Post date: Aug 29, 2015 8:52:39 PM
Hello Vets,
In the Bleat this week;
• Race Officials Required
• First Aiders Required
• Register for Fitz's Challenge in 2015
• National Capital Tour
• Racing this Week
• Race Reports
Please send me your contributions at: TheBleat@actvets.cc
Ian Morton
Once again the committee calls on riders not keen on racing during the next month to help with the upcoming events. Last week's call resulted in two volunteers: The Bleat editor; and one other who more or less helps out every week. Please notify race.committee@actvets.cc if you can help out. We'd love to hear from you.
Rob Langridge
With the approaching Footy Finals, Sports Med might have problems rostering first-aiders for our races. Could any first-aid qualified club member who is available to be on standby please contact Ian Albrey to help us ensure we can keep the race schedule over this period.
Fitz's Challenge - Canberra’s long distance cycling event – will be held on Sunday 25 October 2015 to provide participants the chance to choose their challenge from one of five course distances while also raising much needed funds for The Kids’ Cancer Project.
The five course distances on offer in Fitz’s Challenge are:
• 50 km Tidbinbilla Challenge
• 105 km Tharwa Challenge
• 165 km Fitz's Classic
• 210 km Fitz's Epic
• 255 km Fitz's Extreme
Registrations for the event are now open.
The National Capital Tour is now in its third year and is unfolding to become Canberra's premier road racing event. This year's event has expanded to include both local and state club racers into the Graded event categories allowing riders to mingle with Australia's' elite NRS riders. The Graded events offer four categories A, B, C, D across 3 stages; Hill top finish at Corin Forest, Sunday morning road race finishing with Sunday afternoon Criterium.
With $3800 in prize money on offer enter for your chance to claim the overall GC Jersey or wear the stage winner jersey. www.nationalcapitaltour.com.
Where: Uriarra Homestead
When: 1:30 pm.
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description: Age Division Scratch
M1 35-39, M2 40-44, M3 45-49, M4 50-54, M5 55-59: 47 kms Start at Homestead, Mt Macdonald, Short Turn, Top of Crossing, Mt Macdonald, Short Turn, Top of Crossing, Finish at Homestead
M6, M7, M8, M9, M10, W1, W2, W3, W4, W5: 40 kms Start at Homestead, Short Turn, Top of Crossing, Mt Macdonald, Short Turn, Top of Crossing, Finish at Homestead
Race Director: Ian Morton
Contact: Email mortoni@optusnet.com.au Ph: 0411112007
Assistance required - In order to setup for this race, there are 38 signs to be setup at four locations. I plan to be there about 11:30, if anyone able to come along and help with the setup, that would be appreciated.
The nominated marshals for this event are;
• ATCs: Tony Weir, JP De Sousa, James Meredith, ONE MORE REQUIRED
• Marshals: Andrew Remely, Tony Rowley, ONE MORE REQUIRED
The nominated marshals for upcoming events are;
- Sep 13 @ Iron Mike: Mike McGurgan, Ian Albrey, 1 more ATC req'd, Adam Carmody, Dean Groening
- Sep 20 @ Yass: Sue Powell, Ross McPherson FIVE MORE REQUIRED
- Sep 27 @ Breadalbane: Volunteers required.
- Oct 06 @ Stromlo: Gary Waldron, Kelvin Alley
On a nice Saturday afternoon if somewhat windy, the call came for C and D to come to the line, but where was C grade? Only one rider and the tandem were there keen to race, which was a problem been a graded points race , they decided to have fast ride at the back of D grade.
D grade rolled away at a somewhat easy pace, things got warmer when the bell rung the first time we saw a bit of action. At a later stage Peter Harding won a sprint, did recover in the bunch for few laps then attacked again put a gap and managed to stay clear for more than a lap to win a second sprint prime, any way that effort must have cooked Peter’s legs and he disappeared at the back. Meanwhile at the front some fast riding was happening and on the last lap we saw a well contested sprint.
A grade were only four riders which became three when Jason Parkes got dropped after winning a sprint prime, the rest of the sprints were disputed between Marc Wroomans and Paul Scherl, it was very fast and close! One of the sprint we could not find a winner, Robert Langridge was keeping up with Paul and Marc but could not match their sprint’s speed. Paul won by a very small margin.
B grade was interesting as after two sprint prime three rider went away Al Bontjer, Dom Rideaux and Chris Nolan, at the following sprint Chris got dropped from that group then it was Al and Dom working very well together taking turn to “win “ the prime (They did so well they did catch A grade ) until the last sprint where it become very serious ,Dom won it by a small margin.
The rest of B grader only Dale Kleeman and David Mullens did some chasing the rest of the bunch was not too interested to work with them, happy to race for third. With few minutes to go Nick Bolan And Chris Nolan took off with Chris taking third at the last sprint.
E grade became a three rider race Between Neil Davis, Bob Kent and Linda Stals the other rider got dispersed all over the tract. The race got decided on the last sprint won by Neil.
F grade we saw a very active Mike Spoljaric early in the race but he did fade away as the race progressed. It became as E a contest between three riders, the winner was decided on the well fought last sprint won by Bob Miller then Mick Donaldson and Barbara Bayliss, (I am still asking to myself why is Barbara pulling at the front on the last lap with Bob And Mike in her wheel!!!).
G Grade one brave soul did show up … well done Tony.
Many thanks to the marshal extraordinaire Bernie Crowe and the keen helpers Alex O’Shea, John Coleman and Ian Morton to record the sprints.
Special thanks to Graham Hendrie and Henry Beaverstock for their contribution at the registration and to enter the results. Cheers.
Alain Arbaut
I like bike racing.
I like sprinting, I like the cut and thrust of getting into position, and launching a withering/ed burst of speed to snatch a win right on the line.
However I also know that to be in a position to sprint, I have to be at the pointy end of the race when it counts. Sometimes this means putting your opponents under pressure when you can in order to either shake them, or at least weaken them enough so that they can’t return the favour. Sometimes it means doing nothing when they attack because you know that they can’t hold off a bunch by themselves for 20km. Sometimes it simply means that you have to grovel at the back and cling on for as long as possible because if you can just get to the final few hundred metres there is still a chance to mix it with the stronger riders.
I like listening to the others breathe to determine whether they are struggling or not, I like hearing them groan when you make an effort that they can’t respond to, and I particularly like it when you can winkle out a victory through guile, or timing, against riders who are stronger and who should have beaten you.
A time trial however does not afford the opportunity for direct tactical interactions with your opponents. Even worse is a hill-climb TT because you know that there is nowhere to hide it is simply rider vs hill.
Which brings us to the Corin Rd TT. I haven’t been up this road since visiting the toboggan with a mate in 1989. I can’t even remember ever riding it, although I am familiar with it’s reputation of being a hard ride.
Readers of my race reports will know that I have no great love of hills particularly when riding on a tandem with John. We had no plans or hopes for D grade glory on this day, it was simply going to be a battle of us vs the hill.
The hill is a hard enemy to read. It doesn’t attack, it has no emotion, it can’t be fooled, it gives way reluctantly and with relentless opposition. Any ground you make against it has to be earned. They say that the A grade climbers don’t do it any easier, they just go faster, so to that end the hill is hostile to us all. Its conquest requires the best of all riders. Being a new course the opportunity to race this hill may never come again.
But why, some say, this hill? Why choose this as our goal? We choose to climb the hill… we choose to climb the hill on this day not because it is easy, but because it is hard, because that goal will serve to measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, or at least reach the summit.
Many years ago the great British explorer George Mallory, was asked why did he want to climb Mount Everest. He said, "Because it is there." The race was on, we were available to do it. We came, we climbed and we conquered. Yes we lost over one minute per kilometer against Trevor (the winner of D grade), but we were victorious against the hill.
I am greatly looking forward to doing battle with people rather than terrain next weekend.
Cheers,
Cameron