it was always going to split up and a crash in the bunch certainly did that. Overall Anto stayed out of trouble and attacked at the bottom of the climb passing some of the strong breakaway riders on his way to a fine 11th place. Many said he did one of the fastest ascents of the Col that day, if not in the history of cycling.

Mike came in next then followed by Ciaran in what turned out to be one of the hardest days ever on the bike (this can be seen by Mike lying under Ciarans car for shelter). Fiachra, Gus and Niall followed and were very eager for the next day to be less wild and adventerous but that wasnt to be the case!

Stage 3 was another shocker witha trip out to Valentia Island. Anto Gus and Mike all stuck into the bunch till they hit the “wall” climb on the island which split it up totally after 80kms of racing. Numerous more climbs were to be had and when Antos attacking finally paid off he got into a group with the eventuall winner and also the current yellow jersey. It was another incredible move and he got 7th in the 12 man sprint into waterville. What a ride and it shot him up to 11th overall on GC. Up there with the good lads!




Niall was helped with some issues by the Gent and Gus did what must have been the longest ever effort to hold a 20second gap on a group of 20 riders ever seen. He left Valentia Island 20 seconds behind them and 40kms later he crossed the line the same time behind them. He was 250m behind the group all that time. He should have just went a little faster.

By the time day 4 came around everyone was wrecked and it was expected to be an easier day till they hit the town of Killorglin for 10laps up the steep hill after 80km. A split in the bunch after 5km with Anto and the yellow jersey missing out on it meant for a tough day for all involved. Anto never did manage to get them leaders back and they kept it at around 90secs throughout. If he had of been in the split himself he could have moved in to around 7th place but it wasnt to be. He crossed the line as did all the other riders in what was an epic weekend of racing.



Chapeau to Anto for what was pure class throughout. Same to Gus in what was his second race of the season (his first ended after 15mins!). Same to the Gent for sacrificing his race to stick with his teammate when needed. Chapeau to Mike for what would have been another big jump up for his growing reputation until a bug caused him to pull out and finally thanks to Jason who sacrificed his place riding so he could drive 5 moany riders around and keep them going when the going stayed tough.


The Skippers twist on the events

For a look at the race from our past captains view here is this years “Tales from the Broom” courtesy of Niall W. Dwyer.

Friday morning met the lads at 8:10am Clontarf dart station. To keep with tradition I was of course about 5 minutes late. Within minutes of getting into the car Walsh had me “freaked” about the weekend that lay ahead. “Skip Valentia island hell on earth echelons all over the shop lined out”.Stopping at the lights near Tara street dart station I contemplated pulling a legger and running for the hills. Decided the grief id get it wouldn’t be worth it. Team tactics were later discussed over coffee and scrambled eggs in Adare. Gus was to stick behind Ciaran and Fiachra for the whole weekend both on and off the road in an attempt to not get caught out in the splits. Anto was let loose to do his own thing and well Dwyer good lad just dig in you’ll be grand was the general consensus I think.

Stage 1.Good Friday April 22nd. “The Slide through Sliabh Luachra” 105km and 3 climbs.

After a mock race start for the benefit of national television the peloton were to ride 13km neutralized. This kind of edgy nervous riding squeaking breaks was something I was well accustomed to riding as a cat 3 for the last three years “wo wo wo jaysus lads”. Once the flag was dropped the pace picked up then picked up again and then picked up for a third and a fourth time I looked down at cycling computer heart rate 180 speed 61.7 km. Lifted the head looked back at the back of the bunch already dig dig dig dig still at the back of the bunch shit im not fit Jesus I should be riding the Connemara 3 day or an adventure race or just having the craic with the lads god I hate cycling. At 26km the first major obstacle of the day I was still hanging on just about before the category three climb. Here we go pop into the little ring pop in to that new 28 sprocket nice one Daniel (for that BRAND NEW cassette).I knew that would come in handy. Riders started ripping up past me right I’m getting dropped race over “Come on Niall ride harder come ride harder”. Who is that? Ah it was Gus I rode a bit harder no legs gone “beep beep beep” South Dublin car comes by us followed by another and another and a few motor bikes a few cyclists. All I can think “Friday and Monday are Piano skip”. Things finally settle down in a bunch of 6 very quiet lads not much talking 70km to go well ride this one out. We rode up and over for the next 50 odd k until a group of about 15 came up from behind pleasantly surprised I relaised I wasn’t actually last man on the road. We arrived in a very sedate killorglin 20 minute down on the winner rode through the line straight back to the Bed and Breakfast. “That the easy day done tomorrows going to be rough”

Stage 2. Easter Saturday April 23rd. The “Dance around Dingle”( “Damhsa an Daingean”) 130 km stage, and 4 climbs.
After a breakfast of scrambled egg porridge Some of Ciarans techno and gangster rap we arrived in Dingle in good time. My head was in order I was confident enough going into the stage sure I had nothing to lose. Here I made my first of many amateur mistake of the weekend never warm up on your own. Descending down the bottom of Connor pass I hit a pot hole and punctured my BRAND NEW GP4000 tyre. Thanks to the surrey lads Jason came to the rescue with a spare wheel. So the race started again at a frantic pace things were going well (when I say well I mean I hadn’t been dropped yet) till we arrived at the river crossing. Once over the water the bunch was lined out and I found myself out the back already in a small group of 6. Within minutes we arrived at a chaotic crash scene bikes and bodies everywhere held up for about a minute the chase was on lads flying by my hanging out of cars no car for me tho. Eventually got on to the bumper of the Blarney car. All was well till the blarney lad got on the wing mirror and off they went into the distance. So that scene was set I’m riding the next 110km solo “just another day in paradise”. Confident I was last man I slowed down waiting for the BROOM after an hour still no broom 90 minutes still no broom. Two riders eventually caught up to me “weve been 200 metres behind you for the lat 50km” WHAA. I sat on for the next hour or so winging about my rear wheel and how is was rubbing and how I had no water and how I was only an a3 and how I hated cycling and wished I was back in Anglo. They were great listeners. Approaching the Connor pass last climb of the day Grainne handed me a bottle of water from the side of the rode I thought for about a second will I share it with lads no chance gulp gulp ahhh gone bring it on last climb of the day. Our little bunch split dropped one of the killorglin boys only to find him creeping up beside me on the back of a camper van “you’re a complete bollox” actually that’s a great idea jumped on aswell . Then jumped off that’s cheating Dwyer then jumped back on then jumped off and rode it out alone.




Stage 3. Easter Sunday April 24th. “ The Waltz around Waterville” The 142km and 6 climbs along the way.

Things were going well on this stage I was becoming accustomed to the 60km an hour role outs. All was in order till we arrived at a cheeky little uncategorized climb before the first cat 2 of the day. I managed to hang on over the first climb descended poorly as is always and then started to lose wheels on the cat 2. Got over the top after about 10km a good group of 20 odd riders had formed all riding up and over’s bar one lad form Dectek “I packed yesterday just out on a training ride” Ah sure sit on why not we dont mind. Things were still going well as we arrived on Valentia Island. I thought to myself what was Anto on about this is a grand little island. First to crest the top of the hill out of my little group I thought to myself this is your day Dwyer all is well that ends well. HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS no it can’t me no way yes it was puncture. As I shouted and roared on the side of the road as team car after team car went by me claiming have no wheels an American family drove up “can we over you a ride” trying to be as courteous as possible I declined. Eventually after what felt like an hour the broom boys arrived. Slowly rolls down the window “did you puncture lad?” No just having a laugh thought I take a breather maybe sit here for a while. “ah we might have a spare wheel I just check you’re in luck we have ONE” . I looked into the back of the van it was like a scene out of border control load of skinny sweaty lads sitting there in the dark. After I managed to tangle and untangle my BRAND NEW CHAIN we were off again HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS gone again. Broom peels up I open the back door in a fit of rage ask one of the asylum seeker lads for their wheel he kindly obliged I pumping with agro and aggression amd a little adrenalin now knowing I f I punctured again its race over lights out N DWYER 65 DNF. We chased for an hour finally catch up to the last group on the road Fiachra true to his name waits up and rides back on with me for the hour. “I owe you a pint Fiachra” “ we can start with an ice cream” “ sound”. Finally arrive in Waterville 4hours and fifteen minutes after leaving. Walsh was right Valentia island is a dark place. One of the Asylum seekers jumped out of the van and rode the last 10KM and started the next day.
Stage 4. Easter Monday April 25th. “The Puck Fair Polka 114km stage and 12 climbs,#
Disaster for team UCD bunch split in two out of now where I was secretly delighted things will be slow all the good lads have to be in that break I couldn’t have been more wrong, Vanderlit and Vanderpool were back in our group as was Anto and a few other riders well up on GC. So the deals were negotiated and the chase was on Walsh promised 50€ and decided he would ride hard at the front al day. First climb of the day last man coming into it and no surprise last man coming over the top and boom dropped again. Eventually came across Ciraran who towed me to killorglin where I did a couple of cheeky laps. The applaud from the crowd as I came up the hill meant its was over I had done it. I was greeted with a can of chilled cola form my aul pal nico ah Nice one race done. PINT ANYONE ??

Ben McKenna

Having pre-rode the course earlier in the week I had a fair idea of what to expect. I knew the race was going to be selective with small groups coming to the finish. It was extra important to be aggressive from the outset to avoid getting stuck in a negative group.



I'm starting to make a good habit of picking the right move. I don't know how this change has come about but it's certainly something I have tried to work on. No one magic bullet has brought about the change. The main thing I am focusing on is being more observant in races. It's amazing how many lads just drift through a race without being fully aware of what's going on in front or behind them. Hopefully I can continue this nice habit as the season progresses.



The race sprang to life for me after a large enough group of the scratch riders caught the A2 bunch. I managed to jump clear of the A2 bunch with Paídi O’Brien (Sportactive) and Mark Dowling (Team Dectek). After some serious work on the hardest part of the course we were joined by Martin Irvine (Giant Asia). The four of us worked fairly well together and made contact with the early breakaway with around 70km of racing still to go.

I remember when I started cycling I bought a magazine with Paídi O’Brien on the cover - it's amazing to be in selective groups with a man of his pedigree.

We had a big advantage back to the next group on the road so the pace wasn't flat out. On the way down the main road just before we began the last lap the breakaway split. I am not entirely sure what caused the split - it didn't seem like anyone attacked but I know I was on the wrong side of the split. Once the front half realised what had happened they drove hard to increase the gap. Game over!




I was now apart of the second group on the road. We never regained contact with the leaders, probably as a result of our half hearted, disjointed chase. We sprinted it out for 6th place in the race. I lead the uphill sprint from the front early but two hundred meters was too early to open up into a headwind. I placed 8th.

It's a good result on a tough course with another top class field. Maybe it's a measure of how I am progressing, i'm not sure, but I was fairly disappointed at the finish to have not been apart of the group contesting the race win.

For the power geeks, I had an average of 284 watts for around four hours of racing.

1, Sean Downey (Cotes Demour)
2, Adam Armstrong (Eurocycles)
3, Paídi O’Brien (SportActive)
4, Greg Swinand (Usher IRC)
5, Martyn Irvine (Giant Kenda)
6, Mark Downing (Dectek)
7, Thomas Lavery (Comeragh)
8, Anthony Walsh (UCD)


photos from Irishcycling.com

Track in Canada

It seems with the economic boom a distance memory in the Irish psyche and the recession touching everyone in a unique way the opportunity to build an indoor velodrome in Ireland has passed. The selection of London for the 2012 Olympic games brought an optimism in the Irish cycling community. The project made economic and political sense in the run up to the games. It seems that Irish athletes now face an unfortunate dichotomy; travel abroad in search of appropriate facilities or endure sub-standard facilities at home.

The Irish track commission have made the best of a bad situation and used limited funds available to great effect in re-surfacing the track in Sundrive Park, Crumlin. Unfortunately a minority of local youths seem intent on destruction, vandalism and theft. A series of regretable incidents has culminated in serious damage to the racing surface caused by a deliberate fire a couple of months ago.

I have been lucky enough over the past couple of months to be based near a velodrome in London, Ontario. The track is a lot more compact than traditional two hundred and fifty meter Olympic tracks, measuring a mere one hundred and twenty five meters. The angle of the banking on the track is also more severe than I have become accustomed too.

The compressed nature of the track serves to exaggerate and magnify any mistakes made on the track. A poor change in a team pursuit drill sees one trail meters behind team mates, while holding the black line for a pursuit is almost impossible with g-forces forcing one onto the red line at every corner.

Most of the work I have been doing on the track is skills based with intensity far from one hundred percent - this suits me fine considering it is still November and many months away from my first A-priority race of the season.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

The Edge

The beginning of the off-season draws a line under the previous years racing and gives everyone an opportunity to start from fresh. Poor winter preparation is the excuse I hear most frequently advanced for sub optimal 'in season' performance.

A solid winter is the basis upon which success can be built upon as the summer approaches. For most Irish based cyclists' their top priority race will be the eight day An Post Ras, starting at the end of May.

Base training has been described to me using the analogy of a pyramid. The wider one builds the base of the structure, ie the amount of base miles logged in the legs, the higher the potential peak. A good winter training does not guarantee success later in the season; it merely facilitates it. One must increase the specificity of the sessions as ones top priority race approaches. My template for the coming season will resemble that of last season. The early part of my season will focus on road racing while the latter part will become more track specific.

I recently completed a performance review for last season. One of the areas which I feel I can make big strides in is nutrition. My nutrition last season followed no structured plan. I ate whatever was convenient with little thought to the nutritional quality of the food I was ingesting.

This season I have starting working with the guys from The Edge Fitness (www.theedgeclontarf.com) on a new nutrition plan. The plan has at its core fresh produce. I have started eating large quantities of nutrient dense, alkalising foods. The difference it has made to my strength and overall well-being is immense. By eating wholesome foods I am hunger less often, have less cravings for sugary snacks and have increased energy.

I have realised the stress placed on the body from cycling is significant. The body seems unable to distinguish between mental stress (work concerns etc), physical stress (produced from training) and nutritional stress (produced from eating bad foods). By eating foods that require little or no work to digest I am able to remove nutritional stress from the equation. The absence of nutritional stress has the effect of speeding up my recovery as the blood required to aid recovery in my legs is not diverted to my stomach to help digest a bulky processed meal.

Reduced recovery time invariably means improved quality in the upcoming session. By focusing on small details I am hoping to make big strides for the coming season.

iBlogger

Excuse the condensed nature of this post. This is my first update from a new app I have found called iBlogger.

Training was been going well here in Toronto. The conditions at the moment are pretty much ideal for cycling; it's dry almost every day but I do have to endure single digit temperatures most days.

The key is dressing for the weather and the absence of rain makes that job a lot easier. I have had to invest in a pair of lobster style gloves and some heavy wind proof over-shoes but everything else is the same as I was wearing back home.

Multiple but breathable layers are the key for staying warm and dry in this weather.

I will try get a blog post up about how I am adapting to track racing soon.

Annual Awards

Last week I was lucky enough to be voted UCD rider of the year. The award was made all the more ponient by the fact that the honour was voted on by my peers.

Ciaran O' Conluain picked up the special achievement award for an outstanding season consisting of in excess of fifty races including eight grueling Ras stages.

The season has finished up for most of the UCD riders and reflection can begin. Most riders will take a short break in an attempt to mentally and physically recuperate from a draining season while others will throw themselves into track or cyclocross for the off-season. Regardless of ones preparation, all will endeavor to be in decent physical shape for a domestic training camp in December and a foreign one in January.

The talk at the UCD awards night was of tales from this years Ras and the swell of opinion seemes to be that a second consecutive Ras could be a possibility.

[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 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]

Time-Out

The end of this week will mark my longest period of physical inactivity this season; this period has coincided with the beginning of my exams. Participation in some races throughout the season necessitated deferring examinations.

It will be interesting to gauge the impact of inactivity of my form. The break, thus far, has been just over a week and the allure of two wheels is almost overwhelming - absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder.

Brendan Campbell Memorial

This past Sunday I made the short journey for the Brendan Campbell Memorial. The race was run off over an undulating 80km course on a handicap basis.

I got a chance to ride a lap of the course for a warm-up and it soon became apparent that I was going to be in for a tough day; the layout of the course provided little rest break with rolling hills, technical corners and fast decents.

The race attracted probably the best field of competitors for a one day race since the National Championships; when the quality of the field was combined with hot humid conditions and the difficult terrain, it was going to be a day that would sting the legs for a while.

The race was aggressive from the off in the scratch group with attacks going from the drop of the flag. Early in the first lap I followed the right wheels and found myself in what would become the main break of the day. The group was comprised of, amongst others, David McCann, Neil Delahey, Tim o`Regan, Paul Kennedy and Colm Cassidy.

The group didn`t work especially well together but the pace remained very high. I wasn`t having one of my best days and every lap was torture. The only rest bite came when we caught the A3 and A4 group. I was very thankful of the shelter provided in the larger group but this cease-fire would not last long. The elastic holding the scratch riders to the A3/A4 group soon broke and we were on our way again.

The race was thirteen laps long. In the early part I suffered really bad (as can be seen from the pictures) but as the laps ticked past my legs began to come around. David McCann made his move with 4 laps to go - no one in the break was strong enough to follow his `pro tour`legs and he soloed to a well deserved victory.

The rest of the placing would be decided in the last couple of kilometers. Keith Fox and Neil Delahey may a good move just before the group began to wind up for the sprint and secured 2nd and 3rd place. I finished in 10th position after poor position leading into the sprint effectively meant I never contested it.

I learn a couple a couple of lessons at the weekend. Although I did suffer, almost immeasurably, for over half the race I did come around and the legs were getting better.

Secondly; Sprints are all about position. Next time I am in a situation that requires a sprint I am going to try put myself in a bag to get good position into the sprint and hopefully that will be a more successful strategy.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]