2023 Subscriptions thejanullrichdietplan Posted March 1, 2014 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 Think there are a few already doing the south lanarkshire WOSCA race on the same day so probably not much interest in this http://crit.stirlingbikeclub.org.uk/ I was up in Stirling yesterday so took the chance to have a look at the course. It is relatively flat (although i may not be saying that after a few laps) with 3 technical bits to negotiate - namely a tight left corner followed by a tight right with a small kerb (i think they are putting a ramp here for the race), a downhill corner with a fast approach and a roundabout near the finish that looks like it could be very difficult to negotiate in a big bunch. There are also some speed bumps but they dont look too bad. Anyway looks like an interesting course so think i'll give it a go, assuming i can get a place as it is already oversubscribed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions thejanullrichdietplan Posted March 17, 2014 Author 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Seems my entry was successful. Bit of a leap into the unknown but looking forward to it Over 300 entries for this (there were so many 4th Cat entries they are running 2 races) so when you add that to over 100 entries for the South Lanarkshire WOSCA race, the Lang Wang hilly TT, a sold out Evans sportive in the Trossachs and the Sport Relief one in Glasgow all on the same day that is good going for March! martin and Richard 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions martin Posted March 17, 2014 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 See you up there Ian. Looks good, but it's going to be a long day. We've got a wee crowd of Jets racing, including my youngest in the first race at 08.30. Since my eldest is racing in the last event of the day at 1.15 I'm bringing a deck chair. It'll be just like the tour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Richard Posted March 23, 2014 Members Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Sitting at work, looking at photos of the race on Twitter, including one which shows the sprint for third-place. It looks very much like Iain took fourth! Hope I've not got the wrong end of the stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions martin Posted March 23, 2014 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 You've called it right, Richard. 4th for Iain, pipped in the bunch sprint. Very close. That went with other good results for the Joansin among the Jets. Isla McCutcheon took her 4th win in 4 races in the u8's, Hamish Maclaren on the youth C podium for the 4th time out of 4, but this time with a win :-) Lusia Steele won the youth B (under 14) race, and Sarah Bradford took 3rd in the u16 before going one better and placing 2nd junior in the women's event. Ex Jet Lewis Mul got 2nd junior in the E123 race which was won by James McCallum in a sprint finish over Evan Oliphant. Good day for the blue and yellow. duncan thomson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions P McDonald Posted March 23, 2014 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Well done Iain, jets and ex jets, looks like a good days racing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EPCC Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Dito Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Richard Posted March 23, 2014 Members Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Great stuff, Iain. Highest finish by a grown-up Wheeler in a mass start race in quite a while, I think. Report, report, report! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavieB Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Cracking results...well done. D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Richard Posted March 23, 2014 Members Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 PS Iain, there's a good shot of you taking the line on Braveheart (though it's not quite as good as the shot of Lewis with Phil T, which in turn isn't quite as good as the shot of Sarah Bradford, who wins hands down for stylish cornering.) martin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions thejanullrichdietplan Posted March 23, 2014 Author 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Ok here goes, i suspect im going to type too much as im still buzzing As it was my first crit i'd read alot beforehand and also asked Paul and Billy for some advice at the track the other night - how important it is to be near the front, always be moving up in the bunch and things like that. So i made to sure to position myself on the first row for the start. So far so good - It was a neutralised lap to see the course then back to line up and start for real. However by the end of the neutralised lap i found myself right on the back! I stayed near there for the first 15 minutes struggling with the pace (i dont think i did a hard enough warm up) but after that started to find my legs so on the hill/ramp on the finish straight i put in a dig to see if i could move up to a better position managed that alright and stayed up for a lap before drifting back again to hide from the wind feeling a bit more confident that i could move up if needed. By this point there were a couple of guys up the road and managing to maintain a good gap (mostly out of sight of the bunch) then another couple of riders tried to bridge - when we eventually caught those two they were a couple of others with them and i thought that was everything back together. However it was 2 lapped riders and the 2 out in front were still there! Was about 5 laps to go by this point and things starting to heat up, final lap i made an effort up the hill to get near the front but i maybe put in too big an effort as i found myself on the front going through the carpark and onto the backstraight as we hit the first speedbump. I wasnt wanting to be there after the turn onto the home straight as there was a headwind on what was also the fastest section of the course (this section would be from about 500 to 100 metres before the finish) so let others come past - slipped back probably a bit much to about 10th, then it was down the sweeping bend onto the straight and right into the headwind. The sprint started as soon as we exited this corner which was good for me as i could pick my way through as others were starting to tie up however there was still one rider in front who managed to get to the roundabout first (this came before by the final corner) so i had to brake a little and couldnt carry momentum, then started again but that was that. Was a strange mixture of being really pleased but also a little disappointed because i didnt feel like i'd been able to give it everything. However in some respects it is just as well i didnt overtake him as i'd have looked a right spanner celebrating 3rd place as if i'd won the race I should add if i had known there were 2 riders still ahead i wouldnt have been able to do anything about it, they rode a great race and were by far the strongest on the day. Overall though really enjoyed it - i was worried beforehand partly about what the pace would be like but mostly about what the riding would be like as i'd read so many horror stories of Crits - particularly 4th Cat early season ones! There was some dodgy riding at times (i was almost put into a barrier due to someone diving up the inside of a corner then drifting over and rubbing shoulders) but overall it was pretty good and nowhere near as bad as i was expecting it to be. Good weather and a good course - nice mix of fast and technical - the highlight being a fast downhill corner where you could smell burning rubber with the tyres on the limits of their grip. Could have done without the speedbumps they werent pleasant at all. Also great to see so many out racing from all age groups to the elite riders and a world champ. On another note the Jets look really pro, this was my first time seeing their set up at a road race and i was impressed! Well done to all the riders, coaches and support KennyS, martin, Richard and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin McPhee Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Well done Iain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennyS Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Well done, Iain You were certainly looking composed at the Jets Corner as you consistently made up places in the bunch This was a great event. Selfishly speaking it would have been good to have races for each Youth category but to be fair it looked to be a tight schedule and the whole event was first class If this is a marker for future events by Stirling BC then would certainly recommend as many of the JWCC as possible enter the Crit at the Castle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.