Need I point out that its a race, if you want to go faster go to the front and force the pace! If people are racing for the sprint then they wont work untill they have too

Ahad wrote:

tony_11 wrote:So all in all not a race to tick the box for next year eh?

Don't get me wrong, its a great course and great scenery etc. Pretty flat but still enough little hills and undulations to make things interesting. Very well organised and well run, and also a great part of the country. Shit, I may even be back next yr

I was just pissed off at the guys who were stronger riders than me anyway, kept letting things purposely break down at the front.
I just reckon guys with the ability shouldn't ride so negatively. And also think its good to string the bunches out if you can, as it makes things safer in the end for everyone. At the end of the day its just a Rec race for Gods sake.

That is one of the freakiest mornings on my bike I've ever had!!!
Road signs, cones that you didn't know were going to be there and then there was the dog at the milking shed that gave us all the shits!!
I was one of the luck ones in the bunch that had a few mates there so we kept an eye on each other, but when it came to putting the pace on there wasn't enough in the course to let you get away as it was easy for the averagely fit rider to catch a tiring group of 4-6. I personally found it frustrating and it wasn't until the crash 2km's out (hope that bloke that bit the road is ok) that there was any room on the road.
I do feel they need to thin out the bunches, maybe waves of 50 at a time. But the only problem with that is this will always be effected by Net times for the finish (in theory some one in the second or third bunch can win).
I am by no means good enough to step up to the elite race, but maybe a recreational scratch race might do the trick. This could be a first past the post finish so enter at your own risk of being quicker than the rec riders and not being eligible for other prizes. Might get rid of the numpties that caused a lot of close calls out there.
I was most scared of the people in the last 10 km's or so that continually went on the other side of the road, towards on coming traffic then squeezed in and slowed the bunch down because they couldn't lead out. They are the one we need to weed out.

But on the up side, a pretty well run race, good VOLUNTEERS and a pretty good atmosphere most of the time.

Yeah Ahad & Pica, I was in the bunch too and it was scary, especially those last couple of k's around Omoto. When those guys starting looping the bunch on the blind corners me and one of my mates decided we weren't going to push through & try to get near the front. The guy that won was travelling with me and he said afterwards it was the scariest bunch he'd ever been in - not only at the finish but earlier with a number of guys riding all over the place when all bunched up earlier. He's a pretty experienced rider too so has been in amongst it a bit.

Good summary Ahad, I was one of the guys who at least gave it a try after moana to lift the pace a little, but after a few k's up there I was convinced by one of the others that it wasn't going to happen alone. I'll admit I was sitting back in the first half, there was never going to be a successful break early on, although the Taramakau bridge did put a small break in the bunch for a while (I was on the wrong side of it and had to bridge the gap).

Next year may be?

one big race?
fast guys smashing it- bunch will splinter? too simple?

Lozz wrote:one big race?
fast guys smashing it- bunch will splinter? too simple?

Unfortunately not that simple as the course itself has no real obstacles. Im praying for a dirty crosswind next year!

Saving 25-30% behind a wheel means one would have to have crazy power to ride away. Even a team would be hard pressed to create a train that would create more than an opportunity for others to get a free ride. That a break went and succeeded means team tactics were at play and this time individuals benefitted. The course just isn't hard enough. NPS should do a lap and finish up the Viaduct! Yeah serious cross winds would make for better racing.

Fergie wrote:Saving 25-30% behind a wheel means one would have to have crazy power to ride away.

The organisers should pay Vink to sit on the front for the 1st 30km for safety reasons

I was there, pretty much agree with everything said by the dudes who also finished in the first rec bunch. Problem wasn't so much that the bunch was too big, I just thought 20 or so dickheads that consistently went accross the centerline and filled up the oncoming lane even around blind corners and then expected to squash in if a car appeared caused the carnage. If those munters didn't do that it would've been sweet.

Fergie wrote:Saving 25-30% behind a wheel means one would have to have crazy power to ride away.

I wonder if having the "punters" and the "pros" start together would make things better or worse? i.e. so a few punters would hang on to the pros but would they string out the rest?

Happened at Armstrongs 3 years back when everyone rode together. The pro's just disapeared straight away up the road. Not many rec riders can handle 50 to 60kph+ early on! The nearly pro's, or guys/girls inbetween rec and elite can't hang on and slide off the back but have already got a jump on the ones behind. So they form their own bunch but still force the pace. They don't want to get swallowed up by the good rec riders that are not too far behind, and loose valuable placings etc and so on.

So within 10k's people are basically sorted out on ability re the bunch they find themselves in, so then start working from there.
You still got decent bunches of 30 to 50 odd but no mega 200 people bunches etc like the next 2yrs I did it.

Ahad wrote:Happened at Armstrongs 3 years back when everyone rode together. The pro's just disapeared straight away up the road. Not many rec riders can handle 50 to 60kph+ early on! The nearly pro's, or guys/girls inbetween rec and elite can't hang on and slide off the back but have already got a jump on the ones behind. So they form their own bunch but still force the pace. They don't want to get swallowed up by the good rec riders that are not too far behind, and loose valuable placings etc and so on.

So within 10k's people are basically sorted out on ability re the bunch they find themselves in, so then start working from there.
You still got decent bunches of 30 to 50 odd but no mega 200 people bunches etc like the next 2yrs I did it.

Yes, adding those 200 people bunches with kamikaze cycle pilots, traffic islands and shity roads made me think I should of signed up to the elite class. lol. That was truly some scary shit for 8am in the morning.

elite class still had several nasty crashes including one awesome flip over an island and bunch was constantly over the wrong side of the road...

Maybe some "sprint" prizes for 1,2,3 at Kumara to try and stretch the bunches out after the rail bridge. Those that fancy their chances would clear out and be in a good position to stay clear of the hangeronerers for the balance?

I was also in the first bunch and was amazed at the number of guys crossing the centerline to get to the front. Even when nothing was going on and in the middle of nowhere. The tandem was especially bad for that. Maybe they need some bunch marshals to keep an eye on things like they do in Source to sea or motorbikes with the bunch. Not sure howw to split up a bunch that size on the flat without entering a team. Was otherwise a very good event and a great atmosphere.

As others have I'd also like to add that it was a very good event despite a few lemmings out there

Brunner is a great ride and well organised even to the point where you get put back to the group you registered in if you try and jump up on your estimated time bunch. In all fairness to the bunch "coasters" there was very little organisation at the front of the bunches and instead of the front rider popping off the front and allowing the 2nd and 3rd etc riding through. Most went to the front and stayed and waited for someone to ride forward and take the lead.

Well only the strongest can do that for a while and therefore if you couldn't get a head of steam up you were gonna find it hard to do a turn.

The issue I found was not a lot of communication and teamwork. not much pointing for potholes etc and as said above every body was sprinting for the end and not working to increase overall times. nobody was gonna win it after the first bunch which had all the age groups covered for placings. but nobody wanted to work well to try and cream mates on overall times etc

I liked Brunner but there is very little spread on times. second bunch in (i was in that group) was only 6 minutes off the pace of the first bunch. And yes a lot of hanger ons got good times as a result - I agree some were hanging on "just" and some of us could have shaken them off quicker. Either way long and flat provides little race variety and I would say I would have been able to ride the pace of the front bunch if I had not been spotted and sent back to mine and then ride for the glory of towing some others through the course?

Definitely do the race. Way cool scenery fast and so many crashes and near misses to keep you on your toes.

For me grape ride has a bit more variety and better skilled riders at the front. with a great deal more depending on individual fitness etc.

I had to laugh as we came through Stillwater I tried to get us workin a good pace and changing at the front by popping off and letting 2 and 3rd come through and just when I thought we were getting it this young fella raced forward past 10 of us and dragged through some others and then dropped back and sent it to shit again. so your as good as the guys around you and I am by no means well versed at this stuff.

Tony11 I too am amazed at C1 how there appears to be 5 of us racing until the last corner when "hundreds" race past not even sweating. Love this game