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Rise of the A2 rider

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  • 23-01-2020 1:09pm
    #1
    dahat
    Registered Users Posts: 16,636 ✭✭✭✭


    Following on from last year i've decided to log this years ramblings over the racing season.

    The ultimate aim this year is to achieve an upgrade to A2 which for an auld lad like me would be massive achievement & as good as i'll ever get.Last year i finished the season with 5 points so i need to get 10 more to upgrade so 1 win & a placing, simple eh? It would however be bittersweet as A2 only races are sparse and could effectively end up in me losing the racing buzz.

    I've targeted an early season campaign so i've been training solid since October on a scaled programme from my coach.The winter programme has been tough at times but I've avoided all sickness and injury through good fortune thank god. No training days missed unless family commitments took priority.

    We changed testing this year from 20 min ftp standard to a 12 min,7 min & 3 min test done over the same session with ample recovery between, this recovery has been 25-30 mins between each so i think this method is best on the road with a 20 min standard more suitable to the turbo for me.

    My early targets are below with all offering realistic chances of a proper results.

    March 15th Ras na Luimni
    March 17th Carrick
    March 22nd NTW
    April 12th Ras an Laois

    These races are a good programme to upgrade but i want to win a race this year so back off if i'm near an upgrade while sprinting for 10th place.

    Stats

    Weight 95kg - always room to work with here.
    FTP 414/ 4.35 w/kg , only average for A3. This has increased from 380 from
    first winter test in October.

    I'll try update as much as possible & anything i can add please say etc...


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    #2
    fizzyorange420
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭fizzyorange420


    April 12th Ras an Laois
    good chances there as many a3 and juniors will be at Gorey, I nipped 5 pts there last year in a3


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    #3
    dahat
    Registered Users Posts: 16,636 ✭✭✭✭dahat


    fizzyorange420 wrote: »
    April 12th Ras an Laois
    good chances there as many a3 and juniors will be at Gorey, I nipped 5 pts there last year in a3

    Yeah, nice race alright.

    I'd say you benefited from some idiot taking out 5/6 of us on the last turn, easy say but i'd great legs and postioned myself lovely for the gallop. I must have looked at the drone footage 20 times while getting madder each time!


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    #4
    fizzyorange420
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭fizzyorange420


    Ahh noway you were there? I stayed well tight on that last corner, avoided the crash and got savage drone footage of my sprint making up a few places and all :P roundwood GP is another good one in the summer its A2 and A3


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    #5
    dahat
    Registered Users Posts: 16,636 ✭✭✭✭dahat


    Yep, nearly ended up in the wall as i was 4 in from the initial incident. On another day the collision happens on the inside, that's racing for you.

    Roundwood is that tight narrow finish, yeah? Any race near Wicklow is a no no for me!!!!

    I'll go to my favored courses & anything that's too hilly i wont be there. I see no point taking on young lads on long climbs, I just can't race them without heading too far into the red.


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    #6
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,446 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    Roundwood has a short but punchy climb just before the finish so alot of lads give up, if you have the legs and take the last corner on the inside, it is far steeper but sets you up nicely.


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    #7
    harringtonp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭harringtonp


    dahat wrote: »
    Weight 95kg - always room to work with here.
    FTP 414/ 4.35 w/kg , only average for A3. This has increased from 380 from
    first winter test in October.

    4.35 w/kg is not only average for A3 !

    In my view once you get towards summer and there are less juniors and things calm down the average is closer to about 3.5 w/kg.

    BTW a club mate posted your numbers to our whatsapp group with the comment

    "If that lad can sort out his weight while retaining his power he'd be an A1"

    So there's something for you to aim for :D


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    #8
    harringtonp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭harringtonp


    If you're getting on a little bit trying to get to A2 can be great fun. I got great pleasure 3 years ago in saying I got to A2 (particularly since the only way I could get to A3 was by availing of a voluntary upgrade) but actually not having to go there. And each year since I look at the A2 CI licence renewal option and then happily select the A3 !

    My advice to guys in the club here who would have to go there is be careful what you wish for. Some have gone there who shouldn't really be there and it kills it for them.

    Judging by your numbers though you should be able to cope


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    #9
    Plastik
    Registered Users Posts: 2,965 ✭✭✭Plastik


    Sure we'd all be A1 if we could lose 15kg and retain the power!

    Your w/kg FTP is fine. Mine is about the same at the moment, comfortable A2. About 20kg lighter than you though.

    I used to race a lot as an A3, but have been able to take or it leave it for the last few years as an A2 and only do something if it's interesting. A bit of what harrington infers about being careful what you wish for, and a bit about just not being arsed to giving over a whole weekend to a Sunday race i.e. do nothing Friday night, very light or no spin on Saturday + eating clean and no few glasses of wine or beer, and then essentially the guts of a whole day racing between travel to/from etc.


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    #10
    dahat
    Registered Users Posts: 16,636 ✭✭✭✭dahat


    harringtonp wrote: »
    4.35 w/kg is not only average for A3 !

    In my view once you get towards summer and there are less juniors and things calm down the average is closer to about 3.5 w/kg.

    BTW a club mate posted your numbers to our whatsapp group with the comment

    "If that lad can sort out his weight while retaining his power he'd be an A1"

    So there's something for you to aim for :D

    To be honest i'm pretty hopeful of a good early season with the aim to win or go close in the one races listed above.

    My aim is get the A2 license but in the right manner, i've no issue this year in backing off while the old man sprint for 10th place is going on.


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    #11
    dahat
    Registered Users Posts: 16,636 ✭✭✭✭dahat


    harringtonp wrote: »
    If you're getting on a little bit trying to get to A2 can be great fun. I got great pleasure 3 years ago in saying I got to A2 (particularly since the only way I could get to A3 was by availing of a voluntary upgrade) but actually not having to go there. And each year since I look at the A2 CI licence renewal option and then happily select the A3 !

    My advice to guys in the club here who would have to go there is be careful what you wish for. Some have gone there who shouldn't really be there and it kills it for them.

    Judging by your numbers though you should be able to cope

    Yes, the fear of having my racing curtailed after getting to A2 is real. While i can push numbers i'd never get to a competitive weight at my age to benefit from them in A2.


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    #12
    dahat
    Registered Users Posts: 16,636 ✭✭✭✭dahat


    Plastik wrote: »
    Sure we'd all be A1 if we could lose 15kg and retain the power!

    Your w/kg FTP is fine. Mine is about the same at the moment, comfortable A2. About 20kg lighter than you though.

    I used to race a lot as an A3, but have been able to take or it leave it for the last few years as an A2 and only do something if it's interesting. A bit of what harrington infers about being careful what you wish for, and a bit about just not being arsed to giving over a whole weekend to a Sunday race i.e. do nothing Friday night, very light or no spin on Saturday + eating clean and no few glasses of wine or beer, and then essentially the guts of a whole day racing between travel to/from etc.

    I'll aim to get to 88kg and see if the power holds up, anything lower than that i'm not overly interested in as it would be too hard to maintain!!!!:)


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    #13
    dahat
    Registered Users Posts: 16,636 ✭✭✭✭dahat


    I've not updated this log as regular as last year so i'll add a small update below.

    After a promising early winter things have been tough since the turn of the year with 2 x threshold blocks done. The CP testing after each has been so so with the first result offering no change. The second block test was a disaster with failed a attempt that could have been down to a 4 day cold. After discussions with my coach we worked off the same values into this pre race season block with more intense midweek stuff, 15/15 etc. These have been tough with plenty mental battles during the session, some have been good though so not all bad. We both have have a feeling my threshold value of 419 could be a few watts high which will be reviewed over the next few days.

    This week brings the start of the racing season for me with 3 races in 8 days, Naomh Finnan, Carrick then NTW which is 120km that i got 10th last year. I'm hoping to get some from one of these but sure alot needs to go right on the day. Last year i mixed it well with the better juniors so i've no fear of them this bar two who have the ability to top class.

    It's been a long winter of training and being honest i've found it tough going so now it's time to focus on being positive for the days ahead.


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