The recent video emerging of Jeremy Vine's Road Rage incident, and the subsequent comments from riders about this happening "all the time" and "being an every day occurrence" got me thinking... I don't usually blog on this type of stuff, there are enough people our there who know alot more than me about cycling/traffic incidents, and can get their message across far more eloquently than me, but I honestly think the negative comments and publicity of cycling journeys and how cycling is portrayed as a means of transport and the risk associated is having a negative impact on the number of people getting on their bikes.
I've been cycling forever, well not forever, but over 20 years, road cycling for the past 7 of those and 5 of those in and through London, every single day, commuting and riding. I've clocked up over 60,000 miles and I can probably count the number of times I have experienced road rage or an incident on one hand, and certainly never to the extent of Mr Vine. People, whether they are in a car, on a bike or walking need to understand their surrounding a bit more, chill out. If you're driving 6" from a cyclist, you'll probably get a reaction, just the same as if you cycle 4 abreast. (This isn't a dig at Mr Vine btw, he was 100% in the right)
Now I'm not excusing the driver in question for their actions, or even suggesting that people should not be prosecuted for their actions, but it's this constant portrayal in the media, Us V Them, and this in turn is impacting people's perception of cycling and the associated risks with making a journey by bike. This needs to change if we're to see more people saddle up.
As soon as I mention to a colleague, friend or family member that I ride through London, you can guarantee their next phrase will be something along the lines of "ow that's so dangerous, i'd never do that, you're mad" my stock response is that it's actually perfectly safe and they should give it a go, not quite sure how many i've convinced, but it's an ongoing project...
Anyway bit of a ranty blog, but next time you're out riding or talking to somebody, just think, it's really not that bad you know, cycling is actually quite safe, superb exercise, fast, great fun, and means you can eat too much cake.
Wednesday 31 August 2016
Manchester Wheelers 2 day Stage Race
The August Bank Holiday weekend meant it was a trip up the M1 and M6 to Ashton Under Lyme for the Manchester Wheelers 2 day stage race. I did this last year and really enjoyed it, so felt it was only right to give it another crack and better my result (13th GC).
It was a 3 stage format over 2 days, a 1km TT Saturday morning, a 35km (ish) Crit in the afternoon and then a hilly 90km Road Race on Sunday (this was the main event really...)
Stage 1 - 1km TT
The circuit was the same as last year, so I knew the course, and knew the time I wanted to beat: 1:19. I've had some good results over the past few weeks, and generally felt "better" than last year. Conditions were broadly the same, perhaps a bit more wind. So was hoping for a good time. That wasn't to be, I messed up a few corners, entering too fast and scrubbing off too much speed meaning I crossed the line with the same time, 1:19. This put me 34/50 and 6 seconds down, wasn't ideal to be honest...
Stage 2 - The Crit Race
Looking through the field I knew there was plenty of tasty riders here, and the TT earlier that day proved that. However I was kind of expecting a similar race to last year, where it stayed together for most of the race, with a few getting away at the end. Well, today, that wasn't to be the case. Almost instantly the pace went pretty bonkers and the race was strung out. After a few laps a break of 15 or so riders managed to get away, and nobody seemed to be that bothered? I bloody well was! So I sat on the front and pretty much emptied myself to try and get across. Probably took me 5 or so laps, but I closed the gap of around 15 seconds. Unfortunately I managed to bring at least 10 riders along with me, so the front group was now probably 20/25 riders, I had a "rest" for a few laps and moved up, making sure I was in the right position. 35 laps in total. 10 to go and there were more attacks, nothing really managing to stay clear, and most of the depleted bunch were still there. 5 to go and I was still in a good position and felt strong, 3 to go, and an attack went up the road, I tried to get across, maybe I was just too far back, but I couldn't quite manage it, and on the bell lap the race was in bits, I didn't have the legs to move up or sprint for the finish, I finished 15th in a group of around 6, which to be honest, I was pretty pleased with. So coming into Stage 3 I was sat at 20th total time of 47:59 and the current leader on 47:41. So only 18 seconds to find...
Stage 3 - The Road Race
Now this I was looking forward to. Such a great circuit, around 90km, 5 laps and 4,000ft of climbing. A course that I should do quite well on, given it's pretty much either up or down, very little flat, as you can see...
A 5k neutralised section brought us onto the circuit a few km after the finish line, so straight onto the rolling hills leading upto the main climb, which was 1.2 miles at 4%, doesn't sound too bad, but the final ramp was 15% leading to some tasty false flat. First time over and the bunch seemed to have thinned down a bit, at maybe 35/40 riders. I knew the place to get away on this circuit would be the hill, or just after on the false flat section, and with that in mind I made sure I was up the front ready to follow any wheels that went... There was a rider from Sheffield Uni up the road, the pace was pretty fruity, with plenty of attacks and counter attacks, but nothing was sticking. I'd eyed up 10 or so riders to watch, some of these were out the back door on lap two, so that made my job slightly easier, second time up the hill and the two lads from Sheff Uni attacked just over the summit of the climb, I went with them, along with Andy Harrison from Finchley RT and 1 other. The Two Sheff lads had a good gap onto the descent though, and Andy decided to join them doing some pretty crazy Froome style top tube action, pretty awesome to watch! I wasn't (couldn't) do that so settled into my best aero tuck. These 3 now had a good gap, and although the reduced bunch could see them, they were pulling away. I was pretty keen for this race to not finish in a bunch sprint like last year, and I was also pretty sure that there was a good selection of riders in the bunch that could lead another attack to bridge across. Also with a chap from Manchester CC and Evans Cycles, I spent the next two laps trying to organise this, driving the pace, shooting off the front, but to no avail and nothing seemed to really work... We crossed the finish line and got the bell, the breakaway of 3 riders now had around 1:50, they were not getting caught, the "bunch" however was now about 12 riders, the rest getting shelled over the past few laps. This was better as far as I was concerned. I was pretty cooked at this point to be honest, heart rate was struggling to get higher than 170 and my legs were hurting. The pace however was pretty slow now, and nobody really wanting to work, myself included... Which made for a great attack from a lad from RP Racing, he managed to get a minute on us and stayed away, looks like a sprint for 5th... Final time up the climb, the reduced bunch still together, and then, as predicted there was an attack on the false flat from a rider from Harry Middleton, I went with him, along with 4/5 others and we had abit of a gap. This attack managed to shell a few others from the group, so we were now at 8. Final few km was a descent and the final 1km was down, following by a sharp left onto a 300m sprint. A few sketchy corners before and some "confident" descending meant I was on the front and seeing gaps appear, 1km to go and I didn't even care I was on the front, i'd just have to go for it, 500m round the bend, and what was this?!!! A bloody car stopped at the junction!! Shite! I went on the inside, through the dirt, other opting for the outside... Full on sprint mode now and the lad from Evans getting past, along with one other from Rhos on sea, the gurn was strong, and I thought I clawed it back from Rhos on sea by a tyre width, results say otherwise. I crossed the line, empty, but in 7th. Absolutely chuffed to bits with that result, in what was a truly solid race.
Final GC results in and I climbed upto 11th overall and 3:48 down on first. Very pleased with that, and glad to see the form is still here, just in time for 3 peaks and the cyclocross season...
Strava:
Thanks to Manchester Wheelers for organising another great event, the marshals, volunteers NEG and first aid and finally Ellen Isherwood for the photographs,
It was a 3 stage format over 2 days, a 1km TT Saturday morning, a 35km (ish) Crit in the afternoon and then a hilly 90km Road Race on Sunday (this was the main event really...)
Stage 1 - 1km TT
The circuit was the same as last year, so I knew the course, and knew the time I wanted to beat: 1:19. I've had some good results over the past few weeks, and generally felt "better" than last year. Conditions were broadly the same, perhaps a bit more wind. So was hoping for a good time. That wasn't to be, I messed up a few corners, entering too fast and scrubbing off too much speed meaning I crossed the line with the same time, 1:19. This put me 34/50 and 6 seconds down, wasn't ideal to be honest...
Stage 2 - The Crit Race
Looking through the field I knew there was plenty of tasty riders here, and the TT earlier that day proved that. However I was kind of expecting a similar race to last year, where it stayed together for most of the race, with a few getting away at the end. Well, today, that wasn't to be the case. Almost instantly the pace went pretty bonkers and the race was strung out. After a few laps a break of 15 or so riders managed to get away, and nobody seemed to be that bothered? I bloody well was! So I sat on the front and pretty much emptied myself to try and get across. Probably took me 5 or so laps, but I closed the gap of around 15 seconds. Unfortunately I managed to bring at least 10 riders along with me, so the front group was now probably 20/25 riders, I had a "rest" for a few laps and moved up, making sure I was in the right position. 35 laps in total. 10 to go and there were more attacks, nothing really managing to stay clear, and most of the depleted bunch were still there. 5 to go and I was still in a good position and felt strong, 3 to go, and an attack went up the road, I tried to get across, maybe I was just too far back, but I couldn't quite manage it, and on the bell lap the race was in bits, I didn't have the legs to move up or sprint for the finish, I finished 15th in a group of around 6, which to be honest, I was pretty pleased with. So coming into Stage 3 I was sat at 20th total time of 47:59 and the current leader on 47:41. So only 18 seconds to find...
Stage 3 - The Road Race
Now this I was looking forward to. Such a great circuit, around 90km, 5 laps and 4,000ft of climbing. A course that I should do quite well on, given it's pretty much either up or down, very little flat, as you can see...
A 5k neutralised section brought us onto the circuit a few km after the finish line, so straight onto the rolling hills leading upto the main climb, which was 1.2 miles at 4%, doesn't sound too bad, but the final ramp was 15% leading to some tasty false flat. First time over and the bunch seemed to have thinned down a bit, at maybe 35/40 riders. I knew the place to get away on this circuit would be the hill, or just after on the false flat section, and with that in mind I made sure I was up the front ready to follow any wheels that went... There was a rider from Sheffield Uni up the road, the pace was pretty fruity, with plenty of attacks and counter attacks, but nothing was sticking. I'd eyed up 10 or so riders to watch, some of these were out the back door on lap two, so that made my job slightly easier, second time up the hill and the two lads from Sheff Uni attacked just over the summit of the climb, I went with them, along with Andy Harrison from Finchley RT and 1 other. The Two Sheff lads had a good gap onto the descent though, and Andy decided to join them doing some pretty crazy Froome style top tube action, pretty awesome to watch! I wasn't (couldn't) do that so settled into my best aero tuck. These 3 now had a good gap, and although the reduced bunch could see them, they were pulling away. I was pretty keen for this race to not finish in a bunch sprint like last year, and I was also pretty sure that there was a good selection of riders in the bunch that could lead another attack to bridge across. Also with a chap from Manchester CC and Evans Cycles, I spent the next two laps trying to organise this, driving the pace, shooting off the front, but to no avail and nothing seemed to really work... We crossed the finish line and got the bell, the breakaway of 3 riders now had around 1:50, they were not getting caught, the "bunch" however was now about 12 riders, the rest getting shelled over the past few laps. This was better as far as I was concerned. I was pretty cooked at this point to be honest, heart rate was struggling to get higher than 170 and my legs were hurting. The pace however was pretty slow now, and nobody really wanting to work, myself included... Which made for a great attack from a lad from RP Racing, he managed to get a minute on us and stayed away, looks like a sprint for 5th... Final time up the climb, the reduced bunch still together, and then, as predicted there was an attack on the false flat from a rider from Harry Middleton, I went with him, along with 4/5 others and we had abit of a gap. This attack managed to shell a few others from the group, so we were now at 8. Final few km was a descent and the final 1km was down, following by a sharp left onto a 300m sprint. A few sketchy corners before and some "confident" descending meant I was on the front and seeing gaps appear, 1km to go and I didn't even care I was on the front, i'd just have to go for it, 500m round the bend, and what was this?!!! A bloody car stopped at the junction!! Shite! I went on the inside, through the dirt, other opting for the outside... Full on sprint mode now and the lad from Evans getting past, along with one other from Rhos on sea, the gurn was strong, and I thought I clawed it back from Rhos on sea by a tyre width, results say otherwise. I crossed the line, empty, but in 7th. Absolutely chuffed to bits with that result, in what was a truly solid race.
Final GC results in and I climbed upto 11th overall and 3:48 down on first. Very pleased with that, and glad to see the form is still here, just in time for 3 peaks and the cyclocross season...
Strava:
Thanks to Manchester Wheelers for organising another great event, the marshals, volunteers NEG and first aid and finally Ellen Isherwood for the photographs,
Tuesday 23 August 2016
Rapha Road Race - Report
So this weekend was the Rapha Road Race (ERRL 2/3/4) in Great Chesterford, Essex. I was feeling pretty good going into this, had two pretty big weeks of 20 + hours and then a 10 hour week and a good result at Crystal Palace. That said I hadn't done a RR since the RAS de Cymru, and not one this long since the London Phoenix RR.
Rather uncharacteristically for an ERRL race it was fairly lumpy over the 10 mile lap, with a 1 mile climb at 4% upto the finish. Doesn't sound much, but it had a few ramps at 8% to really kick you in the head. Total distance was to be 70 miles, so 7 laps, and actually 8 times up this climb...
We had 4 miles of neutralised to get onto the circuit which then started on the finishing hill, maybe I didn't warm up enough but the pace up the so called neutralised section of the hill seemed quite hot... After this, nothing much really happened for the first half of lap 1 as riders got used to the course and others in the 60 strong field. We had just climbed what was the 3rd "hill" of the circuit, feeling good and eager to see what was what I opted for the classic 1st lap solo break, I actually managed to get a pretty good gap, and held off the bunch for about a lap, they probably all wondered what was this idiot doing? They'd be right really, but as we came into lap 2 I was joined by 2 other riders and we worked together, although I knew this would never stick when one chap remarked that if I slow down he'll be able to get past. We're in a break mate... All good fun though, and nothing quite like a chasing pack of riders to keep you going. Got to practice my TTing anyway...
The bunch caught us just over the hill into lap 2, I was determined to stick near the front, follow attacks and try and get in another break and make it stick. Over the next few laps there was plenty of attempts, but there wasn't enough people working to make it stick. I think It was probably at the top of the 3rd time up the climb that a break of 7 went, including Feathers Cycles and Richardsons Trek. A strong move which included the right people. Not sure what I was doing, but I missed this. Que plenty of attacks to get across to the break, and whilst we kept them in sight for a lap, we couldn't get across. I was perhaps doing too much work really, a few more solo break, but with nothing sticking and only 3 or 4 riders doing any turns over the next few laps the break had this. With 2 laps to go and the 6th time up the hill I was feeling it now, to be fair I think the rest of the bunch were too thankfully. We descended down off the main climb and are stopped by the comms car, what's happening? A crash? Nope, a group of deer on the road... The break also stopped up the road. They set off. and a minute later we were on our way again. Slightly annoying as 5/6 of us had a gap at the top of the hill, ah well.
Coming into the final lap and up the climb for the 7th time the pace had built up, my legs were in bits and I wasn't quite sure what i'd have for the final time, only 10 miles to go and I needed to concentrate on being in a good position coming into the final climb... Last lap, and after the 3rd hill on the circuit it was a long twisty road, slightly down hill and a slight tailwind. The pace was high now, with riders appears on the front out of nowhere, going to be one of those finishes is it... With 7 still up the road it was likely to be a bunch sprint for 8th, we got onto the bottom of the climb, the final time and essentially a hill top finish (glamorous eh) I was the first rider and at the front, great. I wasn't really sure where the best place to go on the hill was, a mile is quite a long distance to sprint, and the false flat upto the finish would be difficult to judge. With that in mind I tapped it out on the front, not in the red, but bloody close, nobody came past, halfway up the hill and still nobody, I couldn't quite understand it... It flattened a bit and I kicked, still nobody coming past, I must have gone too early? With maybe 100m to go 3 or 4 riders passed me, I managed to drag one back and held on for 12th! Ok, so it wasn't a win (or even top 10 - points to 15th though) but given the amount of work i'd done and the quality of the field I was pretty pleased with that. I was cooked.
A very well organised race by Rapha, loads of spectators, can of coke at the finish and loads of food back at HQ. A quality event. Next weekend is the Manchester 2 day stage race, and Palace on Tuesday, so think i'll have a few easy days on the bike...
Thanks for reading guys.
Strava:
https://www.strava.com/activities/683691549/segments/16760737475
Thanks to Dave Haywood for the photos: http://www.davehaywardphotos.com
Rather uncharacteristically for an ERRL race it was fairly lumpy over the 10 mile lap, with a 1 mile climb at 4% upto the finish. Doesn't sound much, but it had a few ramps at 8% to really kick you in the head. Total distance was to be 70 miles, so 7 laps, and actually 8 times up this climb...
We had 4 miles of neutralised to get onto the circuit which then started on the finishing hill, maybe I didn't warm up enough but the pace up the so called neutralised section of the hill seemed quite hot... After this, nothing much really happened for the first half of lap 1 as riders got used to the course and others in the 60 strong field. We had just climbed what was the 3rd "hill" of the circuit, feeling good and eager to see what was what I opted for the classic 1st lap solo break, I actually managed to get a pretty good gap, and held off the bunch for about a lap, they probably all wondered what was this idiot doing? They'd be right really, but as we came into lap 2 I was joined by 2 other riders and we worked together, although I knew this would never stick when one chap remarked that if I slow down he'll be able to get past. We're in a break mate... All good fun though, and nothing quite like a chasing pack of riders to keep you going. Got to practice my TTing anyway...
The bunch caught us just over the hill into lap 2, I was determined to stick near the front, follow attacks and try and get in another break and make it stick. Over the next few laps there was plenty of attempts, but there wasn't enough people working to make it stick. I think It was probably at the top of the 3rd time up the climb that a break of 7 went, including Feathers Cycles and Richardsons Trek. A strong move which included the right people. Not sure what I was doing, but I missed this. Que plenty of attacks to get across to the break, and whilst we kept them in sight for a lap, we couldn't get across. I was perhaps doing too much work really, a few more solo break, but with nothing sticking and only 3 or 4 riders doing any turns over the next few laps the break had this. With 2 laps to go and the 6th time up the hill I was feeling it now, to be fair I think the rest of the bunch were too thankfully. We descended down off the main climb and are stopped by the comms car, what's happening? A crash? Nope, a group of deer on the road... The break also stopped up the road. They set off. and a minute later we were on our way again. Slightly annoying as 5/6 of us had a gap at the top of the hill, ah well.
Coming into the final lap and up the climb for the 7th time the pace had built up, my legs were in bits and I wasn't quite sure what i'd have for the final time, only 10 miles to go and I needed to concentrate on being in a good position coming into the final climb... Last lap, and after the 3rd hill on the circuit it was a long twisty road, slightly down hill and a slight tailwind. The pace was high now, with riders appears on the front out of nowhere, going to be one of those finishes is it... With 7 still up the road it was likely to be a bunch sprint for 8th, we got onto the bottom of the climb, the final time and essentially a hill top finish (glamorous eh) I was the first rider and at the front, great. I wasn't really sure where the best place to go on the hill was, a mile is quite a long distance to sprint, and the false flat upto the finish would be difficult to judge. With that in mind I tapped it out on the front, not in the red, but bloody close, nobody came past, halfway up the hill and still nobody, I couldn't quite understand it... It flattened a bit and I kicked, still nobody coming past, I must have gone too early? With maybe 100m to go 3 or 4 riders passed me, I managed to drag one back and held on for 12th! Ok, so it wasn't a win (or even top 10 - points to 15th though) but given the amount of work i'd done and the quality of the field I was pretty pleased with that. I was cooked.
A very well organised race by Rapha, loads of spectators, can of coke at the finish and loads of food back at HQ. A quality event. Next weekend is the Manchester 2 day stage race, and Palace on Tuesday, so think i'll have a few easy days on the bike...
Thanks for reading guys.
Strava:
https://www.strava.com/activities/683691549/segments/16760737475
Thanks to Dave Haywood for the photos: http://www.davehaywardphotos.com
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