A3 National Championships 2014

Cond0r

killalanerr wrote: »

Well they know now . It's one of the down sides of online entry .The system will take all comers .I'm sure you're going to tell me that the ci system would have picked this up .was it not in the small print that it was only open to a3 elite men if not it should have been

Sorry, what's one of the downsides of online entry? There was no online entry for this event.

My point was exactly that CI's online system could potentially have picked this up (I don't know if it can, but it's entirely possible).

I didn't see anything in the entry form (which had to be printed and posted along with a postal order) suggesting that vets could not ride this race.

bwalsh1983

Cond0r wrote: »

Sorry, what's one of the downsides of online entry? There was no online entry for this event.

My point was exactly that CI's online system could potentially have picked this up (I don't know if it can, but it's entirely possible).

I didn't see anything in the entry form (which had to be printed and posted along with a postal order) suggesting that vets could not ride this race.

All salient points but I would expect, that is not to say it would have been any harm in pointing it out, vets to be aware there is a separate vets championship.

Taxuser1

lot of points raised but very little mentioned of the race itself.

I thought it was a negative race. I jumped away on lap two and thankfully had two lads come up to me who were quite strong. I was hoping for a bit more of a reaction and maybe for a bigger break than the 3 of us. Unfortunately for me, I got two lads who were short of flat speed but whippets on the climb, one got 3rd eventually and the other, a Limerick lad rode brainlessly in splitting us 3rd time up the hill when we had a minute. I'm sure he saw his name in lights as the 75km lone breakaway rider! Thankfully my chain came off and I went back into the pack.

After that though, everything on the downhill was negative and on the main road was ridiculous. I was in 4 or 5 moves that just wouldn't cooperate when a decent gap was opened up and little reaction behind. In the end I was waiting for anyone at all to try and go across to the lone rider out front on the hill but not one attack! That's a waste of a hill. It made no sense at all.

The race came down to a sprint up the last two hills. It split first of all entering the village and then again when the hammer was put down at the bottom of the climb. The same Limerick lad I was away with early doors was doing all the driving at the front which reduced it down to 14 of us and then to 12 and then to 10. He had nothing for the sprint. The savvy winner from Wexford hadn't peaked in front for the day and seemed to have bundles of energy as did some of the other top 10s, none of them sprinters so it was quite open. He went hard from just over the top of the climb by the golf club meaning there was no respite and it was a long line out of 14 of us chasing him. A Dungarvan lad stopped pedaling and forced a few of us to close a 5 metre gap into the wind which was excrutiating! It was a 1km sprint instead of an expected 200 metre one.

Fair dues to him, he held on, it was a slow motion affair trying to get back on terms into the wind with everyone on the absolute limit. I'm not sure there was a classic "sprinter" type left - I fancied my chances when I got over the top of the climb with the lads but the sprint was winded out of me by that stage such was the pace on the final lap. That for me made it a typical Championship finish as the strongest and smartest rider won on the day so chapeau to him and the medallists.

boege

Taxuser1 wrote: »

lot of points raised but very little mentioned of the race itself.

I thought it was a negative race. I jumped away on lap two and thankfully had two lads come up to me who were quite strong. I was hoping for a bit more of a reaction and maybe for a bigger break than the 3 of us. Unfortunately for me, I got two lads who were short of flat speed but whippets on the climb, one got 3rd eventually and the other, a Limerick lad rode brainlessly in splitting us 3rd time up the hill when we had a minute. I'm sure he saw his name in lights as the 75km lone breakaway rider! Thankfully my chain came off and I went back into the pack.

After that though, everything on the downhill was negative and on the main road was ridiculous. I was in 4 or 5 moves that just wouldn't cooperate when a decent gap was opened up and little reaction behind. In the end I was waiting for anyone at all to try and go across to the lone rider out front on the hill but not one attack! That's a waste of a hill. It made no sense at all.

The race came down to a sprint up the last two hills. It split first of all entering the village and then again when the hammer was put down at the bottom of the climb. The same Limerick lad I was away with early doors was doing all the driving at the front which reduced it down to 14 of us and then to 12 and then to 10. He had nothing for the sprint. The savvy winner from Wexford hadn't peaked in front for the day and seemed to have bundles of energy as did some of the other top 10s, none of them sprinters so it was quite open. He went hard from just over the top of the climb by the golf club meaning there was no respite and it was a long line out of 14 of us chasing him. A Dungarvan lad stopped pedaling and forced a few of us to close a 5 metre gap into the wind which was excrutiating! It was a 1km sprint instead of an expected 200 metre one.

Fair dues to him, he held on, it was a slow motion affair trying to get back on terms into the wind with everyone on the absolute limit. I'm not sure there was a classic "sprinter" type left - I fancied my chances when I got over the top of the climb with the lads but the sprint was winded out of me by that stage such was the pace on the final lap. That for me made it a typical Championship finish as the strongest and smartest rider won on the day so chapeau to him and the medallists.

The Limerick lad you mention is related to me. He is a very stong climber and claims he did not put down the hammer on the hill but I guess its all relative. He mentioned he was working with a rider who let go of his wheel on the hill so he took it the rider was shot but he had no desire to be out on his own for the very reasons you indicated.

Another rider bridged to him and subsequently dropped him on a corner on the descent (the bumpy one I think) but he was man enough to admit he should have held his wheel.

As to the final climb, he has raced too many negative A3 races with bunch finishes which do not suit him. He knows he is not built for a sprint and he wanted to thin out the bunch before the climb levelled off as his focus was points to get up to A2 (now 4 away).

To be fair I think the two viewpoints show how the nature of the circuit made it a very tough race. Climbers going off on the climb but not strong enough to sutain a break and the roulers not able to hold the climbers wheel on the climb but able to haul them back later. We suspected this would happen and assumed that, if no break persisted, he would have to attack early at the end to have any chance of a placing. He got 7th.

Anyone see results yet?

Taxuser1

boege wrote: »

The Limerick lad you mention is related to me. He is a very stong climber and claims he did not put down the hammer on the hill but I guess its all relative. He mentioned he was working with a rider who let go of his wheel on the hill so he took it the rider was shot but he had no desire to be out on his own for the very reasons you indicated.

Another rider bridged to him and subsequently dropped him on a corner on the descent (the bumpy one I think) but he was man enough to admit he should have held his wheel.

As to the final climb, he has raced too many negative A3 races with bunch finishes which do not suit him. He knows he is not built for a sprint and he wanted to thin out the bunch before the climb levelled off as his focus was points to get up to A2 (now 4 away).

To be fair I think the two viewpoints show how the nature of the circuit made it a very tough race. Climbers going off on the climb but not strong enough to sutain a break and the roulers not able to hold the climbers wheel on the climb but able to haul them back later. We suspected this would happen and assumed that, if no break persisted, he would have to attack early at the end to have any chance of a placing. He got 7th.

Anyone see results yet?

He was very strong but his 7th could have been a medal if he used the head. I said to him to ride steady, as did the Newry lad who incidentally got bronze but was dropped by him as well, so I'll have to dismiss his claim that he wasn't driving it! We had a full minute at the bottom of the climb and would have held that over the top and then gained some more on the twisty out of sight side of the course. With 3 riders we would have ridden hard on the flat and downhill and opened up the gap as there were no advantages lost on the climb any of the laps, everyone was the same pace. A shame really

He's about 2 stone lighter than me so of course would have held every advantage on the climb but didn't think of the other 10 kms of the course where the two other stronger flat riders could have been useful and actually up to that point had driven most of the break on the flat as he struggled to come through. The wind was too strong for someone on their own. Unfortunate for the three of us but hindsight is great isn't it !

ericzeking

Here's a question lads...this crater in the middle of the road, would a man have any claim against the council for damage to his pride and joy racing machine as a result of it?

lennymc

^^^ As far as I am aware, and in my own experience, generally the council will claim nonfeasance in a case where there is a claim against them for damages caused by road conditions. If the council were made aware in advance, then they may have some responsibility, also, in some instances, if the road was previously repaired, but, has deteriorated again, it may be possible to claim from the people who carried out the repair.

Taxuser1

i am grateful for my recce of the course half an hour before the start as that bump in the road was a disaster waiting to happen. it wasn't a pot hole as you would think it, it was a perfectly formed sinkhole with the covering of tarmac still over it but subsided into the ground. it was crazy deep and there were bottles strewn around it, almost like a beacon for danger.

bwalsh1983

I hit it once, luckily stayed upright and didnt lose all my bottles and kept to the other side of the road on every other passing.

Gave my bike another check last night!

Inquitus

bwalsh1983 wrote: »

I hit it once, luckily stayed upright and didnt lose all my bottles and kept to the other side of the road on every other passing.

Gave my bike another check last night!

I hit it on the first lap and it dislodged a bottle but I looked down and it was perched precariously sideways so I was able to pick it up and put it back. Hell of a shock though hitting it at 60kph!

Arthurdaly

I was in that front bunch final time up the climb and felt like the limerick rider was driving it given it was tough hanging on and he was in the wind! At the time I felt whoever is putting the hammer down on the front will have nothing for the finish and that's how it played out, given he is a climber I think he had no choice and was a good move and certainly burned off most of the bigger sprinters.

It was an interesting course and finish with most at breaking point before the sprint started.

The pace up the climb every other time was very controlled and expected it to be a lot tougher especially the first few times, I think the headwind was a factor as most were not willing to go into the red on the climb into the headwind.

Only gripes would be advertising in the race book no oncoming traffic and we meet cars at the most dangerous spot on the course. Also the backed up and oncoming traffic before the final climb was ridiculous at a key point in the race.

sheepfield

Right: 3 days later and still no full results that I am aware of for any of the 4 national championship events. Whats going on? Do CI not have some responsibility here?

lennymc

http://www.cyclingireland.ie/page/contact-us

seidenspinner

Think these are the results, poor show they haven't been posted anywhere

1. S Lambert (Wexford)
2. P McKenna (Emyvale)
3. D Reid (Newry)
4. M Vereker (Tiernans)
5. P Horan (iBike)
6. S O' Callaghan (Naas)
7. C Dillon (Limerick)
8. J McGreevey (Westport)
9. R Gallagher(Tiernans)
10. ?????????

Team Prize (Tiernans)

Rode the race myself and wasn't in the least bit surprised how the race panned out. I think it's unfair to say the racing was negative as the wind completely dictated the race. It was suicide for your average A3 rider to attack on the climb as the headwind was a killer and the tailwind on the back section meant it was extremely fast and difficult to get away. Had the wind been the opposite then I think a break def would have been successful. You can't compare the A3 race to the Junior race as that was basically an A1 level race. Thought the Limerick lad that drove it last time up the climb did what he had to do to get a result so fair play to him, strongest rider in the race in my opinion. That's not to take anything away from the winner who rode very smart and had the nous and strength to pull it off, chapeau. Thought the climb was a great addition to the course but hated the descent, surface was terrible.

bwalsh1983

seidenspinner wrote: »

I think it's unfair to say the racing was negative as the wind completely dictated the race. It was suicide for your average A3 rider to attack on the climb as the headwind was a killer and the tailwind on the back section meant it was extremely fast and difficult to get away.

this!

dermo1990

seidenspinner wrote: »

Think these are the results, poor show they haven't been posted anywhere

1. S Lambert (Wexford)
2. P McKenna (Emyvale)
3. D Reid (Newry)
4. M Vereker (Tiernans)
5. P Horan (iBike)
6. S O' Callaghan (Naas)
7. C Dillon (Limerick)
8. J McGreevey (Westport)
9. R Gallagher(Tiernans)
10. ?????????

10th went to Brendan Murphy (Dublin University Cycling Club [DUCC])

Taxuser1

Would love to know the average age of everyone in the Top 10

I'm 37, placed 12th.

Cond0r

Taxuser1 wrote: »

Would love to know the average age of everyone in the Top 10

I'm 37, placed 12th.

Easy - look up their UCI code on the Cycling Ireland rankings page. UCI code includes full DOB.

Cond0r

Cond0r wrote: »

Easy - look up their UCI code on the Cycling Ireland rankings page. UCI code includes full DOB.

I take it back, they seem to have removed the UCI Code.

Cond0r

Cond0r wrote: »

I take it back, they seem to have removed the UCI Code.

The archived version of this year's rankings still contain the UCI code, FWIW:
http://www.cyclingireland.ie/page/events/rider-rankings/archive-rankings