Committee Alan McLean Posted September 18, 2011 Committee Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 Seven Wheelers on Bute on a HOT day. There were bikes everywhere, the Drummond Trophy headed off anticlockwise from Rothesay and our race headed clockwise to Port Bannantyne. Three groups in the APR, Davie, Mark, Richard, Charlie and Billy in the first group, Paul and I joined the second group leaving at nine minutes, and the scratch group followed at three minutes. We worked ok, dropping a few riders on the first lap but the scratch group caught us before PB and ripped the field apart. We were strung out through PB and Paul and I managed to hang on until half-way back home. Dan Smith from Velo 29 pretty much solo TT'd it and we couldn't draw breath. A small group of six finally disappeared off the front, leaving Paul, J Cusick, John Anderson and a VC Glasgow South rider and myself to race back home. Our group stayed together over Mount Stuart and, with a mile to go, Paul and I hatched our plan to win the sprint. I made a couple of suicide moves off the front, Paul got a free ride behind the the others who came back to me and Paul passed them to win our wee group sprint. Unfortunately a sprint for 20th rather than 1st. Chapeau to the first group and Wheelers who stayed away. It looks like Charlie was first wheeler home and should finish high in the results. Billy went the wrong way at Mount Stuart which is quite an achievement. The Drummond Trophy did not suck away all the higher cats as I hoped. The two races passed each other a couple of times and Oliphant was looking good with a 30 sec lead. Scenery and weather were fabulous, already marked calendar for next year. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions duncan thomson Posted September 18, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 good write up Alan. Chapeau to all the Wheelers duncan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavieB Posted September 18, 2011 Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 Aye fantastic day with weather and scenery hard to beat - great wee circuit as well with a bit of everything thrown in. Garmin gizmo reports the following from the 1st group ..... http://connect.garmin.com/activity/115412246 D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions P McDonald Posted September 18, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 Fantastic race on Rothesay as always. And fantastic weather. And fantastic to see 7 wheelers in the race. Alan - do not fret about us being ripped to bits by a fairly high class group of Velo 29, Couriers, Herbalife chap etc. 6 miles, mostly uphill on heavy roads at 28mph has that effect These guys are class riders. And that was an excellent lead out for umpteenth place ! Far as I can gather the 5 JWCC in the first group all had good rides and all finished in front of me and Alan (ahem except Billy, as Charlie pointed out) bring it on - for another couple of weeks anyway, Who is going to vets race at Inverkeithing next week? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EPCC Posted September 18, 2011 Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 MeBut I will be staying in on sat night can't burn the candle at both ends anymore shame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions charlie p Posted September 19, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 Yip great weather and great day. Myself Richard Mark Billy and Davie set off in the first group. The 5 of us were at the front of the group most of the way round. It is a big boost to have your clubmates around you. At the start Davie and Mark did a lot of the work at the front with Billy joining in and myself and Richard a wee bit less. It was pretty steady till The Velo boys passed us in the last 5 miles and then it was every man for himself. I managed to chain gang with 2 others. We caught 4 other riders who were at the front of our group. Then we had the crazy situation of no one wanting to go to the front. I had the terrible thought that Billy would sneak on to the back of the second group and whizz by me so for 2 miles I led my group of 7. I flicked my elbow. I shouted on someone to come through. One guy shouted he was too knackered. However on the final sprint all 6 of them passed me. I was gutted but another lesson in a season of learning. The final result in the Billy v Charlie series is 5 all.A fair result. A big thank you to Billy and all the racing boys for your great support throughout the season Roll on next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EPCC Posted September 19, 2011 Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 Don't know why Charlie was worrying there was no danger of me whizzing anywhere as at about 10 to go I went pop. It has been good fun trying to race and hopefully we will have Mark and Richard racing next year Would also like to thank all the racers for there help and encouragement through the season without them it would have been more difficult. One more race next week a vets race in Fife After that its rest then working on next years cunning plan to stuff Mr C Bring it on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions martin Posted September 19, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 The final result in the Billy v Charlie series is 5 all.A fair result. Naw! we want a decider - extre time and penalties if needs be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions Ramsay Posted September 19, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 Well done all. Sounds like fun, especially Mount Stewart!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark O Posted September 19, 2011 Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 Had a fantastic day out yesterday . Good baptism in the world of road racing. Would echo Charlie's point about the lack of riders coming through to do a stint. Perhaps they know something we didn't!! The group of 6 or 7 riders I was in at the end was about 100 metres off Charlie's group and I could see they were all saving themselves for the sprint and I reckon if we had worked together could have caught them. In hindsight Davie B and I had probably done too much at the front early on and my failed attempt to jump across to the lone rider out front cost me in the run in. Regardless, hugely enjoyable and I must thank the guys for talking me into doing the 2 lap APR rather than the Novice 1 lap race, to quote Richard, "with the round, pale people who had been to Halfords". I have no idea what he meant by that but it sounded succinct. I'll admit I was apprehensive about doing the 2 laps, it being my first time 'n' all, but glad I did. For those not sure if dabbling in racing is for them I reckon if you can do a Thursday bunch run, even if you are, like me on occasion, still getting shelled towards the end then yesterday would have been within your powers. Cheers M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavieB Posted September 19, 2011 Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 Mark, Both you and Richard had nothing to worry about yesterday easily strong enough for the 2-lapper. Agree some questionable tactics for an APR with only a very few willing to do any work at the front or try and animate the race and form a stronger group to try and go away - a couple of times myself and Mark went off the front up some of the drags but nobody was too bothered about getting across and forming a group. Two riders clad in the JWCC colours being told to "steady on" going up a climb about summed up the day. Would agree that I ultimately paid the price for working hard during the race but the flipside is if nobody was willing to do anything then the 2nd group would have caught the 1st. I stand to be corrected but to me the principle of an APR is for the earlier starting groups to work together to try and stay away or form groups within the groups if people are willing to attack, so a bit different to a standard RR where I would tend to just concentrate on sitting in and hanging on. Anyway I enjoyed and certainly a good workout D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Richard Posted September 19, 2011 Members Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 That was hard going but good fun. It's certainly the first time I've had a great day out that featured the taste of sick in my mouth - well, the first time without cider at any rate. The other guys have pretty much told the story of the race. After the first ascent of Mount Stuart it was clear that people weren't willing to work. I encouraged folk to come through; shouted something to the effect that 30 seconds on the front wouldn't kill them. I even did two turns in quick succession to try and inspire by example, but it didn't produce the desired effect. After that, I reverted to doing as little as possible, floating through the head of the bunch without ever having to take a spell. If I'm honest, that's what I loved the most about yesterday: the idea that someone like me - someone who can't take big pulls on the front without getting tired quickly - can hide and get round as a result. It was obvious from early on that Billy, Charlie, Mark and Davie were among the strongest riders in that first group. They did a lot of the legwork and looked no worse for wear because of it (well, maybe not until later on.) :-) Before climbing Mount Stuart in reverse, Mark went off after the lone leader on his own, easing away from the group on a climb. There were a couple guys dangling in the gap between Mark and me, and the bunch seemed to be breaking up. I was told that we were away, and like an eejit, I accepted this without looking behind. With people drifting back behind me and a VC South rider on Mark's wheel, I went across the gap to join them. Only then did I look behind to see the bulk of the first group, lined out. We weren't even close to being away! Not very bright on my part. I shot my bolt too soon with the effort to get across. When the Velo 29 riders caught us on Mount Stuart, I was in agony - legs cramping, shoulders burning, taste of vomit etc... Huge credit to Charlie for hanging on up that drag. It was most unpleasant. I surprised myself after that - fighting to stay in the wheels when my body wanted to chuck it. There were lots of people hurting in that second group on the road- everyone apart from Mark and Davie, possibly - so even though the leaders were in sight, I don't think we were ever going to bridge the gap. Thanks, guys, for twisting my arm and persuading me to do the APR. I'm a bad person for slagging off the one-lap race, but in all honesty, I'd have stuck out a mile in there - I'm too far down the long miles, shaven-legged route. I was led to believe the event was for new racers, but it was really for new cyclists. David and Carol Cowan (newbie Wheelers, neither pale nor round :-) ) did do the one-lap event, though. I think they found it hard going. Maybe post here and let everyone know how it went? I'm not likely to start racing next year, certainly not regularly, but I could maybe be tempted by APRs of a similar sort of distance (Millport and the Lake of Menteith maybe.) We'll see. Finally, let's not forgot Alan and Paul. It's amazing to think that they got within a couple of hundred metres of the second group on the road when we had a NINE MINUTE head start. Chapeau. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions martin Posted September 20, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 Richard - who were you shouting at here? http://www.flickr.com/photos/ufopilot/6 ... /lightbox/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Richard Posted September 20, 2011 Members Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 I dunno, Martin - maybe it was general apologies to anyone I offended while trying to be funny about my non-participation in the one-lap race. It was a blind uphill corner. The marshal or one of the spectators at the roadside gave a really good early shout that there was a car on the bend. I did a repeat for the benefit of everyone behind me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Committee Alan McLean Posted September 20, 2011 Author Committee Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 Do we have a report from the one lap race please? I hope David and Carol enjoyed it and will be back next year to put some hurt on this bunch. Report please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions carol cowan Posted September 22, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Hi Guys, thought we would let you know how we got on in the "novices" one lap race. A select group of 11 lined up at the start at 2.15 pm in brillant sunshine. As this was our first offical race as newbies and getting on a bit, a quick glance at the opposition revealed a few shaven legs and baby oil, suggesting we were in for a tough race. The pace was brisk at the start and we were still in touch after Mount Stuart, but gradually lost contact thereafter. The second half of the race was hard going on your own but it was good feeling being part of race with marshalls,lead cars etc. We did finish,together with Carol's friend Margaret comming in last. Altogether an enjoyable day and in hindsight we probably took on a bit too much by also doing the 10m TT in the morning...I've never seen so many carbon wheels in the one place at the same time. It has given us an incentive to improve over the winter and have another go next year. In the meantime we will be proud to wear the JWCC jerseys if we can buy one. Cheers Dave & Carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions P McDonald Posted September 22, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Well done guys, Rothesay is one of the best events of the year but there are plenty other good ones to target next year, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark O Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Well Done Charlie! Rothesay Part 2 results on the Braveheart forum. It would appear by all accounts you are in with the prize winners from the weekend , Paul McD called it spot on. Good effort. M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Richard Posted September 23, 2011 Members Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Identifying riders as they cross the line must be incredibly difficult, but I'm a bit disappointed at the lack of times and the fact that Davie B and I are nowhere to be seen in the results even though the folk we finished with are there. A minor gripe, though - it was a still a good day out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Committee Alan McLean Posted September 29, 2011 Author Committee Report Share Posted September 29, 2011 Well done Mark. category winner See Braveheart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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