Almost A Perfect Start

Three weeks in a row and my third blog, it's probably about time I talked a little about my racing. So how about a little bit of a run down, feels like writing a diary but this one has more numbers.

Sunday 1st November

On Sunday all of the crazy ones head to Outer Harbour for the Port Adelaide club time trials, 17.3km of pain because, why not? I got there early (6:15am for a 7:30 start) wanting to get an early start time so I could get back home in time to shower and head to work at 10. I sure did get an early start time being the first rider off. Half an hour to warm up and then get the show on the road. I had a quick chat to Tim and we had decided on power numbers to hold, 350-360w on the way out and then lift on the way back so that as soon as I crossed the line there was nothing left in the tank. During the warm up the legs felt good and after a little bit of caffeine I had perked up and was ready to go. The start is all about holding back, it’s so easy to go into the 500w range for the first few minutes because you're so fresh, this used to be the biggest issue I had, now I just repeat to myself to hold back and just relax. A headwind greeted me on the way out and I knew that roughly 11-12min to the turn around would have me in for a good time. One eye on the road the other on holding a strong and aero position on the bike. Twelve minutes and four seconds to the turn around  at an average of 354 watts, I was happy and now for the fun part, accelerate slowly and get the engine going for the run home. 

The tailwind is certainly the best and most enjoyable time to be riding a time trial bike, big gears and just drive through the hips. Still feeling good I lifted the watts to around 360+ watts hoping to be able to hold it to the end. As the kilometres ticked by I started to dig in and push a little harder, the legs filled with lactic acid but there was really only two kilometres to go, the numbers held steady and everything just hurt more and more. It’s a long straight finish and you just never seem to get any closer to finishing. Finally across the line in a personal best time of 22min 20sec, a time fast enough to win the day from Van D’am Racing teammate Rhys Gillett. 

With the stats as follows:

Distance: 17.3km

Time: 22:20min

Average Speed: 46.5kph

Average Power: 364w

Thursday 5th November

The first race of the 2015-16 CIC Cervelo Super Series and the first official race for Van D’am Racing team. Team meeting over coffee before heading to Victoria Park discuss the nights plan, plans that cannot be discussed in such an open forum but we were confident in the teams strength with so many options and so much talent to utilise. 

There were a flurry of attacks over the first fifteen minutes before one solid move crept off the front with Tom Chapman (Swiss Wellness), Tristan Jones, Justin Gassner (Lightsview), Leo Simmonds (Giant Adelaide), Tom Kaesler (SASI), Harry Carpenter (CIC Cervelo) and Fred Bonail (ISC). As the lead started to grow and no one from Van D’am Racing represented I thought I’d try my luck getting across to the break before the gap became too large. It only took 30 seconds to ride to the break at an average power of 850 watts (enough to power your average toaster). As soon as we all started rolling turns the peloton sat up as there was no motivation from the stronger teams to chase. We held the bunch at half a lap until the half an hour mark where we got word Alex Edmonson was trying to get across, the pace lifted and as everything settled down behind the break away did too. As the rain really started to fall around the 40min mark we were given three laps to go and everyones head started to dart sideways as we all looked at one another. Justin Gassner was the first one to make a move at two laps to go but with everyone watching it was hard to get a gap. The bell sounded, final lap and we were all riding as if the race was held on ice, Tom Kaesler attacked down the back straight with half a lap to go, closely followed by Tom Chapman, I jumped on behind Tristan Jones as we all teetered around the final corner. Chapman hit out early with a good 30 metre gap to myself, I knew I couldn't leave my jump too late. Closing, closing, closing and just as we were reaching the line I saw Tom sit up and raise his hands, all I could do was commit to my throw for the line. I looked up not even 5 metres after the line and I had sailed past Chapman, to roll around and hear I had missed out by less than half a wheel. 

Almost a perfect start to Van D’am Racing’s series.

Now the stats;

Distance: 33.4km

Time: 44:30min

Average Speed: 45.4kph

Average Power: 329w

Maximum Power: 1409w