Frank O Rourke memorial race

fondriest

Frank O Rourke memorial race sunday may 30th , seperate races for a2/a3/a4 over good rolling curcuit .sign on from 10am start at 12noon at camross hall just off main wexford new ross rd.

Lumen

Distances?

fondriest

a2 and a3 races 4 laps 100k , a4 race 3 laps 75k

DirkVoodoo

Wexford is closer than Monaghan. Barely.

I would like to race but I think it is too far for me.

fondriest

About 1hr 45 would get you to the start.

teufelswerk

I assume that this is the same laps that they usually used around camross? Be prepared for the mother of all crosswinds as it swings onto the main road to wexford!! Have seen many a solo effort be scuppered by that wind.
Was racing against Frank about 7 years ago (I was a junior handicapped with his group), he was an example to all for. An absolute gentleman, great to see this race gather more momentum.

100Suns

Does anyone have a route map or profile? I seem to recall Roundwood being described as 'rolling'. The only things rolling were eyeballs as lungs collapsed.

fondriest

100Suns wrote: »

Does anyone have a route map or profile? I seem to recall Roundwood being described as 'rolling'. The only things rolling were eyeballs as lungs collapsed.

Sorry don't know how to stick up a profile or anything like that but its definetly not like roundwood. There is a sharp little hill just after the start but only about 250mtrs long and four drags any thing between 1 and 2k long but all big ring stuff.

Lumen

I'm in, I think.

The Mick Byrne is on the same day, but 75km A4 races don't come along that often. I can plod round Wicklow any day, right?

Lumen

Report from the A4 race...

Nicely organised by Wexford Wheelers. Good course, sensibly designed to have the only gravelly section at the start of the lap where attacks would be unlikely.

There was a good bit of silly riding on the RHS of the road with people apparently defending their position (?) in the bunch by going wide and staying there. This makes absolutely no sense - in addition to causing problems with oncoming traffic it means stronger riders can't safely move through to push the pace, and there were times on the first part of each lap when it felt like an easy Sunday spin. Before the last race I did in Wexford (the RAS fundraiser a few weeks ago) there were threats of disqualifying riders who crossed the white line, and that seemed to keep things more sensible.

Going with my new approach of not helping chase down breaks and only going to the front to attack, I found myself off the front for a stretch up the main road in the first lap until the pace picked up and I was reeled back in.

On the last lap the Dungarvan lads were preparing themselves for an organised finish but seemed to waste energy pushing the pace without forming a proper break. I popped off the front before the last corner to avoid any trouble, and sure enough I heard the (now common) clattering of carbon fibre and sat up to wait for the bunch to re-form (I'm not nearly strong enough to solo to victory over 5km).

Coming towards the finish I tried to position myself to avoid getting boxed in, but this meant some time at the front wasting energy into the wind. So despite spending most of the race wheelsucking, that last effort meant that I didn't have enough left for the sprint, and I finished in the bunch somewhere around 10-15th (again).

So another mediocre finish but it was a nice day out and I didn't crash.

Overall stats 65.1km, 37.2kph, 214W, 169bpm. During my break I did 2 mins@192bpm, 5 mins@187bpm and 30 mins@180bpm. Maybe less Red Bull in the bottle next time.

Results are here but the distances are wrong - the A4 race was 65km.

showry

Lumen wrote: »

and I didn't crash.

I did unfortunately. About 2km out as it started to get messy someone switched out in front of me straight into my front wheel and sent me flying. I've got plenty of road rash, a shredded jersey, shorts and mitts for my efforts. And I'll be needing a new helmet too.
I was one of the Dungarvan lads trying to push the pace on the last lap. To be honest we'd given up on getting a break at that stage, we'd had enough goes and nothing was sticking, so we were trying to keep it together for a couple of our stronger lads. The best we got was 3rd though.
It was a well organised race but that gravelly section was very dodgy.

Lumen

showry wrote: »

I did unfortunately. About 2km out as it started to get messy someone switched out in front of me straight into my front wheel and sent me flying. I've got plenty of road rash, a shredded jersey, shorts and mitts for my efforts. And I'll be needing a new helmet too.
I was one of the Dungarvan lads trying to push the pace on the last lap. To be honest we'd given up on getting a break at that stage, we'd had enough goes and nothing was sticking, so we were trying to keep it together for a couple of our stronger lads. The best we got was 3rd though.
It was a well organised race but that gravelly section was very dodgy.

Ah, so we did meet briefly in the car park (I was in the Orwell jersey checking out your injuries). Glad that you're mostly OK.

There must have been two separate crashes, since the corner at which I heard the clatter was about 5km away from the finish.

It's a shame that the racing in A4 is so negative. I've done loads of races this year and I don't remember one successful break in any of them, only some bunch splits on the hillier ones. It seems to have created a bit of a vicious circle, with 90% of the field just sitting in and taking their chances in the final gallop.

Anyway, good that your collective efforts managed a 3rd place, but also nice to see an unattached rider win.

showry

Lumen wrote: »

Ah, so we did meet briefly in the car park (I was in the Orwell jersey checking out your injuries). Glad that you're mostly OK.

There must have been two separate crashes, since the corner at which I heard the clatter was about 5km away from the finish.

It's a shame that the racing in A4 is so negative. I've done loads of races this year and I don't remember one successful break in any of them, only some bunch splits on the hillier ones. It seems to have created a bit of a vicious circle, with 90% of the field just sitting in and taking their chances in the final gallop.

Anyway, good that your collective efforts managed a 3rd place, but also nice to see an unattached rider win.

Good to meet you
I think 2 Comeragh lads went down in the first crash.
Actually that was the first race in a while (down here anyway) where there hasn't been a break that's stayed away.

shapez

Lumen wrote: »

There must have been two separate crashes, since the corner at which I heard the clatter was about 5km away from the finish.

True. That was a Wexford Wheelers rider and a Comeragh CC rider. The second crash resulted in a SCC rider going to hospital I think.

Lumen wrote: »

It's a shame that the racing in A4 is so negative. I've done loads of races this year and I don't remember one successful break in any of them, only some bunch splits on the hillier ones. It seems to have created a bit of a vicious circle, with 90% of the field just sitting in and taking their chances in the final gallop.

I have to agree with you here. I don't remember a break away sticking at all. I've made countless attempts to get away in various races and to turn back to see someone marking me or nobody following. I think it's this fear of getting dropped syndrome.

mjpmclean

shapez wrote: »

True. That was a Wexford Wheelers rider and a Comeragh CC rider. The second crash resulted in a SCC rider going to hospital I think.



I have to agree with you here. I don't remember a break away sticking at all. I've made countless attempts to get away in various races and to turn back to see someone marking me or nobody following. I think it's this fear of getting dropped syndrome.

The Comeragh rider was just to the left of me when he went down, he actually hit me but I managed to stay up and get ahead of the second crash as well. I have never seen a rider get a slap like that Comeragh guy, it was like someone stuck a stick in his front spokes, he went his back wheel just shot over his head and he face planted something horrendous. Poor old Gianni Ponzi of Wexford Wheelers then unfortunately ran into him. Anybody hear what actually happened the Comeragh fella? Equipment failure?

As for the negative racing, I guess its a product of nobody being strong enough to stay away, I was away (Slaney CC) with a Dungarvan lad but we just calved on the main road.

henboy

Was at this my self yesterday with one of my team mates stayed out of trouble thank god . Sat at the back of the bunch on the last lap then tailed off . Good race well organised gravel section was a bit of a mess but if things were perfect there would be no fun in that . Had a good spin the day before up Mahon Falls which didn't help matters but enjoyed the race . Sorry to see that once again there was a crash . Hope everyone involved recovers well .

fondriest

mjpmclean wrote: »

The Comeragh rider was just to the left of me when he went down, he actually hit me but I managed to stay up and get ahead of the second crash as well. I have never seen a rider get a slap like that Comeragh guy, it was like someone stuck a stick in his front spokes, he went his back wheel just shot over his head and he face planted something horrendous. Poor old Gianni Ponzi of Wexford Wheelers then unfortunately ran into him. Anybody hear what actually happened the Comeragh fella? Equipment failure?

As for the negative racing, I guess its a product of nobody being strong enough to stay away, I was away (Slaney CC) with a Dungarvan lad but we just calved on the main road.

Afaik the comeragh fella was trying to turn while his front wheel was going into a catseye so that kind of flipped him over and in fairness i was behind him for a while and he hit every other catseye on the main road so one of them was gonna get him.

giannip

mjpmclean wrote: »

The Comeragh rider was just to the left of me when he went down, he actually hit me but I managed to stay up and get ahead of the second crash as well. I have never seen a rider get a slap like that Comeragh guy, it was like someone stuck a stick in his front spokes, he went his back wheel just shot over his head and he face planted something horrendous. Poor old Gianni Ponzi of Wexford Wheelers then unfortunately ran into him. Anybody hear what actually happened the Comeragh fella? Equipment failure?

As for the negative racing, I guess its a product of nobody being strong enough to stay away, I was away (Slaney CC) with a Dungarvan lad but we just calved on the main road.

Yes.. I was stupid enough to be behind that guy from Comeragh (hope you're boards.ie).

In fact I had just decided to get away from him as he had already almost taken out his own team mate & half the bunch 1km previously when he hit a cateye, AGAIN!

This after a few other failed attempts at general mayhem (e.g. pulling lads by the shorts etc)

Unfortunately my timing sucked & he hit a cateye (yes... for the 20th time) and hit the deck. This resulted in 4 stitches, various roadrash & trashed back wheel for me.

I'm not sure how the wheel was buckled into an S shape but I'm hoping it was off his head.

I know crashes happen but it was quite obvious this guy has not idea about how to ride in a bunch.

It would be great to have a few commissaires ride in the races on bikes & take action when someone is as blatantly dangerous as this guy.

Rant over...... for now