Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 09: Green Sheds. Limits vs. Scratches

Long Story Short

• There was two pelotons, Limit/Semi-Limit and Semi-Scratch/Scratch.
• I got shelled 6km from the end.
• The catch was made 5km from the end.
• I finished 2nd last of the people who finished.

View the Race on Strava: Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 09: Green Sheds. Limits vs. Scratches.

Short Story Long

Build-up

On Tuesday, I got my new bike fitted via the Retul method from bikefitstudio.ie. I took the bike out on Wednesday for some Intervals. The position was a bit strange, my left quad cramped. I am a lot further forward than I am used to. I felt that my climbing was impacted.

I started eating at 16:00. I ate a John West Tuna Steam Pot, two Bananas. I went to the bathroom to raise my Watts/Kilo. I got changed into my race kit at 16:45. The weather forecast was predicting rain for my warm-up, but I didn't care, but I had packed a small towel and the Long Sleeve Jersey. Ankle Socks, Leg Warmers, Bib Shorts, Compression Vest, Arm Warmers and a Short Sleeve Jersey. I drove up to Black Bull slightly before 17:00. There was some traffic, but no idiots had crashed on the M50, so it wasn't bad. I arrived there at 17:40-ish.

Pre-Race

I got ready for a steady warm-up routine. I rode up and down the layby once. Then stretched at the car, I must've looked like Michelle Jenneke to the passers by. I cycled back down to the train line ...to unload my internal bidons. Then I started one minute intervals. This was more ambigious than usual, as I hadn't transferred my Power Meter to my Rose Xeon CW yet, so it was using heart rate. I had made a Heart Rate interval screen on my Garmin the previous day.

View the Warm-up Routine on Strava: Warm Up.

I went over to sign on. My new bike generated some interest. I have a bike buddy in the club. He told me that the Cosmics and the handling can get twitchy when transferring from the hoods to the drops when in the crosswinds.

I put the saddle bag in the car, removed the leg warmers. I ate a Power Bar Cookies and Cream bar and a Banana before the race. Garrett asked me "Are you still in Limit?" Which I understood as "Are you still slumming it in Limit with the losers?" Eugene-style banter.

There was a lot of talk between the marshals, and it was decided that the course would be the Green Sheds one. Dick had brought us around this circuit in February, so I had some knowledge about it. Limit and Semi-Limit were grouped into one peloton, with Semi-Scratch and Scratch joining forces to catch and over take. The whistle blew, we were off.

Race

Out to the Circuit

Things were a bit sketchy on the run to the top of the hill. But we started into a good rythm on the run to Batterstown and onto the roundabout. I noticed that there was a lot of people working. Even my Limit buddies, who would not usually make it to anywhere near the end of the race.

My position on the bike felt really good now. I was on the back of the saddle and the hoods when recovering. Then mid saddle and the drops on the way up to the top. When I was three riders from the front, I'd get on the nose of the saddle and make my forearms parallel to the ground with my nose really close to the top cap. I think they call this "chewing bar tape".

I also noticed that there was some people not working. They were not communicating their shameful in-action. There was not a lot of people saying "Last Man". This was creating gaps in the line of people moving up. When at the front, some guys rolling through were accelerating through, making recovery harder. There was one or two guys riding out of line, forcing the guys moving up to come around them. The guys who were doing this didn't last long, I think I seen them twice. This really needs to improve from the Limit group.

I was really lucky to be very near the front when we approached the roundabout.

Lap One

I'm pretty sure that many people got shelled at the roundabout. I had to close some gaps, and sat in to recover. I seen that Garrett had a gap, but no one wanted to close it. I noted where the finish line was when I passed it. The pace slowed after we took the first exit at the third roundabout. The aerobic load was kicking in and I was starting to suffer. I got in the group and took a sip of water. I used this time to regulate my breathing, as I was starting to get a stitch. Inhaling slowly and exhaling very slowly, this lets the muscles in your rib cage have a break. Stitches have been a real problem for my in the races this season.

I was getting pretty annoyed at the guys who were sitting on and not working. The guy who was sitting directly on my wheel was Romano, more on him later. They were on the receiving end of abuse every time I went to the back. I took a passive-aggressive stance on the "Last Man" calls, preferring "Last Man, who'll do any work". When the road started going uphill, I was going backwards, but because I was near the front I had the sliding room.

Lap Two

The start of lap two was a bit of a blur. I wanted to be in a good position for the roundabouts. I was mid-pack for them, so not as bad as it could've been. I think that many people got shelled and 17, or 19, people remained. Garrett did the counting. Romano was still sitting on the back. I realised that my abuse was not going to motivate/guilt him into working.

There was one absence from the Brittas race. The constant shouting of "Tidy", "Keep working" and other standard sayings designed to illict a response. I could only hear the guy on the Canyon Ultimate SLX saying "We're working well". Jules said he was shouting too, but I didn't hear him.

About 6km from the line, Aideen Keenan, who we picked up in our group after she punctured, attacked. She was not going to contest the finish, but everyone followed her. I had just done a turn at the front, so I was in the red. I could not respond. A small gap formed and there was a crash at the back. I looked behind to see what happened, a rookie thing to do, but I knew I was last on the road. It stops being fun when people are properly hurt, not just lactic acid burning your legs off hurting. I knew the group in front was gone a bit up the road, my race was over. I think I was one of the last Limit riders to be shelled from the joint Limit/Semi-Limit group. So a good performance from me.

I didn't want to leave people lying in the middle of the road. I slowed, but I didn't stop. I seen the Scratch groups coming. I wanted to get out of their way. So I let them pass on a T-Junction, by riding wide. Jules was involved in the crash with Diarmuid. I waited for Jules, catch up to me and I rolled in with him. Another guy, my bike buddy (he has a Lava Red Xeon CW), passed us. I presumed that he was the guy who crashed with Jules. So I taught that everyone was up the road, this was an incorrect assumption on my part.

I tried to tempt Jules into a Sprint finish, for pride. I got a massive gap on him. His rear brake was rubbing pretty hard. I finished the race really strong, so maybe I could've lasted in the main group had I been able to respond to the attack.

The groups joined 5km from the line. Brian Mc had won the race. My new friend, Romano had finished 3rd. Clever racing from him. He had his strategy and stuck to it. I would've cracked had the roles been reversed. I felt like a bit of an asshole for hurling so much abuse his way. He did win one competition, the prestigious "Most abused by Luke" award. :P

Here's the finish, in Slow Motion, fast forward to 28 seconds.

Post-Race

I would've like the Limit groups to have stayed away. I was happy with my evening's work.

I offered Jules a lift home. After the crash, it's better to inspect a carbon bike before riding it again. Jules and I discussed the race as I dropped him home. He heaped a bit of pressure on me for the upcoming Time Trial. He reckoned that there's not many strong riders left in Limit after the upgrades from the Brittas and Corkagh races. Time to buy some TT bars. I'll be up against Barry's TT Rig.

Re-watching the race on the Strava Fly-By, with Garett, Brian Mc and myself enabled, was fun. Les Pelotons Scratches really paced their effort well to make the catch.

I was sickened that I didn't have my Power Data to analyse for training input. But I spent a full hour at threshold heart rate zone.

What Was Learned

• I need to get back to proper training, short sharp intervals and longer ones too. This will enable me to respond to attacks and move up in the line better. My work schedule is getting easier now, as I just finished the project that I was working on.
• My strategy to prevent the stitches was better this week, but I may not get a convenient lull in the pace to do so in the future. Regulating my breathing will need to be prioritised early in future races.
• That session with Dick was really useful for the course recon it provided.

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Bike Racing Lecturers from PBscience

I happened across this YouTube Channel, I was impressed with the detail of their content. They seem to be presenting to British Track and Time Trialists, but taking a in-depth approach. The quality of the videos leave a lot to be desired.

Some of their findings are a bit debated, I'll leave the opinions up to yourself;

• Promoting certain energy products from SIS,
• Eating little and often,
• Consuming a Protein Drink withing 20 mins of finishing training.

I was most impressed by the tip they gave on tyre pressure. One of the guys in the audience had a similar opinion to me, "Pump is up to maximum". But Helen said that tyres are designed to be pumped to a specific PSI/BAR for the rider's weight, too hard and you're just bouncing along the road and losing performance. Their information on Carb intake and Glycemic Index of the foods is also pretty interesting.

Here's a playlist I made on their most interesting videos related to training for and preparing for Bike Racing.

I hope some of this is useful for the reader/watcher.

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Skoda Tour De Conamara 140km Event Review

From L-R: Áine, Sinead, Me, Charles and Steffan.

Introduction

I had lived in Galway for twenty-two years, I had not ventured far west of Galway city. Sinead was talking about the Tour De Conamara, so I signed up. Charles signed up too. Myself and Charles had crashed in the build-up to the ride. Charles had left his bike into the shop have it's front derailleur indexed, so he hadn't been riding in the three weeks before the Tour. I had crashed at a race and had cuts on my knee, hip and elbow.

View the ride on Strava: Tour De Conamara 140km... If only I could get more than my wheel sucked :P.

Pre-event

Pre-sign on

I drove down from Dublin on the friday afternoon. I went straight to Monaghan's garage to sign on. I got a goodie bag, the main item was a Gillet. The Gillets were decent on the back, but had room for a beer belly on the front. I gave it to my mother, as she wanted it for walking. The goodie bag also contained some Power Bar items too.

Drive down

I had a stressful past week, and I wanted nothing more than a military precision two hour drive over to Cliften. My mother had made me ham and cheese sandwiches the night before. I had told Charles that I'd be leaving my house at 07:00, be at his house at 07:40 and in Cliften for 09:00. I had left my house ten minutes earlier than estimated. I got to Charles' at 07:20. I went in and had a chat and loosened up by stretching. When Charles was finished his porridge it was 07:50, we were ten minutes late!

I'd have to make up time somewhere. I had a serious feeling that there would be speed vans on the drive out. The Garda need money, and the speed vans are a serious money maker for them. I also got caught out at the lights in Moycullen, which added 200 seconds onto my time. I put the boot down after that, on the narrow roads where they could not safely place a speed van. Then I happened across some asshole in a Prius. Doing 80km/h on a 100km/h road, this diver also had two bikes on the back of the car. So they were going my way, but not booting it. Charles went very quiet after I started losing it. I eventually overtook this fucking asshole. I was consuming some of my mother's sandwiches, to keep myself full.

Parking

The parking was a nightmare, there wasn't a nice field to park in. The An Post tours have this. I parked in the mart, where everyone else was parked. I was asked to move because the owner wanted to move a lorry out of the mart. I was unhappy at this. I found parking across the road. But still, I should not have had to do this. There should be plenty of designated parking.

After parking, Charles went down to sign on for the 80km. His build up to the event was hampered by injury and bike repairs. I put two sandwiches in my mouth and cycled over to the start of the 140km.

Event

I met some Orwell lads, but they were planning on riding slower than I was. I knew Sinead and the others would be up the road. I lit it up from the gun. On the other side of the road passing hundreds of cyclists. I seen loads of people getting punctures. The scenery was terrible at the start. It was heavy mist, with about ten meters visibility on the side. It looked like a horror movie. The lads further up the road, wearing their yellow Gillets were like those Chinese Lanterns.

I was pushing hard, and I needed a rest. I got in with a group. I looked at my group mates. I seen the Orwell logo through Sinead's jacket. I said "Hola mis amigos". I rode with these guys for the rest of the event, except for a stint riding with Grainne between the food stops.

I wasn't put off, or affected by the weather. I am used to this kind of mist. When you grow up on a farm, you can't pick and choose when you'll go out and work. You work regardless of what the atmospheric conditions.

Route

The route was pretty flat for ages. It made it really easy to keep a group together. All the climbs were at the end. I felt very strong for the last 20km, after struggling after the food stop.

Foodstops

The foodstops were very well done. The sponge cake with the icing on top was my favourite. The portaloos at the first stop were good.

Post Event

We hung around for a while, then I went to my car. I got changed. Charles had to avoid glaring when I was "free balling". We ate our remaining food and exchanged stories about day. Good times.

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Bradley Wiggins's 10 Mile TT Attempt and the Beauty of Cycling

Copyright of Road Cycling UK.

The Beast

Later today Bradley Wiggins will attempt to break Alex Dowsett's British Record for the ten mile time trial. Next month Wiggo will attempt to break another Dowsett record, the World Hour Record. So this is essentially Wiggins vs. Dowsett round one.


For those who like exacting numbers;

• Dowsett cycled 10 miles (16.093 km) in 17 mins and 20 seconds at some stage last year.
• Dowsett averaged 52.957 km/h for his successful World Hour Record attempt.
• Wiggins is aiming for a sub-17 minute TT time.
• Wiggins is also looking to average over 55 km/h in the Hour Record.

The knight of the realm previously held the ten mile TT record. But that was nine years ago in 2006. With the advent of wind tunnel tested technology, the Time Trial discipline has evolved greatly in the intervening years. He'll be rocking his British TT Champion liveried Pinarello Bolide, with Pro engineered rims and Shimano Di2. The highlights on his person will be the Rapha skinsuit of the World TT Champion and a Kask Bambino. The only piece of equipment that is in question is the shape of the chainring he'll employ. 56 tooth Shimano Dura-Ace round, or the Osymeteric oval which failed him once in the past.


Interesting to note that wind tunnel developed bikes were pioneered (read: demanded) by cycling's resident Texan anti-hero. I guess this strong willed, single testicled guy wasn't all bad. But then again, Hitler did get 0% unemployment. I refuse to use his name in a web page, as I'm not one of the publications that Cosmo Catalano derides for such SEO.

Copyright of ethz.ch.

The Beauty

For the longest time people have been talking about "the beauty of cycling". In very few other sport can you get this spectacle-ruiningly close to the athletes. Likewise, not many other sports can you play in the amphitheatre of your heroes. But with cycling you can ride a fixie beside the Peloton, you can use a massive zoom lens to get a macro shot of a Sprinter. You can also cycle up the Stelvio, Zoncolon, Vontoux, Alpe D'Heuz and many other storied, moon surfaced ascents. The football equilivant is like trying to slide tackle Messi as he takes a Champions League winning shot in the Camp Nao.


Sir Bradley Wiggins rocking up to a club event in Hull. The reigning World, British and Olympic Time Trial Champion competing against beer bellies, clip on aero bars and box section 32 spoke rims for £50 with traffic zooming past. This is a different kinda of beauty. This is Emma Watson beauty, to the previously described Kate Upton glamour. Rolling out the football analogy again, this is Mesut Özil turning up to a 5-a-side astro game on some Shetland Island.


Best of luck Bradley, as you ride the out-and-back course into your twilight years of shelved records.

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Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 07: Corkagh Park crit. 40mins + 2 laps

Long Story Short

• I crashed during my warm up.
• Lasted 18 minutes.

View the ride on Strava: Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 07: Corkagh Park crit. Unable to obey rule 6 for too long.

Fighting through the pain. Note the blood on the left knee.

The 18 minute version

So the much prophesied new bike was still stuck in Germany. This is the slowest that the Germans have moved across Europe in the last 101 years. I didn't feel great that day. I had been working hard in work without much time to properly train for races. I wanted to get out on Tuesday to do some sprint intervals, but I forgot my Garmin. I did my usual routine of starting to eat at 17:00. Consuming two Bananas, John West Tuna Pot and two fistfuls of mixed nuts. I "dropped a few kilos" at 17:35 and got changed in the shower rooms of the office. I drove over to the Corkagh Park track. I was doing laps at 18:10.

I did my usual three laps, one easy, one high cadence, one big ring normal cadence. I stretched, using my usual routine. Then I continued the routine with one lap easy, one lap hard. I mixed in some slow sprints and fast sprints. This was to wake my body up to the process of sprinting out of corners. My next step, as it was 15 mins before the start, was to slowly consume a high-GI Nutri-Grain bar. But my plan did not advance that far.

Then, I was rolling easy. Behind another guy. He moved over to take the corner. I had got too close to his wheel and I pulled the front brake to slow. I don't know what happened, I just went over the handlebars. Well, slightly to the left of them, if you want to be pedantic about it. Pedantic, the tarmac was. I felt a strong impact on my head as I hit the ground. I got straight up, picked up the bike. One dude stopped to ask if I was OK. I instinctively said "yes". Then I seen my bottles on the ground, the Garmin too. It takes a serious jolt to dislodge a Garmin quad-lock mount.

My knee started to sting, then my elbow and finally my hip. I checked myself. Bleeding through holes in my left side arm and leg warmers. This didn't upset me as much as the hole on my cycling shorts. I rolled over to the organisers, asked for some plasters. Gene helped me out and gave me spares for later. I went back to the start line just as the race was starting. I was very confused. I received some banter for the "Luke 'Socks' Potter" posting on the Club's last race report. I lined up at the back of the wrong group, banter also ensued.

The whistle blew, we were off. Fourteen Limit men being chased by Fifteen Semi-Limit men. I noticed that I was having Garmin problems again. It wasn't picking up my Speed/Cadence Sensor or my Power Meter. I spent time playing with this on the straight. I was already being dropped. I can recall the difference between my last few races, and this race. This race I was not able to concentrate or relax at the start. There was a fog over my brain. I stayed with them for a few laps. Then they rode away and I got dropped. I chased for a while.

I noticed that Semi-Limit were closing on me, I wanted to jump on the back of their train. I heard Jules shouting "Jump on, Luke, get in", to encourage me. I found a gap and I held on to them for a lap. The next time through the first corner, I couldn't sprint to get on their wheels. I knew my race was over. I sat up. I coasted back to the start line. I ate the Nutri-Grain bar that I missed out on. I drank some water too. Jules came through and asked for my wheel, as he had a puncture. I obliged. I did tell him that it was a 9 speed wheel, and not the 11 speed one his bike had.

I went back to the car, where I took the photos at the top of the post. I put on the patches that Gene gave me and placed my intact arm and leg warmers over the patches. I put on a hoodie and jeans. I brought over my track pump for Jules to use after the race. I seen the last lap, I missed a great escape from five Limit riders. One rider dropped off the escape a lap before they were captured. But the other four, stayed away for until the final lap.

Could Jules win the race on my wheel after being sidelined for a while? Nope, 15 year-old Sean Murnane took an unsurprising victory from a bunch sprint. Jules rolled in with the second bunch.

There was some good chatting afterwards. The Semi-Scratch and Scratch races were on after the Limit races. Jules couldn't fix his tyre and I gave him a lift home. Patrick gave me some plasters to use after my shower. I discovered that my wounds were on my sleeping side. I raided the first-aid kit in the office the next day... still no new bike delivered.

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Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 06: Brittas CP

Long Story Short

• I finished 12th,
• Limit group stayed away,
• The selection in the limit group was made inside 10km.

Race Report

View the ride on Strava here: Orwell Wheelers 2015 Club League Round 06: Brittas CP. 12th. Made an ill fated bid for glory on the 3rd descent.

Build-up

So I had a disaster of a commute the previous day. I felt like I was pedaling squares. I thought I was getting a cold. The cold was probably due to someone in the office being sick, and nothing at all to do with the six hours I spent cycling in the rain on the Saturday.

It was a difficult one to judge the kit, I packed my bag the night before. The forecast was indicating rain for the race. I made the decision that I was not going to be affected by any rain. When I was getting changed in the office, I decided to wear arm warmers, leg warmers, bib shorts, short sleeve jersey and a compression vest. This was fine on the ride out. I also decided to leave the Saddle Bag, phone and iPod in the car at the office. It has been ages since I got a puncture, as I run my tyres at max pressure. I didn't want the devices to get damaged by rain.

I got the notification that my new bike had been dispatched from Rose in Germany. I started eating at 17:00. My fuel mix consisted of a John West Tuna Steampot, a Nutri-Grain bar and a Banana. I packed a pair of gels, a banana and two Nutri-Grain bars in my Jersey. I was on the road at 18:03.

Pre-Race

I rolled from the office to the start. I utilised the Embankment climb to warm-up on. I used intervals 1 minute at Z5+ wattage, followed by 1 minute easy. I was nice and warm after the 8km ride.

I had a chat to Siobhan when I arrived. She was marshalling. Barry was also marshalling, he was recovering from two crashes the previous Sunday. I met Stephen and a few others too. Stephen just picked up a pair of Campagnolo Zonda wheels, same as myself. They're a fantastic pair of wheels. I think he upgraded from a stock set of Shimano RS-11s. I ate the second of my bananas and signed on. I cycled up a hilly laneway, to unload a few liters. I removed my arm and leg warmers 10 mins before the start.

We were under the impression that it would be one race, with the three faster groups trying to catch my Limit crew. This was not the case. Because they were faster, the two scratch groups were sent off first. Then the two limit pelotons were unleashed upon the tarmac.

Ride down to the loop - Making the Selection

As you can see from the map at the top, there were three loops with a ride down to the start of the loops. Limit were on the road and riding hard. Lots of shouting, from the others. I was relaxed, I knew I would be shouting later. There was some very untidy riding at the start. Guys not being in two nice lines with smooth up and overs. Not communicating that they were the last man in the group. I just followed the wheels in front shielding from the wind.

I was riding with my head screwed on, not letting the adrenaline get to me. I knew my evening would be long, so I didn't need to make a big impression. I was remembering the drills that we did with Dick O'Brien in February. I found myself on Ann Horan's wheel, just like a fortnight ago. I went up and through smoothly by keeping an eye on where her wheel was under my armpit. The group settled and I flowed backwards through the bunch, as expected.

All of a sudden two things happened. First someone didn't call last man, and a gap opened. Second there was a corner (at 2.9km), so the accordion effect happened, as I was now out the back. I had to chase back on. Many others were in the same situation. Being, as the Mayo people say, "Pure Sound", I yelled in good time to those who I was passing that the Luke Express was leaving the station and to jump on. I don't think anyone was towed by me back on.

I caught back on, I over shot the bunch with my speed and I ended up in the middle. A 400 meter climb appeared (at 3.5km), I did my usual thing of spinning really fast, averaging 97 cadence for the climb. Everyone else was grinding out of the saddle and, from Luke Froome's perspective, going backwards. The selection was made, maybe twenty riders, and I was in the fray. Other people I recognized were Garret, Young Luke, another other young lad, James, Dan and Stephen.

Lap 1 - Trying my Luck

With the other riders now distanced, we tidied up considerably. There was just one guy on a BMC (not Garret) who was wild, more on this guy later. I had to sprint hard out of the two 90˚ turns over the bridge. I got back in position. As I moved up in the bunch, I noticed that Garret was out in front with about 20 meters gap.

I have no idea what I was thinking, so I bridged to his attack.

I took a turn. After about 30 seconds Garret told me that we were caught and to relax. I was sheltered the whole way up the first climb. It was easy going. The descent was handy. I was in second position coming up to the sharp turn at the top of the course. So it was relaxed going through the corner. The pace was back on, and we discovered where the finish line was.

Lap 2 - Cramps and Muscle Spasms

The road was very bumpy and my calf muscles were bouncing rather painfully. I dissipated a stitch by calming my breathing and riding on the hoods when I was being sheltered. The guy on the BMC was starting to annoy me. When he was riding through he would accelerate hard creating a gap. "There's no fucking need for that fucking shite". My turn to do some shouting was nigh. Then when he was riding in the shelter, he was riding out of line, so riders had to come around him. This was breaking the flow, and he wasn't getting it. So I calmed my tits. When I came past him again I calmly explained to him, not to accelerate when he was coming through. I have idea how this worked out as I lost position through the two bridge turns. I could see that the marshalls were holding up traffic really well. This was keeping us safe. The efforts in sprinting after the guy on the BMC to close the gaps took their toll. My ribs were in pain. The usual pain that started after I was hit by a car last summer. This made the second climb torture. Unable to breathe without pain, and my legs filling with lactic acid I fell off the back of the group.

I really wanted to throw the bike in the ditch and cry at the side of the road.

I caught up on the descent. Employing my sitting on the top tube techniques. But I was at the back for the sharp turn. Another sprint, where I nearly gave up. I did catch up again. We passed the finishing line again. Last lap. The Semi-Limit group were not in sight. On a windy course such as this, there wasn't a way for the rabbits to be seen by the dogs. We were away. The shouting was increasing. It was not an evening for improving your English. "Steady", "Up and Over", "Close the Gaps" and "Keep it Tidy" were the orders being given.

Lap 3 - All or Nothing

This was a good lap. The pain in my ribs had disappeared. I was smooth through the corners at the bridge. The pace on the climb was high, it was seven seconds faster than the previous two ascents. Some lads went out the back. I was third wheel.

In what could be my Cube Peloton's racing swan song, I launched an attack over the top.

Seeing that I had a nice few meters gap. I really upped the cadence. I should've sat on the top tube. I kept the pace up after the descent. I looked under my armpit and could see that James was just behind my wheel. I was deflated. I dropped back in the bunch and was last going into the sharp bend.

Finish

I sprinted back onto the bunch. I was really hurting from my previous efforts. Semi-Limit were nowhere behind us, so the thirteen of us that were left were going to contest the finish. The pace dropped a bit and the bunch did, as bunches do and, bunched up.

I wanted Dan to attack, so I could follow. So I shouted; "Dan Attack!".

But that only served to inject pace into the bunch. I cannot win a sprint yet, I don't have the raw power, technique or gearing on my bike. So I'd like to attack a few hundred meters out and try to hold it. This wasn't an option. The attacks went off the front, but I was at the back and just tried to keep pace. I passed James, who caught me on my attack, before the line for 13th position.

Post Race

I wasn't sure what the protocol was here. My group had won the CP race, but some guys had placed in the race. To my surprise, we were very happy about staying away. Lots of congratulations. We watched the Semi-Limit group roll on some time later. I heard he race organiser say that Limit had gained time on Semi-Limit. I knew that this would mean lots of upgrades. The top six were upgraded to Semi-Limit. Stephen and Garret would be chasing me next week.

Lots of people were talking, something had happened. One lad dropped a lap and joined our group and contested the finish. He finished 4th. I had no problem with him joining the group, but contesting the finish was a no-no. He was DQ'ed. I got 12th place.

Garret who finished seventh in the sprint placed sixth.

I did as all cycling heros do, and put on my leg warmers one leg at at time, then my arm warmers one arm at a time. I rode easy back to my car at the office. On the way, I stopped off to see if a guy who had a puncture was OK. He had all the tools. Another Orwell guy stopped off too, he had a track pump and supplied aid.

What was Learned

I was really happy with my performance at the race. I was delighted at my two attacks. In what could be a short season of racing, due to work, I didn't want to be anonymous.

• The racing drills that we did with Dick O'Brien in February were extremely beneficial.
• I need to really learn how to avoid the pain in my ribs/stitch.
• The group will slow down coming into the sprint finish. This might be a good time to launch an attack.

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Top 10: Cycling Tips for Intermediate Cyclists

The "Top Ten Cycling Tips" articles are coming out now, just in time for some ad revenue from the Hairy Legged Freds at the Sportive season. Freds need love too, but they are not the primary target of this article. Here's the thing about these articles, they're all the same recycled garbage. So basically they are the same article just with slight changes. I've come to expect nothing but lazy reporting from journalistic hacks just punching the clock. How I yearn for the bygone Golden Age of investigative journalism. I'll put ten different, non-beginners lacking common sense tips here.

Top 10 Cycling Tips for the Intermediate Cyclist.

I'd consider myself on the upper end of Intermediate-ness when it comes to cycling knowledge. I've gathered this knowledge from YouTube, talking to others and experience. The ways I can see myself improving are Power Training knowledge and Race-craft.

1. Learn to Descend at Speed.

This one annoys me to no-end. There is nothing worse than a cyclist in the middle of the road descending like a granny. This forces others to take risks when going around said cyclist. Maybe they're faster climbers than descenders, maybe they've started first on a "re-group at the top" ride, maybe they're just cunts.

Descending is a skill. It evolves with knowledge, practice and confidence. You must be brave enough to be on the outside of the curve, then clip the apex on the inside and return to the outside line. The wind in your ears will make your brain think that you are going too fast. The G-Forces effecting the electrolyte mix in your bladder, may convince you that you're going to have more than one accident. There's many resources on YouTube on how to return to sea level, swiftly and safely. GCN have the best instructional videos. Maybe one day, you'll be able to descend the Shay Elliott, into Laragh, sitting on the Top Tube like I can ;)

2. Advance your Clothing Wardrobe.

After your first season, you probably have some basic base layers and shorts. You should pad out your Armoire with more modular layers of clothing. For example, use arm warmers and a base layer vest in preference of a long sleeve base layer. This way you can remove the arm warmers when climbing, to remain cool. Then put them back on for the descent, so you don't get cold.

The transition from beginner to intermediate happens over the course of the winter. The demands that winter riding places on your body, will require more clothing resources. Unless you're Chewbacca, you'll be requiring thermal base layers. Personally, I use Skiing thermals under my kit. A lot of my winter gear, I get from Lidl and Aldi. Do you want to destroy some Rapha gear when you roll over the black ice? For winter rides, the order in which I apply my clothes is as follows;

1. Heart Rate Monitor,
2. Thermal leggings,
3. Football socks,
4. Leg warmers,
5. Normal socks,
6. Bib shorts,
7. Thermal long sleeve base layer top,
8. Arm warmers,
9. Buff,
10. Thermal long sleeve jersey,
11. Skull hat,
12. Shoes
13. and Gloves.

I roll up a rain jacket in my middle jersey pocket. I also have neoprene overshoes at my disposal.

3. Learn How to Service and Maintain your Bike.

Sure it's great to support your local bike shop. But having your own basic tool set and knowledge on how to clean and service your steed, can save you a lot of time and money in the future. Last year, I learned some basics. How to;

• Replace a Handlebar and Stem.
• Align the shifters.
• Wrap bar tape.
• Replace a Crank arm.
• Size and replace a Chain.

This year I have learned how to replace the internally routed cables on my bike. I had "an experience" indexing my rear derailleur with the new cable. Had I asked a bike shop to do the same job it would've cost me €60. This first time I needed to buy the Park Tool Cable Cutter. I seen that as a capital investment.

The next things on my maintenance radar is all bearing related. Bottom Bracket replacement, Pedal axle servicing and Wheel servicing. With lots of YouTube tutorials available, we all have no excuse on learning how to properly service our bikes. Then we can always be prepared. We can help out our buddies when their knowledge lets them down.

4. Understand Training Periodisation and How it Works for you on a Weekly Basis.

I suppose you are aware of the StravAsshole guy. I used to be that guy, starting at the back of the group then making my way to the front. Wanting to drill it when it was my turn on the front. I was inexperienced, young and restless. I wore the shouts of "Steady" like badges of honour. I learned.

Everyone else smashes themselves during the week with intervals. They've made the hard yards and accumulated the TSS values. They just want to talk shop and banter on a steady ride. This ride, for most riders, is their recovery ride. If you've tried out the Strava Training Plans, you'd notice that the weekend rides are mostly earmarked for "Endurance Riding". This should be standard practice for most riders. Use the weekend coffee rides for active recovery. Use the weekdays for hard intervals. Sip your caffeinated beverage of choice safe in the knowledge that you are in your bunch's good graces.

If you've missed your week's training, arrange with some other individuals to do intervals on the weekend. Create a separate bunch to accomplish this. Should your schedule not be 9-5, Monday to Friday. Perhaps you could use your resources, boards.ie, meetup.com, club IM or forum, to engage like-scheduled individuals.

5. Get a Power Meter and Learn how it Functions.

The price of Power Training is falling. The insights that training with a Power Meter gives a cyclist are fantastic. You'll learn how efficient you are. Discover if you're generating Torque or Power. Aquire the ability to recreate races or climbs that have been captured and analysed for training input. Power Meters show the energy expanded in KiloJoules, this correlates almost one to one with the amount of calories that the rider has burned. It will enable you to pace yourself in breakaways and on long climbs.

The main benefit is that it is an objective measure on your cycling ability, as opposed to Heart Rate training's well documented variability. You can build a Power Profile. The Power Profile will enable you to see where you are strong, where you are weak and where you rank in the world. The power profile can determine what kind of rider you are naturally; Sprinter, Puncher, Pursuiter or Steady-State rider (Time Trialist and/or Steady Climber).

The book "Training and Racing with a Power Meter", by Hunter Allen and Andy Coggan, PhD, is a must read for any Power Meter user. It will make you wise to the ways of Power Training.

6. Foam Rolling and Flexibility Work.

Not even Jesse Pinkman screams "bitch" to me like a grown man afraid of a foam in a cylindrical form. Foam Rolling is great for your mussels. Not everyone has a masseuse available. Doing myofascial release yourself is a good option. It hurts the first few times you find the trigger points. Do not let this deter you. Persevere with the pain, breathe and rock on the trigger point. After your muscle are unknotted, the foam rolling will become an easy process. This will reduce your risk of silly and preventable injury.

If someone refers to me as a female Dog for doing flexibility, I would respond by questioning them on how they survived the last 65 million years. Improving your flexibility will enable you to ride in a more aerodynamic position for a longer duration. You will be able to lower your bike's stack height, and get a longer stem. It will also help you feel more comfortable on a sexy, low slung race geometry frame. You won't be complaining that the position is "too stretched out" like these other puppy litter creators. Improving flexibility will also aid in injury prevention. Simple things such as stretching regularly and doing yoga count towards your flexibility work.

7. Core Strength training.

Developing a strong core is one way to boost your cycling performance off the bike. Being able to lock-out your core and pedal through your glutes for an extended period of time is a fantastic advantage to possess over the competition. A strong core, is not an underwear model-esque six-pack. It will support a good posture. A good posture will result in greater testosterone production (for guys anyway). Testosterone helps with recovery through protein synthesis. With that extra testostrone, you could grow a Bradley Wiggins circa early 2015 beard. I like the workout from KellysCycling.com.au, I have been following it and I feel that it has helped me improve. The great thing about the core work is that you can do it when your legs are tired, you are sick or injured.

8. Scrutinise your Diet and Question the Status-Quo in order to Shed Useless Weight.

Having trouble shifting a few stubborn kilos? Do you not have enough energy to exercise. Your diet needs to fuel your life on and off the bike. You need to consume enough calories to have the energy to train and improve. You need to lose weight, in order to raise your Watts per Kilo.

For most of our lives, we've been told to drink the fluid from the mammary glands of another species of mammal, AKA Cow Milk. No other species does this. Cow milk is full of hormones, designed by Charles Darwin, to turn 40kg calves into 400kg beasts. We've been told that the output from the menstrual cycle of a bird is good for humans, AKA Eggs. By this logic, we should be eating fried used tampons with our Steaks. We've been told to consume corpses of dead animals. We're encouraged to damage our metabolism by eating low amounts of carbohydrates and high quantities of fat. Our elders and educators have instructed us to follow this path. Bear in mind, that they also told us that St. Patrick banished the Snakes from Ireland. A quick Google on this will reveal the one truth we all need to know, "We've been lied to for our entire lives".

In the summer of 2013, I went on a Paleo diet, I lost 5kg, but I felt like a nutcase the whole time. After I introduced carbs back into my diet I packed back on the weight that I had lost over the following six months. The next summer, I started to reduce the animal products from my diet. It's been almost a year and I'm 7kg below where I was when I started. My cycling has improved a lot, in part due to my Power improvements, but also because my Watts per Kilo is much higher.

My starting point was switching from Cow Milk to Soy Milk, then to Almond Milk for my breakfast cereal. Then I started choosing the Vegetarian and white meat options on the Lunch menu in the office. Then for my dinners I've been leaving out the meat portion, and increasing my brown rice intake. My path continues... But if you'll pay ridiculous money for a 30 day fad diet, why not a high carb, low fat diet for 30 days?

9. Get your on the bike nutrition dialed.

This one requires much experimentation. But unlike the building Power Profile, this is fun experimentation. Have fun with the things in your pockets (you won't hear that at mass on a Sunday). Bring a bunch of different types of bars with you on your rides. Try using Gels, Dates, chewy Bananas and Sultanas too. In truth, the list is very large. This will add a dimension to your shopping. I like stocking up on Nutri-Grain bars when they are on offer in Tesco. The outcome of the experimentation should be your discoveries regarding:

• How much water does it take to aid in digestion of the food. Too dry and you'll consume most of your water, which could become a problem on long solo rides.
• What quantities of foodstuffs do you require. How is this related to the KiloJoules reading from the Power Meter?
• Does anything make you slower by requiring lots of blood to digest, or upset your stomach?

10. Consider some Upgrad€$.

There's nothing that signals the transition from rookie to intermediate quite like upgrading your equipment. When it's raining and you need that extra motivation to ride, having a fancy bit of kit sitting there judging you, may help. Options include Cycling Computer, Sensors, Wheels, Tyres, Frame, Group Set, Kit, Helmet and/or Gabba Jacket. Some upgrades may yield the nebulous "free speed" that wind cheating aerodynamics offer.

I hope that you've derived some knowledge from the post above.

The recycled garbage tips that you can see every where.

I'll bow to public demand, and worship the God of Public Opinion and paste the summaries of the tips you see everywhere. The latest rider to put his name to such a list was Welsh cyclist Geraint Thomas in The Telegraph. "Welsh cyclist Geraint Thomas" you say? Well I want this article to stand the test of time, and dips in his form, so it'll be politically correct when he's not doing well and not "British cyclist Geraint Thomas". It'd be hilarious if he had a brother named "Thomas", who was better than him. Then people would say "G is good, but Ger Ain't Thomas!" That joke is the intellectual property of Daragh over at daraghbland.com.

1. Gearing: Have the correct gearing on your bike, Compact, or Triple, with a 28, 30 and/or 32 tooth cog on the back. As long as you can maintain 80-100 Cadence most of the time.
2. Basic Clothing: Decent pair of cycling shorts and jersey.
3. Hydration: Have two bottle cages with two 750ml bottles of Electrolyte mix.
4. Bike Fit: Get a bike fit from a professional, so you don't get injured. Mark out the bike fit.
5. Food: Bring enough food to avoid bonking. Luke Says: You'll bonk once, and only once!
6. Routine: Commute on your bike.
7. Hygiene: Wash your kit and ass to avoid saddle sores. Keep your living environment clean to avoid illness.
8. Intervals: Do some basic interval training to improve.
9. Pacing: Start slow, or finish slower.
10. Off the Bike Nutrition: Eat more low-GI foods, cut out the junk foods.

Again, the disclaimer is implied, if you're offended, ask yourself one question... "Is my inability to handle the truth contained in this article related to my need to maintain the status-quo and comply to my Western masters standards, to make them rich off my sheepishness?" The answer is probably "Yes".

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