swords league Garristown - Ardcath

Is rain expected?

Beasty wrote: »

Much more importantly, is Irvine expected?:D

If so I'm staying home.

Raam wrote: »

I think he won again.

Yes he certainly did ... managed to sprint onto his wheel and hold it for twenty seconds. Proudest moment of my life.

Went off in Group 3. The pace was uneven for the first lap and a half, when we were caught by a couple of breakaway riders. Some of us jumped on and the rest of their group showed up. The pace was high enough but nothing like last week's insanity - there was no-one killing themselves going up Ardcath second time around.

Scratch caught us early on the final lap and there was a crash just to my right. I think four riders went down.

We caught Groups 1 and 2 on the narrow section round the back. A friend of mine gave me a holler as I went up the outside and I made the mistake of looking around. Two wheels in the ditch for 20 metres or so but I managed to stay up, thereby avoiding what would have been a fall worthy of You've Been Framed.

Four or five riders got away just after that but they were well in view. Two others (including honkjelly) also went across shortly afterwards. Things were cagey enough up Ardcath and for the run-in. The group away were playing cat and mouse but I didn't have the confidence to go across, fearing that they would kill me on the final drag and that I might be passed by others in my own group too. In hindsight, I think that was a mistake - I probably would have been last in that group but I think I would have improved my overall position.

I gave it everything up the final drag and got away from most of the group to take ninth overall. I suspect that others in the group weren't all that bothered about putting in a final effort but I was delighted with my first league points nonetheless.

I hope those involved in the crash are OK. Many thanks to Joe, Breda, the ambulance crew and all the marshalls. A particular thanks to the motorcycle lead who looked after our group extremely well.

Spun over from Skerries was thinking about scratch and saw a top UCD and Sport Activ Jesrsey there so parked that idea for this week. Then Martyn arrived with a nother full timer based in Belgium as well as one of the top juniors. :eek:

Went semi scratch witha view to trying to stay away as long as possible so hammer fested it from the start. Was fine till second lap coming into village where the legs were shot and then saw car coming round so presumed scratch were on us. They caught us up the hill after left out of Ardcath but we had group 3 with us so was just too big a group for those crappy roads. Crash occured in front of me so got caught and had to chase back on and wheels were being dropped all over as well as traffic causing some issues (Raam any comment here?)

Sat on for rest of way home and didn't even try going up the hill. Fun night plenty of incident and no-one hurt. Fair play to anyone hanging onto the scratch lads or getting near them. Spin over and first two laps killed me but most enjoyable race in a long time and a great workout. The league is all about training for me and open races always seem far easier after that. anyway surviving those race. didi see someone doing a bit of ploughing up the right of the road alright. Well recovered.

A massey is classy but a Zetor is better.

If it gets lined out, then the person in second place is the one to get it started again. Just call to the front guy to ease up and then you ride through, not accelerate through, just ride through.

Read this: http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2010/11/rolling-through/

Yeah we were pretty messy last night too and were doing that but because we all know each other it's easier to make that work.

If you are second and someone shouts at you to go through you're more more likely to trust someone you know to come round you and give you a break (esp after you've just done a turn).

I'm brutal for hammering through and know that sometimes lads are wary to go on my wheel so I end up on my own at the front but as was pointed out to me that does make you stronger.

My personal pet hate id to hear someone shout "Steady" it means slow down so say that. Anyway if they can shout steady they aren't suffering enough.

Also pointed out to me last night was that scratch was only riders who don't work or if they do work their job is to ride a bike. :eek: don't feel so bad for bailing to semi scratch now.

Went along this evening with the definite aim of hanging on to the group till the end this week, or at least till things really wound up on the last hill. So that meant no doing extra work or getting enthusiastic (I'm just not strong enough to do that in group 3 and survive). Noticed tonight was a bit quieter then previous weeks, with a small group 1, a very big group 2 and only one big group 3, as opposed to the previous two group 3s. Don't know about group 4 and 5. Thought I might be in trouble when I saw Sam in group 3. Group went of at a much more sensible pace then two weeks ago though it was a bit jerky at times with regards to up-and-overs. We were caught by group 4 (or some of them) on the fast part of the back of the 2nd lap but their speed didn't carry through to going up the hill in Ardcath (thankfully). Was recovering in the middle/back of the group after doing a bit when the bikes went down right in front of me - somehow I missed the impact but saw the two bikes (more?) skid along the ground raising serious sparks. I was still trying to pick my landing point when I realised they were skidding toward the road edge but keeping enough forward momentum that I could brake enough not to hit them - managed to get by with a good inch or two clearance from the nearest downed bike wheel. Apparently it was close to punches after that. Crash caused me and a few others to get dropped - came close to getting back on but never quite made it. We picked up a few droppees from groups 1 & 2 and maybe 3, and pushed on to the finish. Good race, nice to see I could do my share and still stay with the group, so long as I was sensible.

Raam wrote: »

"I can ride with no hands, ohh la la, look at me with my Iron Man tattoo."

Ahem and shaved legs brings it up nicely.

Seems all of last nights group 3 is on here. Was there myself as well. As has been said, the up and overs weren't great but did work in parts. Difficult to get it going properly as some descend faster and some ascend faster. Was doing a combination of my fair share at the front and hanging on at the back. That and trying to keep as far away from long-socks as I could, he’s going to cause an accident (if he hasn’t already). There wasn’t much of an increase in pace as the other groups caught us. I was behind the crash as well but on the other side of the road. A lot of sparks, both on the road and in the ditch after! With the concertina effect I ended up un-clipped in the rough which was the end of my hanging on. Fought hard to try and get back on, first as part of a small group with abc_xyz and then a solo dig as well, and did get closer but was never going to get close enough. While I wasn’t feeling strong early on in the race I did finish pretty strongly so at least that’s something!

Congrats to manwithaplan on a points finish. That’s some good work, but it obviously took a lot out of you, driving away with a water bottle on your roof!(at least I think that’s where it came from!)

Thanks to all who organise and marshall these races.

That was quite an enjoyable evening. Went off in group 3 again and the up and overs were all over the place. Think we only managed 2 full reps of all people coming through. Legs didn't feel that good at the start but by the time we were caught by semi scratch I was going ok. When scratch caught I got hampered a bit with traffic and 4 got up the road. One guy tried to get across and was in no mans land so decided to try and bridge a decent gap for the first time. Caught the guy ahead and he shouted to go steady which I did. When he came around to do his turn he didn't return the steady favor and dropped me - you live and learn! Thankfully the front group slowed up soon after and i got on. When I recovered I went to the front to keep the tempo going as I knew there was no way I'd be out sprinting the lads. Finished up with 6th which was a nice return for the effort i put in. No better training.

Nice one on 9th manwithaplan