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Cyclosportif Sur le Rivet a York - CycleOther


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York, Western Australia
Australia
Cyclosportif Club
28C / 82F
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 35m
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

The race was in York, but these races start at a very reasonable time of 10am! so no early pre dawn driving to the startline for these events which is great. Nice civilised drive to York arrived well before I expected too. I only managed to eat half my breakfast before I drove I think I must again have been nervous and it upset my stomach, not reallt sure how to sort that problem out. I have completely calmed my nerves mentally before races but just can't get the stomach right.
Event warmup:

No warm up we just milled around with thee 300 other people about to do the event and trying to figure out what tactics we needed and how we were going to do this event.

It was in team time trial format, all your team was supposed to cross the line together, (not really enforced just your last team member to cross the lines time was the time that the team got)
Bike
  • 2h 35m
  • 80 kms
  • 30.97 km/hr
Comments:

This was a Team time trial format event. Somehow our team "Go Girl" were the first ones up. and then the other teams started 1 min apart. I had my finger all taped up and had made sure I could brake and change gears without problems. I could do it fine it just seriously hurt, was all right with that as long as I wasn't going to be dangerous to anyone in my team.

We had 8 in our team obviuosly with our name all girls. We took off really fast from the start and the first 20ks we realised afterwards was just way to fast. We also realised that we had some different levels of ability in our team. Which made the whole thing hard. we had to slow down for them to catch up to us, which was hard for them and hard for us.

Only one of us had ever done any team bike racing before so it was all new to us and we learnt alot today. we tried our best to ride in a rolling paceline which worked better when there were the five of us not the whole team.

I had had very little sleep the night before and from about the 50k mark I started to struggle on the hills but hung on to the draft and stayed with the first group. we dropped three of our riders around the 30k mark and decided we would just ride in our group and then regroup at the 75k mark and ride over the finish line together. (which wasn't best idea in hindsight)

It was a really warm morning/day for May 28C and the sun was out but it was seriously windy, on the out trip we had a really strong headwind and were expecting an easier trip back to the finish from the turn around boy were we unlucky as the wind swung round and we had a headwind the whole trip back. I swear this always happensin Perth the wind gods are evil.

We were passed by so many people, but on the finish line we were happy to have finished and average 30ks an hour with hills and headwind, and no real idea of tactics.


In some parts the roads were really rough, a couple of stretches of blue metal and that really really rattled the bones in my hands and hurt my finger. I was closee to tears a few times it really did hurt. being a team event I coudln't race in the tri bars unless I was at the front or dropped off the pack at the back. so I pushed it harder on the blue metal parts and tried to sit on the front so I could be in teh bars, which obviously sent my hr through the roof. It was pretty brutal on my poor stupid finger.
What would you do differently?:

We need some team practice together to get some tactics together.
Stick with the rolling paceline, however we need to make sure we are only riding as fast as the slowest person can manage.
We need to have some kind of decisions if we drop half the team.
I need to get way way more sleep before a race. I also need to work out my food before a race.
I need to get my bike set up right, the old saddle is really not right I had numb feet and got hot spots (I think thats what its called) in my feet and my bum just was not comfy the whole race. will get that sorted this week.
Post race
Warm down:

Our bike bitch (hehe always laugh when I say that) the team captains husband was fantastic waiting for us on the finish line and provided a coke to everyone that wanted one. I don't normally drink coke but after an 80k ride on a warm sunny day it was a godsend.
He had been waiting very anxiously for us as he had heard that there had been a nasty crash of one of the girls teams (there was only 2 or 3 all girl teams) we saw an ambulance screaming out past us when wewere 5ks from the finish line. didn't hear if they were ok or not yet.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Lack of team awareness (I guess would be the right word)
Lack of sleep on my part and noone of us had done any training since the half really so impressed that we can pull out a 30k average on hills and winds on not a great preparation.

Event comments:

The post race lunch was a complete disaster, part of the entry fee for the race was a post race lunch at the Castle Hotel in York. Which was a complete disaster, you had to had in you race numbers as a team and get a meal voucher, then we stood in a line for just over an hour only to get to the front on the queue and be told we needed to pay $2 for plastic cutlery, (we were not told at the time it was for charity, which we wouldn't have minded) it was just demanded from us. I idnd'th ave any money on me so one of the girls had $2 and she got two forks instead of a knife and fork. then we got to the food part of the queue (yes after an hour) to find that the lasagna had run out and there was nothing really left, apart from a very very average curry. It was very frustrating and badly organised (not the race organisers but the pub)

when you have 300 people who have ridden 80ks and are hungry messing with their lunch is a good way to start a riot. It put a bit of a dampner on the event which apart from this was a great day. Good way to see a bit of York as well haven't been to York for a couple of years. although the countryside is not that exciting brown dry farm land


Profile Album


Last updated: 2006-05-16 12:00 AM
Biking
02:35:00 | 80 kms | 30.97 km/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance:
Wind: Strong
Course: Out and Back, undulating hill course through the Countryside of York.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Average Hills: Below average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers?
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities: Bad
Race evaluation [1-5] 3

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2006-05-21 8:37 PM

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Veteran
1108
1000100
Perth, Oz
Subject: Cyclosportif Sur le Rivet a York


2006-05-21 10:23 PM
in reply to: #429696

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Champion
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Sydney
Subject: RE: Cyclosportif Sur le Rivet a York

Hi Mel,

What a bummer about lunch! But it sounds like you had a great ride for a first up - I mean so close to you HIM and 80kms averaging 30kms p/h - Wow!

The whole thing sounds like a lot of fun...

GO GIRL GO!!!

Cat



Edited by kaqphin 2006-05-21 10:24 PM
2006-05-22 12:48 AM
in reply to: #429696

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Veteran
158
1002525
Brisbane
Subject: RE: Cyclosportif Sur le Rivet a York

Sounds like a great event!! It would of been a nice change competing in a team instead of by yourself.

I agree with Cat, to average 30km per hour over 80k's is an unreal effort.

Well Done!!

PS I think that finger of yours, deserves a couple of rest days.

2006-05-22 2:25 AM
in reply to: #429696

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Veteran
1108
1000100
Perth, Oz
Subject: RE: Cyclosportif Sur le Rivet a York
Just added some pictures,  its pretty clear just how bad our team work was when I'm quite clearly the only one in the photoe from my team!!!
2006-05-22 2:13 PM
in reply to: #429696

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Expert
1205
1000100100
Herndon VA
Subject: RE: Cyclosportif Sur le Rivet a York

Hey Mel,

Good race.  It sounds like your team is on a learning curve for racing as a team.  I'm sure that you'll do better next time.  Although your time seems pretty fast for a 80km ride.  I hope the finger and toes feel better.  Congratulations.

Ernie

2006-05-22 7:49 PM
in reply to: #429696

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Veteran
1108
1000100
Perth, Oz
Subject: RE: Cyclosportif Sur le Rivet a York
hahah nope def wasn't a fast time for the 80ks Ernie,  just found out we were the second last team across the line when they had adjusted the times.  hehe.  Can only get better right!


2006-05-22 11:27 PM
in reply to: #429696

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Extreme Veteran
600
500100
Melbourne
Subject: RE: Cyclosportif Sur le Rivet a York
Huge effort racing so soon after a HIM.
You're a machine Mel!!

Lots to learn obviously and hopefully you can apply this knowledge to the next "Go Girls" time trial effort. I also think averaging above 30kph is a pretty good effort in the howling wind over 80kms!
2006-05-23 9:17 AM
in reply to: #429696

Subject: ...
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2006-05-23 5:21 PM
in reply to: #429696

Member
82
252525
Vancouver,BC
Subject: RE: Cyclosportif Sur le Rivet a York

I'm sure you will never be satisfied until you win something...sheesh! How did the team concept work, was it combined time of all 8 riders, or best 5/8? Sucks you had such a diversity in ability level for a race.

Pity you couldn't do a ride up to York, then do something like the Avon Descent back down to the city...what a sweet event that would be!

Good job, ya Barry!

2006-05-23 7:57 PM
in reply to: #429696

Expert
738
50010010025
Alabama
Subject: RE: Cyclosportif Sur le Rivet a York
Love those pics Mel, it looks just so Australian and makes me even more homesick.
You and your team did a brilliant job! You guys should be so proud of yourselves. Only one of you had done this type of race before so you all shoul really be happy. Spew city about the lunch deal...whats up with that?
Good race Mel! Hope the finger and toe get better soon!
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