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Read this article on how to ride a Handicap
RACE 6 HANDICAPPERS REPORT
Entries across the grades were very even this week with all bunches containing 3 or 4 riders. Conditions were tough with a head cross wind across the back half of the circuit, conditions that would favour the stronger and the more experienced riders.
Handicap times from the previous week were used, however an extra lap was added to the race, this would enable bunches to come together that bit closer than the previous week's margin.
Junior riders were kept at the shorter 4 lap distance and had times adjusted accordingly. This is a difficult handicap to calculate but was right on the day with both riders being caught in the closing stages of the race.
Early lap times had the bunches catching each other on target for a spectacular finish, A+ was an exception to this, they were eating up massive time gaps. This was the first and only handicap race with several scratch riders on the start line, so the handicapper had a more difficult task setting this handicap bunch than the others.
On the day the scratchies proved to be much faster than anticipated and swept past the entire field and took the top three places at the finish; regardless a suitable finish to the series with well shared spoils!
RACE 5 HANDICAPPERS REPORT
C and D grade managed to take a clean sweep of the points with 2:09 seperating 1st to 10th place. Fastest time followed a further 3:20 behind. A good result for many, but a little to much handicap for the backmarkers on the day. RACE 4 HANDICAPPERS REPORT
Slightly lighter numbers and tough conditions favoured the back markers for race 4 at Shady Creek, although riders must still ride hard and get organised to win. Geoff Thomson proved how important this is in this weeks race keeping his bunch together on the climbs and rotating on the flats.
The top ten places were seperated by 0:44 and 6 of the 8 grades were represented in the points - it can't get much closer than that!!
Riders left in grades C+ and B are struggling in the points. To even up the competion C+ has been bolstered with numbers by promotion of the two powerehouses from C grade; Paul Kennedy and Matt Williamson. B grade has been given a generous handicap of 7:30 for next week; use it wisely B grade...
Good luck next week everyone.
RACE 3 HANDICAPPERS REPORT
The B+ and A grade bunches are proving the most difficult to handicap with varied numbers and results each week, all other grades appear to be riding with similar consistency; flat out.
The following changes have been enacted following race 3 results:
RACE 2 HANDICAPPERS REPORT
There are always many conditions to consider when setting a handicap, a good handicap is as much an art as it is a science. Having a repeat race the following week on the same race circuit definitely makes the handicappers job easier. However, this weeks handicap was not without its complexities. Still wind conditions favouring the limit riders, a large bunch on the chopping block, many new riders to handicap and the appearance of two skinsuited freaks were all factors to consider. Zvonko smashed the field, winning by 48 seconds, the next 8 places were seperated by a mere 58 seconds, 10 place finished at 3:17 and the rest of the field finished on bunch time of 3:27; a fantastic result for the handicapper considering the gap between limit and scratch was 24:00 minutes at the start!
The number of riders in each group will be given close attention for next weeks race, Rob Monk's group suffered a little in this weeks handicap with just 3 riders. The 1.6km climb is likely to cause some difficulties for the outmarkers and will also be given due condsideration for next weeks handicap.
The following changes have been enacted following race 2 results:
RACE 1 HANDICAPPERS REPORT
Despite a few obvious grading errors (too high and too low) the top 10 finishers within 1:39 of today’s winner. The top ten was a good mix of grades with 4 B grade, 4 C grade and 2 D grade riders.
The following changes have been enacted following race 1 results:
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