Finnish Nationals 2016. We had team sprint and keirin two weeks ago and last weekend was match sprint and kilo. We successfully defended our team sprint championship. The weather was slow, quite cold and windy. Really not happy with our times and my starts were ****, but we were fast enough. Next year we're probably switching places with man 2. The keirin semis I rode a smart race doing just enough to take third, keeping out of the wind saving energy. Drew number 4 in the final, but did a great start and slotted in as number 3. Man 1 was a enduro who I knew was no threat and man 2 was a good guy to follow(my team mate and man 2 from our team sprint). When the derny peeled off the enduro went. Nobody really cared as we knew he was no threat, the guy in front of me looked back hoping someone else would take up the chase, but we all waited. Finally he decided to go and we reeled in the enduro with 300 to go. I had two options to kick hard and pass the leader, risking the three guys behind me slingshoting past on the home straight or then do what I did. I drew up on the leaders hip, protecting his position and mine forcing the other guys to go round the long way. I dropped down for a second in the last turn to get a little gap to rush. Rushed it and came up next to him giving it 100% all the way to the line. Lost the race by a throw, I threw the wheel but he did it better, we were unsure of the winner and had to wait for the photo. Quite happy with silver, of course I had hoped for the gold, silver in the elite nationals is pretty good.
This Friday we raced the match sprint. Weather was ok; low twenties and about 4 m/s wind. I rode the qualification with 54x13, did a quite good line and got good speed. New personal best 10.807s, good enough for third. Latter looking at my speed data I was a bit bummered, my last 250m was faster than the last 200m: 66,9 vs 66,6kph avg speed and my fastest 200 was 67,8kph avg (good enough for 10.62). Well still happy. The field was excellent and the 12 that qualified all went under 12s and five of us went under 11 with the fastest going 10.5s.
Added on tooth for the first round, giving me 104". Rode against the same guy as I rode in the Helsinki GP first round. Forced him to the front, he was a bit all over the place so I got worried he'd crash us. I decided to play it safe and started the sprint with about 300m to go. Didn't kick that hard thought I just ride him off the wheel but he managed to hold on. I won by a bike length, pretty happy with my effort not needing to go near 100% at any point. Topend 65kph.
Next quarters vs Tommi. A pretty decent M40 rider, but had a rough season and not at 100%. Was able to ride both matches from the rear. First one he rode just over the sprinters lane coming into the last 200m, rushed the gap and fainted taking the inside line to make him drop, kept to foot on the gas just enough to take the W. Top speed only 61 and short sprint. Second one he tried to be a little cagier, holding me over the stayers line going at 45kph coming to 200m to go. Didn't have as much of a gap, but enough to again faint making him drop and then just powering to victory. Topend 62
Semi vs the second fastest qualifier and the guy who beat me in the keirin. Decided to switch gear, 108" 52x13. Drew number one so had to lead off. Had planned to go from about 250-300m and try to keep him high, but drifted off for a second and he got the jump. I was able to keep the lane, but lost by a wheel. Topend surprisingly low at 63.3. Really unhappy with my ride, should have been smarter and should really have been able to go faster.
Second match. I rode a picture perfect ride, left a perfect gap, rushed it with 150 to go and powered past on the home straight to win by a few cm. Topend 65kph.
Third match: really short break 5min, but felt good, he didn't look that good. Really slow race going at something like 40kph coming to 200m left. I initiated the sprint with 150m to and it was a drag race to the line. I took it by half a bike length and went through to the finals.
Finals. Fastest qualifier 11 years younger than me. Known to have an incredible jump but often struggled with a small match box. Decided to ride long sprint to tire him. Went from a go 300-330m out, don't know the speed as my power control was knocked out in the start. He got on my wheel passed in the last turn and won by a good bike. Last 200 11.091s, my last 200m 11,225s.
Second match Let him lead out. Was waiting for his jump, but still unable to match it he got just enough of a gap for me to be unable to use it. I could match his speed but not gain on him. Lost by the same distance he got from the jump. Topend 68kph.
Silver in the Nationals, my goal was gold, but never made it through the first round in nationals before, so have to be happy. Now afterwards I think I should have stayed with my initial 104" gear, it would have fast enough and my jump would have been better.
The Kilo was on Saturday. Legs felt quite ok considering about 14h since the sprint finals. Race gear 100" 52x14. Pretty decent start, but horrible acceleration, turn one where it normally feels like the bike jumps forward felt like a struggle. 17.724s for first 200m. Sat down way too early. With 300m to my calves started cramping and last 200 was slow: 13,945s. Slowed down for a lap, came off the track, got off the bike and lay down with cramps running through my calves and hamstrings. New personal best 1:08.612. Good enough for bronze.
In the afternoon I decided to ride the 15k scratch just for laughs. I was guessing I would be dropped early on, plan was just hang on and do zero work. Surprisingly they didn't really try to drop me (stupid roadies) and I was able to hang on. Halfway through two rider jump from the group and were able to get a stable gap. When they seemed unable to catch them I decided to take a turn even though that would probably drop me latter. I steadily increased my cadence and dropped my body to be more aerodynamic. Pulled for about 800m, halving the distance to the breakaway. I looked back and noticed I had dropped everyone, pulled for one more lap then decided it was for naught and pulled up to wait for the group. With about 10 laps left the second rider in BW got dropped leaving only one man in front, two guys jumped from the pack and nobody reacted. With about 700m to go I decided that's that and went of the front. I kept accelerating all the way to the line getting as close as two bike lengths to the duo in front. A really big surprise; a 90kg track sprinter who has done zero long distance (over 1k) endurance training finished 4th.
So I rode 5 races in nationals this year and was rewarded by one gold, two silvers, a bronze and one forth place. Pretty happy.