Another cracking day today with brilliant weather and some fun racing. Todays stage started in Dumfries again and finished in Castle Douglas. Going round to the north over the moors past Moniave the terrain was quite hilly again today and probably slightly tougher than Sunday.
We were all expecting a brutal stage as Rapha and Endura tried to over turn the slim lead held by Raleighs Matt Cronshaw and it did start very fast however the Rapha rider Zak something or other took an intermediate sprint and a time bonus early in the stage which put them in the lead and they controled the pace from then on. It ramprd up again with about 30miles to go which resulted in a split but luckily I was near the front at the time and stayed the right side of it.
Coming into the finish there was a nasty sting with about 5miles to go in the form of a steep climb which finished off a number of other riders. So coming into the finish I was in a group of about 50 riders. Despite having good intentions of contesting the sprint, when it came to it my legs were cooked and I rolled in near the back of the group in 45place. I didn't loose any time however while a lot of others did so moved up the GC to 55th overall. Not an incredible result but I'm happy enough with it. Tomorrow will be a shock having to go back to work!
Robin Wilkins
my blog: http://thewheelabout.blogspot.com
Showing posts with label Tour Doon Hame. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tour Doon Hame. Show all posts
Monday, 25 April 2011
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Tour Doon Hame: Stage 2
Much better race today! The sun came out and it was a great stage starting and finishing in Dumfries. The stage ran back up through Wanlochhead again going over the Dalveen Pass then the Mennock Pass again. After those hills it was a run round by Monaive along some windy wee roads back to Dumfries for a super fast sprint finish by the river side.
After the first 10miles or so my legs loosened up a bit and felt ok. Unfortunately my team mate Fin was brought down in the Neutralised zone at the start and broke his arm/elbow. We saw him at the end with a stookie on so must have been nasty.
Dalveen Pass was actually pretty good. I felt really comfortable going up and was the right side of a split going over the top. Coming down the other side was actually harder though, as there was a cross wind and the speed picked right up so only just managed to hang on. The groups came together before the climb up to Leadhills anyway and that was ridden at a pretty comfortable pace too.
I seem to be finding I'm fine going up the hills and can easily move up the bunch then, but on the flat or downhill when the speed is really high I struggle to hold my position and drift back. So I spend the race trying to move up on the hills then drifting back on the decents. Pretty annoying and a lot of wasted effort, but unfortunately I'm not great riding in large fast peletons.
The finish in Dumfries was pretty exciting too. It was absolutely flat out into town through a few suburbs dodging parked cars and traffic islands round a few sweeping turns and down by the river across the line. The bunch was still pretty big at around 100riders but I did my best to get as far forward as I could, although even then only managed 57 place! Pretty happy with the day though, much more my kind of weather. Tomorrow looks like it might be a tough one again but I'll be happy to keep out of trouble again and get to the finish as best I can
Robin Wilkins
my blog: http://thewheelabout.blogspot.com
After the first 10miles or so my legs loosened up a bit and felt ok. Unfortunately my team mate Fin was brought down in the Neutralised zone at the start and broke his arm/elbow. We saw him at the end with a stookie on so must have been nasty.
Dalveen Pass was actually pretty good. I felt really comfortable going up and was the right side of a split going over the top. Coming down the other side was actually harder though, as there was a cross wind and the speed picked right up so only just managed to hang on. The groups came together before the climb up to Leadhills anyway and that was ridden at a pretty comfortable pace too.
I seem to be finding I'm fine going up the hills and can easily move up the bunch then, but on the flat or downhill when the speed is really high I struggle to hold my position and drift back. So I spend the race trying to move up on the hills then drifting back on the decents. Pretty annoying and a lot of wasted effort, but unfortunately I'm not great riding in large fast peletons.
The finish in Dumfries was pretty exciting too. It was absolutely flat out into town through a few suburbs dodging parked cars and traffic islands round a few sweeping turns and down by the river across the line. The bunch was still pretty big at around 100riders but I did my best to get as far forward as I could, although even then only managed 57 place! Pretty happy with the day though, much more my kind of weather. Tomorrow looks like it might be a tough one again but I'll be happy to keep out of trouble again and get to the finish as best I can
Robin Wilkins
my blog: http://thewheelabout.blogspot.com
Saturday, 23 April 2011
Tour Doon Hame: Stage 1
It had started off pretty warm and only a bit damp but as the race progressed in started chucking it down and the temperature seemed to drop too. Once you're soaked through its almost impossible to stay warm anyway.
The pace was brutal. Compared to an average Scottish race it was a completely different game. Up the first few climbs I found it manageable but it was on the flat and the downhills I really found myself struggling to hang onto a wheel. Moving up the bunch was such an effort and once you've moved up you're almost immediately going back again. I kept finding myself in the last 20 riders sprinting to close gaps.
The race really seemed to blow appart on the desent prior to the climb up to the mennock pass. The pace had been flat out for the previous 20miles and folk were getting tired and cold. Going up the Mennock it broke up further. I cracked on the desent losing contact with the group I was in. I think the cold affected me pretty badly and also the relentless pace.
The race was puncture tastic and there were several crashes due to the wet roads. Luckily I managed to avoid both today although I only just missed one crash early in the race and had to chase back on, luckily getting back into the bunch on one of the climbs. Hopefully I'll stay lucky tomorrow. I finished the stage on my own in the end 8minutes behind the winner. Not too bad considering but only go enough for 85 place!
Robin Wilkins
my blog: http://thewheelabout.blogspot.com
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Tour Doon Hame
Scotlands biggest road race event is this weekend and after a bit of uncertainty it looks like we're actually going! 3 days, 270miles and feck knows how much climbing! I'm looking forward to it and excited but nervous. Last years experience of the event was one to forget, failing to finish stage 1 after a double puncture and having to spectate for the following 2 days. Hopefully this year, as part of a proper team and a lot more support it'll be a different story.
The event is based around Dumfries. Stage 1 starts and finishes at Moffat and takes in some decent climbs around Wanlochhead. Stage 2 is run around the hills again this time north of Dumfries itself and Stage 3 is further west again, this time finishing in Castle Douglas. Theres 140 riders entered, ranging from hobby riders like myself to full time contiinental Pros and even ex Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backsted. From my point of view its one of the simplest events of the year - theres 2 objectives: 1. Avoid crashing 2. Avoid getting dropped. Theres no expectation that I try and get in a break, win a prime etc, just finishing will be an achievement and from that point of view its quite nice.
Looking back to last year what I'm not looking forward to is the stress of riding in the bunch. Although theres a full police escort and rolling road closure, riding in a bunch of 140 at 30+mph is stressful. Last years experience although brief was useful. One of the things I learns was that the amount of time you can loose on the hills is enormous compared to how little you loose in a small split on a flatter stage. Loosing 5minutes is nothing and not worth stressing about - at the end of the hilly stages riders will be 30-40+ minutes down!
Looking at the start list I think Endura look like the strongest team. I'd pick their rider Jack Bauer (2nd last year) for the GC. Lots more information at http://www.tourdoonhame.info
The event is based around Dumfries. Stage 1 starts and finishes at Moffat and takes in some decent climbs around Wanlochhead. Stage 2 is run around the hills again this time north of Dumfries itself and Stage 3 is further west again, this time finishing in Castle Douglas. Theres 140 riders entered, ranging from hobby riders like myself to full time contiinental Pros and even ex Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Backsted. From my point of view its one of the simplest events of the year - theres 2 objectives: 1. Avoid crashing 2. Avoid getting dropped. Theres no expectation that I try and get in a break, win a prime etc, just finishing will be an achievement and from that point of view its quite nice.
Looking back to last year what I'm not looking forward to is the stress of riding in the bunch. Although theres a full police escort and rolling road closure, riding in a bunch of 140 at 30+mph is stressful. Last years experience although brief was useful. One of the things I learns was that the amount of time you can loose on the hills is enormous compared to how little you loose in a small split on a flatter stage. Loosing 5minutes is nothing and not worth stressing about - at the end of the hilly stages riders will be 30-40+ minutes down!
Looking at the start list I think Endura look like the strongest team. I'd pick their rider Jack Bauer (2nd last year) for the GC. Lots more information at http://www.tourdoonhame.info
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