Stamullen weekend races 13/14/15 April

kenmc

Tough day. Not sure that Crackbirds Soy chicken, 2 bottles of howling gale and 3 pints of vitamin G are great prep, but sure anyway. Did a quick recce of the course with buffalo, it seemed no matter which way we were going there was a bloody headwind.

First couple of laps went well, I was well positioned for the first couple of laps towards the front, and climbing well enough. Started to struggle on lap 4 when the A1/2 bunch swept us up on the climb, and I went out the back fairly sharpish. Finished out that lap and then stopped at the truck, but decided to climb back on the bike and finished out the last 2 laps on my todd. Managed to catch one other lone rider coming back over the M1 for the last time, and beat him to the line. So I didn't come paddy last ! \o/

Maybe next week I won't go to Crackbird on the night before a race

buffalo

Beasty wrote: »

Today's race won by Ian Richardson of UCD, finishing I would guess around 30s ahead of the chasing group.

Apologies Beasty, stickybottle says 30s too. I must've heard some vicious rumour.

Fair play to you for giving it a lash MH, I was content to watch him vanish into the distance.

And kenmc, we achieved our #1 goal for the day: getting in the photos! \o/
http://www.irishcycling.com/publish/news/art_6200.shtml

kenmc

buffalo wrote: »

And kenmc, we achieved our #1 goal for the day: getting in the photos! \o/
http://www.irishcycling.com/publish/news/art_6200.shtml

Yeah, it's all about keeping the sponsors happy, eh?
Some good shots right enough!

Beasty

buffalo wrote: »

Apologies Beasty, stickybottle says 30s too. I must've heard some vicious rumour.

Stickybottle may be using Boards to get their info;) - my 30s was a pure guess - I didn't put a stopwatch on it (I was originally going to say 20-30s)

buffalo

Raced the GP last year, and didn't finish. I remember going over Snowtown, going slowly backwards through the bunch, completely blown. Rolling back after Naul, the juniors overtook me. I tried to hold their wheel, and failed miserably.

I decided before the race that today would be different. First lap in A4 went okay, held the wheels okay, got over Snowtown without being shelled. Sat in the bunch mostly, but with the odd turn on the front, and a dig or two off the front. Nothing stuck really, though very few people seemed willing to work. Probably the same as me - wanting to conserve everything for the second time over Snowtown.

There were two riders up the road when we got the bell. Up the drag, no worries, thinking about attacking, deciding not to risk it just yet. Start up the steeper section, starting to huff and puff. Going backwards slightly, but not too quickly. Right turn onto the final section, and I know I don't have it in me. I feel asthmatic, and once again I'm going backwards. manwithaplan is driving the pace on at the front, and I can't hold on. I briefly consider pulling out again, but push on, not wanting to repeat last year. The front riders (about 15) are away down the descent, and I throw myself down after them. Get into a DID rider's slipstream for a bit, and manage to tag back on at the turn in Naul, along with about 10 other riders.

Thought somebody would put the hammer down then, but pace stayed steady, and I think some more riders got on before the turn before the school. By the time we make the left turn onto the finishing stretch, I reckon we have 40-50 riders. The pace went up as we crossed the motorway, with lots of jostling at the front. I already had my line picked out for the finish, having been through the village 5 times yesterday, and twice today, and it worked a charm. Swung wide out of the last bend and to the left, powering past everyone who was crowding right, and managed to nip in for third. Rubbed shoulders just before the finish line with second place, and reckon I might've been able to pip him for second if that hadn't happened. But it wasn't malicious, just one of those things, and third is good enough for me!

Cheers to oflahero for the lift out, and manwithaplan (who did well as well!) for hanging around and giving me a lift home after the prize giving.

And well done to Stamullen RC - great weekend! The two races I did both had excellent marshalling and clean and gravel-free corners. But the highlight was the fantastic and entertaining commentary from Gaybo! All races should have that!

Peterx

Good craic in the A3 race today, after the guts of 3 laps away I thought I was going to stay with the break - until the last hill when the best 5 lads just rode away and the rest of us were shelled like so many peanuts. I went into TT mode until the chase group caught me and then I couldn't even stay with them. When you're gone you're really gone in road racing, the laps just chip away at the energy levels. One lad was doing great work keeping it organised, we had a good chain going.

Great to see the effort etched on the faces of the A1~2 lead group of 10 on their second last lap, on the their last lap around with about 3km to go it looked like Ryan Sherlock and one DID lad had gapped 3 chasers.

Lumen

Nice one buffalo!

I got shelled from the same A4 race the second time up Snowtown, and there was no way I was getting back on.

The pace up those climbs was absolutely savage. At times like those I almost wish I'd taken up golf. Almost.

Idleater

Lumen wrote: »

Nice one buffalo!

I got shelled from the same A4 race the second time up Snowtown, and there was no way I was getting back on.

The pace up those climbs was absolutely savage. At times like those I almost wish I'd taken up golf. Almost.

Hope I didn't put you off at the top of the hill!
I just managed to join a group at the bottom but they seemed intent on chasing back on solo rolleyes: so I left them to it.
Personally for me I did better than last year. Held on up the climb first time round, encouraged and paced one of our youngsters up as well. I also felt better on the descent, which was my main aim.
Second time round I descended well (for me!!) but the whole thing was split apart.
Enjoyed myself though and complements on a very well marshalled and run event.

patrick151

Felt decent in a A4 race for the first time today

Came with a goal of just 'doing something' rather than sitting in the bunch (and getting dropped 0_o) felt really good up the first climb. Second time i got my position wrong coming in and had to doge a few riders on their way out, eventually making my way to the right side and managed to launch my way up to the front. Tried to push the pace on the decent but didn't have it in me

Did some big pulls on the way back in and started to think i could hold on for some points but as i launched my sprint the rider in front of me goes down. 'Luckily' he slid along the gravel a bit so i had time to slow and get out of the way but i imminently went to the back of the bunch. Crossed the line then swung back to check on the guy that feel. He didn't look too bad for wear(all considered) but his front wheel was a write off and i think i heard someone say there was a crack in his frame to him-poor guy

Still i'm very happy with myself. Keeping form like that i might be able to challenge for a point soon enough

capnsantini

Lumen wrote: »

Nice one buffalo!

Nice one buffalo is right! That was a pretty fast and hectic sprint alright, very impressive job just to stay at the front, and even better to be so close to taking it. Couldn't see much (bar a front for seat to a front wheel full taco and crash) from my spot in the bunch so hope someone puts up some photos on the A4 finish at some point.

I was in that first group over the top on the big climb (Snowton?) I didn't realize we had any gap at all on the rest of the group. Had I known I certainly would have pushed a bit harder to try to grow the gap in the final half lap, but looked back and thought the gang was all there by Naul. I'm pretty bummed now, considering my whole strategy today had been to help push a gap over the hill and stay away to the line, and now to hear we had the makings of it and didn't even know it! ARGH! Please tell me it wasn't really a gap at all, but more that the group was just strung out very far.

BTW, seems the guys who crashed (hope he's ok) is the twin brother of the guy who won. Things will be interesting around that dinner table tonight......

waxie

capnsantini wrote: »

Lumen wrote: »

Nice one buffalo!

Nice one buffalo is right! That was a pretty fast and hectic sprint alright, very impressive job just to stay at the front, and even better to be so close to taking it. Couldn't see much (bar a front for seat to a front wheel full taco and crash) from my spot in the bunch so hope someone puts up some photos on the A4 finish at some point.

I was in that first group over the top on the big climb (Snowton?) I didn't realize we had any gap at all on the rest of the group. Had I known I certainly would have pushed a bit harder to try to grow the gap in the final half lap, but looked back and thought the gang was all there by Naul. I'm pretty bummed now, considering my whole strategy today had been to help push a gap over the hill and stay away to the line, and now to hear we had the makings of it and didn't even know it! ARGH! Please tell me it wasn't really a gap at all, but more that the group was just strung out very far.

BTW, seems the guys who crashed (hope he's ok) is the twin brother of the guy who won. Things will be interesting around that dinner table tonight......

frame not cracked thank god. front wheel mangled and some road rash for my troubles. was looking at 4th or 5th before i slid across the road. great wknd of racing. delighted for the brother

manwithaplan

Not an awful lot happened until the second time up Snowtown. I stuck with the pace and went to the front about two thirds of the way up. I shoved the pace up a bit and led over the top. I should have gone earlier to gain more of an advantage because it came back together on the descent into a bunch that was a lot bigger than I wanted. I had a bit of a half hearted dig on the rise towards Balscadden but then settled in for the finish.

I was fairly sure my chance was gone at that stage but I battled my way towards the front after the motorway bridge. Five or six riders got a few yards on the bunch and I burnt a bt of energy closing the gap. The uphill finish helped me and I managed to shove through for sixth. Still one more point needed to get to A3. One of our lads got second so a good day in A4 for the club. We got third in the ladies race too.

The announcer at the finish was brilliant (if a little 'Father Ted') and the gig was well run. I thought two laps was too short though and I didn't see any reason not to have a third as there was a long wait before the A1s came through.

Lumen

capnsantini wrote: »

I was in that first group over the top on the big climb (Snowton?) I didn't realize we had any gap at all on the rest of the group. Had I known I certainly would have pushed a bit harder to try to grow the gap in the final half lap, but looked back and thought the gang was all there by Naul. I'm pretty bummed now, considering my whole strategy today had been to help push a gap over the hill and stay away to the line, and now to hear we had the makings of it and didn't even know it! ARGH! Please tell me it wasn't really a gap at all, but more that the group was just strung out very far.

According to Strava you went up the second time in 3:51, and Buffalo did it in 3:58. With most of the race over it under 4 minutes, forcing and keeping a gap was a tough challenge.

God help anyone who did this as their first race expecting a gentle introduction to racing. :pac:

Plastik

Not much to add from my own experience. I was very close to the front taking the right turn on Snowtown for the second time, but redlined and drifted backwards at a fairly alarming rate. Nicely behind by the time I crested I put the head down on the descent and recovered. Got in a small group at the bottom, there must have been 7-8 riders, but there was only 3 or 4 of us had any interest in getting the up and overs rolling through (maybe the same group Idleater is referring to?). We brought the gap down a lot, but never brought it back. I'm sure we had the numbers to do it but it didn't happen.

Stuck at it all the way to the end and finished it out. Interesting reading on Strava looking at the various GPS plots. Buffalo in 3rd and me out the back bursting a gut to get back on, had identical avg speeds over the course of the route. I probably finished a minute or so behind the bunch, riding solo at that stage, having made a balls up at the crucial time.

Nice tough little course that, though. I'll look forward to riding it again sometime.

oflahero

Not much to add to the above (A4). Like buffalo, I went backwards second time over Snowto(w)n, but managed to get back on at the Naul turn. I was amazed nobody had pushed on, I was fully expecting to be part of a chasing group. Thanks, considerate climbers!

Unlike buffalo, I wasn't close to placing. Front-row seat for waxie's tumble. Glad to hear it's relatively superficial, it looked high-speed gruesome from where I was. Theatrical screams from the crowd. I bet there were a few mammies watching who said, "That's it. You're certainly not doing that on that bike we got you for Christmas." What happened anyway, wheels touch somewhere?

Would've really appreciated a third lap. Much prefer the long slow attritional suffering to this power climbing and sprinting business. Still, a great day out, and thanks to the club for some great organisation and marshalling. Not to mention the non-stop free entertainment over Gay Howard's PA.

Finally, need to put buffalo's excellent 3rd place into context. He was racing Thursday evening, then Saturday in the Stamullen handicap, and then a third place today in the GP. That's 3 races in 4 days. Some going.

waxie

oflahero wrote: »

Not much to add to the above (A4). Like buffalo, I went backwards second time over Snowto(w)n, but managed to get back on at the Naul turn. I was amazed nobody had pushed on, I was fully expecting to be part of a chasing group. Thanks, considerate climbers!

Unlike buffalo, I wasn't close to placing. Front-row seat for waxie's tumble. Glad to hear it's relatively superficial, it looked high-speed gruesome from where I was. Theatrical screams from the crowd. I bet there were a few mammies watching who said, "That's it. You're certainly not doing that on that bike we got you for Christmas." What happened anyway, wheels touch somewhere?

Would've really appreciated a third lap. Much prefer the long slow attritional suffering to this power climbing and sprinting business. Still, a great day out, and thanks to the club for some great organisation and marshalling. Not to mention the non-stop free entertainment over Gay Howard's PA.

Finally, need to put buffalo's excellent 3rd place into context. He was racing Thursday evening, then Saturday in the Stamullen handicap, and then a third place today in the GP. That's 3 races in 4 days. Some going.

Not too sure what happened at the end. I think i hit a wheel in front or else a shore at the side of the road. It definitely needed a 3rd lap. Friday and Saturday were tougher days even without snowtown. Hats off to gaybo and kay for a great wknd of racing. Any ideas on where to pick up a cheap front cosmic?

sam tryler

good race but definately way too short,should really have been at least one more lap in it, it would have seperated the climbers from the 'hangers on', pace up snowtown on the second lap was fast and the top 20 or so riders would have stayed away if a few more riders would have come to the front- its not that bad up there guys really.. some of you should try it some time instead of sitting in the bunch all day and then sprinting at the end!! :)well done to stamulen, very well organised.

waxie

waxie wrote: »

oflahero wrote: »

Not much to add to the above (A4). Like buffalo, I went backwards second time over Snowto(w)n, but managed to get back on at the Naul turn. I was amazed nobody had pushed on, I was fully expecting to be part of a chasing group. Thanks, considerate climbers!

Unlike buffalo, I wasn't close to placing. Front-row seat for waxie's tumble. Glad to hear it's relatively superficial, it looked high-speed gruesome from where I was. Theatrical screams from the crowd. I bet there were a few mammies watching who said, "That's it. You're certainly not doing that on that bike we got you for Christmas." What happened anyway, wheels touch somewhere?

Would've really appreciated a third lap. Much prefer the long slow attritional suffering to this power climbing and sprinting business. Still, a great day out, and thanks to the club for some great organisation and marshalling. Not to mention the non-stop free entertainment over Gay Howard's PA.

Finally, need to put buffalo's excellent 3rd place into context. He was racing Thursday evening, then Saturday in the Stamullen handicap, and then a third place today in the GP. That's 3 races in 4 days. Some going.

Not too sure what happened at the end. I think i hit a wheel in front or else a shore at the side of the road. It definitely needed a 3rd lap. Friday and Saturday were tougher days even without snowtown. Hats off to gaybo and kay for a great wknd of racing. Any ideas on where to pick up a cheap front cosmic?

even with snowtown- knackered !

killalanerr

waxie wrote: »

frame not cracked thank god. front wheel mangled and some road rash for my troubles. was looking at 4th or 5th before i slid across the road. great wknd of racing. delighted for the brother

Glad your ok mate i hate that sound when some one goes down,super job by the brother,wining your home race some rush that,hope he has enough points now to go up a grade well earned,i think we might have lost a few today to the ranks of the A3s
Im happy and disappointed about todays race (A4) happy that a was able to hang on to the MWP group when he hit the suffer button but disappointed i got swamped in the sprint when i knew i had the legs to be well up at that finish just out side the points rolled in about 7th or so
Well run by Gaybo and Kay and the team as always but 3 laps next time please 40km is to short

waxie

killalanerr wrote: »

waxie wrote: »

frame not cracked thank god. front wheel mangled and some road rash for my troubles. was looking at 4th or 5th before i slid across the road. great wknd of racing. delighted for the brother

Glad your ok mate i hate that sound when some one goes down,super job by the brother,wining your home race some rush that,hope he has enough points now to go up a grade well earned,i think we might have lost a few today to the ranks of the A3s
Im happy and disappointed about todays race (A4) happy that a was able to hang on to the MWP group when he hit the suffer button but disappointed i got swamped in the sprint when i knew i had the legs to be well up at that finish just out side the points rolled in about 7th or so
Well run by Gaybo and Kay and the team as always but 3 laps next time please 40km is to short

Good man killalanerr, we might get a few more points now with a few lads gone to a3. Looking forward to swords league now and some summer evenings of pain around fingal.

lalorm

Not a great day for me at the Stamulan GP (A4). Just wanted to get over the climb but started to go backwards once we got to the final drag over the top. Went like a madman down the other side. Was just catching the wheel of someone else that got shelled when the marshall at the junction at the bottom of the hill waved her flag to stop traffic and the guy I was chasing thought she was directing him into a turn, so he turned right off the course! So that was game over for trying to catch on. Gave it a good go and could see the back of the main group getting closer but got a stitch and that was the end. Rolled in with another guy and I called it a day. Good weekend of racing however, League race last Thursday, Brendan Carrol on Friday and the Stamullen GP on Sunday. Wrecked!

Idleater

Plastik wrote: »

Got in a small group at the bottom, there must have been 7-8 riders, but there was only 3 or 4 of us had any interest in getting the up and overs rolling through (maybe the same group Idleater is referring to?). We brought the gap down a lot, but never brought it back. I'm sure we had the numbers to do it but it didn't happen.

Quite probably. I'm in the LCRC colours and suggested a few times to get some up and overs running. You are right, at one point I said one more dig could get us back but it just got lined out. :-)

Hungrycol

First race since crashing in Clonard so I decided to try only two simple goals in yesterdays A4 race, stay upright and stay at the back of the bunch. Staying at the back has no advantages on climbs and corners and I knew this going into the race. It was going to be hard but I didn't want to start change strategy mid way through. I needed to feel comfortable and get my confidence back. Naturally I got dropped the second time up Snowtown but I managed to keep them in my sights and TT back to the tail of the bunch on the flat. Stayed at the back all the way to the last 200m and let bunch go when the speed ramped up for the sprint and I just rolled across. Great to see two of the Swords CC in the top 6, well done lads. A nice course and for my first (completed) open race a nice intro.

Goals completed 100%

buffalo

oflahero wrote: »

Finally, need to put buffalo's excellent 3rd place into context. He was racing Thursday evening, then Saturday in the Stamullen handicap, and then a third place today in the GP. That's 3 races in 4 days. Some going.

haha, thanks oflahero! I'll give you share of my race winnings for your PR on Thursday! Now think of the lads who came back from racing the Ras Mumhan (four *very* tough days last weekend), raced the league on Thursday, and then all three Stamullen races. That's eight days racing out of ten. Hardcore.

doozerie

Lumen wrote: »

At times like those I almost wish I'd taken up golf. Almost.

You needn't give up golf completely, it's possible to continue with cycling while still retaining a poor fashion sense:

Idleater

Lumen wrote: »

I got shelled from the same A4 race the second time up Snowtown,

Pic of that exact moment on the LCRC photos on the face tube thingy :-)
On the mobile so no idea if this is going to work :
https://fbcdn-photos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/s720x720/552899_3556863717740_1157147603_33495077_1808871329_n.jpg?dl=1

buffalo

Great piece by Ian Richardson on UCD's page:

http://www.ucdcycling.com/?p=1736

buffalo

Idleater wrote: »

Pic of that exact moment on the LCRC photos on the face tube thingy :-)
On the mobile so no idea if this is going to work :
https://fbcdn-photos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/s720x720/552899_3556863717740_1157147603_33495077_1808871329_n.jpg?dl=1

Keep forgetting she puts photos up. Haven't seen any of the A4 finish yet though. SAD FACE

tawfeeredux

buffalo wrote: »

Great piece by Ian Richardson on UCD's page:

http://www.ucdcycling.com/?p=1736

Pfft, he didn't stop to pick up his water bottle! :pac:

Seriously, savage ride by Ian though. Was in a break with him last year at Stamullen & he was just so powerful. Surprising that he was still A3 prior to this weekend.