Masters,
In this week’s Bleat;
• From the Race Committee
• London Circuit Raising
• Research Volunteers Wanted
• Racing this Week
• Race Report
Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc
From the Race Committee
Old Federal Highway
To run the Race at Old Federal Highway this weekend we require the following: Race Director + 5 volunteers – lead and trailing car drivers, van driver, start/finish helpers * 2.
Please let the Race Committee (race.committee@actvets.cc) if you can assist.
London Circuit Raising
The ACT Government is preparing for work to start on raising London Circuit later this year to form a level intersection with Commonwealth Avenue. This may result in disruptions to road users.
Download the brochure here: https://majorprojectscanberra.cmail20.com/t/d-l-fjhddll-iykitlcdt-y/
Research Volunteers Wanted
Are you a cyclist who trains for over 5 hours or 150 km per week? Are you male and aged 18 to 50 years? Are you interested in endurance performance? Are you interested in how your body adapts to the heat?.
What’s involved? VO test, Haemoglobin mass testing, Two week cycling heat acclimation protocol in hot/dry and hot/humid environments. Heat response tests in hot/dry and hot/humid environments. Physiological measurements (body temperature, heart-rate, sweat loss) will be collected.
Get in touch – Mr Peter McDonald, Peter.mcdonald@canberra.edu.au, ph 04159 08082
RACING THIS WEEK:
Saturday, 21st May – Old Federal Highway – Handicap
Reminder: All riders must register on the CRMCC Web site (https://rms.actvets.cc/calendar) by 20/5/2022 8:00 PM prior to the race. There is no registration at the event.
Any requests for Grade changes should be sorted out with the Handicapper prior to registration.
Where: Turn left off new Federal Hwy (dual carriageway) onto Shingle Hill Way. The intersection is signposted to Gundaroo and approx 9 km past the Sutton Rd overpass. Park in gravel pit on corner of next intersection about 100 m in from highway.
When: 1:30 pm.
Race Description:
3 laps Handicap – 36km
Approx start times: F: 1330 E: 1338 D: 1344 C: 1348 B: 1352 A: 1356
Official handicap times will be available on race day.
Race Director: Vacant
Marshals: Vacant
RACE REPORT:
Sutton Driver Training Centre Kermesse – 14th May
A fairly good turnout made it out for the toughest circuit race on the calendar in weather that promised forecast interruptions from precipitation. The skies looked bleak on the ride out, but the track stayed magically dry all afternoon. Track conditions were superb, with a small amount of water running across the causeway and very little gravel on the circuit, both thanks to some early gardening work by our van driver Gareth Downey.
First cabs off the rank were E and F grade, with a good showing in E, but only two in F. With a hefty headwind on the top section, the grades stayed together for half the race, before an attack saw a break of three, including Alison Hale, Allan Bontjer and Geoff Allacott establish a solid gap, which continued to grow over the course of the race. A final attack on the last lap from Allacott tore the group apart, with Hale successfully chasing the leader down on the final straight and gaining a few bike lengths by the finish. Bontjer rolled across for third.
F grade featured Chris Copeland and visitor Yvonne Poels, who were distanced from the E grade group early and broke up into individuals, meaning they had the unenviable task of TTing the remainder of the race. In the end, Yvonne had the endurance to get a gap over Chris and maintain it through to the finish.
A grade had solid numbers, which included Australian MTB champ Andy Blair as a visitor. The bunch stayed together til lap 4, when Paul Scherl attacked and established a gap of about 6 bike lengths across the line, but by the time the bunch passed the start line again, they were all together again. Next to attack were Rainer Wilton and Blair, who eked out about 50m and maintained it through most of the remaining laps, leaving the duos of Paul Scherl and Ben Carmody working together with David Parker and Rowan McMurray chasing further behind. With 2 laps to go, it was clear the Scherl / Carmody duo were bringing back the front of the race. At the start of the bell lap, Scherl had dropped Carmody and was within catch distance of the front. On the final straight, fireworks from the front beckoned, but all hopes of excitement were dashed quickly once it was clear there was an agreement, and their work was only to deny Scherl top spot on the podium. In the end, Wilton took the win ahead of Blair, with Scherl a bike length behind and catching fast.
B grade ran a similar script to A, with very little action happening for the first 4 laps. On the 5th lap, a strong break of Michael Foulds, Jason Irwin and Michael Rowland rode off the front and sank the boot in over the pinch at the end of the straight, leaving the chase group struggling to find cohesion to arrest the breaks progress. A quick conversation between Conan Liu and the remainder of the peloton yielded little encouragement for Liu, who then attacked over the middle section of the course into a headwind and leaving his companions behind. By the time the riders crossed the start line again, Liu was amongst the leading quartet and they were working efficiently. The chasers regrouped and worked together, but lacked the firepower required to bring the larger group back. In the end, attacks on the final laps saw Liu, Irwin and Rowland ride away to fight out the sprint, with Conan taking the spoils. Second was Rowland with Irwin coming in close behind.
C Grade was a fairly straight forward affair, with riders choosing companionship and camaraderie over anti social racing. The group largely stayed together for the duration, with a handful of riders jettisoned over the 40 minute race. Matt Hinchcliffe suspiciously was left on the front across the line on a number of laps, and this writer questions whether this was a bunch choice to try and deaden the legs of a competitor, or Hinchcliffe himself ensuring he made it into the Bleat. Nonetheless, dramas were saved for the final laps, with a number of ambitious attacks by Toby McLenan launching at the top of the first pinch. The attacks were quickly shut down, and the inevitable sprint saw Clinton Porteous best Ed Logue, with Brian Peak making up the final podium spot.
D Grade was equally friendly affair, with the bunch staying together for the full 40 minutes. A few riders fell away and rode the duration on their own or in pairs, but the core group worked on with no obvious shirkers saving themselves. Visitor Katie Gregory was unlucky in her first race, with loose cleats putting paid to her chances of tasting the champagne, but hopefully we’ll see her again soon. In the end, Andrew Hislop took the win ahead of Mark Taylor and Matthew Hardy.
Massive thanks to Chris Short and Gareth Downey for helping things run smoothly and ensuring our riders were full of post race refreshments.Thank you also to our first aider Simon Whitehead. Having sat this one out, I’m anxious to get back on the saddle in upcoming races – I’ll see you there!
Steve Crispin
