The last week of a busy few weeks of racing, training and recovering but what a way to finish!
Sunday saw me giving back some time to a sport that gives me great pleasure. As with all good things in life cycling is organised and run by a few people for lots of participants. I am guilty of not volunteering enough to help behind the scenes so as the opportunity came up with my girls away for the weekend I was happy to put my name down to help out. I have done some marshalling before and expected to be donning a bright yellow tabard, perhaps armed with a red flag to point, direct, applaud riders and stop, persuade, explain to members of the public who simply cannot wait for one minute to let 60 riders hurtle past at 40mph.
To my surprise Fraz asked me to drive a support car. At this level there are 4 or more cars that drive either in front of the race, behind groups or the peloton and at the rear. The idea is to monitor the race, allowing the race commisaires to have an overall picture and keep the riders safe. As I had not driven before I was to have the top dog commisaire in my car - now known as comm1.
I was handed a radio, aerial and big magnetic sign for my car roof. I duly put all the kit on, in and turned the radio on. After a quick briefing and introductions we were off.
I was positioned behind the main peloton from where comm1 called other cars, neutral service van or medic car to different positions in the race convoy. The race speed alternated between 10 mph up the climbs and 50mph on the downs through villages and those are the range of speeds I had to drive at. At certain times I would be asked to move ahead of the peloton to stay with a break away and had to drive past them hand on horn to warn them.
During these races the roads are not actually closed and public can simply drive along as they see fit. Marshalls do their best to hold cars or other road users in safe positions as the small race convoy go past but sometimes the public exert their rights and continue on regardless. This race saw a couple of horse riders ignore the pleas of marshals. I think they may have regretted this as the peloton and cars came hurtling down the hill on the other side of the road. Although all riders slowed as best they could the horses were not happy and came close to becoming part of the peloton. The rather pompous riders got the scare of their life as well.
The end of the race with me following
I really enjoyed the day, the riders were truly grateful for the organisation of the race and I feel that I have given a little bit back.
Volunteering at an Elite Road Race
Sunday saw me giving back some time to a sport that gives me great pleasure. As with all good things in life cycling is organised and run by a few people for lots of participants. I am guilty of not volunteering enough to help behind the scenes so as the opportunity came up with my girls away for the weekend I was happy to put my name down to help out. I have done some marshalling before and expected to be donning a bright yellow tabard, perhaps armed with a red flag to point, direct, applaud riders and stop, persuade, explain to members of the public who simply cannot wait for one minute to let 60 riders hurtle past at 40mph.
To my surprise Fraz asked me to drive a support car. At this level there are 4 or more cars that drive either in front of the race, behind groups or the peloton and at the rear. The idea is to monitor the race, allowing the race commisaires to have an overall picture and keep the riders safe. As I had not driven before I was to have the top dog commisaire in my car - now known as comm1.
I was handed a radio, aerial and big magnetic sign for my car roof. I duly put all the kit on, in and turned the radio on. After a quick briefing and introductions we were off.
I was positioned behind the main peloton from where comm1 called other cars, neutral service van or medic car to different positions in the race convoy. The race speed alternated between 10 mph up the climbs and 50mph on the downs through villages and those are the range of speeds I had to drive at. At certain times I would be asked to move ahead of the peloton to stay with a break away and had to drive past them hand on horn to warn them.
During these races the roads are not actually closed and public can simply drive along as they see fit. Marshalls do their best to hold cars or other road users in safe positions as the small race convoy go past but sometimes the public exert their rights and continue on regardless. This race saw a couple of horse riders ignore the pleas of marshals. I think they may have regretted this as the peloton and cars came hurtling down the hill on the other side of the road. Although all riders slowed as best they could the horses were not happy and came close to becoming part of the peloton. The rather pompous riders got the scare of their life as well.
The end of the race with me following
I really enjoyed the day, the riders were truly grateful for the organisation of the race and I feel that I have given a little bit back.
Final Wednesday Evening Race of the Summer CX league
Wednesday saw me driving to Huddersfield for the last evening race this summer. To be honest I am quite glad, I have found these to be really difficult to perform at my best in as I usually arrive too near the start for a good warm up and start the race in the wrong mind set. As always I enjoyed the ride, but came away with my worst result this year. It was a great course that I knew from previous races and I should have done well. I just made poor tactical choices at key places, but stupidly repeated these mistakes on future laps. One more race this series, Scarborough on a Saturday, then I can look at my overall position and see if I'm in the money spots.@aggregate100k gravel race by Kinesis
As I have said before I entered the first edition of this race based in the North Yorkshire Moors. I am taking this opportunity to write about all aspects of the day, I believe this is a way forward for cycling and want to help the organisers who I hope will read this, so sorry about any negative sounding bits.
Firstly this was not a cheap event to enter, in fact it cost in the same league as 3 Peaks and Etape du Dales, both of which contribute much of the takings to charity. Not so this one, it had better be good.
So it was with some scepticism that I met up with my fellow mini-team riders on a near perfect morning in a field with a luke-warm coffee making man to prepare for the ride. I was excited. This is my perfect type of event. I wanted to ride well. I wanted it to be good fun, no I needed it to be brilliant fun.
A small field of riders made themselves ready and we were off. The format of the day was simply brilliant. 100km of riding in total, mostly sportive riding with 4 timed segments (think enduro racing or rally special stages). Timed segments would take about 20 mins to compete. The times would be added together to give a total time and hence a winner.
Segment 1 was the wildest with best views as well - climb Rudland Rigg to the top and then descend Monkett House. The climb is not steep, but plenty enough to hurt if you go too hard and the descent claimed several riders with punctures. Local knowledge informed me well and I kept myself just out of the red going up and knew to trust my tubeless tyres on the way down. I also knew some good lines that kept me clear of real nasty bits. As I rode over the timing mat at the end I felt good. What a rush, just under 20 mins of effort and a big smile. I had passed my friend and coach Tom on the way down, he had suffered the first of several punctures through the day.I waited for the rest of the guys to reassemble and off we went to climb Blakey Bank, a climb I had never cleared before. Today was different, cleared easily seated all the way.
Some more riding along disused railway to descend over Spaunton Moor and then into Cropton Forest.
Segment 2 was making use of forest roads, gravelly,hardpack and dry these were fast to ride but the uphill nature of the segment made it hard going. I worked as hard as I could and was pleased to cross the final timing mats with a loud beep. Food stop was there! Really well stocked, whisky for those mad enough. A welcome rest and sharing of experiences so far with other riders. And guess what, I was faster than coach Tom again as he had punctured again.On we went at a leisurely pace to find segment 3. After some disorientating signage we finally got to the start and off we went again. I absolutely buried myself in this one, running through boggy sections and driving hard on the good roads. A fully stood up sprint finish took me over the timing mats.
But wait.
Something missing here.
No noise.
I jumped on the mat, still no noise.
Nobody else had heard a noise either.
A man turns up, looks at the box of tricks and turns it on. Not happy.
Tom was even less happy as he had really beasted this segment.
On we go again, we eventually get to where I believe segment 4 will be, but no start mats? A lone marshal there informs us that this segment has been removed (never put in). We take the path and are glad it is not a timed segment as it had very little to do with riding and more to do with carrying/pushing.
We complete the ride and semi collapse in the field. 100km is not far, but 100km off-road is pretty far as you use different muscles to absorb shocks as you plummet over the stones.
FEED ME NOW!
Hoping that some post event food is included in my entry fee I go and see the food man. It is not included....... and whilst good food, not cheap either.
I have put some thought into my overall opinions of the day:
- Yes it was expensive to enter, some food thrown in at the start/end would have helped.
- The concept for the day was brilliant and in my opinion one way forward for gravel racing in the UK.
- Expensive, important equipment that the day is based upon should be looked after and monitored by humans all day.
- Signage in forests is really important, a bit like proof reading have somebody who does not know the route follow the signs as they are put out.
- The route was great.
- The smiles I had were brill.
- Overall I really enjoyed the day and will look for similar events in the future.
I really wish Emma and Kinesis all the best with this format and event, I do accept first time glitches and hope to see it again, but better. Thanks for a great day.
Have I said how much fun the riding was?
Oh, and I placed 6th overall - WHOOP WHOOP!
Of I go to search out some bigger gravel tyres...........
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