Road racing

What side of London are you on? Cyclopark at Gravesend draws a decent bunch midweek and its a good circuit that means you don't end with a bunch sprint and very few crashes.

Never suited me because there's a lot of sprinting out of corners and I'm fat, but I still enjoyed racing there.

:(

Just entered an E/1/2 stage race, going to be brutal.

Now have 3 stage races lined up for May/June

Comienzo del Verano
Ilkley 2 Day
Holme Valley Wheelers 2 Day

Summertime fun

I really wanted to enter comienzo. Should be great. Good organisers.

Ilkley was superb last year, Finished 7th overall as well, hoping to improve on. Should go well at Comienzo i hope, looking forward to the Hillclimb.

Holme Valley will be more a case of clinging on. Really wanted to enter Ras as well, but think it will have to be next year.

Entered Nationals, not sure i actually want to get in.

Ford cc run a go race on the Dunton Test Track, series starts on the 30th..

First road race yesterday and a bit of shock to the system coming from flat crits.
Cutmill road circuit with a bunch of 2/3 riders, lasted 6 of the 10 laps losing all of my team mates at the end of lap 1! Less that half the field finished. Good fun though and super fast.

Need to find some Cat 3 or 3/4 road races!

Did a 2/3/4 near Sheffield yesterday, riding over Snake pass beforehand was maybe not the best warm up. Had a few goes off the front, thought i'd formed a strong group at one point, but it got sucked back in pretty quickly. Brave solo attack took the win and I avoided the fairly grim group sprint.

Hoping that the races i have lined up are a bit more selective. More people need to exit via the back door!

Surrey is a bit far unfortunately but yesterday ~80 started and ~30 finished!

I was down in Stafford last week and it was the same, big bunch kick!

Was the course pretty grippy? Haven't managed to us my little ring yet this year!

Edit :I realise stafford and surrey are a long way away- But it's all the south to me.

.

It was a slog up to the finish line each lap, lots of little ring yesterday for nearly everyone, I also made the error of running a 36/23 as my smallest gear but in reality that wasn't my downfall, cadence was always pretty good.

Looking at the post race data, the bunch pulled a lot on that climb, over 30 seconds difference in some laps pushing me out the back..

That looks like fun!

The Comienzo courses seem to have a similar climb, ATTTACK!

Who's racing at Redbridge CC tomorrow? saw one other LFGSSer on the start list.

Anyone racing at Crystal Palace tonight?

That was probably me, but couldn't make it unfortunately. Should be there tonight though.

Just took 3rd in the TTT and 6th in the RR at Comienzo, Day 2 cancelled due to some horse event. Also taking the (awful looking) KOM jersey, is little recompense.

@dimi3 is winning all sorts of races and I am fucking viewing houses :(

Just confirmed entry for the Ilkley 2 day. By far my favourite race of last year. Cannot wait!

I've entered to my first race at Hog Hill next Thursday evening...club down at LFGSS although still need to buy the jersey.

Any top tips? The Cats e/1/2 and the 3/4 seem to be off at the same time does that mean it's

I've been training pretty hard so hopefully won't be too far off the pace.

Main aims are not to crash and to enjoy but obviously a good result would be nice:-)

Stating the obvious, but try to stay towards the front, but not on the front. Avoids the concertina effect and having to sprint back on, which is a sapper. Problem is everyone knows this, so the fight to be fifth wheel is tough.

Personally i find that rolling through and taking a pull now and again earns you some respect and therefore gets you little favours done at other times, so is worth the energy expended. Just don't push too hard, or sit there for too long.

Raced some top choppers a few weeks ago.

http://team-chronomaster.com/2015/05/19/north-west-regional-road-race-championships-report/

Prepare to be shocked by the pace unless you've been out with guys who race on chaingangs etc.

First lap is always eyeballs out with lots or surging early on. You won't start with the E/1/2 but you will go off with the 3 cats and some of them will be ready to move up to 2.

Enjoy it and stick with the pace for as long as you can. Hold your line and don't be a dick.

Thanks.

Any training tips between now and then? I've mainly been doing steady miles and starting to feel fit enough to enjoy intervals.

To give you an idea of my standard my fastest 3 lap of Richmond Park with company is 54mins this year but more like 57mins riding just myself.

fit enough to enjoy intervals.

Not trying hard enough.