Post date: Oct 20, 2015 2:3:45 AM
Hello Vets,
In the Bleat this week;
• Race Matters
• Vets out and about
• Brisbane Blast
• Register for Fitz's Challenge in 2015
• Racing this Week
• Race Report
Please send me your contributions at: TheBleat@actvets.cc
Ian Morton
We desperately need members to become race directors. Please contact race.committee@actvets.cc for more information or talk to me at the crits.
Handicaps will remain the same this week while I get to grips with the new RMS. If you found your grade too easy last week, do the honourable thing.
To ensure that everyone gets a decent race, we run two grades consecutively. This means there will be times when grades have to pass each other. C and D mostly passed cleanly on Tuesday. A and B. however, were in total disarray with some disqualifications following. The guilty took the Spanish defence "I didn't know" but if a rider is trying to communicate with you and it's more than just "on your right" make an effort to find out what they have to say. The bottom line is that you can't gain advantage from the other grade, and you shouldn't join that group if you know they are a mixed group.
Rob Langridge
Steve Crispin riding for the Canberra-based Phoenix Cycling Collective rode for seven hours and fifty minutes to complete the 100th Melbourne to Warnambool road race on the weekend. As far as I know, Steve is the first club member to start or complete the race--it's a mindboggling achievement. About 10 years ago, Simon Claringbold completed the shorter but more hilly Grafton to Inverell race.
Even more shocking though is that current M5 world road race champion Stephen Fairless from Shepparton was third in the B grade race but finished in the same time as the A grade winner! .
I raced in a 30 minute crit outside the Olympic stadium on Sunday. Thanks to good handicapping, I was in Div 4 but in a field full of riders from the Lidcombe-Auburn Cycle Club. The earlier Div 3 was fast and furious from the start, and I thought there'd be team tactics involved so I guess I was set for a tough race.
Much to my surprise we ambled off in Vets "after you, Sir, no after you" style. The Lidcombe riders didn't ride as a team at all, and my plan to attack with three corners to go came off successfully. I hit the paved section with 200m remaining with about a 30m gap, then held on through the last 180 degree turn and back to the finish to totally shock my wife.
Peter Taylor and others will be selling old bike bits on Saturday 7 November at Dumaresq St Dickson from early that morning. Buyers and sellers welcome. Call Peter 0439 859 200 for more details.
Among the bike tragics who gather at the bike racks at work is an electrical engineer who's developing a device to enable a mobile battery to be charged by a hub generator. If you've got a hub generator and would like to part of the R&D process, contact me atlangridge@netspeed.com.au.
He also fixes batteries and LED lights--John Paul de Sousa, my daughter and I are all happy customers. Cost is $15 per half hour to solve your bike lighting problems.
Rob Langridge
We have Blast off! We are excited to announce that the Brisbane Blast powered by Subaru is returning to the South Bank circuit on Sunday, 15 November 2015.
Full details at http://www.brisbaneblast.com.au/.
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.
Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
G 5:40 15 min + 1 lap
C/D 6:00 20 min + 2 laps
E/F 6:28 18 min + 2 laps
A/B 6:52 22 min + 2 laps
Race Director: Rob Langridge / Ian Morton
Contact: Email: langridge@netspeed.com.au Ph 0479154448
The nominated marshals for this event are;
• David Morgan
• Ross Robinson
Please confirm with the Race Director that you are available. If you unable to make the date that you have been rostered please find a replacement.
Wednesday, 21st October: Track Racing
The Program for Wednesday is as follows:
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice;
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 6-lap scratch race;
6.20pm – 6.40pm: 2 Lap Handicap;
6.40pm – 7.00pm: Mystery Race;
7.00pm – 7.20pm: 6-Lap scratch (All in with B Grade early start).
The nominated marshals for upcoming events are;
- Oct 27 @ Stromlo: Angie Wren, Steven Jones
- Nov 01 @ Dairy Rd: Andrew Balzanelli, Mark Gillett, Brad White
- Nov 03 @ Stromlo: Lindsay Graham, Daniel Grillo
- Nov 10 @ Stromlo: Angelika Mauch, Craig Pearsall
The Marshal Roster for the remainder of the year has been uploaded on to the club website at;
The season’s first track racing session was held on Wed 14 October. Attendance was good with 21 riders boosted by a number of interested spectators. There were several new faces including Sue Powell, John-Paul De Sousa, John Stockman, and Alec Millett. Linda Stals, who was a regular trackie at Queanbeyan park, has decided to give the banked track a go this season. Sue Powell was resplendent in a tunic with World Championship bands, after her track success last year.
The six lap A grade scratch race was exciting and tactical. After four laps at solid pace, Steve Jones was leading with three riders hovering on his wheel and ready to pounce. Steve accelerated and held them all off. Aaron Sedgemen put in a big surge for second place and was followed by Gary Waldron and Michael Langdon. The B Grade scratch was also exciting with the huge final surge by Alec Millett to take the win from Steve Dean. The scratch events were following by a 2-Lap time trial using a standing start. This gave a good indication of rider’s form. Michael Langdon set the benchmark, closely followed by Gary Waldron and Aaron Sedgemen.
The night’s final race was an all-in Italian Pursuit. This was a fabulous race with Team 2 taking the early advantage and looking like they just might catch Team 1. As the race entered the back half, Team 1 began to rapidly peg back the deficit. The last three laps highlighted a tactical error by Team 2 in not optimising the order of their riders. This was just enough for the Team 1 anchor rider (Steve Jones) to take a close finish from Team 2’s Ben Robey.
Major place getters were as follows:
6-Lap Scratch: (A Grade) Steve Jones, Aaron Sedgemen, Gary Waldron; (B Grade) Alec Millet, Steve Dean, Bruce Griffin.
2-Lap Time Trial: (A Grade) Michael Langdon (51.93s), Gary Waldron (52.33s), Aaron Sedgemen (52.94s); (B Grade) Alec Millet (56.40s), Steve Dean (56.75s), John Stockman (58.23s).
Italian Pursuit: Won by Sue Powell, Michael Langdon, Steve Jones, Cameron Ermert, John Barlow, John-Paul De Sousa, Pat Rooke, Paul Robey & Bruce Griffin
The Bundadome track is pure excitement to race on. If you have a track bike, come and joint the fun.
Graeme O'Neill