Quite a while since my last blog and lots been happening, some good, some not so good. There been a lot of racing going on, and a lot going on at the races!
After the Scottish Road Race I rode a very wet and windy 25mile TT in Ayrshire on the Wednesday night, setting a pretty quick time (55.19) and beating a few good riders pretty convincingly. The following weekend there was the National 10mile TT up at Laurencekirk. I wasn't expecting a podium finish, but was hoping to at least manage a top 10. Being an early starter on the day I didnt think my time of 21.02 was going to be good enough, since the ceeded riders all start at the end of the sequence, however my time held up, and I finished in the bronze medal spot, only 3 seconds behind Evan Oliphant. Things were looking pretty good, especially following the dissappointment from the champs. I've developed a bit of a mentality where I always want to do better. In some ways this is a good thing as it pushes me to work harder, but in other ways its a curse as I'm rarely satisfied with my performance. 3rd place at the 10 was a great ride, but it was a shame not to get under 21 minutes and miss 2nd place by 3 seconds.
The same weekend as the 10 there was the Dundee Stage Race (which I won a couple of years ago but am now unable to ride). This years race will unfortunately be remembered not so much for the racing, but for the stage that had to be abandoned on the Saturday. An unfortunate fall out between the host club, and a well know local rider lead to the police attending the race, and taking a dim view on some of the riders behaviour on a section of main road where there was a strong cross wind. The subsequent aftermath will no doubt have an effect on road races in Scotland for some time to come, as Commisairres look to stamp authority on races and cut out dangerous riding. At the Davie Bell RR the following weekend the race was stopped in the early stages and we were all warned about crossing the white line. At the Eastern Promise RR last week the winner and runner up were DQed. There has also been much debate and controversy this year about the requirement for motorcycle outriders (NEG), since they provide a great tool for policing the bunch and making the race safer.
My view is that it should be possible to hold road races without NEG, although I agree that they are definitely good to have. I dont like hearing about races being cancelled because NEG are not available. With regard to dangerous riding I agree that commisairres should sometimes be stronger in pulling riders out of races if they break the rules or endanger others. Waiting till the race has finished to DQ is not ideal, but without NEG I can see how it would be hard to remove individual riders. Assuming the offence isn't severe it might be appropriate to follow the example set in continental races and demote the riders finish position - for example to the back of whatever group they finished in.
The Davie Bell was an exciting race on paper - the first Scottish road race to go 'off road', the race featured 2 sections of gravel forestry commission road - about 12 miles in total, out of a 70 mile race. Exciting from a spectators point of view and I know a few riders were really pumped up for it. Out of the 80 entrants only just over 60 actually turned up to sign on though which was a bit disappointing, but I don't know if anything should be read from that. What I found a shame was that of the 60 odd starters there were only a little over 30 finishers, and I was one of them. I punctured along with many other people on the gravel section. I was in the lead group at the time, but my tyre gradually went down and it wasnt safe to continue. Since so many other riders had punctured the service vehicle was nowhere to be seen, and by the time I'd got a spare I was 20minutes down - no point in continuing really. The service guys did the best they could, but as an amateur race there just wasnt the equipment available that there is at a race like Paris-Robaix. The race therefore became something of a lottery - will you puncture or wont you? Puncture and its all over and thats a shame. What would improve that race would be proper service points along the gravel section or supplying the NEG riders with wheels.
Coming away from the Davie Bell I was once again feeling pretty dissappointed - 2 road race in a row with results I wasnt happy with. Time trailing was going well though and there was the national 25 coming up, where I was hoping for a good result. The 25 was yesterday however, and it didnt go as well as I'd hoped. I rode a reasonable time - 55.02, but it was only fast enough for 13th place on the day. I dont feel like it was a particularly bad day or paced it wrong. I had expected to go faster, but when it came to it that was the time I rode. I was a bit surprised and dissappointed to be beaten by so many riders that I've gone faster than recently, but cant explain that - they just rode faster than I did. I suppose thats the beauty of time trialing - if you ride faster and stronger than the competition you'll get a result, where as in a road race you can be strongest there but still not win.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season the focus is mainly on TT from now on, but I'm even feeling a bit flat about that at the moment. Every Sunday for months now I've been racing. I've already done a seasons worth of racing. July will provide a good break and maybe I'll have new enthusiasm in August..... The season so far has been a total mixture of highs and lows. Podium finishes in several big races interspersed with races plagued by punctures and dissappointing results. Road racing highlights have been the 2nd place at the Dick Londragon, 3rd at Rosneth and 54th at the Tour DoonHame - seems like a long time ago! Time Trial highlight has to be 3rd at the 10, but also my ride at the Couriers 25 showed what I can do. Maybe theres more to come on the TT bike....
Monday, 13 June 2011
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Scottish Road Race Championships 2011
The Scottish Road Race champs were held on Sunday over 12 laps of an 11km circuit at Balfron. Fortunately although the weather was pretty poor for the womens race in the morning, by the afternoon the sun had come out and although it was very windy we had some good conditions for the race. The race had a full field of 80 riders with most of the best Scottish riders taking part (the exception being James McCallum who was racing elsewhere). Our Velo Ecosse team had a decent number of riders taking part again, with the usual guys - me, Eddie, Phil, Lewis and Tom. I was also surprised and pleased to see Fin return after his crash at Tour Doon Hame. Stirling Bike Club were well represented as well which was good, with Richard, Eddie and Mark all lined up.
We had a chat pre-race about tactics and the view was that judging by the circuit, and how recent races had played out, that the early break away attempts would most likely get chased down and it would take some time for a break to form. We judged that the guys to watch were Evan Oliphant, Robbie Hassan and Michael Nicholson - we figured these guys were the key riders and the break would form with them. The plan was to conserve as much as possible for the first 50 miles (6-8 laps) before doing anything aggressive. I was pretty happy with these tactics, as I agreed that the early breaks were unlikely to stick, and following the Sam Robinson the previous weekend (when my legs died toward the end) it made sense to be conservative.
The race started with a climb to Boquhan followed by a fast rolling section toward Fintry. I was just following wheels in the bunch, making no effort to attack, and letting others chase after moves. I therefore wasn't really paying full attention when a group of 8 or so formed on the up wind section coming back toward Balfron. The group steadily pulled away, but I wasnt fully aware exactly who was in it. I could still see Robbie and Michael in the bunch, so I thought "when they go i'll go with them, and we can bridge across, or maybe the break will still get pulled back later anyway". With some many riders in the bunch it took a hwile to work out that Evan was in the break, plus some strong time trialists (Arthur Doyle, Ali Robinson, Ali Thomson) and 2009 Scottish Champ Ross Creber.
The gap gradually stretched out, and I made a several attempts to get clear of the bunch and form a chase group. Eventually after several laps trying we got a group of about 10 away, including 4 Endura (Hassan, Young, McCrossan and Cowie), Paul Coates (Via Manzini) Craig Adams (JLS Racing), Ross Crook (ERC) and Peter Murdoch (Cyclelane). We started working together pretty well together, and made some small inroads into the breaks lead, bringing it back from 2mins to 90seconds. It was obvious that some of the guys either didn't have the legs for it or didn't have the belief as more and more often riders were missing spells and the chain kept breaking. The gap to the break then went beyond what we could close, quickly going out to 3 minutes.
Robbie and I were becoming increasingly frustrated with the other guys in the break and made a few attempts to get away together, but it seemed that although the other riders were unable to work to close down the leaders, they did have the legs to chase after us. Eventually our group did break up. I ended up with the 2 Murdochs, but by that stage it was race over and we were just hoping we might catch some riders dropped from the break. I wasn't especially happy riding with 2 big riders from the same team, but I felt pretty good and at least capable of staying with them to sprint it out at the finish.
Up front Evan had dropped his break away companions with a 2 laps to go apparently, and rode to a solo victory. Very impressive! Gary Hand took 2nd and Ross Creber 3rd. We eventually caught Ali McNicol who'd been dropped from the break, but managed to sit in behind us. The final sprint up Balfron High Street was pretty cool, lined with crowds. I was expecting it to be tougher and had selected the wrong gear so had to change down mid sprint, which didn't help and took 3rd from our group of 4, and 11th overall. Behind us the bunch were wheeling round. Eddie made several attempts to get away, but couldnt shake off the pack. He put up a good sprint though and got 18th.
I was pretty disappointed with how it worked out as I felt strong enough to beat a lot of the gus in the top 10, however I wasn't paying enough attention and strayed away from my usual tactics of attacking early. Leason learned hopfully.
We had a chat pre-race about tactics and the view was that judging by the circuit, and how recent races had played out, that the early break away attempts would most likely get chased down and it would take some time for a break to form. We judged that the guys to watch were Evan Oliphant, Robbie Hassan and Michael Nicholson - we figured these guys were the key riders and the break would form with them. The plan was to conserve as much as possible for the first 50 miles (6-8 laps) before doing anything aggressive. I was pretty happy with these tactics, as I agreed that the early breaks were unlikely to stick, and following the Sam Robinson the previous weekend (when my legs died toward the end) it made sense to be conservative.
The race started with a climb to Boquhan followed by a fast rolling section toward Fintry. I was just following wheels in the bunch, making no effort to attack, and letting others chase after moves. I therefore wasn't really paying full attention when a group of 8 or so formed on the up wind section coming back toward Balfron. The group steadily pulled away, but I wasnt fully aware exactly who was in it. I could still see Robbie and Michael in the bunch, so I thought "when they go i'll go with them, and we can bridge across, or maybe the break will still get pulled back later anyway". With some many riders in the bunch it took a hwile to work out that Evan was in the break, plus some strong time trialists (Arthur Doyle, Ali Robinson, Ali Thomson) and 2009 Scottish Champ Ross Creber.
The gap gradually stretched out, and I made a several attempts to get clear of the bunch and form a chase group. Eventually after several laps trying we got a group of about 10 away, including 4 Endura (Hassan, Young, McCrossan and Cowie), Paul Coates (Via Manzini) Craig Adams (JLS Racing), Ross Crook (ERC) and Peter Murdoch (Cyclelane). We started working together pretty well together, and made some small inroads into the breaks lead, bringing it back from 2mins to 90seconds. It was obvious that some of the guys either didn't have the legs for it or didn't have the belief as more and more often riders were missing spells and the chain kept breaking. The gap to the break then went beyond what we could close, quickly going out to 3 minutes.
Robbie and I were becoming increasingly frustrated with the other guys in the break and made a few attempts to get away together, but it seemed that although the other riders were unable to work to close down the leaders, they did have the legs to chase after us. Eventually our group did break up. I ended up with the 2 Murdochs, but by that stage it was race over and we were just hoping we might catch some riders dropped from the break. I wasn't especially happy riding with 2 big riders from the same team, but I felt pretty good and at least capable of staying with them to sprint it out at the finish.
Up front Evan had dropped his break away companions with a 2 laps to go apparently, and rode to a solo victory. Very impressive! Gary Hand took 2nd and Ross Creber 3rd. We eventually caught Ali McNicol who'd been dropped from the break, but managed to sit in behind us. The final sprint up Balfron High Street was pretty cool, lined with crowds. I was expecting it to be tougher and had selected the wrong gear so had to change down mid sprint, which didn't help and took 3rd from our group of 4, and 11th overall. Behind us the bunch were wheeling round. Eddie made several attempts to get away, but couldnt shake off the pack. He put up a good sprint though and got 18th.
I was pretty disappointed with how it worked out as I felt strong enough to beat a lot of the gus in the top 10, however I wasn't paying enough attention and strayed away from my usual tactics of attacking early. Leason learned hopfully.
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Passo dello Stelvio
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| Bormio, and the Mountains above the Stelvio |
With the Giro d'Italia heading into the Dolomites and Alps this weekend I thought I'd look back at one of my favourite days cycling from 2010, when I spent a morning riding over the Stelvio Pass in the Italian Alps. OK, so the Giro isn't going over the Stelvio this year, but the Stelvio is one of the most famous, and highest passes in Italy, and I've not ridden over the ones they're going over this year! We were on holiday in Italy in July last year and rented a motorhome from Milan airport for 10 days to tour round the Italian Lakes. The Italian town of Bormio is at the foot of the Stelvio on the western side and sits at the top of the Sondrio valley, about 2hours drive from the northern end of Lake Como. So after a few days visiting Lake Maggiore, Lake Luggano and Lake Como, we worked our way up to Bormio for a couple of nights.
Bormio is clearly a regular feature of the Giro and is a pretty wee town. I think the 2010 Giro had actually passed through the town a couple of months earlier on route to the Gavia Pass which is also near by. Having planned ahead I obviously had my bike with me and had done some web based research into potential riding for the holiday! I found a great article on the Pez web site in which the riders completed the climb to the Stelvio twice in one day, from either side with a short hop over into neighbouring Switzerland, and decided this looked like an excellent route and the one I would follow too.
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| Preparation! |
The hairpins are numbered on each side starting at 40 I think in Bormio and 49 on the eastern side. Setting off I thought the numbering must be for the whole thing, i.e. 20 on one side and 20 on the other.... but no, its something like 25km and 40 hairpins from Bormio to the pass, at 2760m. Having read the description on Pez
it mentions a waterfall and power station approximately half way up, but when I reached this point I simply could not believe I still was only half way there. Then I passed a marking on the road - 15%, 10K... you're bloody joking.... The power station is at the top of a long valley and you can see it from a long way off. As you approach it looks as though it must be the top of the climb, as its basically a wall with the road snaking back and forth across it. Then as I got to the top to my horror I realised it just lead into another valley where the road continued to climb. And the whole time there was a freezing cold block head wind!
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| Switchbacks at the Power station, halfway up, on the Bormio side |
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| 1st time up! |
Trying to remember what I'd had to eat, and I think all I'd had was a couple of croissants and some juice, so by this stage I was starting to feel peckish. I was hoping to find a nice wee cafe serving nice coffee and good cake, but unfortunately I couldnt find anywhere and ended up riding up the pass praying I'd come across something before I properly got the knock. Fortunately there was a wee hotel a couple of K up the climb where I got good coffee and more croissants to fuel me a bit further. Must have been about 9.30 by this stage, and other cyclists were starting to appear on the road. As I climbed I starting coming across what seemed to be some kind of rolling road closure, but since I was on a bike the police let me ride through. After a while they'd let the traffic go and I'd have literally hundreds of motor cycles roaring up the switchback after me. I gradually worked out that there was some kind of sportive cycle event on and the police were closing the road for the cyclists, as I started picking off slower riders as I climbed.
The switchbacks on the east side of the pass are never ending, 49 of them each nicely numbered to let you know how many are left. There obviously not all the same distance apart though which I found slightly annoying (being slightly OCD) as I couldnt set a target for ticking off switchbacks! The final 5K you can clearly see the summit, and its not far away.... but the road goes back and forth so much it takes a long time. I was very pleased when I reached the summit again to discover the sportivos had a big feed station near the summit, and since I was on a bike they didnt seem to mind me helping myself to a healthy amount of food!
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| My own personal road closure? |
So finally the descent! Mid-morning by this stage the traffic was much heavier both bicycles and motorcycles and cars, trucks, motor homes etc. I found another cyclist who seemed to have a fairly large pair of cojones and made it my mission to try and stay with him on the descent! i was doing pretty well till I go to the tunnels. These are terrifying - 200+meters long, terrible road surface inside, and one has a bend in it, so you literally cannot see a thing. Plus coming down in bright sunshine in sunglasses at 40mph into total darkness isn't my bag! So I lost the wheel, and just enjoyed the remains of the descent and the stunning scenery.
I timed it well and made it back to the motor home almost exactly at 12. Surprised how slow I was I guess, but totally pumped after an amazing run on the bike. Unfortunately there wasnt time to try the Gavia or Mortirollo Passes which are also very near Bormio. In the afternoon we went out in Bormio for lunch and a potter about, and the next day after a ride on the cable car to the near by ski station we drovn down through Aprica (finish town for an epic 2010 Giro stage) and on to Lake Iseo for a couple of nights, before coming home. Unfortunately most of these pics were taken on a mobile phone, so they're poor.
Monday, 16 May 2011
May Racing
Its pretty much core race season in Scotland at the moment. Classic Scottish road races, one after the other throughout late April, May and into June. Pretty grueling on the legs, and also requiring a fairly sympathetic family if you intend to ride every weekend.
Looking back at the races complete I'm pretty happy with most of the results I've had. Aside from Giford where I DNF I had a good string of strong finishes in the early season races. The Duncan McGregor RR, and Sam Robinson RR yesterday were both really tough and I felt although I rode to reasonable results I had to really battle to get there, and maybe hoped to have done slightly better. In the Duncan McGregor RR I was unlucky to puncture, but had been working hard even before that. The Sam Robinson RR yesterday was considerably tougher than the previous year. The extra lap of the finishing circuit is a real killer, as it adds a lot of climbing and several more miles at a time when most folk are already near their limit. When I rode it last year I did well, luck was on my side, and finished 2nd behind Evan. This year I think the overall competition was perhaps stronger, the course and weather harder and I suffered toward the end to finish 6th.
Coming back from the finish at the Sam I took the opportunity to do a lap of the course that will be used for the Scottish Road Race Championships this Sunday. The course is an 11Km circuit at Balfron which we'll complete 12 times. Although the circuit doesnt have a big climb on it, the cummulative miles and undulations are going to make it a very hard race. It will no doubt be super fast at the start, and with a lot of corners I expect there will be a lot of sprinting just to hang onto wheels early in the race never mind trying to get into a break. To make it harder it seems like the two main uphill sections on the circuit will be up wind. This will make it harder to break, as riders behind will get a drafting advantage making it easier to close on the riders infront.
The finish is particularly brutal. There is a fast downhill, pothole covered section, before a 90degree right hand turn onto Balfron highstreet. The finish is then about 200-300 metres up an increasingly steep hill. By the finish I'm pretty sure the race will be in bits anyway, but that last kick to the line will be horrible. Riding it after doing yesterdays race gave a good indication of how my legs might feel - not good! At the last 2 races James and Ben from Rapha have been the 2 men to watch, however neither are riding on Sunday. They'll be replaced by other strong riders though, for example Evan Oliphant (Endura) and Michael Nicholson is returning from Belgium to race. Based on my current form I think a top 10 is achieveable, the closer to the top the better.
After that I've got the Scottish 10mile TT champs to look forward to the weekend after, and then the next Super6 in Ayrshire the weekend after that.... exhausting!
Looking back at the races complete I'm pretty happy with most of the results I've had. Aside from Giford where I DNF I had a good string of strong finishes in the early season races. The Duncan McGregor RR, and Sam Robinson RR yesterday were both really tough and I felt although I rode to reasonable results I had to really battle to get there, and maybe hoped to have done slightly better. In the Duncan McGregor RR I was unlucky to puncture, but had been working hard even before that. The Sam Robinson RR yesterday was considerably tougher than the previous year. The extra lap of the finishing circuit is a real killer, as it adds a lot of climbing and several more miles at a time when most folk are already near their limit. When I rode it last year I did well, luck was on my side, and finished 2nd behind Evan. This year I think the overall competition was perhaps stronger, the course and weather harder and I suffered toward the end to finish 6th.
Coming back from the finish at the Sam I took the opportunity to do a lap of the course that will be used for the Scottish Road Race Championships this Sunday. The course is an 11Km circuit at Balfron which we'll complete 12 times. Although the circuit doesnt have a big climb on it, the cummulative miles and undulations are going to make it a very hard race. It will no doubt be super fast at the start, and with a lot of corners I expect there will be a lot of sprinting just to hang onto wheels early in the race never mind trying to get into a break. To make it harder it seems like the two main uphill sections on the circuit will be up wind. This will make it harder to break, as riders behind will get a drafting advantage making it easier to close on the riders infront.
The finish is particularly brutal. There is a fast downhill, pothole covered section, before a 90degree right hand turn onto Balfron highstreet. The finish is then about 200-300 metres up an increasingly steep hill. By the finish I'm pretty sure the race will be in bits anyway, but that last kick to the line will be horrible. Riding it after doing yesterdays race gave a good indication of how my legs might feel - not good! At the last 2 races James and Ben from Rapha have been the 2 men to watch, however neither are riding on Sunday. They'll be replaced by other strong riders though, for example Evan Oliphant (Endura) and Michael Nicholson is returning from Belgium to race. Based on my current form I think a top 10 is achieveable, the closer to the top the better.
After that I've got the Scottish 10mile TT champs to look forward to the weekend after, and then the next Super6 in Ayrshire the weekend after that.... exhausting!
Monday, 9 May 2011
Duncan McGregor Memorial Road Race
Quick write up from yesterdays Super6 RR in Fife. The Duncan McGregor RR is run on a hilly circuit near Leven in Fife. I've done it twice before and always found it pretty tough going but I do like the circuit. This year its a month later than previous seasons so I've got more race miles in my legs and was hoping for a decent finish after riding well in several of my last races. The weather on the drive through was terrible - torrential downpoors of rain, so heavy the road disappeared at time. In between the sun was coming out though, so a real mix of weather.
The race started in typical fashion with riders going up the road trying to form a break and these getting chased down, and everyone looking at one another to see who'll jump next. I went in several of these and some of them seemed quite promising, but the bunch was strong and not wanting to let anything go. Each time I came back to the bunch it was clear that it was being whittled down. Having started at about 70-80 riders by the start of lap 2 there were maybe 40-50 left. Eventually on the back of lap 2 a break did get up the road. Unfortunately, despite trying to get on Ben Greenwoods wheel to bridge across to it I didn't manage and was in the bunch watching the break ride away. They gradually pulled out a reasonable gap, but were never too far up the road. There was some half-arsed collaboration to try and bring the break back, but it was clear the only way a group of rider would work together was if it was a small group, so there was a lot of attacking to try and get free. Up front the break can't have been working too well as they were still in sight despite the faffing in the bunch.
The break was infact pulled back at the start of the mini circuit that you do halfway round the 3rd lap, just after the most horrific rain shower. The mini circuit features a pretty big climb and with the race pretty much back together it seemed likely that this was where it would be decided. Unfortunately at the foot of the climb there was a loud pop and my rear tyre immediately went flat. I kept going till the bunch had past, and got service from the service vehicle while trying not to panic. The car towed me back up to the rear of the convoy and I made my way back through it as fast as I could, but the bunch had split up on the climb so I had to weave through riders and then bridge across a large gap to get to the lead group. I was just recovering and adjusting my rear brake when a group of 7 or 8 jumped of the front. It took a while for them to get away and I burried myself to try and go with them, but my legs just werent having it and i dangled for a bit before drifting back to the remains of the bunch (only about 12 riders by this stage)
Once again there was a lot of folk sitting on and only 2 or 3 willing to try and get over to the lead group. Realisticaly I should have sat in a bit more at this stage. The race came round over the brow of the hill before the final desent toward the finish and there was a strong cross wind, so at this point myself and a few others managed to break clear. We worked pretty well together, but there was no way back to the lead group. I took 3rd in the sprint from our group of 7, so 10th overall, which considering the puncture isn't too bad. James McCallum took another impressive win, he's going well just now, better than i've seen him ride in previous years. I've no pictures from the race
Next races coming up are a 10TT at Cambusbarron on Wednesday night, and the Sam Robinson RR this Sunday. The 10 will be my 1st of the year and a good practice before the Scottish 10 champs at the end of May. I've finally got my hands of a proper TT bike so i'm looking forward to trying it out. The Sam Robinson RR at Balfron is another local race, and one of my favourites, taking in the Dukes Pass. I expect it'll be another hotly contested race especially as the organiser has got £200 up for 1st place. Rather annoyingly the race has been categorised as RegionalC+ on British Cycling, which means the points are rubbish. I don't know why the organiser would do this as its unlikely any 4th cat riders would consider racing it anyway. I'm not chasing points this year, but it does seem a bit frustrating.
The race started in typical fashion with riders going up the road trying to form a break and these getting chased down, and everyone looking at one another to see who'll jump next. I went in several of these and some of them seemed quite promising, but the bunch was strong and not wanting to let anything go. Each time I came back to the bunch it was clear that it was being whittled down. Having started at about 70-80 riders by the start of lap 2 there were maybe 40-50 left. Eventually on the back of lap 2 a break did get up the road. Unfortunately, despite trying to get on Ben Greenwoods wheel to bridge across to it I didn't manage and was in the bunch watching the break ride away. They gradually pulled out a reasonable gap, but were never too far up the road. There was some half-arsed collaboration to try and bring the break back, but it was clear the only way a group of rider would work together was if it was a small group, so there was a lot of attacking to try and get free. Up front the break can't have been working too well as they were still in sight despite the faffing in the bunch.
The break was infact pulled back at the start of the mini circuit that you do halfway round the 3rd lap, just after the most horrific rain shower. The mini circuit features a pretty big climb and with the race pretty much back together it seemed likely that this was where it would be decided. Unfortunately at the foot of the climb there was a loud pop and my rear tyre immediately went flat. I kept going till the bunch had past, and got service from the service vehicle while trying not to panic. The car towed me back up to the rear of the convoy and I made my way back through it as fast as I could, but the bunch had split up on the climb so I had to weave through riders and then bridge across a large gap to get to the lead group. I was just recovering and adjusting my rear brake when a group of 7 or 8 jumped of the front. It took a while for them to get away and I burried myself to try and go with them, but my legs just werent having it and i dangled for a bit before drifting back to the remains of the bunch (only about 12 riders by this stage)
Once again there was a lot of folk sitting on and only 2 or 3 willing to try and get over to the lead group. Realisticaly I should have sat in a bit more at this stage. The race came round over the brow of the hill before the final desent toward the finish and there was a strong cross wind, so at this point myself and a few others managed to break clear. We worked pretty well together, but there was no way back to the lead group. I took 3rd in the sprint from our group of 7, so 10th overall, which considering the puncture isn't too bad. James McCallum took another impressive win, he's going well just now, better than i've seen him ride in previous years. I've no pictures from the race
Next races coming up are a 10TT at Cambusbarron on Wednesday night, and the Sam Robinson RR this Sunday. The 10 will be my 1st of the year and a good practice before the Scottish 10 champs at the end of May. I've finally got my hands of a proper TT bike so i'm looking forward to trying it out. The Sam Robinson RR at Balfron is another local race, and one of my favourites, taking in the Dukes Pass. I expect it'll be another hotly contested race especially as the organiser has got £200 up for 1st place. Rather annoyingly the race has been categorised as RegionalC+ on British Cycling, which means the points are rubbish. I don't know why the organiser would do this as its unlikely any 4th cat riders would consider racing it anyway. I'm not chasing points this year, but it does seem a bit frustrating.
Saturday, 7 May 2011
West coast tour: after thoughts
What worked and what would I do differently next time?
Next time I'd definitely think about going with someone else. It was good going alone, setting my own pace, deciding where I wanted to go each day and when I wanted to stop etc, but it would have been nice to have someone there to experience it too and talk to.
The route was excellent. I found 60-80mile days were pretty good, but also nice to have a 35miler in too, to have an easy day. Using the ferries was brilliant. Bikes go free, and they have to be one of the best bargains going - crossing cost between £4-£12 as a passenger. A 5hour crossing from Oban to Barra costs £11!
Kit:
Of the kit I took everything worked pretty well. I didn't have any major problems, and there was very little that I took that I didn't need nor stuff I didn't take that I required.
Charging electrical gadgets: I took a Blackberry, Garmin, and an old Sony Eriksson mobile. I took a PowerMonkey Explorer, which I had as an old Xmas present to charge them. Its basically a fancy rechargable battery with a variety of plugs to fit different devices. The Blackberry wouldn't charge off the PowerMonkey, but I found I could find a 3pin socket on most ferries and a 45min-1hour crossing was enough to get the BB full. The Garmin ran for 3 or 4 days without needing a charge, and I was then able to top it up from the PowerMonkey. I used the Sony Eriksson mobile to avoid running down the BB battery - Sony Eriksson would run for days where as the BB doesn't. I tried charging the BB in cafes, but I didnt find that very effective!
Stuff I took that I didn't use:
Waterproofs: I only wore my waterproof jacket on the last day and didn't take the over trousers out of the pannier. I wouldn't go without them though!
Pump: I bought a new pump especially for the trip, and didn't need it. I used it once to check the pressure in my front tyre but had difficulty attaching it to the valve and it let the tyre down! I got it pumped back up, but didn't attempt to use it again. I checked the pressure each day by hand and the tyres stayed firm. Again I wouldn't go without one. I was perhaps lucky not to get any punctures, but I think the Conti Gatorskin tyres are excellent and stood up well to gravel roads, heavy load, bumping across fields etc.
Book: Didn't really read it! Infact I swapped the one i'd brought in a tea room on Bernaray for a different one. Next time I'll not take one at all. I found there was more than enough to keep me busy. I guess if the weather had been bad and I'd been in the tent more I might have read more.
Clothing: I lost a long sleeve base layer on day 2 - took it off because I was too hot and forgot to pack it. Didn't miss it for the rest of the trip though. I packed 2 of these so the one I had left was enough. I worn the same bibshorts and s/s road jersey every day. I washed them out most days and was able to hang them out and they'd be dry for the next day. I had spares but didnt really wear them. I took a down jacket and a fleece gilet. I suppose I could have left the gilet at home and just brought the jacket, but it is pretty light and nice to wear.
Stuff that was really good:
Therma-rest chair: you inflate your therma-rest and fit it into the fabric holder and it makes you a comfy chair with a back rest. It weighs next to nothing, and I packed it in alongside my tent poles. 5star
Garmin Edge 705: Before the tour I'd not used the mapping or routing functions on this much, but got plenty use out of it last week. The maps I downloaded free (google OpenStreetMap), and they were fit for purpose. The routing is a bit lame, but you can get it to do the job. I'm not sure if the routing and ETA functions are better if you purchase the expensive OS mapping software, but the free maps I got did the job. I found it essential for keeping track of distance to destination, average speed and so on.
Trangia stove with gas adapter: Its a bit of kit I've had for years, but it once again was outstanding as one of the best items I took with me. I wasn't sure I'd have enough gas, but the Primus 1kg(I think?) bottle I took was plenty, doing hot breakfast and dinner, plus a hot drink at lunch for 7 days, and still not empty. Quick to set-up and boil, just brilliant! I took a Thermos mug with a lid and that was a great idea as the lid helps if you knock it over and it keeps your drink warm for ages.
Ortleib Roller Panniers: Do exactly what you want them to do. Keep your kit securely attached to the bike, easy to attach and remove, spacious, waterproof. I packed 3 of them crammed full with stuff I wouldn't need access to during the day, and the fourth I kept semi full with a camera, food, extra clothes that I'd need during rides, plus my food. They do act like a bit of a bucket with the item you want seemingly always right at the bottom, but I got better at packing them. It took me a while to work out to always pack the one I'd need access to on the right hand side of the bike, as I found I inevitably stopped the bike and leant it on something on the lefthand panniers, making them hard to access. Bungee cord on the rack was handy for securing extra bits and bobs (water etc)
Giant TCX: Ran without problems or any adjustment for over 400miles. Lots of admiring looks from other riders! I gave it a good service before setting off, and made sure the chain was well lubed. The wheels (my winter training wheels, handbuilt by Mark Leadbetter - Mavic CXP22 on Tiagra) were comfortable and reliable and capable of taking me riding out of the saddle with the bike fully ladden.
Next time I'd definitely think about going with someone else. It was good going alone, setting my own pace, deciding where I wanted to go each day and when I wanted to stop etc, but it would have been nice to have someone there to experience it too and talk to.
The route was excellent. I found 60-80mile days were pretty good, but also nice to have a 35miler in too, to have an easy day. Using the ferries was brilliant. Bikes go free, and they have to be one of the best bargains going - crossing cost between £4-£12 as a passenger. A 5hour crossing from Oban to Barra costs £11!
Camping: I found it relatively easy to find places to wild camp all over the west coast. There is very little in the way of proper camp sites on the Western Isles, so just as well its easy to wild camp. Getting fresh reliable drinking water I found a little tricky. Most public WC, village halls etc have an outdoor tap. I guess you need to use your judgement on whether you trust the water coming out of the tap to be drinkable. Doing long miles on the bike its essential to drink plenty though. I found I needed minimum of 3.5litres for my evening meal, hot drinks and breakfast. During the day I'd drink Lucozade, coffee and water on top of that.
The tent I took - a Wild Country Aspect 1 was one of the larger 1 man tents I saw. I was lucky with the weather and could sit out every night to cook and organise my kit. If it had been poor weather I think I would have wanted a larger tent, or would have been making use of some of the hostels and bunkhouses Taking a slightly heavier, larger 2man tent (3-4kg) probably wouldn't have been a problem.
Kit:
Of the kit I took everything worked pretty well. I didn't have any major problems, and there was very little that I took that I didn't need nor stuff I didn't take that I required.
Charging electrical gadgets: I took a Blackberry, Garmin, and an old Sony Eriksson mobile. I took a PowerMonkey Explorer, which I had as an old Xmas present to charge them. Its basically a fancy rechargable battery with a variety of plugs to fit different devices. The Blackberry wouldn't charge off the PowerMonkey, but I found I could find a 3pin socket on most ferries and a 45min-1hour crossing was enough to get the BB full. The Garmin ran for 3 or 4 days without needing a charge, and I was then able to top it up from the PowerMonkey. I used the Sony Eriksson mobile to avoid running down the BB battery - Sony Eriksson would run for days where as the BB doesn't. I tried charging the BB in cafes, but I didnt find that very effective!
Stuff I took that I didn't use:
Waterproofs: I only wore my waterproof jacket on the last day and didn't take the over trousers out of the pannier. I wouldn't go without them though!
Pump: I bought a new pump especially for the trip, and didn't need it. I used it once to check the pressure in my front tyre but had difficulty attaching it to the valve and it let the tyre down! I got it pumped back up, but didn't attempt to use it again. I checked the pressure each day by hand and the tyres stayed firm. Again I wouldn't go without one. I was perhaps lucky not to get any punctures, but I think the Conti Gatorskin tyres are excellent and stood up well to gravel roads, heavy load, bumping across fields etc.
Book: Didn't really read it! Infact I swapped the one i'd brought in a tea room on Bernaray for a different one. Next time I'll not take one at all. I found there was more than enough to keep me busy. I guess if the weather had been bad and I'd been in the tent more I might have read more.
Clothing: I lost a long sleeve base layer on day 2 - took it off because I was too hot and forgot to pack it. Didn't miss it for the rest of the trip though. I packed 2 of these so the one I had left was enough. I worn the same bibshorts and s/s road jersey every day. I washed them out most days and was able to hang them out and they'd be dry for the next day. I had spares but didnt really wear them. I took a down jacket and a fleece gilet. I suppose I could have left the gilet at home and just brought the jacket, but it is pretty light and nice to wear.
Stuff that was really good:
Therma-rest chair: you inflate your therma-rest and fit it into the fabric holder and it makes you a comfy chair with a back rest. It weighs next to nothing, and I packed it in alongside my tent poles. 5star
Garmin Edge 705: Before the tour I'd not used the mapping or routing functions on this much, but got plenty use out of it last week. The maps I downloaded free (google OpenStreetMap), and they were fit for purpose. The routing is a bit lame, but you can get it to do the job. I'm not sure if the routing and ETA functions are better if you purchase the expensive OS mapping software, but the free maps I got did the job. I found it essential for keeping track of distance to destination, average speed and so on.
Trangia stove with gas adapter: Its a bit of kit I've had for years, but it once again was outstanding as one of the best items I took with me. I wasn't sure I'd have enough gas, but the Primus 1kg(I think?) bottle I took was plenty, doing hot breakfast and dinner, plus a hot drink at lunch for 7 days, and still not empty. Quick to set-up and boil, just brilliant! I took a Thermos mug with a lid and that was a great idea as the lid helps if you knock it over and it keeps your drink warm for ages.
Ortleib Roller Panniers: Do exactly what you want them to do. Keep your kit securely attached to the bike, easy to attach and remove, spacious, waterproof. I packed 3 of them crammed full with stuff I wouldn't need access to during the day, and the fourth I kept semi full with a camera, food, extra clothes that I'd need during rides, plus my food. They do act like a bit of a bucket with the item you want seemingly always right at the bottom, but I got better at packing them. It took me a while to work out to always pack the one I'd need access to on the right hand side of the bike, as I found I inevitably stopped the bike and leant it on something on the lefthand panniers, making them hard to access. Bungee cord on the rack was handy for securing extra bits and bobs (water etc)
Giant TCX: Ran without problems or any adjustment for over 400miles. Lots of admiring looks from other riders! I gave it a good service before setting off, and made sure the chain was well lubed. The wheels (my winter training wheels, handbuilt by Mark Leadbetter - Mavic CXP22 on Tiagra) were comfortable and reliable and capable of taking me riding out of the saddle with the bike fully ladden.
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