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Holy crap that hurt! Too fast at the start, nearly killed myself trying to cling to the group I was in the rest of the way, barely anything left for the final sprint, couldn't push harder! Then accidently mashed the leave now button as soon as I went over the line and left!! D'oh 🤣🤯🤮
Gah.. 1/4 way round last lap lost connection. At the back anyway. Ftp went up to 221w. Good training 😉
Got beaten up by the bigger boys on the first go round the underpass. Managed to stick with the second (ish?) group on the road, but that last lap was horrible.
Glad to be back 🙂
Does it ever get any easier?
Last 2.5 km solo was a study of self punishment. That will teach me for getting confused and sprinting on the lead in...
@robbo1234biking FTP increase to 312 W and seeing as I have an update weight down 1 to 86 kg. Thanks as ever.
Nice work folks! Enjoyed that in a sick-inducing, leg cramping, eye-ball sweating way.
🤮
Tried to hang with the second group (Robbo's) but lungs and body not in it tonight. Very luckily managed to grab on to the next group with M Pewsey, Jimbubleyou, S Patton, D Riley, M Jenneson, R Kennerley and Paul and recovered a bit.
D Riley seemed to try to make a break of it on lap 3 so I made an effort to help pull the group back for a bit (thanks to whoever took over) and completed the bridging work. Final lap was all a little more sensible(ish).
Thanks Robbo and well done Paino on your sprint and fastest lap efforts!
Enjoyed that again, somewhat surprising given the circumstances.
Firstly the ipad was flat so I quickly got the app running and connected on my phone. Joined up a minute or so before the flag, and on the tiny 4.5" screen failed to notice that I (and one other, Matt something maybe?) started the race going in the wrong bleeding direction!
Honestly, 500w off the line in the complete opposite direction! What on earth causes zwift to do that and please tell me how to stop it again!
Went berserk for a minute to catch back up and stayed in a group for the longest I've done so far, till about half distance. It felt fast! Eventually fell off into 36th on the road and stayed there.
Finally, J Nicol you sod, tagged on during lap 3 and thought it was the start of a beautiful relationship/duo to the finish but actually I just dragged him round to the sprint where he bolted.
Shame on me as I fell for it twice 😀
And finally @robbo1234biking:
Woohoo!
Yuck in hindsight i shouldnt bother with any form of racing for a few weeks. Gone and upset my long run of top 5 STW finishes on the road in dramatic fashion.
I knew my only hope tonight was to grab onto a group and get toe with no efforts of my own for a break away or any of that nonsense.
a minute or two into it my lap top started to run an update and zwift minimised. Think i got caught out under the ramp and had no idea if i had a wheel or my whereabouts in the group
effort was all over the police.
i eventually realised i was behind Neil and then accidentally gapped him up the gradual climb. Decided it was pointless and too painful to try and stay ahead of the small group that had formed behind so eased for them to catch. once i tagged on we put an effort in on one climb and split the group to just myself, Neil and OGG.
My lowest ever watt average of 224, lowest ever finish by a long distance at 30th. not for the lack of effort , i tried to give the usual 100% and my HR average was in line or just above what i expect for a race so the diets definitely having a major effect on big efforts. worth a test but not to be repeated.
was going to miss next weekend anyhow but im sticking to slow steady state plods for now and hopefully the short term loss will result in a longer term gain.
well ridden everybody, enjoy next week and thanks again for your efforts Robbo.
Good race, well for me anyway.
Managed to stay with the front group until the mugging on the underpass, and settled with the 15-21 position group with @Straighliner and the rest. Tried not to do to much, ( well actually was redlining all the way so if I had done something I would have been dropped 20 secs later, ) and I luckily managed to get a useful power-up to stay in contention for the underpass sprint every lap so managed not to get dropped there.
That was until the final lap where I final lost the tow, and did the long cycle of dropped shame 😉
I had 1:15 to the next group so just pushed as hard as I could until the line to finish 21st
I was suprised I didn't get an FTP upgrade, it reckoned it was only 212, so must try harder next time.
Welll done @savoyad for winning, @Jimbubleyou for leading 'our' pack over the line, and @Robbo123biking for organising
P.
Thought that was going pretty well. Hung on with the second group (Robbo’s) and felt I had a little in reserve, for a change. But totally messed up the finish by attacking on the final climb to L’Arc and catching @mahowlett, then realised the first arch downhill wasn’t the finish and there was more than a km to go.
The group soon speed past again and I clung on to be last in the sprint.
That was a complicated front group...handicaps all over the place, sticking together all round the lap, @paino really bossed the points tonight, @benman's form was a mystery (although he bridged a gap on lap 2 very easily), @djflexure rode really aggressively and it looked like it was paying off when he ground out a 5 second gap early in lap 4 and stayed out there a while. In the end @benman dictated how the finish played out with a searing attack up the drag which broke the group up. I'm not sure a harder last 3 or 4 minutes could have been crafted. @yanboss you'll get some points for your "confused" sprint I think.
Thanks for everyone for taking part in the series! Good to see some people back who have been ill as well!
The results are provisional in case I have made any mistakes. Please let me know.
Race 1 - Lutece Express
Overall Race Winner
1. savoyad
2. paino
3. djflexure
Overall Race Winner (with handicaps)
1. Paul-S
2. msjhes2
3. benman
Sprint Points (Reverse Lutece Sprint)
1. paino
2. straightliner
3. Savoyad
4. andeh
5. yanboss
Green Jersey Standings
1. paino
2. straightliner
3. Savoyad
Series Top 3 (including sprint/fastest lap points) Best 6 race points counts
1. Paul-S
2. msjhes2
3. benman
After a summer of road riding, I only set Zwift back up this week. I had no idea how tonight was gonna go, after a terrible ramp test at the weekend.
A flat race doesn't really play to my strengths, so I knew the only chance I had was to try and break on an incline and grind it out. Didn't work! Good race though chaps.
Garg! One of those races where you think you’ve done ok in the sprint but everyone ahead of you has already finished the race and dropped off the leaderboard!
Double garg!
Do we do FTP decreases, I reset before race knowing that I have lost some power over the course of the summer, due hardly any time on bike.
Zwift came back with 180w at the end of the race, down from 215w early in the year.
EDIT: That was a killer of race to start off with, but total enjoyment!
That was a good race nice group of 5 including gigs master and ogg sorry can’t remember all the names we then caught Kirky and the group split with just me ogg and kirky for the last lap and then the sprint which was close Zwift had kirky and ogg at the same time.
cheers for organising Robbo.
I quite like that route, there's a bit of everything. I particularly like the opportunity to stand up on the climb every lap, to stretch things out a bit. Clung with the group I wanted to but rolled the dice and had a bash at the sprint on the last lap, thinking I wouldn't lose that much time if I dropped off the group in the 1km to the finish. If I'd have just stuck with the group I'd be 5 places higher! Gah, nevermind, so it goes.
Thanks Robbo!
Tough one. So very nearly got dropped on the 3rd lap after @djflexure @yanboss @benman and @phil56 booted it up the climb. Had @yanboss to help claw our way back into the group, massively surprised they allowed us back in!
Plan kind of worked… judged the fastest lap would be the first full lap so fell into the blob and gave the sprint a go, the 5 out front were a perfect distance away to get the gap, then managed to maintain a decent lead crossing the line for the KOM.
Some huge efforts from djflexure, but such a hard route to maintain any time gaps without any assistance. Thought he had it on the last lap when the lead went out to 6 seconds. Then @benman decided enough was enough and closed the gap in 3 seconds flat. Saw my HR over 180 up the last climb clinging on, then somehow, and I don’t quite know how, passed Phil and DJ for 2nd.
Great race though guys, thanks. Cheers Robbo!
After a long period of fairly faultless Zwifting, tonight was the night to be put in the pen facing the wrong way, I think 4th or 5th rejoin got me pointing the right way.
Managed to hang onto the third group for 3 laps, died, then hung on a bit longer, then died again, cramp coming, despite the encouragement to hang in.
Was waiting for the next train which was Kirky/Ogg/NeilArnold - but it was clear that train was not going to stop at my station, watching their power was going up to 5.5 then down to 0.8. Somehow managed a lap and a half on my lonesome as they rode me down, to just avoid being swamped on the line by the express approaching.
In theory, that is my best course, being witches *** flat, and I road about as well as I can, so disappointing to only get 6 points - does not bode well for any remaining hilly courses !.
Much enjoyment as always, cheers Robbo.
Booted it off the line but nobody wanted to play so went back to the group. Put in a few efforts to keep everyone working. Got a gap on last lap, hoped to split the group behind and go for a win but could see they had come back together so didn’t persist. Waited for the sprint. Didn’t get anywhere close to @Savoyad, neck and neck with @Paino and @Phil56 on the line. Photo finish. Enjoyed that! Thanks Robbo!
"Finally, J Nicol you sod, tagged on during lap 3 and thought it was the start of a beautiful relationship/duo to the finish but actually I just dragged him round to the sprint where he bolted."
Sorry buddy, I panicked after you caught me!! 🙂
Bloody hell! That was hard! Not the best prep as I had to move my whole set-up from the garage into the kitchen.
Then I went too hard at the start for too long hoping it would settle down and I could recover.
Got spat out of the back on the first proper time (lap 1, not lead-in) up the draggy hill.
I was then on my todd and getting more and more tired so I lifted a bit to recover and let a group catch me up (lol not sure I had much choice).
Rode with this group (DFee, PLiddington, Atkinson, freeridenick and A Mitchell). I was relieved to be in a group until the sprint when they all battered me 🤣
No companion app today (it wouldn't connect in game mode) so I wasn't able to message.
I forgot to add the fastest lap time points on as well. I will update the spreadsheet for the next couple of days but the order was:
1. Paino
2. Straightliner
3. Djflexure
4. Phil56
5. Yanboss
As for my race...I kept with the front group and in the last series I burnt myself out chasing down a couple of attacks. SO this time I let the attacks go hoping they would come back but...they didnt! Looking at the pace/power numbers on the front I would have been able to keep up I think at least for a couple more laps so a missed opportunity.
Each time on the climb I pushed hard but the group didnt really split until the last lap when a couple of people (light riders) got away but luckily we caught them again before the line and having the momentum managed to beat them to the line but was pipped by slowpuncheur by 0.3 seconds!
Good start to the series though! Decent time in the GC.
Double header next week. Yorkshire is really going to hurt and then followed by Watopia.
It will be the updated pack dynamics from what I understand next week (I think they are turning them on for all worlds today). Not sure what difference that will make but might be worth looking for a short race over the weekend to try it out.
feel that in my legs this morning. so fundamentally different to Mtb biking which I mainly do! that course does not suit me particularly, prefer proper climbs rather than slight uphills...
great little group we had once stumpy joined us.
freeridenick
great little group we had once stumpy joined us.
Ha! The group seemed to be doing fine without me to be honest!
I could see you reeling me in & had to make a decision whether to keep busting my balls & eventually be caught anyway with nothing left in the tank, or concede you were going to catch anyway and have a bit of a breather while you caught up - so I took that option!
I went off way too fast for too long at the start & suffered for the rest of the race.
Yeah, that course does not suit me at all. I don't have the power output to keep up on the flat. And once you all went for the sprint I could see the numbers on the screen & knew I was gonna be in trouble 🙂
That is a tough course to get a split on. One long draggy hill where drafting is a large benefit and one short ramp out the underpass. It's become something of a cliche at the TdF that breaks never stick (unless your Vinokurov on lots of gear) on the Champs Elise so I guess kudos to Zwift for simulating the route well.
As for my race...similar to Robbo but rather than think the break would come back, I just didn't have the legs to keep up. We worked well with @J-R, @mahowlett, @andeh, m varley and @robbo1234biking and tried to push the pace when I had the gas. It was a bit cat and mouse with a few digs up the hill but nothing really stuck til @mahowlett shot off like a scolded cat. The finish line must have caught a few out and it tightened up again at the end. Happy with 7th but much to do to improve on that. Kudos to @djflexure. You needed a minute and took 1.07 on me. Looking forward to something more lumpy though;)
that run-in and first lap was brutal. i decided to push as hard as i could to stay in one of the front groups. once the dust had settled i was in the third group on the road (i think) and we kept a solid pace throughout. Rode with Jimdubleyou, P.aul, Jenneson, Kennerley, PAtton and we reeled in Jordan. a couple of useful powerups allowed me to stay with the pack.
The final lap had an increased pace. i think everyone got excited the end wasnt far away. i managed to put one final effort in and beat Kennerley to the line by one second, which secured me 7th after handicaps. happy with that!
mildly scared of the upcoming races if that was the 'easiest' of the bunch..... 😀
Ha! The group seemed to be doing fine without me to be honest!
Once we joined you the pace increased slightly again, which is what broke me. I manned up for a km but then was too far in the red, and looking for the exit.
Haloric -> Ant Mitchell.
Did anyone start facing the wrong way, or did we all fix it in time?
What happens?
I would like to be added please Robbo - again Tuesday night is my normal club ride, but as we head into the worse weather it would be good to do these where I can.
Will do a check on FTP/Weight
great little group we had once stumpy joined us.
"Enjoyed" that race, wasn't putting down enough power when the clock hit Zero at the start so didn't get to stick with the front group at all. I normally try to hang on for 5 mins or so before I can't anymore.
Ended up in a good group with everyone taking pulls at the front (Stumpy, PLiddington, Atkinson, freeridenick, A Mitchell). After a few laps figured I was relatively strong on the climbs but knew I wouldn't be able to compete on the descent \ sprint for the line so held a feather, and "rested" a bit on the last lap. Went for it towards the end of the last climb and opened up a few seconds gap. Just about held for the finish line. Was looking at the power the lads behind were putting down in the final straight, I'd have been blown out of the water.
feed
After a few laps figured I was relatively strong on the climbs but knew I wouldn’t be able to compete on the descent \ sprint for the line so held a feather, and “rested” a bit on the last lap. Went for it towards the end of the last climb and opened up a few seconds gap.
That was a good strategy. As soon as I saw the feather I thought 'cheeky bugger' and knew you'd be gone. There was a bit of a surge within the group towards the top of the hill which spread us out - I think freeridenick put a burst in followed perhaps by PLiddington), but by the time we were heading downhill we were all back together.
I should have gone for a longer effort towards the line & held off the mob, rather than waiting for everyone else to go.
Did anyone start facing the wrong way, or did we all fix it in time?
Me.
What happens is - exactly what you expect. I shot off. In the wrong direction. At 500watts. And then it did the slow 'turn in the road' that it does if you press the u-turn button during normal riding.
I've never experienced it before, and as I was on a 4.5" phone screen, I didnt even realise till the actual countdown hit 0 and we started.
Is it a common bug/fault? What do I do about it in the future!
snotrag
Is it a common bug/fault? What do I do about it in the future!
Can't say I've ever heard anyone complain about it before.
I think a few people had the same problem (Ant Mitchell as well, perhaps?)
Are you absolutely sure you weren't sitting on the turbo backwards?! 🙂
i was facing the wrong way, but quit and then once i was back in i was heading the right way. i was going to leave it and assume it would spin round once going... clearly not!
EDIT: looks like its a new bug....
https://forums.zwift.com/t/started-race-facing-the-wrong-way/504377/2
Updated pack dynamics?
It's not a new bug, that is from 2020, I've only ever seen it quoted as happening in Paris though on various forums.
I rejoined several times (apple tv) and eventually was the right way around with a few seconds to spare, quite a frantic undertaking, despite entering the pen initially at 8 mins to launch.
PSA - give it at least 10 mins to get in the pen.
Glad that didn’t happen to me, I usually transfer to pen 30-60 secs before race start!
I started the wrong way round. Stayed that way hoping that Zwift would sort itself out when the race started, but alas not. Instead I was pulled round in a long arc and by the time I was facing the right way, you lot had put ten seconds into me and there was no chance of catching you. Got bored of riding on my own, so dropped out. Then I did a turbo calibration and discovered the resistance was too loose anyway, which might explain why I wasn’t catching anyone. And that was my first race attempt since COVID six weeks ago and I still have a tight chest, so maybe it was a good thing to drop out. See you next time.
OK so handicaps are live for for this weeks double header in Yorkshire and then over to Watopia.
Oh yeah! The pain of a double header!
Bring It! 🤣
I'll be entering both races this time, zwift permitting. I don't mind the Harrogate course, short enough laps. I'll need to pedal hard on the downhill to minimise my losses.
I'll try and do a lap of the watopia course to remind myself of the route before the race.
Is tomorrow 2 x races, or is one a time trial?
2 races tomorrow night. There isn’t a TT this series.
@robbo1234biking , looks like I might be able to get on tomorrow but not signed up at all
if you get the chance, please could you invite me ? (no worries on entering for points but if you need a set of numbers to let me in at all, 79kg & 275W should be pretty near)
well 5 days into a cold, i am suspecting tonight might be at a slightly lower effort.... hopefully i can pedal the snot outta me!
See y'all on the start line (hopefully facing the correct way!)
You only need to not blow your nose for 15 mins or so twice tonight and you should be good!
So 2 shorter (more intense races tonight). Duchy Estate which should break up quickly (and 3 times up the hill!) and then Watopia Flat.
It will be the new pack dynamics tonight. Not sure how it will affect it - for the TTT we seemed to be 7 abreast for a lot of the ride. Def seemed harder to stay in the draft as you didnt stick to he rider in front. I am sure it will be better - just used to get used to the new dynamics!
Def seemed harder to stay in the draft
This has blown my whole race plan apart 🙁
4 days of mountain biking including today ! Hope my legs survive!
Am I too late for early excuses ? My legs still have not recovered from the damage of the ttt on thurs, despite some Zwift pootling and a park run on Saturday, with all the power of wet noodles at the moment.
I shall wave encouragingly from the rear.
Whereas I havent touched a bike since falling off the side of mine at about 8.15 last Tuesday evening.... so does that put me in a better, or worse position!?
I'm looking forward to this one!
Prizes!
Yes you read that right - there will be prizes for this series. Thanks to STW for putting these up. The prizes will be awarded as follows:
1. Overall points winner from the series
2. Racers racer - this will be a vote/poll from the people taking part in the series. After Race 4 I will pick 4 racers who I think have lit up the races most. I will then do an online poll where you all get to vote for your favourite and then the winner will be announced on the evening of the final race.
3. Combined points total from KOM and Sprint points. This will be an all-rounder prize for the most points scored on a combined total from both points competitions.
I should be back next week! My new turbo has been in the void of ArrowXL for about 9 days now 🙁 I@ll probably drop 50 watts or something daft as per with a new device
I'm on course for no excuses to not race this evening. I'll need the hr warm up so hopefully there is a short route available for me to tick off prior to the start.
Dutchy estate course looks interesting. Dont think I've done it before. Miniversion of last weeks course with finish moved to top of the climb. Can I adjust my weight to 45kg please 🙂
I'm currently perfecting my sub 20sec sprint 😉. High gear, low rpm, wobbly trainer. Not got time to bolt it down 😭
I missed last week due to a stinker of a cold. Still not 100%, just about managed the first race tonight without throwing up so decided to lie down rather than attempt the second. Disappointing, but hopefully back to normal for next week.
Complete anticlimax. Looking forward to it all day, particularly race 1 which suited me down to the ground. 45 min warm up then apple TV stopped receiving BT from trainer and I was left on the line. Swapped out for another ATV so did race 2 but by that time my enthusiasm had waned and I trundled around unable to get going. What a rubbish night. Hope you all enjoyed it & I look forward to race 1 report.
I like duchy estate (although I've never raced it with the proper finish line before, oddly). That wasn't enough to outwit @paino and @straightliner though.
The 2nd race started like the peloton were protesting at @robbo1234biking for making us race twice. I had to push on to try and give *certain people* tired legs for the sprint, but I cooked myself in the process and had nothing left when @benman came past at the finish.
Great fun, as always. Thanks everyone.
Good fun - but, lordy, you can hurt yourself that bit more on a short race ('til you remember there's a second one coming right up)
The 2nd race started like the peloton were protesting at @robbo1234biking for making us race twice
Might've been zwift's first critical mass ! 😁
I'm currently in Aldi cooling down in the freezer section 😃
That first race was brutal. Spent 3/4 of it trying to stick with G.iggsmaster but dropped off his wheel at the end of the second lap. Second race was just a ITT for me though, right at the back as usual! Still, showing definite progress so not too disheartened.
The 2nd race started like the peloton were protesting at @robbo1234biking for making us race twice.
You all just shot off at warp speed from my perspective! IT went from everyone complaining about their legs hurting from race 1 to a full-on drag race. Nutters.
Right near the end of the first race, the 'event start' button appeared on companion which promptly activated due to me sweating on the phone. Apparently the swearing could be heard from space.
I was being reeled in by K Allen? I think.
Next race I started fairly strong but faded a bit in the middle as my body remembered I wasn't that fit.
Sure ruined my legs @savoyad. In my head I was making a glorious break and bridging across to you after the undersea tunnels. Should have looked over my virtual shoulder as the whole group seemed to be right behind me!
That was hard. First race was brilliant, probably my best yet helped by some really good powerups, two feathers and an aero. 😀
Second race was tough, I thought I had blown it in the first 10 secs as I could not get my legs to put out any power, but then I looked up and it was a rolling start. I then got so use to the pace that when the fast boys finally put the hammer down I was asleep at the back. Just managed to get back on and stay with big blob but finished last in the sprint.
great work again Robbo.
Excuse: Still not fully over my cold.
Outcome: Enjoyed the first one, the hills aren’t too long and being steeper allow me to be a bit more punchy. However post sprint effort I failed to latch on to the chasing pack and was struggling to recover.
Race 2 surprised me how long the big blob stayed in place and only slowly stretched out heading towards the Italian Villas. Well done to Paino on another fine sprint (nice to have one not subject to power ups) and then I struggled to maintain much composure (cold is making my heart rate spike too much).
Well done all, and thanks to Robbo for choosing two less ridden routes.
That was hard, my week in the maillot jaune will be over.
Race 1, I lost the pack, I didn't notice that when everyone was pulling away it was a 6% incline and I really needed to put some power in, by the time I realized everyone had gone. I couldn't get back so slowed and sat with the next group and managed to predict the sprint and beat them 🙂
Race 2, again I managed to start with the pack, and settled into the 2nd group ( I think ) until the hill, where Zwift companion refused to give me my feather, grrr. By the time I gave up, I realized that I should have probably concentrated on staying with the group, que 2km solo run to the line.
Have to see if I'm still in top 10, as a manager, I'll be speaking to myself about contract renewals or lack of if my performance doesn't improve 😉
Cheers Robbo et al.
P.
Ouch they were tough. I'm never going to win in a bunch sprint, so I was trying to break off the front and wear people out... The hills just weren't quite long or steep enough again for it to work. @savoyad and I had the same idea in the 2nd race, to break after the sprint... Which gave us the gap we needed to finish on our own. Tomorrows club ride is going to hurt again 🙁
I quite like these double headers. First race is a bit of a blur now but stuck with lead group until @savoyad, @benman and @paino brought the pain on the last climb and I had nothing left for sprint. Trailed in 7th. It's a clever place for a finish which makes judging your effort hard.
Second race was gruppo compatto until the dirt road section when sav and Ben went again. A few of us followed but I think they pushed on after the sprint and that was that. The rest of us beat each other up on the rollers then @robbo1234biking went for a long one in the last km which I managed to jump on to and launch a longish sprint. Sorry Rob! Again. Chuffed with finishing 3rd.
Sorry to hear of various people's IT woes tonight. Roll on next week.
Thanks for everyone for taking part in the series!
The results are provisional in case I have made any mistakes. Please let me know. I have added the missed points for fastest lap last week.
Bit of an issue - Zwiftpower doesnt give me the fastest lap results for the Duchy Estate so I can award points for that I am afraid!
Race 2a - Duchy Estate
Overall Race Winner
1. savoyad
2. benman
3. paino
Overall Race Winner (with handicaps)
1. retrorick
2. bobee74
3. msjhes2
Sprint Points (Yorkshire Sprint)
1. Paino
2. Straighliner
3. Savoyad
4. Mossimus
5. Freeridenick
Race 2b - Watopia Flat Route
Overall Race Winner
1. benman
2. savoyad
3. slowpuncheur
Overall Race Winner (with handicaps)
1. retrorick
2. msjhes2
3. bobee74
Sprint Points (Watopia Sprint)
1. paino
2. straightliner
3. savoyad
4. yanboss
5. djflexure
Green Jersey Standings
1. Paino
2. Straightliner
3. Savoyad
Series Top 3 (including sprint/fastest lap points) Best 6 race points counts
1. msjhes2
2. Paul-S
3. mahowlett
That was incredibly painful tonight! Absolutely max effort in the first race and couldn't push any harder in the final sprint. Was expecting to cruise at the back in the second one but actually found it was a nice steady (but fast enough) pace for most of it. Aimed to get inside the top 20 but couldn't pip freeride nick at the end.
Genuinely did go bouldering for the first time yesterday, pretty much every muscle hurts today! I may not be able to walk tomorrow, but hoping to go for a gentle spin round the local lanes in the morning.
Cheers Robbo, great choice of tracks for a double header.
Ha! That was amazing!
Can't even remember what happened though 🤣
Caught a group in the first race that I hung onto. I think we went round well. I think I get a few seconds ahead of them but they caught me on the final climb. As per usual I have no sprint and got passed by a few on the approach to the line.
Hmmmmm, Whole race was a blur.
Second race 😂😂😂 legs felt like jelly. Hung onto the big group. Managed to stay in the pack although yoyoed a few times. At the back-ish for the sprint but overtook a few people towards the line.
Thanks Rob! That was a great session!!
Duchy estate is all out mental. Glad it was one of the ‘worlds’ available for a warm up prior to the race. Had no idea where the sprint or finish line was before that! For the most part everyone was a little reserved on the climb, and only @Savoyad seemed to give the sprint a crack, and half expected him to disappear. Tailed the pack on the following lap to find myself 5 seconds ahead of the bunch after the sprint with Sav, @J-R & others seemingly turning up the pace. Half thought I’d give it a bash, but with Watopia looming I deemed it more sensible to be caught…and passed…then struggle like hell to minimise to damage to the motoring pair of @benman & Savoyad.
Took 19 mins just to get the HR down to something reasonable..
And then offski again. Started much more sedately, thanks everyone! Then the usual suspects went and I missed the break at the wooden boarded area so had to give it the beans to get back on. Just enough time to recover for the sprint which I soooo nearly gave up on half way through! The last smash up the Esses was just horrific. Got involved in a totally unnecessary bunch sprint for 4th…think @Robbo1234biking shot his load too early 😁
Garg! Very annoyed at not making the start line for Race 1.
My mac updated, then Zwift refused to start. It is nearly 10 years old so maybe upgrade time.
Did my warm up on iPad then had Wi-Fi woes, was in Zwift for the race 1 start but it wouldn’t give me a join link 🙁 so that’s me out of the GC (my only chance for cat C glory!).
Race two, thought I’d see how long I could stay with front group, answer, about as long as normal 🙁 should have seen the split coming and got further up the road.
Group dynamics definitely changed, I think I had to average about 110% of ftp over the race and nearly dropped off the back a couple of times.
Still scoring points, but handicaps aren’t helping me out - seem to be consistently finishing with people who have a minute on me.
Need to race more and get faster 🙂
Great double header ! 16th in the first race I'd my best result yet..and I got dome sprint points
I think points should be awarded for the best post race write up 🤔🤣.
My write ups are rubbish! But here goes!
First race I managed to hang on to the lead group up the first hill, my tactic using low rpm and standing up on the pedals kept me with the group over the top and onto the 2nd lap where I was dropped by the group. I was then passed by a small group and ended up riding the rest of the course on my tod.
Second race I used the same low rpm approach, it kept me in the group. Couldn't do much with the sprint.
I was as always expecting a FTP increase but nowt appeared at the end 🤔
Great to see @Paul-S out tonight - pleased to see you after Tuesday mate
I was as always expecting a FTP increase but nowt appeared at the end
Races not long enough - think it needs to be 20 mins