Orwell League Race Thu 4 June 2009

blorg

Well done to Aidan.Offbeat on second place, just narrowly pipped for the win I hear. Moving up to semi-scratch I believe so he will be out of the way Apparently the placings came from a relatively small breakaway, maybe someone who was more in the race could report on the details. It was really looking like a good one, Aidan was up the front from the start.

My own race didn't go so well- started wearing contact lenses today- at around 6pm to be precise. I wasn't sure I had the left eye in right and fair enough vision went around 10km in on the start of the first lap. Wasn't safe to cycle in a bunch like that so hung back and went around the lap with some stragglers poking at my eye. Thought I had it working by the time semi-scratch caught and jumped on there but it wasn't- so got out of that group, found a mirror, got the remaining lens out and put on my glasses. Completed the four laps on a lovely evening at least, 110km for today at over a 30km/h average so not all bad.

bunnygreen

Hard luck Blorg,i was marshaling tonight,you changed your lense in my van,well done for sticking it out on your sweeney,what else would you be doing on such a beautiful evening,always next time.

blorg

bunnygreen wrote: »

Hard luck Blorg,i was marshaling tonight,you changed your lense in my van,well done for sticking it out on your sweeney,what else would you be doing on such a beautiful evening,always next time.

I thought you looked familiar! Couldn't be sure with the whole not being able to see straight thing Thanks for that.

zzzzzzzz

Wouldn't call it a breakaway as such. Semi-limit stayed together pretty much for the whole 4 laps.

Then when we hit the bottom of the climb (ballysmutton) it was like a mortar went off in the bunch. Before we hit the climb one of the other orwell riders had suggested I take it easy on the first part of it as a lot of people make the mistake of going too hard early on and dropping off towards the top.

That's what I did, although I stayed close to a few lucan riders and a ucd rider who were putting the hammer down. About half or 2/3 of the way up the climb and there was just one lucan rider about 50-70m (at a guess) in front of me. Everyone else was dropping off.

Wasn't too sure on where the finish would be so I was doing just enough to keep him within 50m or so.

Accelerated hard when i saw the finish line, shift up and keep accelerating. I'm not gonna catch him... no way... keep going, i'm reeling him in... i'm gonna catch him.. keep going... can't breathe... keep going. he puts his hands up crossing the line and i'm probably a bike length away from winning. if only there were 5 more meters!

Think top 3 were semi-limit and then 4,5,6 were scratch - they only caught semi-limit around the bottom of the climb.

smithslist

Yeah Hard luck Blorg, I knew there was a good valid reason for you when my breakaway group caught you all alone.

Twas a tough fast circuit tonite so fair play for finishing it.

Raam

Nice work, Aidan. It looks like you are due a win soon.

bunnygreen

That finish is a real killer,well done on that placing.

zzzzzzzz

bunnygreen wrote: »

That finish is a real killer,well done on that placing.

Do they finish it up there often?

smithslist

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

Do they finish it up there often?

think its only twice a year one for the club champs and then the other one is like today, the Brittas circuit before the club champs so riders know it.

bunnygreen

That's right,so glad i was marshaling tonight,i remember last year being ok until about a quarter the way up,then booooommm.

blorg

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

Accelerated hard when i saw the finish line, shift up and keep accelerating. I'm not gonna catch him... no way... keep going, i'm reeling him in... i'm gonna catch him.. keep going... can't breathe... keep going. he puts his hands up crossing the line and i'm probably a bike length away from winning. if only there were 5 more meters!

That is what I heard, that you had a great finish and just didn't seem to know where exactly the line was! You were putting in the effort from the start that's for sure.

Chips Lovell

Well done Aidan. Some day soon I'm going to make it to another league race.

Junior

Well done Aidan, no 60% for you eh ?

bunnygreen

Hey Aidan,i think it,s semi scratch for you very soon,well done again.

zzzzzzzz

bunnygreen wrote: »

Hey Aidan,i think it,s semi scratch for you very soon,well done again.

Yeah - that's the first thing Dave said to me at the finish... just in time for the DMS next week too!!

smithslist

the updated league table is on cycling lucan website, some riders upgraded to SS group.

Chips Lovell

Fourth in the league? You're doing great Aidan.