Dog Hill was the second of three longer races for the WCMCC 2013 Road Race calendar with 100km of racing scheduled for the day's event. And along with good results, the learning experiences continue to come at a bewildering rate. It's important to note at this level that the individuality in racing that I used to know when competing in C and B grades has completely gone by the way side and the team unit is King when it comes to riding in A grade events. I've heard people suggest that any B grader can ride A grade if their fitness is there but I'm not sure that this applies any more. Yes, you can ride A grade if you want but the complexity of A grade Masters racing has seriously changed and while I can only comment on this from an observational perspective of early A grade racing, I doubt there would be many that would argue the fact that it might not be what it used to be.
Monday 29 July 2013
Monday 15 July 2013
WCMCC York-Beverley 50km Group Handicap - A Grade :: 14th July, 2013
Who would have thought that a shorter road race (by WCMCC standards) would have been so debilitating? Make no mistake, just because a road race is shorter in distance does not make it any easier to complete. With just 50km between start and finish along with some hills that I figured might test me, I just wasn't prepared for the all out smash fest for the first 20km which was compounded by a nasty cross wind at the bottom of the course which became a head wind all the way home. This was yet another lesson in how bicycle racing can catch you out and have you begging for it to be over.
Monday 8 July 2013
WCMCC Pickering Brook Road Race - A Grade :: July 7th, 2013
In the inimitable words of our illustrious leader and coach, "Rarely in cycling does everything just go to plan" - Brad Hall, Personal Blog, Tour de Perth, Stage 3. If I were to sum up today's race in my own words, it would simply be to say that it was a clear demonstration of how, when everyone digs deep and plays their role, good teamwork is impossible to overcome, no matter how good or strong an individual might be. Pickering Brook would be the playing field of some fantastic Masters racing which would see the first race of the season not being won by a break away.
Monday 1 July 2013
WCMCC Wandi Durbridge Kermesse - A Grade :: 30th June, 2013
A Kermesse is a style of road racing that might normally be seen in Western Europe, typically around Belgium, and is most similar to a Criterium but over a longer course and overall distance[1]. I'm not sure that today's WCMCC Kermesse resembled much of a Criterium but certainly brought back memories of the UCI World Cycling Tour Qualifier at Perry Lakes earlier this year given the 100km+ distance and the intensity of the race, but with a somewhat flatter course. I'm not sure if it was the first time WCMCC had held a race over such a distance but it was certainly the first time I would ride such a distance with the club and was really looking forward to it.
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