Race Report - Souther Taiwan
10-21-09, 10:36 PM
#1
Mr. Dopolina
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Race Report - Souther Taiwan
The long winded version is here.
Basically, it was a windy course that ran along the coast, crossed over to the other coast and wound back around.
There were 2 main climbs and some DUMB arsed team mate chasing down our best move.
Lots of attacks in the first 60 min went nowhere. We finally placed our guys in a move, had the elastic stretched to the breaking point and just as it should have snapped I looked back and saw one of our guys killing himself to pull us in while a dozen others recovered and organized behind him.
He killed the move.
I hid to the end and clawed my way over the first climb to hit the finish climb near the front of the group.
I won my age cat (big whoop) and was 10~15 overall (out of 440 riders).
I sat down with our frame sponsor after the race and made it clear that I want to form my own team next year and choose who riders for us.
He's agreed. Especially since the main guy running the team right now chose NOT TO RIDE THE SPONSOR'S FRAME at this event.
Geeze.
Basically, it was a windy course that ran along the coast, crossed over to the other coast and wound back around.
There were 2 main climbs and some DUMB arsed team mate chasing down our best move.
Lots of attacks in the first 60 min went nowhere. We finally placed our guys in a move, had the elastic stretched to the breaking point and just as it should have snapped I looked back and saw one of our guys killing himself to pull us in while a dozen others recovered and organized behind him.
He killed the move.
I hid to the end and clawed my way over the first climb to hit the finish climb near the front of the group.
I won my age cat (big whoop) and was 10~15 overall (out of 440 riders).
I sat down with our frame sponsor after the race and made it clear that I want to form my own team next year and choose who riders for us.
He's agreed. Especially since the main guy running the team right now chose NOT TO RIDE THE SPONSOR'S FRAME at this event.
Geeze.
Last edited by Bob Dopolina; 10-21-09 at 10:52 PM.
10-22-09, 03:36 AM
#3
Tilting with windmills
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The long winded version is here.
Basically, it was a windy course that ran along the coast, crossed over to the other coast and wound back around.
There were 2 main climbs and some DUMB arsed team mate chasing down our best move.
Lots of attacks in the first 60 min went nowhere. We finally placed our guys in a move, had the elastic stretched to the breaking point and just as it should have snapped I looked back and saw one of our guys killing himself to pull us in while a dozen others recovered and organized behind him.
He killed the move.
I hid to the end and clawed my way over the first climb to hit the finish climb near the front of the group.
I won my age cat (big whoop) and was 10~15 overall (out of 440 riders).
I sat down with our frame sponsor after the race and made it clear that I want to form my own team next year and choose who riders for us.
He's agreed. Especially since the main guy running the team right now chose NOT TO RIDE THE SPONSOR'S FRAME at this event.
Geeze.
Basically, it was a windy course that ran along the coast, crossed over to the other coast and wound back around.
There were 2 main climbs and some DUMB arsed team mate chasing down our best move.
Lots of attacks in the first 60 min went nowhere. We finally placed our guys in a move, had the elastic stretched to the breaking point and just as it should have snapped I looked back and saw one of our guys killing himself to pull us in while a dozen others recovered and organized behind him.
He killed the move.
I hid to the end and clawed my way over the first climb to hit the finish climb near the front of the group.
I won my age cat (big whoop) and was 10~15 overall (out of 440 riders).
I sat down with our frame sponsor after the race and made it clear that I want to form my own team next year and choose who riders for us.
He's agreed. Especially since the main guy running the team right now chose NOT TO RIDE THE SPONSOR'S FRAME at this event.
Geeze.
But other than that........
10-22-09, 08:55 AM
#4
Making a kilometer blurry
Gah!
10-22-09, 09:15 AM
#5
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Your race reports are always full of hilarity made possible by your teamates. Love it!
Good race, good results, and good luck with the new team next year.
Good race, good results, and good luck with the new team next year.
10-22-09, 09:21 AM
#6
starting pistol means war
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440 riders?
is this sanctioned by the federation?
who the hell would insure such a mess?
start your own team. call it "Friends of Dop"
is this sanctioned by the federation?
who the hell would insure such a mess?
start your own team. call it "Friends of Dop"
10-22-09, 09:21 AM
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10-22-09, 09:35 AM
#9
Mr. Dopolina
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This is all cats together so it explains why it is pretty common for people to go to the front and hammer the first 20 minutes; Culling the herd as it were.
It's par for the course to have 30 guys racing and 100 more sucking wheel until the last 10km.
The good news is they are almost all point to point so this helps a lot. There are field limits on circuit races and the occassional crit that comes along.
10-22-09, 11:00 AM
#11
VeloSIRraptor
The long winded version is here.
<snip> We finally placed our guys in a move, had the elastic stretched to the breaking point and just as it should have snapped I looked back and saw one of our guys killing himself to pull us in while a dozen others recovered and organized behind him.
<inserted from blog> At the front of the group about 50m back is one of our young team mates. He has buried himself trying to hang on and has given a dozen guys behind him just enough of a break that they come around him and start to work towards us.
Our puppy eliminated the chaos. He took the hesitation away and let the strong, determined riders move to the front. There is a chase and we only have 50m. This is going nowhere. This was our move, it was the right moment and now it has passed.
I sit up.
As the kid rolls past my team mate, he collars him and gives him an earful. The kid has no idea why. < end blog quote>
<snip> We finally placed our guys in a move, had the elastic stretched to the breaking point and just as it should have snapped I looked back and saw one of our guys killing himself to pull us in while a dozen others recovered and organized behind him.
<inserted from blog> At the front of the group about 50m back is one of our young team mates. He has buried himself trying to hang on and has given a dozen guys behind him just enough of a break that they come around him and start to work towards us.
Our puppy eliminated the chaos. He took the hesitation away and let the strong, determined riders move to the front. There is a chase and we only have 50m. This is going nowhere. This was our move, it was the right moment and now it has passed.
I sit up.
As the kid rolls past my team mate, he collars him and gives him an earful. The kid has no idea why. < end blog quote>
I've done similar stuff when being redlined mixed with being inexperienced...
10-22-09, 05:21 PM
#12
Mr. Dopolina
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Later, on the first climb, we sent a rabbit and 30 seconds later puppy II was at the front on the climb driving the group. Another complete waste.
I try to talk to these kids when we are training but I am just some crazy old foreigner.
10-22-09, 05:42 PM
#13
Burning Matches.
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Bike racing is not that hard to understand.
I just don't understand why they can't understand.
I just don't understand why they can't understand.
__________________
ElJamoquio didn't hate the world, per se; he was just constantly disappointed by humanity.
10-22-09, 06:56 PM
#14
Mr. Dopolina
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Me, me, me
Me, me, me
Me, me, me
Me, me, me
And my family.
Me, me, me
Me, me, me
Me, me, me
Me, me, me
And my family.
The idea of working for the benefit of someone else is a REALLY tough concept to get these kids to understand, never mind practice.
More experienced riders, or guys who have ridden internationally get it but, even then, it is not a given.
