VanceMac

Still awaiting a certain race report from @queerpunk...

queerpunk

Heh - thanks Vance. Duly pinged...

I just moved to Philadelphia and went to T-Town for the Friday night pro races. I raced at T-Town maybe 2 or 3 times as a Cat 4, but haven’t been there in 7 years or so. I didn’t really know what to expect. Bobby Lea, Zak Kovalcik - I’d raced against them and I know how that usually goes, but it’s everybody else that’s a mystery. Plus, I was a mystery too - moving really takes a bite out of training.

The penultimate race of the night was a 10-mile final, but it was shortened to 5-mile at the line. It was quick but not brutal - a big gear and a big field helps roll things a bit easier. And they started throwing primes out around halfway into the race. I was in great position to sprint for one but a New Zealand rider came around me before I jumped with enough speed that I didn’t even bother trying.

The primes split the race and I was in a front group with the right names, not working too hard, and it was clear that whoever was behind had pretty definitively given up. And then, 2.5 to go, I was about 3rd wheel. At the front, Bobby swung uptrack; so did the rider in front of me; and so did everybody behind me. Everybody doing that relaxed look-around to see where they want to be for the sprint.

Now, I’ve had some good luck lately with “when in doubt, lead it out” - and I’ve recommended it as an approach to riders who feel a bit outgunned in races.

So, instead of swinging uptrack with everybody else, I just kept rolling. And they stayed up there. So I rolled a little bit more, and they stayed, and when I had, oh, I don’t know - 20 meters? Maybe a bit more? That’s when I jumped - through the start/finish and just piled on as much speed as I could. And they didn’t respond yet. Bobby was looking at Zak; Zak was looking at Bobby; everyone was looking at them. I thought “If I make it to the bell I have a fighting chance of a decent finish” - seriously my goal was just to get ahead of the sprint a bit and hope that not too many people caught me.

But they didn’t respond yet. I got the bell. And then going into turn 3 I thought, “I might get this one.” But it wasn’t until the homestretch that I really knew I’d take it, and I had enough time to put up my arms - a disbelief sort of post-up. I really think that anybody in that group could have done what I did - it wasn’t the legs, it was taking a rare opportunity for a tactical move against stronger opponents.

There was a little bit of video footage in T-Town’s wrap-up and when I saw it I sort of grimaced - because Bobby and Zak were a lot closer to me at the line than I’d realized at the time.

Flatballer

Huge win. That's awesome. Wish I had known, I work in Allentown these days, I would've swung by.

1incpa

I saw that move @queerpunk. Nice!

queerpunk

did it look cool? i hope it looked cool.

gave the flowers to bae. friends were there. it was a good night.

1incpa

It looked wicked cool I couldn't believe you pulled it off! It was a delayed reaction, but they were chasing hard till the end!
It was a good night! I raced the master's and the stagiaires. No results to show for it, but had a ton of fun!

dunderhi

Yes, it was a pretty cool move. Zak was watching Bobby like a hawk that night. Now he has someone else to watch.

I didn't get any places in the Masters race either, but I did pick up a prime. My wife put the envelope on my fridge.

carleton

That's Awesome, Queerpunk!!

VanceMac

Textbook move when there are a couple big fish relative to you and the field. And it works quite often. That's relative... but if it's only 15% of the time that they get stuck watching each other too long, that's 15% more chance than you have otherwise! Of course, getting away like that isn't easy either. So kudos for knowing how to get away, knowing when to get away, having the guts to actually do it, and finally, having the legs to make it stick.

Muddlfuc

Awesome work queer punk... think the say "you snooze, you loose" work there

Dalai

Nice Queerpunk!

Won the State M3 Scratch race in my first year that way. Pace was off and the three riders in front of me all pulled up just on three laps to go, so I put in a slight acceleration and easily opened up a 50m gap within half a lap with one other rider. When I saw that I went as hard as I could rolling half turns with the other guy till dropping him on the last lap. Did get passed by a late flyer on the line, but then found out he was M2 as it was a combined age field...

queerpunk

Thanks a ton!

When I started racing, I read a lot about tactics and I always thought that if you were outgunned, then a little bit of tactical smarts could really turn the tables.

But the more I raced, the more I realized that tactics are good but legs are better. It's rare that you can implement a tactical move that will cover up weaknesses. So finding the opportunity for a move like this was a real treat.

I'm definitely in the "try stuff" school of bike racing. Wait for the sprint and if you're not the best sprinter, you'll lose every time. Try stuff and you might surprise yourself.

Taking a big step up the past two years has made me a lot more confident to try stuff, too - but at Nationals this week I think I'll still follow wheels and just try to get to the finish line.

Flatballer

@queerpunk

What events are you doing at nationals? I think I'm heading out there tonight to spectate after work.

queerpunk

I'll be doing the TP with a team of buds, the points, and the scratch. My name's matt or mattio, and feel free to come say hi. I'll be the one wearing bright green and zebra stripes.

Bulldogsprinter

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.

Flatballer

That's a pretty damn good performance for an elite national championship. Congrats.

carleton

Wow. That was a great race report. Congrats!!

Muddlfuc

Saturday night was Round four of the Cycling vic Winter series, and due to other commitments, work and "epic" (for a track rider) road rides, have meant that this is the first race of the series i have raced.
With low expectations for the race and racing in D grade, i packed our bikes and headed down to DISC. (indoor velo near home) I was racing against one of my club mates who 12 months ago challenged me to a 2up three race challenge, which i won the first 2 races and raced the third on a tandem, piloting a blind club member. So fire works where expected for an in race mini racing.
Oh and it was new skin suit day

First race was the Heart starter, 10 lap scratch race, always a personal favourite, found my self at the back one of my club members was on the front and wasnt rolling though for the first 6 laps, (dont worry i hit him over the back of the helmet later) people at the back where starting to get a little nervous and stacking deep at the back. i noticed the guy in front was preparing to make a run at the front so i slipped in behind him and got a nice little tow to front, for some strange reason he also decided that he didnt want to give up the font. So with two laps togo i made my move and attacked hard off the font. i didnt quite have enough of a gap and came home for second.

Up next was a 3 rider sprint derby, and i was racing my club rival (matt) (or so he says) and in his words He's a sprinter... i drew starting position No 1 so was going to race from the front. Knowing that Matt doesn't like speed at distance, i had the plan to draw them out a little bit, i managed to push both other riders up the track, seeing if either of them where going to attack closed down a couple of test moves, and with a lap and 1/2 to go i noticed that the other rider and Matt where watching each other so i dived...
Thats gave me a good gap, as i got on top of my gear coming in to the final bend, i could feel the other rider closing.. managed to hold it all together to take first... matt was still 10m behind. over all a time of 13.10 for the final 200m on a VERY cold and dead track.


Next up was a elimination race... lets just say i was box and stored for later bad start and poor positioning meant that i had a good rest leading up in to the final race

Time for a 12 lap points race - early break away meant that i couldn't contest for any of the points.
second points lap, managed to debox my self and chase the group down, and contest the lap... won by a tire width... but burnt way too many matches
with the final sprint looming was working with the two guys i had beaten in the last sprint, a third guy bridged and i popped... managed to slide over the line for one point...
3rd over all in the points race. didnt believe it and was a little chuffed.


Im the chunky man in the red and black

All in all a great night at DISC

carleton

Sounds like a fun night of racing. Nice pics, too!

Godsight

Quebec provincial championship was last weekend at the Bromont Velodrome. I was way outclassed by the elite senior guy but it was still a lot of fun to race.

The championship is an omnium (no provincial champ for a specific event) and the points race results was not counting in the overall standing like the olympic omnium does. It was a bit strange to race the points on the first day but still a lot of fun.

Friday (a bit windy, you could feel the headwind on the back straight)

Scratch (40 laps) gear 49x14
First race of the day, most of the racers know each others. It start hard and never stop being hard. I get dropped around the 20th lap. The winner was strong enough to solo lap the pack. Not a good sign for me for the rest of the mass start race.

Kilo gear 50x14
First time ever doing a kilo. FFS the kilo is hard on the legs. Did a 1:17. Fastest time of the day was 1.08.586 by a junior. Next kilo attempt goal is under 1.15 but ultimately I want to drop below 1.10.

Points race (60 laps) 49x14
Tried to attack on the first lap to maybe get some points at the first sprint. They were all right on my wheel when I attacked. Tried to follow after but it was a lost cause. These guys were fast. Gotta train more next year to be able to follow them.


Saturday (no wind, a bit humid, good condition overall for a fast day of racing)

4km individual pursuit gear 49x14
First time doing the pursuit. As with the kilo, I had no tt helmet, tt bar or disk wheel and deep aero front wheel. Still gave my best shot. And FFS the pursuit is hard on the lungs. I was sure I was going to spit blood at the end. Ended up with a 5.31.047 time. I was racing against the only slower guy than me in Senior men. I lapped him twice. Against a faster opponent, I might have gone under 5.30 but who knows. Fastest time of the day for the 4k was 4.50.044 this time by the strongest senior guy. Next year goal is under 5.15. Next time I might try with a 50x14

200 Flying Lap gear 51x14
A bit too humid for the perfect condition of a flying lap but pretty much everyone was going faster than usual at Bromont. My last PR was 13.756 and there was a lot to work on that attempt. So I was sure I would go under 13.5 on this attempt. My jump was still lacking this time but the overall speed during the lap was good and I was not fading out during the last 50m. Ended up with a 13.046. Fastest time of the day was 10.834 by Joel Archambault of Team Canada. The rest of the fast elite guys were under 12s. Next year goal is under 13 but ultimately the goal is to get below 12. Gonna need a lot of gym time for that goal.


Elimination race gear 49x14
As with the two other mass start race. I tried to stay as much as possible at the front but most of the pack was too quick for me and got eliminated second.

End result for the omnium was 6th place out of 8 since one of the faster guy did not start all the event. The overall standing is not that great but the racing was a lot fun. Now the question is do I go to the nat for the experience ? or try and go to a couple of Ontario Cup at Milton during the winter instead. Doing both would be hard financially speaking and also in terms of work logistic.

Attached are my splits for the Kilo and the IP

queerpunk

So.

Turns out that UCI C1 International Omniums are pretty tough.

tobukog

Having been on a track only once this year, I figured I better get a session in before Master's Nationals. Having taken a tumble last week in Georgia, it was also important to be comfortable on the bike and get back into the game.

One of the unresolved questions was my gearing: during the warm up I geared up to a 51 x 16 and it felt too heavy. I decided to go down to a 50 x 16 and it felt much better -- but I'm still undecided for the scratch race since the difference in gain ratios is pretty big.

Started with a a flying 200m for ****s and giggles -- rode it in a 12.6, which I was pretty pleased with considering my gearing and the fact that I've been pretty much a masher. It's only speculation, but a low 12 or high 11 would be in the realm of possibility if I were running proper gearing.

Match sprint, first ride
Drew the first position and just decided to roll it out fairly quickly. Jumped from mid track with 250m to go led into the back straight, and promptly threw my chain.

Match sprint, reride
My oppponent decided to jump me at 250 to go, but he went over the top so I limited the gap to 2 bike lengths.Smashed the pedals through corners 3 and took a run at him and pulled ahead for the win.

25 lap Reverse Snowball (race from hell)
The reverse snowball is everything I hate in an endurance race -- personality wise I like to start off slow, observe, and see what happens-- especially since I had just ridden my match sprint heat. Someone took the 1st lap, and then a visiting rider from St. Louis counterattacked and took the next 3 laps. This forced my hand so I bridged and counterattacked, taking the next 6 or 7 laps. It was enough to win the race, but it was pretty costly.

coughed for 10 minutes, puked on the infield. scratched from any further match sprints.

40 lap points race.
Decided to mark everything and play the sprint card. Won every contested sprint, some by 50m or so.

Won the overall omnium, but the big question mark is how quick my opponents will be at Nationals. It's hard to believe I'm going to win all the sprints by 10+ bike lengths, and I have to figure out how much I can let up to save my strength for later in the race. My gut feeling is that medaling is probable, but other than that, too many unknowns.

50x16 seems a perfect gear for the points race, but I'll probably gear up to a 51 for the scratch -- it's to tempting to have a ripping top end when you're faced with a field of 1:10-11 kilo riders.

It's always amazing watching our older match sprinters: Bernard, Anton, Kirk etc riding 200's in the 11's and mixing it up, and usually winning.

Now I just have to cobble together a team pursuit and madison partner.

carleton

Sounds like a good day of racing.

48x16 is a standard warmup gear. Remember: The objective of warmup is literally to warm up the muscles...as in raise their temperature. Do not burn any significant energy/glycogen during warmup.

The snips that I made bold above are all good reasons why we should get on the track more often before a big event that costs us time and money (vacation time, travel $, missed wages, time away from home).

Generally speaking, the 35-39 and 40-44 age groups are the fastest at Masters Nationals. The guys who medal there are often the fastest at their local tracks and are fast enough to hang with (and often beat) elites. 45-49 are only a small half-step behind those other groups.

Very rarely do "unknown" guys make the podium in those age groups.

About 3/4 of the folks who show up to Masters Nationals are there to win and have been training for a long time to do so. About 1/4 are there for the experience and whatnot.

Good luck and keep us posted!

carleton

Also, it's very possible to over-do it in a workout or race day. It really depends on where you are in your program if your program can a day like you had (digging really deep, puking, etc...).

The body can respond in one of two ways:

- Treat it as stimulus and induce overcompensation (growth)
- Treat it as over-training and induce fatigue. The "hole" that's hard to dig out of and takes weeks of time off the bike.

VanceMac

That was killer field. The guy who won is our current series leader (even missing the last 2 dates to be in TTown, he's going to win). Add in Zak, Hall, Rotherham... I can imagine the pace.