Niigata road race on Sunday.
First time to hurt my legs like that since the 2017 edition.
Race report pasted in below.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
niigata prefectural championships race report
sunday was the niigata road race
a race to decide the county champion
<<the course>>
15 laps
a climb at each end
a windy flat section in the middle
105 km
<<the plan>>
last year I attacked repeatedly
earning the last spot on the podium
this year I plan to use my form from the TTs
・hold back
・keep good position
・move to the front before the climb
・conserve energy
・before TTing off the front to finish!
on the handlebars:
"follow wheels / don't pull"
"move up before the climb"
"2 km to go, TT position & full gas!"
<<the opposition>>
Ft Racing dominate the startlist
real strength in numbers
Tazaki san, Oono san, Bandai san, Honda san, Fuchita san & Andrew
other strong riders are:
Team Innocent
Team Fins
Nara san
and JPT young rider Iwase san
<<3,2,1 Go!>>
neutral start
good position behind the moto
the flag drops
a few attacks
one sticks
Ft's strong man Fuchita san and Hayasaka's Tateoka san
in the group
Oono san (Ft) and Yanagisawa san (Hayasaka)
control the pace on the front
the laps tick by
the gap increases
30s
40s
50s
60s
80s
no interest in the group
frustrated
I decide to give it a go
<<trying to bridge>>
after the right hand turn
into the narrow road
with the wind on my back
I open a gap
look round
nobody seems interested
push on solo
full gas
the moto tells me
to the 2 man escape
60s
50s
pulling it back slowly
but it's a hard effort
before bridging
I'm caught from behind
at least the bunch seem active now
a faster tempo
the moto tells us
40s
and then the group's pace drops again
so close
we can see them up the road
if I bridge to Fuchita san
I'm sure we can work together
<<one more effort>>
I find myself attacking again
TTing on the long flat
joined by another rider
bingo!
we work together
slowly closing the gap
again it's a big effort
after a lap?
we are joined by Bandai san and two others
2 become 5
maybe we can do this
but alas we are caught from behind again
<<time splits>>
the moto lets you know the time splits
but on this out and back course you can see where you are
as the chasers climb the steep climb
the escapees are coming back down it
the 2 escapees are being reeled in slowly and surely
<<the move>>
as we go up the climb
coming down the other side
Ft's Fuchita san has been dropped from the front two
the race will kick off soon
before the climb on the next lap
Ft's Oono san tells me just as much
a big surge up the climb
I don't have that short power to go with them
a lack of road racing and specific training
positioned at the front at the bottom of the climb
I'm swarmed from behind
and out the back before the top
<<the chase group>>
the front group is around 10 riders
I'm in a similar sized chase group behind
Kenta san and Yoshida san are here too
at first we think we are chasing to get back on
I get criticized for pulling too fast
but averaging 36kph won't close a gap
sure enough
the gap opens
1 min
2 mins
soon enough
we realize we are racing to make the 4 min time cut
the glamour of bike racing!
at least it's not raining!
cramps on the climb with 3 laps remaining
「no more drinks allowed!」
like when the bell goes for last orders and your stuck in the toilets!
<<girigiri safe>>
we just about enter the last lap before the cut
now we just have to ride to the finish
I do my last 2km TT just for kicks
as we hit the climb
the cramps kick in
pedaling squares?
pedaling triangles!
Yoshida san and another rider pass me before the line
I cross the line
swing the bike round
unclip
and role back down the hill in agony!
got it all out in the end!
<<result>>
a deserved win for Tazaki san
Ft made the race
my result was 15th
not much to say really
if I want to be more competitive in road races
I need to train more specifically for them
as DS Miida san said at the end
"best to stick to TTs and long rides!"
<<thank yous>>
thank you to everyone cheering me up the climb
another carnival atmosphere!
I think I even heard the wife offering encouragement!
the boys did a great job too
the look of delight on mark's face when I taught him how to "snake climb" the tough ascent!
luke's screams of joy as I tried to bridge!
and Miidan san!
cold bottles!
nice photos!
words of encouragement!
arrigatou!
<<next up>>
next event is the gururin 210km
a chance for some long training rides
I'm aiming for win no.3 and another course record!
here we go!
Andy
https://www.facebook.com/biketrainingandracinginjapan/
First time to hurt my legs like that since the 2017 edition.
Race report pasted in below.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
niigata prefectural championships race report
sunday was the niigata road race
a race to decide the county champion
<<the course>>
15 laps
a climb at each end
a windy flat section in the middle
105 km
<<the plan>>
last year I attacked repeatedly
earning the last spot on the podium
this year I plan to use my form from the TTs
・hold back
・keep good position
・move to the front before the climb
・conserve energy
・before TTing off the front to finish!
on the handlebars:
"follow wheels / don't pull"
"move up before the climb"
"2 km to go, TT position & full gas!"
<<the opposition>>
Ft Racing dominate the startlist
real strength in numbers
Tazaki san, Oono san, Bandai san, Honda san, Fuchita san & Andrew
other strong riders are:
Team Innocent
Team Fins
Nara san
and JPT young rider Iwase san
<<3,2,1 Go!>>
neutral start
good position behind the moto
the flag drops
a few attacks
one sticks
Ft's strong man Fuchita san and Hayasaka's Tateoka san
in the group
Oono san (Ft) and Yanagisawa san (Hayasaka)
control the pace on the front
the laps tick by
the gap increases
30s
40s
50s
60s
80s
no interest in the group
frustrated
I decide to give it a go
<<trying to bridge>>
after the right hand turn
into the narrow road
with the wind on my back
I open a gap
look round
nobody seems interested
push on solo
full gas
the moto tells me
to the 2 man escape
60s
50s
pulling it back slowly
but it's a hard effort
before bridging
I'm caught from behind
at least the bunch seem active now
a faster tempo
the moto tells us
40s
and then the group's pace drops again
so close
we can see them up the road
if I bridge to Fuchita san
I'm sure we can work together
<<one more effort>>
I find myself attacking again
TTing on the long flat
joined by another rider
bingo!
we work together
slowly closing the gap
again it's a big effort
after a lap?
we are joined by Bandai san and two others
2 become 5
maybe we can do this
but alas we are caught from behind again
<<time splits>>
the moto lets you know the time splits
but on this out and back course you can see where you are
as the chasers climb the steep climb
the escapees are coming back down it
the 2 escapees are being reeled in slowly and surely
<<the move>>
as we go up the climb
coming down the other side
Ft's Fuchita san has been dropped from the front two
the race will kick off soon
before the climb on the next lap
Ft's Oono san tells me just as much
a big surge up the climb
I don't have that short power to go with them
a lack of road racing and specific training
positioned at the front at the bottom of the climb
I'm swarmed from behind
and out the back before the top
<<the chase group>>
the front group is around 10 riders
I'm in a similar sized chase group behind
Kenta san and Yoshida san are here too
at first we think we are chasing to get back on
I get criticized for pulling too fast
but averaging 36kph won't close a gap
sure enough
the gap opens
1 min
2 mins
soon enough
we realize we are racing to make the 4 min time cut
the glamour of bike racing!
at least it's not raining!
cramps on the climb with 3 laps remaining
「no more drinks allowed!」
like when the bell goes for last orders and your stuck in the toilets!
<<girigiri safe>>
we just about enter the last lap before the cut
now we just have to ride to the finish
I do my last 2km TT just for kicks
as we hit the climb
the cramps kick in
pedaling squares?
pedaling triangles!
Yoshida san and another rider pass me before the line
I cross the line
swing the bike round
unclip
and role back down the hill in agony!
got it all out in the end!
<<result>>
a deserved win for Tazaki san
Ft made the race
my result was 15th
not much to say really
if I want to be more competitive in road races
I need to train more specifically for them
as DS Miida san said at the end
"best to stick to TTs and long rides!"
<<thank yous>>
thank you to everyone cheering me up the climb
another carnival atmosphere!
I think I even heard the wife offering encouragement!
the boys did a great job too
the look of delight on mark's face when I taught him how to "snake climb" the tough ascent!
luke's screams of joy as I tried to bridge!
and Miidan san!
cold bottles!
nice photos!
words of encouragement!
arrigatou!
<<next up>>
next event is the gururin 210km
a chance for some long training rides
I'm aiming for win no.3 and another course record!
here we go!
Andy
https://www.facebook.com/biketrainingandracinginjapan/
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