2009 CANSA Lost City

An early start to the day, up at 03:00am, breakfast, packing and then driving through to Sun City for a 07:08am start. The VA group was well represented with all the BIG teams (Black Rock, Bulk Pack Trek, Club 100, Cyclelab and TCS just to name a few) making an appearance. Always good to have a strong field makes for hard and exciting racing. We didn’t have the numbers; Craig Harvey and I were the only ones representing Bulk Pack Trek so we had to be very careful and selective as to when a move went and make sure that if we followed it was an effort that would be worth it.

We finally got off and after 5km’s, Koos Klopper (Cyclelab) decided to spice things up and launched an early attack but with the route being so flat it was going to be very hard to stay away. Cyclelab had a plan obviously and once Koos was brought back David Labuschagne (Cyclelab) countered but was quickly swallowed up. After 20km’s Johan Labuschagne (Cyclelab) went and took Jeffrey Kriel (Club100), Hannes Botha (TCS) and Hennie Pelser (Speke/Bio-anabolics) with him. With the move going so early on, I didn’t think at the time it was a real threat so for me it was OK to let them go. The gap grew steadily and 40km’s in I flatted. Luckily Jaco was there riding support, so a quick wheel change had me back in the pack in no time. The gap grew with no one really committing to closing the gap. Craig Harvey then headed up the front and started driving to try bring back the break. I soon joined and shortly thereafter Black Rock joined. We started working well together and just before the first bump the leaders were caught. A few attacks off the front thereafter but nothing threatening.

The next big move of the day came up the 2nd drag just before the long decent down towards Sun City. Jaco Ferreira (TCS) the current vet’s South African champion slid off the front and started opening a slight gap on the group, with no reaction from the pack I decided to follow and chase Jaco, I knew if I joined forces with Jaco we could work together and maybe just maybe last to the end. We were later joined by Jacques Fullard (Black Rock) and a Di-Data rider and things looked promising, but with a slight head wind coming from the right it was a lot harder than what we anticipated and we we’re back in to the pack with 10km’s to go. Once again a few attacks off the front but all in vain. It was down to a sprint finish, which was pretty much guaranteed at the start of the race. Gary Rabie took the honours followed by Craig Harvey and Jacques Fullard claiming 3rd spot.

I always enjoy this race and even with the route being so flat with a few drags here and there it’s always a tough one. BIG gears ticking over, attacks and the wind really starts taking its toll after a while and 9/10 times it’s always going to come down to a sprint finish. To sum up my performance I was happy but still lacking a bit of power on the flats. A tough 2 weeks of training lined up and looking forward to this weekend. Cycling out to Bronkhorstspruit dam Saturday, water skiing, jet-skiing and some time off the bike to relax and reflect on the next 2 months racing.

Later,

Vets 30+ Results:

1. Gary Rabie (2:26:33)
2. Craig Harvey
3. Jacques Fullard
4. Jeffrey Kriel
5. Dippenaar, Alwyn

2009 EPR Cycle Challenge: Wind, drags and tiredness

So the EPR… Not one of my favorites, but I’m using these smaller races to find some sort of race fitness/form for the bigger ones lying ahead this year. Wind is always a factor in this race and with a course that provides ±1000m of ascent over 120km’s it’s always a tough one when you’re getting old, like me. The event (Start/Finish) was held at the Tarlton International Raceway, Magaliesburg, a 400m drag strip which provides for an exciting finish for both riders and spectators.

Smaller groups meant that we had to mix it up with the older men (VB’s) in the game who seem to mature like fine wine, also with some of the darlings in SA cycling, Toyota Cycle Lab Ladies Team, who were out preparing for the Tour of Ardeche (http://www.tcfia.org/GB/4-equipes/equipes.html) a 6 day tour which starts on the 8^th September in France, so good luck ladies!

It was a slow start heading out with not much happening. As I was using this race more for training and getting used to race pace, I decided to head up the front and set the pace for most of the way heading out and up towards the Cradle. I didn’t want to exhaust myself, I knew the 12km drag up past Magalies was going to be hard with attacks and possibly a group splitting off the front and lasting ‘til the end. This proved to be the case and with attack after attack and a gutter, I found myself battling to stick and had to bite the bullet for a while, most probably due to earlier efforts and tired legs. Finally 8 of us (Russel Lund, Attie Duvenhage, Gary Rabie, Carl Lotter, Shane Brown, Leon Olivier, 1 unknown and myself) got off the front and started working well together to open the gap over the chasing peloton. It was a tough ask, splitting the field at 40km’s with 80km’s to go and wind, I knew we were going to have our work cut out. What felt like a head wind from then on and at 60km’s the gap was sitting at 1m45sec and was slowly increasing. The cohesion between the 8 escapees was starting to fade and out of the 8 leaders 8 of us were skipping turns as the wind and rolling hills started taking its toll. Soon the gap grew to 3m45sec and with 15km’s to go, the lead group started attacking each other, with someone hoping to get off the front, but with the wind out playing no one was going to get away and a sprint finish was on the cards. Approaching Tarlton the attacks started again but once again to no avail and it all came down to a sprint with Russel Lund taking it for the VA’s followed by Gary Rabie.

Like I said, not my favorite race and a tough day in saddle with the wind playing its toll. One positive I can take out of my race is my power data. They say you only get your true data when you race and after analyzing my data I’m pretty happy with it, although I think there’s still room for improvement and considering I had tired legs I’m sure the numbers could have been better. Heading in to a rest week now and then Saturday 22^nd August at Suncity. The Lost City Cycle Classic, 103km’s, flat and fast and a full Bulk Pack team at the line, well almost. See you chaps then!

Later,

Vets 30+ Results:
1. Russel Lund (3:08)

2. Gary Rabie

3. Jason du Preez

4. Carl Lotter

2009 Carousel Classic: Watching paint dry

So the second half of the season got under way this past weekend (10th August 2009) with the 110km Carousel Classic situated between Bela-Bela and Pretoria. The start/finish was at the Carousel Casino and Entertainment world which is famous for hosting a number of world title boxing events, but we weren’t there to box, although sometimes in cycling boxing within the peloton is a common thing.

I was the only one representing Bulk Pack Trek on the day with Craig Harvey picking up a bug the night before, Marco van Biljoen was over seas, Mark Ramos and Ilidio Pinto had other commitments. With me being the only one, I had to change things a bit on the day, sit in the back seat and watch the racing unfold and hook a wheel if a move looked threatening.

The VA’s started at 07h05, five minutes behind the juniors and with the route being so flat, it was a given that they were going to get caught considering the restricted gears they ride. With no real climbs except for at the half way mark, 55km’s, it was going to be a tough ask to get away and stay away. The first half of the race was somewhat sedate with the only real attack coming from Hannes Botha from team Computer-Smith, this at about 6km’s in to the race, Hannes leapt off the front and soon built up a healthy lead of about 35-40 secs. With a slight head wind going out it was going to be a tough ask to stay away but TCS were well represented (Philip Fourie, Danie Mare, Sheldon Bole) and maybe looking to force the others to chase down and hit again but nothing came of it and Hannes was reeled in at about the 25km mark.

Approaching half-way, the chaps were getting anxious and I had a feeling that if things were going to happen it was going to be here. With a slight bump followed by a 7km drag and a short sharp kick before the turn-around, I decided to head up the front and pick the pace up a bit and soften the legs of the wheel suckers and then hit slightly harder on the kick. At 6.5% average for 1km just before the turn around we averaged 25kph up the kick and this proved enough to kill off the rest. We had a select group of riders off the front (Arnin Venter, David Labuschagne, Gary Rabie, Hannes Botha, Jacques Fullard, Jacques Maritz, Phillip Fourie, Riaan Kok, myself and a few others) and started working well to get away from any chasers. We caught the juniors at the 75km mark, their race was neutralized and we were allowed to get on with our own. Out of the lead group Jacques Maritz (Black Rock) was very aggressive and attacked the lead group constantly. Soon his hard efforts paid off and with 30km’s to go he attacked and took David Labuschagne (C-Lab) with. This was the decisive break of the day and they stayed away to the end and put 1m42sec in to the rest of the chasers.

All in all it was a pretty boring race for me. I’m happy with my result considering the amount of training I did the previous week (560km’s). Having a BIG week before a race is not the cleverest of things but then again the Carousel is also not such an important race for me. I’m hoping the chaps from Bulk Pack Trek can soon join me; the racing should really be a lot more heated and interesting.

Vets 30+ Results:
1. Jacques Maritz (Black Rock)
2. David Labuschagne (C-Lab)
3. Jaques Fullard (Black Rock)
4. Jeffrey Kriel (Club 100)
5. Jason du Preez (Bulk Pack Trek)