|
What Richard saw:
Category: A
Result: 4th
Another Wednesday, another evening at the track. We had 4 riders this
evening, me, Garry, Pritpal and Scott. Scott did the business in the
B's, ably supported by Garry. Pritpal and I rode the A's. Charlie joined
my parents in the stands to spectate.
First up for the A's was a scratch race. I managed to get trapped in the
wrong part of the bunch when the break went and wasn't in a position to
chase until too late so I didn't place.
Second was a point a lap. Towards the end I was able to move forward and
made sure I got a point with one lap to go and was able to kick it for
the final sprint. Only James Hibbard came round me, so I got a further 2
points at the end. To my surprise, as James had taken a lot of the other
points, my total of 3 was enough for second.
Next race was a win and out. I had a debate with myself whether to
settle for sprinting for second as James was clearly going to win the
event. Approaching the first bell, I had the opportunity to attack James
and did. Unfortunately for me, he got me and as I was spent, it was all
I could do to jump back in and I managed to roll in in sixth.
Fourth was a de'il. The A de'ils have been quick and this was no
exception. I got up near the front, but no one was letting my in so I
didn't last long.
The final race was a combined A's and B's 48-lap points race (sprints
every 6), which meant all 4 of us were up racing in the same event -
nice. At the whistle I decided to wind the pace up, much like I did last
week, only to discover that I was clear off the front. George Meilin was
chasing, so we worked together and stayed away for 12 laps, with me
taking 1st and 2nd in the first two sprints.
After this, the race becomes something of a blur. I remember contesting
and placing in more of the sprints. I was setting myself up for the
sprint at 18 to go, expecting a bell with 19 showing, only for there not
to be one. Next time 19 was showing again this time with a bell, much to
my annoyance which I expressed to the lap-card operator, as I had worked
to keep my position and wasn't able to contest the resulting sprint as
well as I had hoped. There was one sprint I deliberately didn't contest
as I needed a rest and I did a lot of chasing to bridge gaps when riders
attacked.
I contested the last couple of sprints gaining at least some points, but
I wasn't sure how I was compared to the others. It turns out that there
were only 4 riders on the lead lap, and I was one of them (at this
points, I had no clue about laps gained or lost). I also had more points
than the others, so, rather to my surprise, today I won my second
Wednesday night points race.
Am I turning into a points race specialist?
Back to top
|
|
What Scott saw:
Category: A
Result: 4th
Last night was a great night for track... perfect temperature, clear skies,
light breeze... even the moon came out to watch the racing. Richard's
parents were also there.
My legs felt tired today (Wednesday). Lifting legs on Monday takes me until
Thursday to recover, and even longer if I throw in Wednesday night track
racing. I had a nice long warm-up, and made sure I drank a protein/carb
shake about 3 hours before racing. I made sure I had a nice long warm-up,
and some power gel and plenty of water before the first race. We had a nice
high-tempo warm-up and a couple of sprints at the end, with about 10 minutes
of cool-down before the first race.
First race: Group B 10 lap Scratch Race
This race is simple, first 5 guys across at 10 laps get 1st, 2nd, 3rd,
etc... Tonight I tried to never lead. I committed to only bursting off the
front at full bore if I was ever going to be in front. Then, if anyone went
with me I would rotate half-laps until we were caught, or we finished, or we
were finished. So, in this race, there was a one-man break away right off
the bat. Then, 1 lap later, Steven Woo and another guy took off on their
own break. I was a little worried to have Steven out there. He has been
racing a lot and I wasn't sure if he could keep away from us for the
remaining 7 laps. 3 laps later we caught all three of them.
Now the pace
picked up, with 5 laps to go. A couple shorts breaks by guys trying to move
up to the front, their momentum taking them a bike length or two off the
front of the pack. I fought to stay within striking range of the lead;
there was a lot of jockeying for the first and second position to the right
of the pole. I never soloed up to the front, I ALWAYS followed someone's
wheel and let them pull me up. I found that doing this kept me very me from
ever having to go into oxygen debt during the race.
With 1.5 laps to go,
Matt Massuci started an attack from the Stayer's line (about half-way up the
track). I was in second position, in the pole. I saw Matt start to
kick-it, and just then the rider to his inside moved up (I think he was
baked), pushing Matt high up on the rail. This would have been a great
attack... but, this killed any surprise Matt could have achieved, he was
screwed. Now he came down with a high speed, but I had started kicking-it
as soon as I heard Matt start, and was at his speed (and so was the field)
by the time he came down off the rail. He dropped right into the pole in
front of me. We pulled away from most of the field. I was in good
position, second in the pole, with a strung out field behind us. I kicked
it around turn 3 and took the win by about 3 bike lengths, I think.
Second race: Group B 15 lap tempo
This race is 15 laps, with the leader of the lap getting 2 points, and 2nd
place on each lap getting 1 point. The final lap is worth 5, 3, 2, 1,
points. I was blind with Oxygen debt on this one, so I don't remember much.
But, I took first in two laps, and second in another, giving me 5 points. I
tried to get at least 5th place across the finish line (there was a group of
4 about half lap ahead) with two laps to go. I gave it all I had (Garry was
looking at me as I went by as if I were possessed), but just missed catching
them.... I made some great ground on the lead group, but couldn't close a
half lap with such a short distance to go. If I had made it to 5th across
the line, I would have gotten another point, giving me 3rd place overall....
but, no.
Third Race: Group B unknown^3 distance Win and Out
This race is Sadistic. A Win and Out is a race where (for example, a 7 Lap
to Win and Out) the rider across the line on the 7th lap gets first place,
and is out of the race. The field then has to do another lap, with the new
leader getting 2nd place, and out of the race. The field then does another
lap, with the first 3 riders getting 3rd, 4th, 5th. However, in an
"Unknown^3," the number of laps to the FIRST final lap is unknown (they just
ring a bell at some random point in the race, and that becomes the FIRST
final lap). And, the SECOND final lap is also unknown, again just a bell
ring. The THIRD final lap is also unknown.
I have never seen someone in a
Win and Out take second on the FIRST final lap and finish in the top 5 for
the race.... missing the sprint on that first lap sucks. There were a
couple of attacks in the first few laps, gamblers hoping to be clear of the
field when the bell rang. But, they burned up and came back to the field.
The field settled down around lap 4, and then slowly picked up the pace,
knowing it was going to be soon for the bell. One attacker (who we shall
call, "Phil") went off, and one other guy and I went with him. I just
wanted to cover him in case the bell rang. We were off the front by only a
couple of bike lengths for half a lap. Then he pulled up, apparently hoping
to keep the break going. But both the other guy and I pulled up with him.
Phil was upset, and called us idiots for not working with him, "we could
have had it! you idiots!" I think he was really mad because no one was
going to carry him to the podium, or the cookie prime. The field regrouped
at what I think was lap 6.
Then one attacker went off the front strong, but
he didn't look familiar, so I let him go, but I stayed with the lead riders
in the field. He was about 7 bike lengths ahead when we crossed the line
and the bell rang. I kicked it right away and pulled away from the field
and onto his wheel. He was giving it all he had, his bike was wobbling and
he was breathing like a demon. I was on his wheel, and I don't think he
knew it... he never looked back at me or the field. Had he looked back, I
think he would have realized he should pull up and make me work, or even get
on my wheel, and then challenge the final sprint. Instead, he was tired and
just burying himself. I kicked it around turn 3 and took the win by a few
bike lengths. On my way by him he yelled something that sounded like,
"Duck!" I don't know. But he knew he was toast since the field was coming
up fast on him now, and he was baked.
Fourth Race: Group B Miss and Out
This was a fun one. I got a much better position in this race then the last
time I raced a miss and out. Last time I got boxed in and pulled less than
half way through the race. In this race, the last guy across the line on
each lap gets pulled from the race. That continues until there are 3 riders
left. They then get a neutral lap, and then sprint for the finish, and 1st,
2nd, 3rd.
I stayed in the field, second position back, behind Jim Ryan (he
is only a Junior, and rides strong with the B's), just to the right of the
pole. Half way through the race I moved around to the front of the pack,
just to the right of the pole. I even leaned in a bit (I think this is
fair, right Richard?) to crowd the guy in the pole and keep him from moving
up into me. I was leading the field, but taking some advantage of drafting
by leaning to my left, and staying slightly back from the leader to my
left's wheel (so I was shifted back about half a wheel length).
I gave up
resting behind someone for the advantage of a clear track in front of me in
case an attack came from up on my left. A couple of attacks did come, but I
could hear them coming and sped up to keep them from coming around. When
there were finally just three of us, and at the 1.5 laps-to-go point, I was
high on the track, just above and behind the lead rider. He was watching
me, but didn't try to make me get in front. He just attacked straight down
into the pole. I dropped in behind him and drafted him until turn 3 (the
third rider dropped off, and cruised it in). So, around turn 3 I kicked it
and came around him for the win.
Group A & B 16 km points race
This race was very painful, but good for me since I got to race with the
A's. All I have to say is that Richard is a Super Freak when it comes to
track racing. He jams the pace the whole time, wins sprints, and is smart
enough about expending energy to remain a dominant challenger throughout the
entire 48 lap race! He is a lot of fun to watch.
As for me, I got dropped
at about 12 laps into the race. Two other guys and I worked together for
about 10 laps to keep from getting lapped... but then, along came Pritpal.
Since he lapped us, we couldn't pull for him, so all we could do was draft
him, and not challenge him for sprints. And then, I got dropped again. A
couple of times I tried to get back on the A Train for some deep intervals,
but I was done for the night. At 12 laps to go, I rode easy for two laps,
packed it up and went home.
Back to top
|
