Race Report - Hawthorn CC Trophy Race

Emotional undulations...

Race Report - Hawthorn CC Trophy Race - Gisborne South

Briskly cold and windy conditions met Watson and Duggan as they arrived at the Gisborne South course for the Hawthorn CC Trophy race. Having yet to race here this road season, the lads were regaled with all kinds of fanciful talk about the relentlessness of the major climb lap after lap, and the danger of the cross-winds when the race really fires up. Who would have thought the majority of this banter factual... 

The plan? Hang on for as long as possible and be involved in the race. We just wanted to go home after riding hard, getting a solid workout.   

Roll out. Neutral until ascent of the climb and the start-finish line. 8 more laps and ascents of the hill after completing an 8 km loop to go! 

Straight away the pressure was on. Several Hawthorn CC (HCC) riders had made an appearance in C-grade today that hadn't been seen all season. A bit on banter in the pack revealed that this was their first race of the season, although their massive thighs and calves indicated the contrary. Two of them went off the front immediately and Duggan jumped across, hoping to get clear with these big diesels. 

Eventually reeled in, Duggan settled in to continue the pressure and high-pace, possibly to the detriment of Watson who had a mechanical on the first lap! An unfortunate slip of the brake cable meant a pad was in constant contact with the rim. A quick stop to rectify the problem meant he was off the back and unfortunately unable to rejoin. A 60 km individual time-trial ensued, ensuring he stayed in front of the D-grade bunch.

With about 4 laps to go, and some seriously slow pace up the major climb, Michael Holder (MUCyc) and two HCC counterparts jumped off the front of the pack managing to gap the field. While the response was very unorganised from the peloton, it was immediate. A number of riders including Michael Sparke (BWK), Col Bell (Sunbury) and Duggan were contributing to a sporadic chase eventually reeling in the escapees. 

Whilst the pace was on, three riders went down in an incident at the back of the pack. The high pace and cross-tailwinds probably contributing. Our understanding is both injured riders taken to hospital have been released and despite losing a lot of skin, are ok. We, along with the rest of the peloton, wish them a speedy recovery!  

During the chase, one of the HCC riders had jumped off the front of the breakaway, overtaken the B-grade bunch ahead, and continued to ride solo ahead of the peloton. With some confusion ensuing after the catch of the remainder of the breakaway and with Duggan setting the pace on the penultimate ascent of the major climb, Sparke took his chances and attacked. 

Duggan sat up whilst the peloton decided who was going to lead the chase as both Sparke and Duggan had been driving the front of the bunch for a significant part of the race. Eventually the same Sunbury riders took charge, setting a good tempo and slowly but surely reeling in Sparke. 

At the base of the final ascent, Duggan was again on the front, riding tempo in an attempt to both slow the peloton giving Sparke a chance to stay away, whilst also delaying the surge up the hill as long as possible. When it finally came led by Holder, Duggan had no legs after contributing to so much chasing. The few remaining with good legs followed Holder up the hill to the line. Holder rounding out another good ride, catching Sparke before the line to take second. Sparke a great ride for third. 

The HCC rider smashing it solo off the front for 4 laps ahead of the B-grade bunch took the win and scored himself an entry into the "Sandbagger of the Year" award which TDR will be proudly presenting at the conclusion of the season. Submit your nominations now! The HCC rider is a clear favourite ahead of Sean O'Callaghan in this years Three Day Tour, who is shortening after some big bets from smart money on the weekend.     

Coburg Criterium - Race Report

That's not a headwind.... this is a headwind...

Coburg CC Criterium - 5/09/2011

Sunny conditions with a brutal, blustery northerly wind met racers at the National Boulevard on Saturday for a Coburg CC criterium. The hardest part of the day was easily the ride up Sydney Road to the course. TDR fortunately joined forces with the MUCyc and Canard guys who shared the work in the wind.

With only Mills, Watson and Duggan in attendance, numbers were down for any lead-outs. This was widely considered fortunate, as the 50 km/h tailwind on the home straight looked like a dangerous finish. Plan for the day: attack!

Roll out. Round the first corner. Click click - 53:12. Attack.

With 45 minutes of riding to be complete, Duggan possibly bit off more than he could chew with a first lap attack. Surprised to see no one follow or even respond, Duggan settled in for about 15 minutes off the front. Riding solo into the brutal headwind on the back straight made for very hard going, with Duggan eventually reeled in after a chase by Tom Christie (MUCyc) and others. Cheeky grins exchanged between the TDR lads, it was clear it was going to be one of those days...

With Watson and Mills looking strong in the bunch, Duggan again tried in vain to get off the front, thwarted by riders jumping his wheel. Once again the pace settled down with the pace making being shared by a few riders. Several attacks by other riders had heart rates raised when Duggan decided to give it another go, bridging to a rider hanging off the front, with Tom Christie on his wheel. Tom pulled through smoothly and a group started to form, with 6 riders working together to keep the pressure on.  

Caught out by the split in the bunch, Mills and Watson worked hard with the remaining bunch to reel in the escapee's. Duggan continued to sit in the breakaway trying to recover, atypically shirking the work knowing that he had burnt quite a few matches in the earlier stages of the race.   

With the 6 riders clearly away, the cat and mouse games started on the last lap. A well timed, suicidal attack from Michael Holder (MUCyc) went away  with a kilometre to go as the remainder of the bunch looked at each other. Finally Christie reacted and chased his own team mate, only to go into the red just before the penultimate corner. With only 500 m to go, Duggan was forced to set the pace, managing the distance between the group and Holder, whilst watching his shoulder for the inevitable attacks. 

The attacks didn't come with everyone content to ride on Duggan's wheel. With no other choice Duggan clicked into 53-12 and sprinted down the final straight, running out of road, passing Holder 2 m after the line. 

A great attack and ride from Holder. Well deserved win. Chapeu! 

Melbourne Gravel Grinders #4 - Winds of Pain

A more appropriate moniker could not have been devised... 

Duggan, joined by Soawyer (HK), had decided that the criterium racing (and some cheeky singletrack on the MTB in the afternoon) was not enough for one weekend, took the plunge and headed out to Williamstown for the fourth installment of the Melbourne Gravel Grinder collective.

130 km day. A significant proportion of that into severe headwinds, over roads that would have made Fred Flintstone write an angry letter to his local council.

Good day out with good crew...

Preston Points Score - Race Report

A tale of two trains... 

27/08/2011 - National Boulevard - 1 hour points race (sprints every 15 minutes)

Preston Points Score: Race report

The first race of the spring campaign for TDR riders was met with sunshine and light winds. With a slew of promotions TDR, joining forces with the Hell Krew and a few Fixed.org ring-ins, hatched a plan to take out the C grade Preston points score. In a somewhat bizzare decision, TDR nominated their climber/roueler D'Alfonso as leader with their sprinter, Duggan, assuming road captain status for the day. 

The first sprint saw D'Alfonso (TDR) and Soawyer (HK) attack on the back climb, dashing clear. Leading the peloton down the back straight, D'Alfonso and Sowyer entered the final straight with a handy lead, however as the freight train that was MUCyc built up some good speed as they lead out thier sprinter, passing D'Alfonso and taking out the first sprint. 

As the bunch regroupped, on Duggan's advice, Mills (HK) and Hogan (Fixed.org-TDR) attacked. D'Alfonso and Duggan sitting on the front of the pack rode false tempo letting the two escapees enjoy a strong break. An astute Michael Sparke (BWK) along with Michael Holder (MUCyc) bridged across to the escapees acknowledging the false chase of Duggan and D'Alfonso. As the bell rang for the second sprint, the peloton reacted angrily to D'Alfonso and Duggan's false tempo, tearing down the back straight to catch the escapees. Soawyer pulled the TDR-HK train around the ultimate corner, peeling off to release Duggan with Kent (HK) on his wheel, reluctantly reeling in the escapees just 250 m shy of the line.

With little time for recovery, the next sprint was on. The TDR-HK megateam, having to this stage controlled the majority race (as MUCyc was content to let the peloton sort itself out), were caught out recovering and failed to take a minor placing.

This served to sting the TDR-HK train into action. As the bell rang for the penultimate lap, the TDR-HK train set itself up. Duggan leading Soawyer around the first corner, D'Alfonso calls in Kent setting up a formidable train. As Duggan peels off at the crest of the rise, Soawyer take control, riding tempo and stringing out the bunch along the back straight. Peeling off and letting Kent lead out D'Alfonso around the final corner up the back straight. A perfect lead out by Kent saw D'Alfonso stay clear to take the final sprint. D'Alfonso finished 2nd overall, ruing the stuffed up third sprint. Bonus points for the last sprint would have sealed it...

Some good lessons learnt as the lead-out efforts consistently got better with each sprint...

Results: 

TDR-HK - A force to be reckoned with  

D'Alfonso - 2nd 

$60 spent at the pub on two jugs and sweet potato wedges after the race - Awesome

        

Race Report - St.Kilda Cycling Club Trophy Race

So close, yet so far..

13/08/2011 - Newham circuit - 2 laps* - 60 km
*TDR later informed the race was only two laps to aid SKCC riders to feature in the results

TDR made their way out to Newham on a cold, but still morning to partake in the SKCC Trophy Race. Hare 'n Hound "plan" in place, the lads were heartened (Duggan) and disheartened (D'Alfonso) to find the finish line moved down to the foot of the climb which typically sorted out the bunch with a hill-top finish. The revised slight-uphill sprint finish didn't change the plan for Duggan (aka "The Hare"), who was planning on attacking on the last corner with 750 m to go; but D'Alfonso was now more sacrificial lamb than "Hound", and would get no free ride to the base of the hill after feigning a chase allowing Duggan extra metres.

Rolling out.

Steady pace early on with some half-baked attacks off the front to test the legs and resolve of the peloton. In typical C-grade fashion everyone was willing to chase pretty much everything down which made it difficult for any move to stay away. Once again Nick Smith, Michael Sparke and the TDR lads were among the protagonists, with some Richmond Cyclery riders also mixing it up.

With the first lap completed and primarily uneventful other than Duggan copping an earful about how "PRO" he was for throwing his empty bidon to Watson who was on marshaling duty, the peloton ascended the usual finishing climb for the second time. This time up, a Brunswick rider took charge of the pacing and put a bit of pressure on the peloton. The pace caught a few napping, and the Brunswick rider along with some comrades including D'Alfonso continued the pressure with no response from those who had been doing the bulk of the pace making. Duggan along with about four others who had been working on the front swapped momentary glances confirming they weren't willing to chase, and the five continued to set pace.

The five man break worked well together for some kilometres before others in the bunch sensed that the riders at the head of the peloton were riding tempo. A rally, primarily organised by Jeff Provan, and aided by a Sukie rider among others, started to work at the front and eventually reeled the group in.

With everything getting chased down, the smart among the peloton realised that preserving matches 15km from the final fling at the finish line was probably the best bet to keep SKCC riders off the podium. The even more intelligent realised that this was a perfect time to attack and stay away.

Chris Hellman, having already been off the front during the day, flew off the front with a comrade and settled in to a nice pace. The patrons of the peloton looked at each other and started indicating that the other should perhaps "pull a fucking turn". The inevitable results of such stand-offs are attacks from the wily. Responses to these attacks repeatedly surged the group toward Hellman who was on his own, still about 600 m off front after dropping his partner in crime. Rounding the penultimate corner and ascending the final rise before the uphill sprint finish, it became clear that unless an organised chase happened, Chris was going to get away for the win.

D'Alfonso moves to the front. Settles in. Smashes it out.  

Great 2km chase from D'Alfonso results in the gap to Hellman coming down to about 250 m heading into the final corner. Duggan has 4th wheel behind Nick Smith and a RideWiser rider. Around the corner, D'Alfonso pulls to the left spent, the RideWiser rider runs very, very wide taking Smith with him, allowing Duggan to get up the inside and kick as hard as he can for as long as he can in 53-12. Duggan with Smith in tow on his wheel round up Hellman after 700 m of sprinting and about 20 m to go. Smith making light work of the heavier Duggan on the uphill finish coming around for the win. Hellman hangs on for third after a great ride, with a small gap to the chasing peloton.

1st Nick Smith (SUN)        
2nd Duggan (BWK)
3rd Hellman (SKCC)

Melburn-Portsea-Melburn...

220 km. Great ride with FOA lads. Sun/Wind/Rain/Shine/Cupcakes. It had it all.

On the improve...

The weather that is...

Entries going in for the Tour of Bright, Shipwreck Coast Classic and the Stratfield-Dargo Classic. Lots of training and racing to be done prior.

Looking forward to it!