So whos going tonight? and what kit/bike have you got so I can come and say hi?

Yep - me. I'll have my Kiwibank Kit on. Look out for the green car too. Say gidday!

Probably riding B grade tonight. Considered A after a good ride yesterday at Tuesday Worlds, but I think that might be biting off more than I can chew!

Al_Bushman wrote:Yep - me. I'll have my Kiwibank Kit on. Look out for the green car too. Say gidday!

Probably riding B grade tonight. Considered A after a good ride yesterday at Tuesday Worlds, but I think that might be biting off more than I can chew!

HTFU Al and go in A grade

frog's legs wrote:

Al_Bushman wrote:Yep - me. I'll have my Kiwibank Kit on. Look out for the green car too. Say gidday!

Probably riding B grade tonight. Considered A after a good ride yesterday at Tuesday Worlds, but I think that might be biting off more than I can chew!

HTFU Al and go in A grade

There were 2 people in A grade so basically a waste of time, and not worth paying $15 for the privelege of getting your arse handed to you.

Anyway, for those that bother reading this here's my race report:

B grade. Approx 17 people. Hard and fast from the get-go (compliments of me) which set the tone for the race. First 3 laps were hard and fast with a few attempts at breakaway's but with fresh legs they were reeled in pretty quick. On the 3rd lap people started looking a bit tired with the avg speed over 40kph. In the crosswinds on the back straight on lap 4 I saw Glen & Blair stringing people out a bit. I was about mid echelon so I saw an opportunity to create a break. I swerved to the far right out of the echelon which created a gap in the bunch, I looked over to Glen and he went, I bridged to him & Blair, jumped on the front and yelled at them to go really hard for the next 3 mins. We punished ourselves for about 4 mins which created a decent 150m gap. For the rest of the race we rode tempo just maintaining the gap. In the sprint I found myself on the front of our break going into the final straight which was stupid on my part. Of course the others got the jump on me, I jumped on Glen's wheel who looked to be clawing some metres back on the other two, he popped out of his pedal which caused me to brake, I rolled over him, started to wind in Blair, but the young trackie (forget his name) cleaned us up. Just missed 2nd by half a wheel but given this was my first race since last winter I have to be happy with the result Avg speed was over 40kph so very quick.

Great turn out last night (bar the 2 A graders) considering it was the first evening. Pretty glad I didn't know what the temperature was felt warm.

I plumped for the C2s, with the hope to be able to stay with the group till the end. The pace felt pretty cruisey, which suited me because I knew it'd all kick off on the last lap. Pretty mad in the bunch, people all over the place, but hey down at this grade there's a lot of inexperience. It wasn't as if I was holding the line at all times, but no wheel touches so all good

Once the laps counted down at one of my backwards moves through the pack I glanced rearward to see no one else, this was it. Come the last lap I just couldn't hold them, and by half way round, I lost the group. Taking the time out gave me the chance to catch my breath and pick off a few others whose misfortune it was to get spat out the back. Including a extra three scalps on run to the line.

B+ for effort, D- for results.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/142665696

Bump.

More fun and games out at Ruapuna tonight. Weather is supposed to be a stunner this evening.

Is it already Wednesday?!

Looking forward to it!

Another great turn out this evening. Bit chilly at 16degrees and overcast.
Full grid of 30 odd riders in the C2 'Wannabes' class. That set my tactic for the evening, either stay up the front or hang out at the back, option A was never gonna happen, so it was option B.
Luckily despite a number of breakaways of various sizes, none of them amounted to anything, so I didn't miss anything by loitering at the back. Pace felt nuts compared to last weeks amble. 39Kph average Hmm, did somebody leave a window open?

Plan was to make my way up the field round the outside of the hairpin on the last lap, but a panic brake further up the pack put everyone wide and sprinting to regain the group. That effort maxed out my already maxed out heart rate. A glance down at my HR Monitor coming out of the last corner into the sprint, I read 198bpm. That can't be right, I'm mid 40s and thats a hell of a max. Needless to say I didn't make any places in the sprint, nor do I lose any

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/144457001

If you want a flavour of what its about?
On bike from last week

Crikey - I'm toast after tonight. Legs still twitching!

Blazed away from the gun, lasted 1 1/2 laps on my own and as expected got pulled in. Had another couple of cracks, eventually got away with Ron Pithie for a good lap and a bit but he blew so tried to go it alone for another 3/4 of a lap, but in the strong winds ironically I ran out of puff. Then I had to suck it in for the sprint and finished a respectable 3rd.

Spent more time in breaks by myself than in the bunch I recon. Everyone loves a trier!

T'was a bit windy last night on the old Ruapuna track. Rode in C1 and tried to stay close to the front - very hard at times. After the sprint I turned around to see who was where and was surprised to see only about 12 of the original 25 or so riders still there. No idea where the rest got dropped off but it was certainly not a good day to be hanging around the back of the bunch.

Great ride in the C2s lastnight. Mood in the bunch seemed quite joyvial. There was also a good number of breakaway efforts off the front, but the bunch always accelerated to pull them back. Those accelerations just kill me.

Come the bell lap, the sight of the checkered flag for the A graders who had previously blown past us got a few excited and the sprint started a lap early. I made sure I muscled my way to the inside of the hairpin so I didn't get pushed out if anyone went wayward. I managed to claw my way maybe half way up the bunch for the sprint coming out of the last corner. Amazingly as I slowly built the speed up, some of the guys where comming back towards me, think I made it to around 6th by the line, I'll take that. Good fun.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/149729765